Erik's POV

I was in bed one morning, when I heard someone knocking at my bedroom door. I rolled over to find Gustave standing there. Oh, what did he want? For the past few weeks, I had been feeling ill, which was why I mostly stayed in bed most mornings.

"Yes?" I groaned.

"Mister Y, it's almost nine… Aren't we going to go to Phantasma today?"

"Not right now, boy… I'm going to stay in bed for a while. No, you go downstairs and get breakfast started, I'll be down in a little while."

When my son was gone, I rolled back over and snuggled my face into my pillow.

"Erik, what's wrong with you?"

When I heard Christine's voice, I opened my eyes to find Christine standing at my bedside.

"Christine, there is nothing wrong with me."

"Of course there is, love… You were always up before the sun, and yet, now Gustave is up and about before you are. I know that you've been feeling ill lately, but even back in Paris you never stayed in bed no matter how ill you were feeling."

"I'm perfectly fine, Christine. I've just been tired is all. My heart has weakened me to the point where I'm always tired."

"You're tired, because you've been working yourself and your heart too hard. Oh, Erik you need to slow down."

"I refuse to slow down, ange… I have work that needs to get done, work that can't be left for another day."

With that, I rose to my feet and grabbed my cloak.

"Speaking of that, I'm going to get to work. I should have been at Phantasma over three hours ago."

"Erik, don't go…" Christine begged. "Just stay in bed today, stay and rest up and go to work tomorrow."

"I can't," I argued. "Now, stop, ange… Just mind your own body and I'll mind mine."

"You don't understand."

Christine's hands wrapped around my arm, but I moved away. Oh, she was making me so so angry…

"Christine, enough!"

I was about to say something else, when my door opened once again and Gustave was standing there.

"Papa, who are you shouting at?"

"No one… I don't know what you're talking about."

"There was yelling…" he argued. "I heard you yelling at someone."

There was a long pause of silence and then, Gustave's uncertain voice.

"Um… Breakfast is on the table…"

"I'll be right down."

"You need to keep your voice down," Christine warned. "You're going to make yourself look crazy in front of your son."

"And when that time comes, Christine, I'm sure he will believe every word I have to say. For now, just keep to your own business."

After dressing, I hurried downstairs, meeting my son in the kitchen. He was so grown, so grown and mature. Oh, if Christine were still here, she would have been proud of him. I took a seat at my usual spot at the table and began to eat my eggs that he had made me.

"Breakfast is really good… Like usual."

The boy took a seat beside me and began to eat his own breakfast.

"I learned from the best…"

"Saying things like that isn't going to get Phantasma into your hands any quicker, boy…"

Gustave smiled. "It doesn't hurt to try, does it?"

"So much like your mother…"

"I learned from the best, papa…"

"That being your mother…"

The child smiled, pressing his eyes closed the moment he thought about Christine. I knew that he missed his mother, and I missed her too. It had been years since her death, and yet, we both still felt the same pain as the day she died.

"Christine was a good woman, Gustave and I see her in you every day. Don't ever forget her…She's in your heart, boy. I think about her every day."

"And so do I…I miss her everyday too. Even when I make breakfast I think about her. I make eggs just like she used to make eggs."

"And I'm sure you'll teach your son to make eggs the same way."

When we were finished with our meals, he and I stood at the sink and cleaned up. It was time to head to Phantasma now… We weren't even inside the gate, when Nadir approached us.

"Erik, where have you been? I've been searching around for you for nearly three hours. I thought you would have been in your office by now."

"No, sadly not," I said, wrapping my arms behind my back. "I was home, in bed resting because I was feeling ill. I'm here now…"

I pulled my child beside me by his shirt and patted Gustave on his back.

"We're here now. So, what is the problem, man?"

"There was some heavy vandalism done to the other side of your park, Erik… Some walls were painted and some windows were smashed. I had some of the employees clean up the glass, but the evidence is still there."

"Well, who was watching the gates last night on that side of the park, Nadir?"

Nadir shrugged his shoulders, that being something that greatly angered me.

"Man, you're in charge of that part of the park! You're supposed to know who is on guard at night at all times!"

"Erik, I know what I'm in charge of, and I do know the person who was on watch last night…I don't know off the top of my head, but if I look at my papers, I'm sure I can give you his name."

"Well, do that and send him to my office as soon as possible!"

"Right away, sir," he mocked.

I could only roll my eyes, for the man always got cocky with me when things didn't go his way.

"Be careful who you mock," I growled. "Remember who you're mocking, man."

"And what are you going to do about it?" he snapped. "I'm your best friend."

"Worst friend…"

Nadir only rolled his eyes and Gustave laughed as we walked away.

"Papa, who do you think did it?"

"I'm not sure, son, but I'm going to certainly find out. You're in for a treat today, boy… You're going to see how your old man deals with lazy and irresponsible employees."

When we arrived at my office, I unlocked the door and allowed Gustave to enter.

"I really like your office, papa," Gustave said. "It's interesting…"

"It's me…" I said, taking a seat at my desk. "And someday, it's going to be yours."

Gustave sat down in the seat that was across from my desk and began to play with a small statue that I had sitting there.

"Papa, could I ask you something?"

"Anything within reason," I said, filling out a few documents.

"Well, tomorrow night a few of the guys are going out. They invited me and I was hoping I could go along with them?"

I stopped writing and looked up at my boy.

"And when you say hoping, you mean that you already told them that you would go?"

The child swallowed hard and nodded. "I didn't want to look like a child, Mister Y…"

"That's the thing, Gustave, you are! You are a child…one who is only thirteen. You need my permission to go out, and yet, you tell your friends that you're going to go along with them before you even have an answer out of me."

"Papa, it's not like that…."

"Oh, I think I know exactly how this is going to go. I'm going to say no, Gustave, and that's final."

"No?" he whimpered. "But why not? It's only Zeus and Marius…Maybe a few of their friends as well."

"Oh, and what exactly would you be doing on this outing? Vandilizing parks again? Going over to Luna Park to destroy more of that man's property?"

"Papa, that was one time and it was a mistake…It's not like that, you can trust me. We were just going out for food and meeting up with a few girls…"

"Girls?" I snapped. "Is that what this is all about? No, Gustave, girls are nothing but trouble. You're too young…"

"Papa, we're just friends…"

"I said no…Now, stop arguing with me. I don't want you going out with those two boys and that is my final answer."

I knew my son was upset, but I wasn't going to try to make him happy about this situation. No, I said no and it would stay that way. A few moments later, the door opened and my employee walked through the door. He was a man much like Joseph Bouquete… He wasn't good for many things, but for the night watchmen, it was a job that suited him.

"You wanted to see me, sir?"

"That depends," I said, sitting back in my chair. "Were you the night watchmen on my park's south end last evening?"

The man paused, but a few moments later, he nodded.

"I was, sir…"

"And could you tell me who exactly vandalized my park?!"

The man gasped and took a few steps back from my desk.

"Let me guess," I continued. "You started drinking again and fell asleep…Or, you left the gate open on your way in. So, which is it?"

"Sir, I don't understand."

"Well, last evening, a few windows were smashed in some shops and walls were painted over with a fine brush. Can you explain that? Your job is to stay awake all night and watch over the park. You, on the other hand, believe that you can come to work drunk and tired. I'm not paying you to sleep on the job! This isn't the first time I've had problems with you, sir…Now, I believe you have hurt me for the last time."

"Sir, please…I need this job."

"You should have thought about that before you fell asleep on the job last night. You have done nothing but cost me! Now, out! Out with you!"

It was then, that Gustave came rushing to my side, whispering into my ear.

"Papa, why don't you punish him instead of firing him?"

"Punish him?"

Gustave nodded. "Yes, punish him. Make him grounded like me…Have him do work around your park with you watching him. Have him gain your trust again."

I looked back at the man who was standing before me, nearly in tears that he was going to lose his job.

"My son…the future owner of Phantasma has seemed to see differently than I do. Therefore, instead of firing you, you're going to be punished."

"Punished?"

"Don't argue with me…Yes, punished. Instead of losing your job, you're going to work the day shift for a while. Picking up trash and managing my park…Only when you have gained my trust again, sir, will you be able to watch my park at night."

The man was about to open his mouth to thank me, when I interrupted.

"Don't thank me…Now, be gone with you. I expect you to be here when the park opens. I will give you something to do then."

When the man left, Gustave retook his seat across from my own and smiled.

"Can I please go out with the guys now?"

"Just because you have changed my mind, boy, does not give you the right to believe that I would think otherwise…You're still under probation, and you're still not going out tomorrow night."

"But, papa!"

I gave him my evil stare, causing him to stop arguing. I knew the child was angry, for the remainder of the day, he hardly spoke a word. Oh, when he was angry, he became me…

"I was thinking about having pizza tonight," I said as we entered my home. But instead of agreeing, he blew past me and slammed his room door shut. Oh what ever happened to my easy little boy? He was so easy to get along with once, but now, he was barely easy to get along with…Teenagers were not easy, and if Gustave is anything like me, he isn't going to be easy to be around for the next five years…

Please reivew everyone!