Chapter 2
I woke with a start the next day to a plate crashing to the floor. I looked over at the bedside clock Raoul had given me for a gift on my 26th birthday.
8 o'clock it read. Eight? I had slept in far longer then I normally do.
I got up and put my dressing gown on. As I tied it up, I heard Gustave saying sorry over and over again. I pushed my feet into my slippers and walked out of my room. As I walked into the kitchen I heard Gustave say sorry again.
"It's fine Gustave. Really. There are lots of plates."
"Are you sure Mother won't get mad at me?" He asked.
"Gustave, why would I be mad at you?" I asked as I watched Erik picking up broken pieces of plate.
"I was setting the table for breakfast and I dropped a plate and it broke." He said looking down.
"I can see that sweetie, but why would I be mad at you?"
"Because I broke your plate."
"Oh, Gustave" I said with a laugh and I sat down. "They aren't my plates, their the hotels."
"Oh." he said. He was silent for a few seconds before he said "who does the Hotel belong to?"
"I'm not sure darling."
"Me." Erik said putting the broken piecer in the bin.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm-"
"Okay Gustave." Erik said with a laugh. "It's fine, really"
"Are you sure?" He asked.
"Yes Gustave."
As this conversation was passing between them I noticed how much Gustave actually looked like his farther. It was uncanny. I should tell him. I can't keep it a secret for much longer. But how would he react? Would he be happy? Well, I should think he would be. Erik gets along so well with Gustave and they have so much in common. But then he might be mad because I didn't tell him and he might not speak to me for ages and that would kill me.
"Christine?" Erik said pulling me back to reality.
"Pardon?" I said.
"Are you hungry? I've made pancakes."
"Oh. Yes please." I said with a smile. "And a cup of coffee to if you don't mind." Erik gave me a knowing look. He knew we would have to talk about this at some point. What happened last night wasn't just something we could forget, it was something we were going to have to face.
Erik placed a cup of coffee down in front of me. "Thank you." I said.
"Gustave would you like something?" Erik asked, slowly taking his eyes off me.
"Orange juice?"
"Sure." Erik said moving to the fridge. I watched him over the rim of my cup and he looked back at me.
"What?" He said.
"Nothing. Why?"
"You keep looking at me."
"Sorry. Didn't think it annoyed you. Maybe you just had a bad sleep." I said with a smug tone and after the look he had given me before he deserved it.
"Christine, don't." Erik said pulling the orange juice out.
"Don't what?" I asked taking a sip of my coffee.
Gustave looked from me to Erik then back again and said, "Mother would you like me to leave?"
"No, Gustave it's fine. Mister Y and I can talk later." I said not taking my eyes off Erik.
Erik sat the orange juice in front of Gustave and went back to finish making the pancakes.
"Erik, is there a newspaper in this place? I want to see of there is anything in there from last night." I asked putting my cup down.
"There isn't" He said flipping a pancake. Was there anything this man can't do?
"Well I'd still like to read it."
"It's in the living room. On the table on the left of the couch"
"Very funny Erik." I said standing up. "I've already said sorry."
"No need to be sorry for a 'slip of the tongue' I believe they call it"
I walked out of the room and got the newspaper. As I did, I realised Erik hadn't been a father until now. He had never had any experience but was doing a good job. This annoyed me for some reason. As I walked back in, I saw Erik place a plate of pancakes in front of Gustave and where I was sitting, then walked back into the kitchen. The pancakes had ice cream and berries with a bit of wiped cream on the top.
"Not the healthiest thing for breakfast Erik. I'm trying to teach my son to be healthy" I looked him right in the eye.
Erik glared at me. I knew it was a low blow.
"Mother?"
"Yes?" I said turning to look at Gustave.
"Can I go now? I think you two need to talk or something."
"Yes sweetie, you may go. You can play the piano or something if you like."
He nodded and stood up taking his plate of pancakes with him.
"Don't get anything on the piano!" I shouted out after him.
We waited for Gustave to be out of ear shot when Erik started at me.
"What was that all about?" He asked slamming his plate down on the table and sitting down to eat.
"What was what all about?" I asked looking innocent and taking a sip of my coffee.
"Don't do that Christine. You know what. 'My' son?"
"Well it's true isn't it? He is my son."
"Yes." said Erik "He's mine to remember?"
"Really? Because I don't remember you being there when he cried in the middle of the night, when he fell over and cut his knee open or any of the times he called out for 'daddy'. "
"Don't you dare!" He said "You know I couldn't be there."
"No; you could have. But instead you were here, making a theme park."
We sat in silence for a while. He knew it was true and felt guilty for leaving me.
"Christine why are you doing this? I haven't done anything to you."
"Oh haven't you?" I said. And I listed all the things he had done.
"Christine that was ten years ago. Besides, you're the one who wanted me to stay over last night. In your bed."
"You may have built this theme park and everything in it but you do not know this suite. There are three rooms. One for me and Raoul. One for Gustave and a spare. You could have stayed there."
He looked at me like I was stupid. "Christine I know that isn't what you mean and I know it's not what you want." He said standing up and walking to the sink. My mouth fell open as I heard the water running into a class.
"How dare you! How the hell would you know what I want?"
Erik came back but didn't sit down. Instead he came and stood behind me.
"Because." He said in what I would like to call his 'Angel'* voice. "I know exactly what you want." He turned me around and kissed me.
*Angle Voice. When he sings that bit in the movie and its kinda echo-y "I am your angel of music, come to me angel of music" Also it's kinda sexy ;)