Chapter 8-Old Rivals Meet Again
The next morning, Erik woke early to the sound of his alarm clock at 7:45. Always being a night owl and not a morning person, he harshly hit his hand on top of it until it stopped ringing. He relaxed onto the bed and looked down at Christine as she let out a little moan and snuggled back underneath the covers and noticed that she was wearing a nightgown when at least to his knowledge they both fell asleep with nothing on.
Christine kept her eyes closed but could feel Erik's eyes upon her and she finally opened her eyes to see him staring down at her.
"Good morning." She said stretching and smiled at his frowning face.
"Why do you have that on?"
"What?" She asked questioning what he was talking about.
"That nightgown. I didn't think you wore one last night." Christine quickly remembered about last night's events, seeing Raoul and kissing him on the balcony. She quickly came up with a lie.
"It was cold in here last night and I couldn't fall asleep, so I put on a nightgown." Erik continued to frown and suddenly jumped out of bed.
"You're lying." He said with his back toward her and walked over to the closet. Christine quickly thought of a bold comment to lighten the mood.
"And your rear end is cute." She said giggling. Erik quickly put his hand on it and turned around looking embarrassed. Christine blushed at her comment and wished that she hadn't said it. Erik smiled at her and turned back around again, this time sticking his rear end out extra far and shaking it at her. Christine began to laugh and so did Erik. He eventually pulled out a suit and walked over to the wardrobe putting on some white under shorts.
Erik checked his watch at the opera. 11:20, 40 more minutes until lunch. He was relieved for he was growing bored with rehearsals for the upcoming opera. He hated listening to all the amateur singers for he was used to Paris where all the good singers went to sing. Finally 10 minutes later, Thomas clapped his hands and said,
"It's time for lunch, let's all return here at 1:30." Everyone stood up and began walking off the stage and out of the auditorium. Erik seemed confused on such a long lunch break and walked up to Thomas.
"Monsieur, 2 hours for lunch?" Thomas nodded his head at Erik and said,
"I like to go home and eat with my wife. I suggest you do the same." He replied looking at Erik's left hand and walked away. Erik stood looking at his hand for a moment and then decided he would have lunch with Christine and was happy that he would be able to do it everyday. Smiling to himself, he quickly ran out of the opera house and hailed a cab to take him home.
At noon, Christine was served her lunch at the kitchen table and looked out the window at the grey sky forming over the sea. She wondered about Raoul and when he was coming. Madeleine began cleaning up the cooking dishes when Christine stopped her.
"Madeleine, you always work your hardest, have some lunch with me." Madeleine smiled and said,
"Don't mind if I do." She made herself a quick sandwich and sat down across from Christine.
"Is your gentleman friend coming to visit you again today?" Madeleine asked and suddenly covered her mouth afraid to be in trouble for her intrusiveness among the Madame. Christine smiled and said,
"Madeleine, it's quite all right that you asked me that. Yes, Raoul is to be coming by today, anytime soon, I told him to come at 12. But I beg you, please do not tell Erik. He said that he wouldn't kill Raoul, but he can easily go back on his word and hurt him badly. You know how bad his outbursts can be." Madeleine nodded her head and said,
"Yes, I do and I won't say anything to him about Raoul coming by."
10 minutes later Erik's cab pulled up in front of his house, he stepped out, tipped the driver and walked in the front door of his house.
Christine sat at the table eating with Madeleine when she heard the front door open and close. Her heart sank and she stared at Madeleine. Madeleine jumped up and ran to the front door seeing Erik standing there.
"Good afternoon Master!" She yelled loudly. Christine's heart began pounding in her chest. What is he doing home? She asked herself over and over. Trying not to look panic, she tried to calm herself down hearing Erik's footsteps walk down the hall and into the kitchen.
"Not expecting me?" He asked. Christine smiled faintly and shook her head.
"I get two hours off for lunch everyday. My superior told me that he likes to eat with his wife everyday." Christine smiled faintly again and said,
"If I would have known that I would have had Madeleine make something for you."
"Well who's is this?" Erik asked pointing at Madeleine's sandwich. Christine took a sip of her soup and then answered,
"Madeleine's. I asked her to eat with me today." Madeleine entered the room afraid that Erik would get angry because she was eating lunch with Christine but he just answered with an,
"Oh." Madeleine then rushed over to the counter and said,
"I can make you a sandwich Master." But Erik stopped her,
"No, take your break. I can make myself something." Madeleine then turned around and took her spot back at the table continuing to eat her sandwich when suddenly the front door rang.
Erik looked toward the front of the door in question as Madeleine suddenly shot up from her chair. But Erik grabbed her arm and pushed her back down in her chair.
"Eat." He said and walked out of the kitchen toward the front door. Christine's face grew pale as she stared at Madeleine. Her heart began pounding harder and faster at the sound of Erik's feet approaching the door and turning the doorknob.
Raoul and Erik stood face to face, both surprised at the other's presence.
"Well, this is quite a surprise. Though, I am not surprised that you have found some way to track us down." Erik said in pure sarcasm trying to keep his anger under control.
"Erik, I didn't come here to cause harm, just to make Christine truly happy. Don't you think she deserves that?" Raoul said trying to use some psychotherapy on Erik, but it clearly wasn't working.
"Oh, Monsieur I think she is quite happy with me. She shows me how happy she is every night." Erik said with the same sarcasm in his voice.
"You are a disrespectful, unimaginable bastard." Raoul said through clenched teeth while Erik stood there laughing cynically.
"So, how did you find us?" Erik asked. Raoul stood silent for a moment and said,
"I have my sources." Erik laughed at this and said,
"Oh come now, you can do better than that." Raoul then tried an easier approach and said,
"Really Erik, I didn't come here to cause any harm."
"No, you just came to sleep with my wife!"
Christine who had been listening to their conversation began crying. This was truly the last time she would be seeing Raoul.
"I have never touched her!" Raoul suddenly began shouting.
"Well, then I have finally been more successful in that portion of love than you have!" Erik said laughing again. This angered Raoul and he reached out to grab a hold of Erik, but Erik was quicker and pushed him into the wall. Christine suddenly flew around the corner and begged,
"Please, stop both of you!" But Erik turned to look at her with anger in his eyes while Raoul pulled a pistol from his jacket and shot Erik in the arm. Christine screamed at the noise and of the blood that seeped through Erik's shirt sleeve. He grabbed his arm in pain and just stared at Raoul and Christine feeling defeated. Christine ran to his side and shouted at Raoul telling him to leave. Raoul stood still for a moment in shock at what he did, but disappointed that it only hit Erik's arm. Christine screamed once again for him to get out and he finally listened to her and fled the house.
Erik sat down on the steps and kept a firm hold on his left arm while Christine sat next to him and yelled for Madeleine to get a doctor. Madeleine rushed out the door and in the direction of town.