Sweet Seduction

Chapter Ten: No Second Thoughts

Christine sighed happily, sitting up in her bed the next morning. So much had happened over the past two days, ever since she found out her father was still living. She couldn't describe the sense of joy and happiness she now felt, to have her father back with her again. He'd explained everything to her the next morning over their breakfast; how he couldn't remember anything after his illness, how he had been presumed to be dead when really unconscious and how he had spent the rest of his life just wandering around aimlessly, hoping he might find something, anything that would give him a clue to his identity. And now at last he had. He and Christine had been reminiscing ever since then, laughing and talking about old times, like when Raoul had dove into the sea, knowing he couldn't swim, just to rescue Christine's scarf. Or, once when Christine had torn his concert shirt by accident when she was four and tried to mend it with taffy. He had laughed and laughed remembering until he almost cried.

"Oh Christine" he said "You were such a happy little girl back then. And look at you now, all grown up and such a beautiful young woman. You can't imagine how happy you've made this old man"

He chuckled "I wonder if you don't try to mend this young man's shirts with taffy anymore."

"Who, Erik?" she asked lightly "he probably wouldn't notice if I did. He'd be too involved with his music to let some small detail like that bother him. Just like you were when you started composing"

"By the way" he started, his tone growing serious "who is this young man you're living with? Someone special?"

"Oh, no one that exceptional, Father. Just...my fiancée!" she giggled. He coughed

"Christine, my dear, you're engaged?"

"Yes, of course! We've known each other since I was very young"

"I don't recall...well, then again, I don't recall much of anything anymore, after the sickness, but how did you come across him?"

"Father, it was actually because of you!"

and then she'd gone on to explain how Erik had pretended to be the Angel of Music her father sent to her, and eventually had gotten to know her better and fallen in love with her, sparing no details about their unusual courtship. Her father hadn't looked all that happy about her news. Now that she thought about it, he actually looked a little...angry. Well, maybe he just hadn't been feeling well, or was still in shock over the good news. It had to be very hard for any father to accept he wasn't the only man in his little girl's life anymore, especially after he'd just found his little girl after all these years. Still, something still seemed...odd about him. Like last night, when he played the violin for her. She had brought out the violin in it's battered case that once belonged to her father . She had always kept it with her, and she had gotten it from her dressing room at the Opera the morning she went to talk to Meg and brought it back home with her. She thought he'd be pleased to see it, but it seemed at first like he didn't know what it was.

"What is this?" he asked curiously

Christine felt like she'd been punched "Your old violin, father. Don't you remember?"

"Oh, that! Of course, of course my dear. I just didn't believe it was really here. Thank you so much for saving it darling" he said, almost guiltily

Well, he'd gone on to play their favorite songs together, but something still wasn't right. He kept missing notes and interludes, forgetting the timings and notes to some songs, sometimes even the song itself. She supposed it was just the illness, but it hurt that he had forgotten so many of the songs he'd written just for her.

Erik was of course, listening as she sang and he played, mentally taking notes. Like Christine, he felt something wasn't right here and felt no hesitation in mentioning it to her. She shrugged him off as usual. She was so happy and he hated to spoil it, but his instincts were too strong to ignore this. The man couldn't remember how to play his own songs! It seemed like he barely knew how to play the violin, and he couldn't play by ear. The man seemed almost...tone-deaf, unaware he'd made a mistake if Christine didn't point it out, which she tried not too. And something about his story didn't figure out right. Tuberculosis didn't lead to amnesia. You couldn't have forgotten your identity or memories simply from an illness. Erik knew enough about the human body and illnesses to know this. He still strongly suspected the man wasn't completely telling the truth, but he'd' stopped telling Christine. She was too happy to listen or care and she didn't believe him anyway. He just hoped she wouldn't be hurt...

At that moment, Erik omitted a loud snore in his sleep, snapping Christine out of her recollections of the past few days as she resisted the urge to laugh. Of course, after finding Gustave, they couldn't very well throw him out, so they let him stay in their small apartment. Erik wasn't comfortable with the idea of the man sleeping in his study or Christine's room, so they let him sleep on the couch in the living room. Unfortunately, he mumbled constantly in his sleep, and after a very restless night on Erik's part (since he could hear Gustave through the thin study door) he had awkwardly come into Christine's room and for one night, they agreed to share the large bed. Although, neither one could sleep knowing the other was fully awake and lying next to them, and that posed too many sinful temptation for a man and woman not yet married, so Erik had gotten up and spent the remaining hours of the night curled up in a chair in Christine's room. And that was how it had been ever since, with Christine in the bed, always awaking earlier to find Erik sprawled out over the chair sleeping, rarely even snoring or oddly enough singing in his sleep. She wondered if he knew he did that.

A soft knock on the door once again interrupted her thoughts and a voice whispered softly "Christine? Are you awake yet?"

She smiled. Her father was still so eager, after all these years, to greet the day with a smile. He always was an early-riser.

"Yes, father, I'm awake. You can come in"

He entered softly, fully dressed for the day in a suit he'd bought after his arrival. He hadn't intended on staying anywhere, only passing through Paris on his way back to Sweden when his carriage had lost a wheel, leaving him trying to find somewhere to stay with no money in the pouring rain.

"Good to see you're up already sweetheart. If you're hungry, I made us both a big Swedish breakfast like we used to have together."

"Mm, how could I refuse that? I'll be right out" she said laughing as she pulled on a robe over her nightgown. She started to wake Erik up, but her father shook his head

"No, Christine let him sleep for now. There's something I need to talk to you about anyway"

She followed her father out into the kitchen, puzzled and sat down. He had really outdone himself this time. She bit into a scone, expecting the familiar sweetness to spread over her tongue, but this one tasted...odd. Not quite as good as she remembered. Maybe it was just her. She took another one from the dish, but it tasted just the same; dry and a little vulgar. Oh well. There was plenty of other good food he had made for her she enjoyed. He sat down at the table, covering her hand with his own

"Christine, dear, I know it probably isn't my place to ask, but I want to know. Are you... happy?"

"Oh course father! Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, it's just this Erik fellow. Forgive me, but, he just doesn't seem like what I always dreamed of for you. I mean, taking advantage of a poor young girl who well, thought she just lost her father, pretending to really be something I created for you, even pretending to be me just to win your affections! Is that what someone who is truly in love with you would do?"

She smiled at his concern "Father, don't worry. I know, our meetings were a tad bit...unorthodox., but his intentions were pure and look what happened: I became the prima donna of the Opera House, thanks to his help! And he really does love me. You do approve, don't you?"

He sighed "Christine, you know that I trust your judgement. I just don't want to see you making a foolish mistake and suffer for it the rest of your life. How do you know you truly love him? Is it really pure love, or is this a schoolgirl crush you're just trying to make something out of?"

She bit her lip. He did have a point... No! What was she thinking. She loved Erik. Loved him with all her heart. Father was just looking out for her and being a tad bit overprotective. He had a right to be. He was her father, after all.

She smiled "Father, I'm sure I'm making the right choice. I'm in love with Erik. I always have been" Well, not always she thought but I love him now. That's all that matters. Isn't' it?

"Dear, I love you and that's why I only want the best for you. I only wish you'd consider this more. You have to be honest about your true feelings towards him. If you realize you aren't really in love, you have to admit your mistake, before it's too late."

Christine frowned. It seemed almost like her father was trying to talk her out of getting married. She thought that every father, even though he had his doubts and concerns, was happy to see his little girl getting married to someone that she loved and made her happy. But, that didn't seem right. Her father didn't seemed like he disapproved of the idea of her getting married. She hoped to God she was wrong, but it almost seemed like he disapproved of the idea of her getting married to Erik.

"Father, I really do love him-"

"Yes, Christine, but are you sure? You must have thought you were in love with hundreds of little boys when you were growing up. Hell, you always thought you were in love with that little boy- oh, what's his name, the one-Raoul!"

His words had an almost hypnotic effect on her. Why would he choose now to bring up Raoul? That was practically ancient history. The idea of her being in love with Raoul, still, that was absurd! Wasn't it?

"Christine, how do you know this isn't any different? You always thought you were in love with Raoul. How do you know you still aren't 'in love' with him? You two were inseparable growing up, dear. Do you still love him?"

Christine bolted up out of her seat

"No, of course I'm not still in love with him! I never was!"

"I thought you were engaged to him once. Last winter" he shot back

"How did you know that?"

"I've heard it all over Paris and in the newspapers too! Are they lying or are you?"

"I'm not lying about anything! I'm not in love with him Father!"

"Then why were you engaged? I have a very hard time believing my little independent girl would agree to some arranged marriage!"

She groaned, fighting to keep her temper under control. He kept going

"You were engaged to Raoul once before. How do you know this engagement won't end like that one? How do you know you're truly in love with this Erik person? How do-"

"Father, I am in love with him. I've made mistakes in love before. So has he, and none of that matters now because it's all in the past. Let it go. I love Erik, and I want to marry him." she said coldly

She turned and looked at him, the ice-cold fury in her eyes replaced by pity

"Father, why wouldn't you want to see your little girl with someone who makes me happy? Someone who loves me?"

At that moment, with his impeccable timing, as ever, Erik entered the room, shutting the door behind him softly. They both turned and looked at him. He came over to Christine

"Christine, darling, are you all right? What's wrong? I thought I heard shouting" he asked, confused

She was too furious at her father right now to take Erik's feelings or confusion into consideration. Willing herself not to scream again, she angrily hurried into the bedroom, slamming the door behind her and locking it, fuming at her father for planting all these doubts and questions in her mind, and fuming at herself for believing them.

Gustave glared at his daughter's finance across the table from him. Erik offered a weak smile, then looked at the slammed bedroom door, asking offhandedly

"What's the matter with her?"