Chapter 17 – The Challenge

The letters from Nicole's family continued to flutter in. Most were from parents, others came from her brothers. Pierre – the youngest of the boys, but a few years older than Nicole – was coming into town for a visit. He was due to arrive in a week.

It was nice to see Nicole in such high spirits, but Erik was a little anxious about meeting a member of her family. This was all so new to him, having a beautiful, intelligent lover who accepted everything about him was one thing. To be accepted by her family was another. Erik was also wary of how to respond. He had never had a family who had loved him, even his mother had shunned the sight of him. How would they react to this dark, ruinous demon taking their daughter away from them? Nicole often told him stories about her family and what it was like growing up with that kind of love. She also frequently assured him that if they could accept her dressing as a man and running a theater, they would surely accept him. Erik had his reservations but was willing to overcome them if it meant keeping Nicole happy.

Nicole, for her part, was excited to see Pierre. She got along best with him of all her brothers because of the least amount of years between their ages. The two had always pulled pranks on the elder members of the household. Listening to her relate these tales filled him with a special warmth, as if he was living her life. Loving Nicole meant that he might also have a family; that hope frightened him. If he lost either one…

Despite Erik's anxiety regarding his personal life, he had high hopes for the theater. At least once a week the Opera Populaire made the front page and the latest article still brought on the occasional conspiratorial smirk between the two managers. In summary, the public was truly amazed that the theater had been this successful, given the many years that it had been plagued by a mysterious force, known only as "the Phantom." The public could only make vague speculations as to why the attacks had stopped, but only the employees of the theater knew half of the story, while Nicole and Erik were enjoying the happy truth and reveling in it.

Yes, life was turning out quite well for both of them; nothing could possibly go wrong - except when Carlotta showed up once again to darken their doorstep.

Erik was busy directing the cast with their latest project, when Mme. Giry swept onstage, grabbed his arm, and began dragging him off. Erik only started to protest when they entered a hallway, not far from Nicole's office.

"Madame, what is the meaning of this?"

Giry's brows were furrowed and her lips pursed in a straight line but she managed to pry them apart enough to say, "Carlotta is here and she went to Nicole's office. I thought you might want to be there to see what she had to say."

At this, Erik broke into a strong stride, leaving Giry to stumble after him. He arrived to find Carlotta and Nicole standing a foot apart in the small office. Carlotta was glaring and Nicole was meeting this glare with stony silence. When Erik flung the door open with enough force that it bounced off the wall behind it, they turned to look at him.

Carlotta immediately lost what little control of her temper she had at the sight of him and the most contemptuous sneer curved her lips. "I knew there was something odd between the two of you." Her gaze flicked to Nicole. "But I never thought it would this odd." With the speed of a snake-strike, Carlotta stepped close to Nicole and ripped the faux mustache from her lip.

In reaction to Nicole's yelp of pain, Erik lunged forward and grabbed Carlotta by the throat, lifting her from the floor. Nicole was able to recover enough to pull at his sleeve and request that he put her down. Only when Carlotta started to turn blue did he dump her. She fell in a heap on the floor gasping. While Carlotta recovered her air, Erik smoothed the pads of his gloved thumbs over Nicole's red, irritated upper lip. A few tears had descended from her eyes in an uncontrolled reaction to the sharp pain.

Carlotta managed to stand, still rubbing her throat. Between gasps she spoke, "Now, I see it – With my own – eyes. The Phan – Phantom in love." She spat out the last like a curse.

Erik's amber eyes were blazing as he made to take a step toward her. Carlotta's eyes widened in fear and she flinched back. Nicole placed a hand on his arm, deterring his progress.

Nicole said, "Carlotta, I have important work to be done so whatever drama you have come here to do, get it over with and go."

Carlotta seemed to have regained her composure and held up the mustache triumphantly. "Your secret is out now, and unless you take me back – I'll tell everyone."

Nicole narrowed her eyes. "And who would believe you? You are an aging, washed out, rejected, talentless diva." Each word seemed to cut into Carlotta like a knife. "With only your word behind you, people would think you either mad or vengeful. Not good odds, I'd wager."

Carlotta sneered, "Here, you are wrong. I have a close…friend who saw you with his own eyes." ("I'm sure he is close." Erik quipped). "He will vouch for me and the public will want to hear from you and will demand proof…from you. But I can stop that – if you hire me back, that is."

Erik's heart was pounding in his ears and murderous thoughts ran rampant through his mind. There were so many scenarios where he saw himself killing her with the Punjab, or a knife, and disposing her body this side of the Seine. But Nicole was making plans of her own…

"Alright." Erik and Carlotta could do nothing but stare at Nicole's serene face. "Make your accusations – bring your witness with you. Stand in front of the theater for all I care. After all, any press is good press. But you really must be going; I wasn't lying about the work." When Carlotta continued to stand there shell-shocked, Nicole made shooing motions with her hands.

Erik had a thought, "Mme. Giry, would you be so kind as to escort our dear Carlotta out of the building." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Giry stride through the doorway with as much dignity as a woman of her stature could muster having been caught eavesdropping. He felt his blood pressure drop when Carlotta left his sight trailing dazedly behind Giry.

With furrowed brow and narrowed eyes, he turned to look at Nicole who was jotting off a quick note and sealing it. "What are you planning?"

She looked up at him through her eyelashes and grinned. "I really can't wait to see my brother…This is going to be fun."