"Oh dear! Raoul, where are my gloves? The white ones with the gold embroidery?" Christine called as they were walking out the door. He was trying to shrug his jacket on so they could leave for the ball.
"I don't know dearest, I think they are on the stand in the foyer!" He called back, putting his hat and his own gloves on, frowning when they wouldn't go on past his knuckles. He turned them over and sighed.
"Raoul! I don't see them!" Christine called, frantically moving things about. He shook his head.
"Never mind love, I found them." He said, prying the tiny glove off of his hand just as Christine caught a glimpse. "I took the wrong pair." He said and she couldn't hold back her giggles and handed him his gloves which had been on the stand in the foyer. He chuckled and kissed her cheek gratefully finally able to look at her.
Christine's hair was swept half up and a gold ribbon had been entwined with the spiraling curls. Her gown was also gold with small pink bows and flowers along the ruffled trims.
"Lovely." He said and she smirked.
"I know it!" She said and he laughed, ushering her out the door. They were driving to the ball with Erik and Roxana. In this city, it was better to show up to big events in groups rather than couples. It was a sign of popularity and success. He helped her into the carriage and climbed in beside her.
"Meg is going to be there tonight." She said softly staring out the window. Raoul nodded.
"Yes, sweetheart. She is." He said, holding her gloved hand in his.
"I miss her." She sighed as his heart broke in half at her misery. Pulling her head to his shoulder, he kissed her curls.
"I know." He said, resting his cheek against her hair.
"God damn it Roxana! Since when are you vain? We are going to be late!" Erik said, pacing furiously in his tuxedo, holding Jamie, who was also in his best suit. Roxana wanted him to see his grandparents since the ball was at their home, where Andrew lived. Hopefully Andrew would be preoccupied with Meg.
"Would you calm down?" Roxana's voice came from upstairs, "You try dressing a two year old and then getting ready yourself. Ass!" She retorted. Erik would have thrown a fit had he not been holding the toddler. Ana ran to grab the door as the bell rang. Christine and Raoul.
"She's not ready." He said angrily as they walked in and Christine leaned up to kiss his cheek as Raoul gave him a nod.
"Hello to you too!" She said dryly. He looked down at her apologetically.
"Sorry...oh Christine. You look enchanting..." He said and she shrugged, winking at him..
"I know!" She said, fully amused with herself. He smiled, but turned his attention back to the stairs which Roxana still was not coming down.
"If my wife would ever get ready we could go!" He called up the stairs until he finally heard the click of her heels.
"Oh keep your corset on!" She said, coming to the landing and stepping quickly down the stairs. He could only stare at her, trying to recognize the woman he'd seen with the tangled black hair and tired eyes this morning. She had her hair partially up and Carolina had curled parts of it. The rest flowed like black silk down her back. She had a bit of makeup on, as did Christine, her eyes seemed brighter. Her gown was lavender, which looked beautiful against the soft amber of her skin. She also wore matching gloves.
"Yes, I can clean myself up when I want to!" She said sarcastically, taking James from Erik.
"I didn't say anything." He shrugged innocently and she pointed at him.
"I know what you're thinking." She said. Christine grabbed her arm and began to walk her to the door. Erik looked over at Raoul and rolled his eyes, fully in a horrible mood.
"Women." He growled and patted Raoul's shoulder, to which the boy nearly fell out of his skin but smiled anyway.
"Where is my favorite grandson?" The older Andrew Westcliff exclaimed as the little boy ran into his arms. His son had gone to pick Meg and her mother up, so the house was free. Roxana smiled as the little boy giggled and played with Justin's parents. She'd grown up with these people. They were like second parents to her.
"How are you dear?" Katherine Westcliff asked Roxana. "We heard you'd remarried." She said and Roxana flushed.
"Y-yes...I did. It was more of a business arrangement though." She explained, almost feeling guilty, like she'd betrayed the memory of their son. Katherine waved her hand.
"Nonsense! It's been almost three years dear. As horrible as it was to lose our baby, you are only twenty-one and he would want you to move on." She said as Jamie giggled.
Roxana smiled nervously.
"Yes, well...I don't know what Andrew has been saying about me but it can't have been good things." She said and Katherine looked at her husband, who kept his attention on the boy purposely.
"Well...Andrew has a bit of a temper problem, but I do hope the two of you can be good friends like you used to be!" She said and Roxana, not wanting to discuss any further simply nodded.
"Roxy...could you leave him up here for now? We'll bring him down to the ball in a bit and meet your new husband." Andrew Sr. replied. Roxana smiled.
"Of course! Tire him out please!" She laughed and left them to their grandson.
"Well?" Erik said, when she joined them in the ballroom. Angelina and Trevor were also standing there along with Rachelle and the young man who had invited her. An American oil heir. She nodded toward him when she saw Roxana and grinned. He was a handsome man with dark brown hair and hazel eyes.
"This is Paul Stratton." She said, and he grinned flashing his white teeth.
"How do you do?" He said to Roxana in nearly perfect French.
"I am impressed Monsieur." She said and he shrugged.
"My mother is French." He explained.
"Ah." Roxana replied, looking at Erik who was unamused. She had to suppress a grin though when she saw Trevor fussing over Angel.
"Darling, do you need anything? Some punch? Water? Maybe you should sit down..." He said and she slapped at his hand.
"Love, I am fine! Just because I am carrying your child doesn't mean I have become glass." She laughed, secretly enjoying every moment of it. He blushed as she ushered him to the drink table.
"Well if it isn't my favorite brother!" Raoul turned to see his sister and her fiancé standing there along with his older brother. "The house is lonesome without you Raoul!" She said kissing his cheek and not so secretly flashing her engagement ring to her friends. Rachelle shrieked.
"Oh my goodness! Garrett! Did you sell your soul to buy this?" She asked as Roxana laughed, waving at Brett Reynolds who had been one of Justin's best friends. He smiled back. He and his brother could pass for identical twins if it wasn't for the fact that nineteen year old Garrett looked like he was just barely past puberty.
"Hello Monsieur Destler." Alana said hugging him. He winced, looking at Roxana who bit her lip to keep from laughing. These damned Chagny girls were affectionate little creatures. He patted her back uncomfortably.
"Good evening Mademoiselle de Chagny." He muttered, backing away as if repulsed by feminine touch. She giggled, grabbing her fiancé's hand and running to talk to Angel. The smile left Christine's face when she saw Meg and Andrew appear and people begin to applaud. Antoinette was close behind, walking in with Andrew's parents. Meg darkened when she saw Christine who looked away when they locked eyes, but her attention was taken when Jacqueline and Sissy rushed to greet her. Andrew looked at Roxana and Erik, but Roxana had craftily stood so she was out of Andrew's sight behind Erik.
"Show time." He said, throwing an arm around her. She nodded, looking at Raoul and Christine who seemed nervous. Roxana put on a smile and stood comfortably with her friends. Rachelle and Paul had wandered over to dance although Roxana knew Rachelle wasn't serious. She never was when it came to men.
"Hello Erik." An older female voice came. Erik turned to look at his friend.
"Annie." He said cordially. She smiled and looked at Christine who looked quickly at her feet, remembering being told to leave a few days before. Antoinette's heart died a bit seeing this. He frowned, seeing that her eyes were dark.
"I believe you Erik." She whispered, stealing a glance at Andrew. Christine looked up.
"You do?" He asked and she nodded.
"I can see it in his eyes. Something isn't right...there is no sincerity. Meg won't listen to me. She is completely taken with him." She said and Roxana groaned.
"He seems to have that affect on women for some reason." She muttered and Antoinette looked at her.
"What do you mean?" She asked and Roxana sighed.
"He's a womanizer, and an abusive one at that." She said and Annie sighed.
"Yes...but, Meg is a woman. She won't listen...she's very determined. A trait I am afraid she learned from me." She said as she took Christine's hand.
"Sweetheart. I am so sorry...I didn't mean to turn you away. I am just lost." She said and Christine nodded her acceptance as Meg called her mother.
"Excuse me." She said, squeezing Christine's hand and leaving.
"Mother, what were you talking to Christine for?" Meg asked, between Jacqueline and Sissy.
"Meg Giry, that is your sister...and you will not talk about her like some scorned relative." She said firmly. Jacqueline snorted, looking longingly at Raoul. Such a waste of a beautiful man...She thought bitterly. After all, he should have been hers.
"Mother, she is the one who was rude. Let her apologize to me." She said, waving her off as Antoinette stared at her daughter in disbelief, moving away from her.
"I don't know who you think you are Marguerite, but this isn't you." She said, spinning on her heel and walking to join the Comte de Chagny and his wife.
"Something wrong Mademoiselle?" A male voice brought Meg out of her guilt driven coma. She looked around. Jacqueline and Sissy had moved on, both dancing with young men. She looked up into a pair of the bluest eyes she'd ever seen and saw a man she vaguely recognized but she didn't know how.
"No sir." She said, softly trying to move past him to grab a glass of punch. He was a step ahead of her and handed her the punch. "Uh, thanks." She said, looking around for Andrew. The man just kept smiling at her. "What? What do you want?" She asked, irked. He chuckled and held his hand out to her.
"I'm Brett...I believe you've seen my little brother around town. Garrett?" He said and she nodded.
"Of course! Sorry...I'm still getting used to this." She said, feeling a bit bad for how she'd reacted.
"Not a problem. So, you're Westcliff's girl?" He asked and she smiled proudly.
"Well yes...it's only been a few days, but he insisted on introducing me to society." She said and he shrugged nonchalantly.
"Society is nothing but an illusion mademoiselle...they will suck you in and spit you out." He said leaning casually against the table and yawning as if bored. She frowned.
"What do you mean?" She asked nervously. He chuckled.
"Just walk in with both eyes open." He watched her a moment and noticed she kept fussing with her dress and hair. "Something wrong?" He asked and she sighed.
"I feel so out of place. All of these girls have been to finishing school and had debutante balls, and I am just a ballerina." She said. His eyebrow raised.
"A dancer?" He asked teasingly and she glared up at him.
"Yes. A dancer. Is there something wrong with that?" She asked accusingly and he held his hands up.
"Oh not at all...I've been to the opera a few times." He said. She seemed to stand straighter.
"I danced the lead in Swan Lake." She bragged and he cracked a half smile.
"I've seen it in London, although the girl I saw was God awful. Fell flat on her ass." He said and Meg's mouth dropped at his curse. He chuckled, taking a glass of punch and downing it in one drink.
"You really don't care what people think of you, do you?" She asked boldly. He grinning completely satisfied with himself. He leaned down to look into her face until they were but an inch apart.
"No, I really don't."
"Meg darling!" Andrew's voice called her as her eyes fluttered wildly, guiltily.
"I have to go Monsieur Reynolds." She said, grateful to get away from him. He grabbed her arm gently and whispered.
"Save at least one dance for me. I'll be right there waiting. All night." He said and she frowned.
"Monsieur please...I have to go." She said, pulling away, but he held her.
"Meg!" Andrew's voice came again.
"Please?" He asked, his confidence still glimmering in his eyes. She pulled away. "Say it and I will let you go." He said and she sighed.
"Fine! I promise." She cried and he let go.
"See? Now was that so hard?" He asked, chuckling as she growled and stomped away to her beau. He took another drink of the punch. Cute girl. It was always fun to see them squirm.