Chapter 5

I stood up and went to the window and looked out over the park. I started to watch a family, a mother, a father and a son, playing together, waiting to go on a ride.

"I'm sorry." Erik said form behind me. "This is all my fault. If I had of stayed that night..." he sighed.

"Erik this isn't your fault. It's mine. I should have told him sooner."

"But you were scared. I shouldn't have been such a wimp and left. You wouldn't have come back if you didn't mind my face."

I turned around to look at him. He had tears in his eyes just as I did but mine were falling.

"Erik, you were scared to. But you didn't have to be. I loved you that night. I still do. I wouldn't care if your whole face looked like that. I would still love you."

A lonely tear fell from his eye and I wiped it away with a kiss.

A few hours later, I sat with Erik at the kitchen table, drinking coffee and eating cookie while the dinner cooked on the stove. Pasta with home made sauce.

"So, would you be willing to do 'Don Juan' again?" He asked me.

"What do you mean?" I asked picking up a chocolate chip cookie from the plate.

"If I was to put it on, get some chorus members and a Passarino, would you be willing to act with me again?"

My mouth fell open suddenly. "Well, I guess so" I stumbled "I didn't really like Don Juan do be honest. Too rude for my liking."
"Yes but I need something with a masked person and my own opera is the best I have."

I looked at him for a few minutes "But what about rehearsing? Wouldn't you need to direct it?"

"I was thinking Mme Giry could help with that. And I have a conductor."

"I know Erik but is Mme Giry really going to want to help you with this when her daughter is in a hospital bed and could die any minute?"

He thought for a minute and then said "No, I don't reckon she would."

"Mother?" came a small voice from the door leading to the living room. Erik and I both turned around.

"Yes darling?"

"I'm sorry I got mad at you." He said through sobs.

"Oh sweetheart come here." I said standing up and welcoming him to my arms. He ran over a wrapped his arms around my waist tightly.

"I love you mummy." He mumbled into my dress.

"I love you to."

We stayed like that for a little while till we heard the pot of sauce boiling over.

"Got it!" Erik said. Jumping up to get it, knocking the chair over.

I giggled slightly as little drops of watery sauce went all over Erik and his very white mask.

"Erik." I said "You have pasta sauce all over your mask." I said giggling.

"Do I?" He said, reaching up to move his mask to have a look.

"Erik!" I warned and nodded down to Gustave who was still holding on to me and watching him at the same time.

"Sorry." He said. "Where's the bathroom?"

"Just down there and to the left." I said.

"Thanks." he said and walked out.

"Gustave. Can you let go please so I can clean up?"

"Sorry." he said letting go of my dress.

"No need to be sorry love." I said as I picked up a cloth and started to clean up. The sauce had gone all over the stove but only took a few minutes for me to clean. I heard Gustave picking up the chair Erik had knocked over in his haste to get up. I turned around and saw Gustave sitting where his father had been sitting and was eyeing off the cookies.

"You can have one sweetie."

"Really?" He asked.

"Have I ever said 'No' to you?" I asked sitting down. Just as I did, Erik came back in just putting his mask back on. Thankfully Gustave was to busy trying to find the cookie with the most chocolate bits to notice.

"Is the food okay?" He asked sitting down next to me.

"Yes. But your mask isn't." I said.

"I noticed." He said sounding a bit annoyed. "I've got more."

"Sorry."
"Oh it's not your fault! It's mine. I'm just happy it didn't land on my skin. It's hot."

I nodded and looked over at Gustave. He seemed to have found the most chocolate-ie one out of the lot. I looked back at Erik and he seemed to have had an idea.

"Gustave." he said

"Yes?" He asked looking up at his father.

"Do you still want to see the island? I can still show you if you want."

I looked from Erik to Gustave and back again. I didn't think Erik would have remembered after everything that had happened.

"If it's okay with my mother then yes I guess so." He looked over at me.

"Well I don't see why not. After all, it would give you two some time to talk." I said with a smile.

"How about tomorrow?" Erik asked.

"Fine with me." I said.

Gustave smiled slightly and took a bite of his cookie.