Erik's POV

That night, I hardly slept a wink. How could one sleep after having such horrible things said to you. When I was finally able to fall asleep, I heard a knocking at my door. Curious, I sat up and reached out for my watch. I was sure it was still night, but when I realized that it was nearly eight, I knew that it was Gustave and Christine who were downstairs waiting for me. I plopped back against my covers, not really in the mood to be going to the beach. I was exhausted and in no mood to be surrounded by people. Though, I had promised the boy and therefore, I stood and dressed. After placing on my mask and wig, I came downstairs and opened the door to find Christine and Gustave waiting for me. But that wasn't all, they were dressed in their bathing attire…

"Mr. Erik, why are you dressed in your trousers? We're going to the beach, remember?"

"I do," I said. "But I don't have a bathing suit, Gustave…"

"Why not?" the child curiously asked. "You do live in Coney Island…Everyone on Coney Island has a bathing suit."

Christine came to my defense before I could say a word.

"Gustave, it's all right. Mr. Erik will be perfectly fine wearing his trousers. Let's not waste time now…Come along."

I walked beside Christine as the child ran ahead of us. In my heart, I felt embarrassed, for even if I did own a bathing suit, I would never wear it. Christine had come to my defense, and I knew why…She knew about the hideous scars that covered my body. I hated looking at myself in the mirror without any clothes on…I wouldn't dare let the world look upon me.

"Thank you, Christine," I murmured. "I wasn't sure what to say to the child."

"I know why you don't have a bathing suit, Erik. I know that you feel embarrassed."

"I told the boy that I would go to the beach with him. I never said that I would wear a bathing suit. How could I? I would never enjoy myself if I had to sit upon the sand with others looking at me."

When I noticed that Christine was carrying a picnic basket, a folded blanket and an umbrella, I gently pulled the umbrella from her grasp.

"Here, let me help you."

Christine smiled. "Thank you, Erik."

When we arrived at the crowded beach, Gustave ran ahead and found us a spot away from anybody else. Christine spread the blanket out across the sand and placed her picnic basket on top of it. Yes, the sun was extremely hot, but with the umbrella over the both of us, it wasn't bad at all.

"Gustave, not too far!" Christine shouted as Gustave ran towards the water.

Christine buried her feet into the sand and smiled. "I love the beach, don't you, Erik?"

I was sitting there with my knees pressed into my chest. I couldn't relax, for I always felt watched.

"Erik, why don't you take your shoes off? It would be much more comfortable…"

"I don't want to, Christine. I'm fine wearing my shoes."

"That's strange, Erik…No one comes to the beach and keeps their shoes on."

I didn't want to remove my shoes, for my feet were also covered in hideous scars. Oh, if anyone was to look at me, they would surely think ill of me. I was a monster, one that didn't deserve to be around others. When Christine reached out for my shoes, I scooted away.

"Christine, no…"

"Why, Erik? Please…I won't think ill of you. You know this…We've already been intimate with one another. I know what you look like."

Knowing that the woman wasn't going to let me be, I untied my shoes and set them aside.

"There, doesn't that feel better?"

I looked down at my bare feet and buried them deep into the sand. Even when they were buried I still felt hideous. Always hideous…I pressed my eyes closed and sat there, hugging my knees into my chest.

"Erik, what's wrong? You've been acting strange all morning."

"Nothing, Christine," I assured. "It's nothing."

"Erik," Christine scooted closer to me and buried her feet beside my own. "Erik, I know you had a hard life, but things don't have to feel so bad now. You know you could tell me anything. It's just us. I would never think ill of you, Erik."

"There has been a lot on my mind, lately, Christine. Some of those things shouldn't be said."

"I won't tell anyone, Erik. Things said between us stay between you and I. I would expect the same when speaking to you."

"I can't, Christine," I said, pressing my eyes closed. "I can't and I won't…Now please, just drop it."

Before I could say another word, Gustave came running up to me with his shovel and pail in hand. He smiled and sat down in the sand beside me.

"Mr. Erik, will you dig in the sand with me?"

"Of course," I said, scooting off of the blanket. Yes, I had never played in the sand before, but for Gustave, I would do anything. He and I dug a hole that was nearly as tall as he was. From there, the child crawled into it and laughed. What I didn't understand was what he was doing.

"What is the point of this game?" I questioned.

"Bury me, Mr. Erik…You're supposed to bury me in the sand now."

"Your body is missing, boy…" I teased as I looked at his head that was sticking out of the sand. Christine laughed and so did I. From there, the child moved his body out of the sand and began running back towards the ocean.

"Mr. Erik, come to the water with me!"

"All right," I said, rolling up the pant legs of my trousers. "Just give me a moment."

Christine and I walked down to the water, its chill feeling refreshing against my toes. Gustave sat down in the water and let the waves crash against his back. Yes, people stared at me, but I didn't care…I was appreciated by Gustave, and therefore, that was good enough for me. For the remainder of the day, he and I played by the water and ate lunch with Christine. When the sun began to set, I folded up the blanket and carried the beach supplies back to Christine's apartment.

"Mama, I'm hungry," the boy whined as I placed the items in Christine's closet.

"Then go and get cleaned up so you, me and Mr. Erik can go to dinner."

When the boy was gone, Christine came walking back out with a pair of fresh trousers in hand.

"Here," she replied, handing them to me. "You left these here a few weeks ago. I washed them and kept them here."

"Thank you, Christine," I said, unbuttoning my trousers and pulling them off.

"I'm going to get changed, Erik. I shall be right back and then, we shall go to dinner."

After pulling up the new pair of trousers, I took a seat on the couch and waited for Gustave. The boy came running down the hall, his hair sopping wet from his bath.

"That was so fun today, Mr. Erik…" he plopped down beside me and snuggled his head into my shoulder. "Please say that we can do that all the time?"

"All the time?" I questioned.

"Yes," he exclaimed. "I love spending time with you, Mr. Erik…Where are we going for dinner? Someplace really yummy, I hope…"

I chuckled. "Of course. Nothing but the best for you and your mother."

When Christine reemerged, she was dressed in a beautiful green skirt and a white blouse.

"Ready?" she asked.

I nodded and lifted Gustave up to his feet.

"Yes, I know just the place."

Everything was dark except for the lights of Coney Island. They, of course, lit the island up like a Christmas tree.

"Where exactly are we going?" Christine asked as we walked along the Luna Park boardwalk.

"To Feltmans. Have you ever eaten their French fries and milkshakes?"

Christine's smile faded and she shook her head. "No."

"I did!" Gustave said, jumping up and down. "Mr. Erik took me there one night!"

"Did he now?" Christine questioned.

"Yes, he got me French fries and milkshakes…"

When we entered, I had us seated at a booth that was away from everyone else. From there, Gustave looked down at his menu and then back up at me.

"I never really know what the words say, Mr. Erik…"

"Well, why don't you just get your usual then? French fries and milkshakes…"

"Ok, Mr. Erik…"

"And what about you, Christine?" I asked, glancing at the woman. "What do you wish to get?"

"I…I don't know. The salads look good."

"They are…That's what I usually get. But, of course, you can't get a salad without ordering a milkshake as well."

We ordered our food and ate in silence. For some odd reason, Christine was acting a bit strange…It was as if she were enjoying her meal more than anything in the world. I knew she didn't have the money to go out often, and even when she did, I knew eating out was still far too expensive for her.

"Dip a fry into your milkshake, mama…" Gustave said, handing Christine a fry.

When dinner was over, I stood to pay, when I noticed Christine opening her empty wallet.

"Christine, it's on me…" I said, pushing her wallet away. "I'll pay for dinner."

Christine tried to argue with me, but in truth, I knew she needed all the money she could get. All the excitement during the day had tuckered Gustave out. So much, that I carried the child's sleeping form home as I walked beside Christine.

"You didn't have to do that, Erik," Christine replied as she and I walked side by side.

"I know," I said. "But I wanted to."

"I know this is a strange question to ask, Erik, but I can't help but wonder why. Why are you being so kind to us? Why do you pay for things and take Gustave out to dinner when I'm at work? You don't have to do those things…"

"It's because I have the money, Christine. Your boy deserves the best and therefore, I see to it that he has everything he needs."

"Even so, you still treat me with kindness, even after what I've done to you. You know, if I could take back everything, I would. If I could go back in time and change that night, I would…Then, perhaps things would have been different. Maybe my life would have been happier. Gustave could have been your son, and I wouldn't be working in a gentleman's club."

"Christine, enough," I said. "You can't change the past. There is no sense dwelling on things that cannot be changed."

When we entered Christine's apartment, I placed Gustave down into his bed and pulled off his shoes as he slept. While I was placing his belongings beneath his bed, Christine covered the boy up and placed a kiss to his cheek.

"It's been hard raising a child on my own," she said. "I never thought I would be alone in this. In my mind, I always believed that Raoul would be here…That he would have taken care of us both."

Christine looked up at me. "Forgive me, Erik…I should have chosen you that night."

My heart was pounding in my chest. And even though I knew I couldn't change the past, in my heart, I knew that Christine chose Raoul for a reason. She didn't love me, and I knew she never would. Perhaps she would pity me, but there would never be love…

"You chose the right man," I said. "And he won…"

I walked out into the hall, only to have Christine spin me around and press her lips against my own. But me, being the monster that I was, knew what had to be done. I couldn't do this any longer…I couldn't stand here and take advantage of her when my heart was telling me otherwise. No, we would do this no longer.

"Christine, stop," I said, pushing her gently away. "Please stop…"

"What's wrong?" she breathlessly gasped. "You said we could do this every once in a while. We haven't been together in a few weeks. I'd say that's a far good enough excuse to do so. Gustave is in bed…We won't be disturbed."

Christine tried to kiss me again, when I backed away.

"Erik, what's gotten into you?"

"Everything," I growled. "I'm not good enough for you or anyone else, Christine. You're using me and I will not stand for it."

"Using you? What are you talking about?"

"Don't you even care about my feelings? Don't you even care about me?…"

"I…I thought this was what you wanted?"

"I used to think it was, but it's not anymore. Goodnight, Christine."

And with that, I left her apartment. My heart was bleeding from what Meg had told me…I was a tool, a tool and nothing more. No, I couldn't let myself become hurt… It was better if I just stayed away. Instead of wallowing home like I usually would have done, I found myself at the gentleman's club. I needed a drink, and therefore, I would have it. Drowning away my sorrows with alcohol. I sat towards the back of the club in peace, sipping on a glass of wine and listening to the music that was occurring on stage. Men were rowdy and so was their lewd whistling.

"So, any luck with the brown haired waitress?"

I hadn't been paying attention to any of the chattering that was going on around me, but when I heard that, my ears tuned in. I tried not to glance over my shoulder, but couldn't help it. It was the owner of the club, him and a patron…

The owner shrugged. "I've grabbed her ass a few times, but she always seems to get angry with me."

"Oh, what's her name?" the patron questioned. "I always forget it…She does have a sweet ass on her though."

"Christine," the owner replied. "Beautiful and sweet piece of ass…Though, I know just how to get her in bed with me."

"And how is that?"

"I'm going to give her and ultimatum…Next week, I'm going to make her choose. She can either sleep with me, or I'm going to can her."

The patron chuckled. "And what if she refuses?"

"Then I'll take her by force and can her anyway…"

This was cruel…Oh, I couldn't let this happen. I needed to do something. Yes, I loathed the woman, but she was indeed in need of my help. I had one week, one week to do something, and by god, I would. Perhaps it wouldn't be the brightest plan in the world, but it would get her away from this despicable place, and that was the most important thing.

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