The next morning I woke up to the warmth of the sun on my face and Erik's arms wrapped around me. His lips were against my ear humming beautiful melodies. I turned around to face his glory head on. He had already placed his mask on the scarred portion of his face.
"Good morning my angel." He looked at me and grinned and I couldn't resist the urge to pull that smile down to my lips.
I held his face so close to mine and whispered back, "Good morning my love." His grin stretched further across his face. His hands wrapped around my waist and pulled it closer to him. We stared into each eyes for what seemed like forever. I could feel that we were both enveloped in the pure joy of being able to wake up in each other's arms. I was the one to break the silence. "So, Erik, can we go out today, do something together as a family?"
"Well how does your side feel?" I looked down at the bandages that covered my side. I twisted and turned and felt nothing.
"It feels fine Erik. In fact it feels like it is just about healed. How much longer until you can take out those stupid stitches.
"Let me take a look." I happily laid back and peeled the sheets back. He leaned over my body and gingerly pulled of the bandages. When I looked down, the hole was nearly absent. In some places it was still scabbing and but most of it had turned to scar tissue. It had been almost a month since the night I was shot and wounded, of course, most of that time I was still passed out from the accident. It was only my fourth day since I had awakened from the tragic incident and yet I felt as good as new. I was also tired of staring at the same four walls that surrounded me now. He poked his head up to look up at me.
"Are you sure you are okay?" I nodded my head. "Alright." He rose from the bed and walked into the bathroom. He returned moments later with a small set of scissors, two rags, and a bottle of alcohol. He poured the alcohol on the scissors and one of the rags. Then he handed me the other towel with a forced timid smile. "Just in case it hurts." He then leaned over me once again. I turned my head away and bit down on the towel. I could hear as he made the cuts in the stitches. And then I felt the excruciating pain as he pulled each sting out of my skin.
I tried my hardest not to let him know how bad it really hurt. There was no point in making him feel as bad as I did. I felt the tears slide down my cheeks, the soft fibers of the towel, and the small rivers of blood that flowed from my side. He quickly and skillfully wiped the blood away with the rag in his hand. Once he finished pulling out the stitches he poured some of the alcohol onto the wound to clean it. The alcohol left a biting sting as he wrapped new bandages over the wound. When he was finally done I pulled the rag from my mouth and panted out my silent cries of pain.
He leaned down and kissed my forehead wiping the tears and sweat from my face. He left his lips linger as he whispered his deepest apologizes. I ran my hand through his hair and he laid down beside me wrapping me in his arms. And stayed like that until the stinging subsided into nothing but an aching. I wiggled out of his arms and walked to my closet. I hit the wall and it opened quickly. The light turned on as soon as the door opened and I walked inside. Erik followed behind me. He wrapped his arms around my waist and his lips left tiny kisses along my collarbone. He knew that it was the one thing that I found truly irresistible. I let my hands follow the rack until it landed on what I wanted. I pulled the bathing suit off of the hanger and slid it over my naked body. Erik looked at me puzzled. "What is my Christine planning?" I found the matching hat and grabbed it off of the tall shelf causing a sharp sting in my side. I lost my balance and fell into Erik bare chest. He caught me instinctively and held me until I found my balance once again. "Are you sure you are up to going out today darling?" I turned around to him and stomped my foot.
"Erik you have had our son to yourself for the longest time now. I want to be with my family instead of locked away in some tower. I love you but you need to let me live."
"I understand Christine. You need to enter the world of light once more. I can't keep you locked away in my lair of darkness. It is almost as if I have kidnapped you once more, forcing you into my own prison." I set my hands on his waist and stood on my tiptoes placing a small kiss on his nose.
"But you I'm here by choice. I love you Erik. I love you so much that it hurts my heart to be away with you for even a moment. My soul aches to be near yours. I've went to long without being with you and I don't want to waste a single moment of our family being separated." He smiled and swept me up into his arms. "Now do you have a bathing suit, Darling?" He gave me a mischievous smile.
"Well in fact I do, just in case I would need one in the future. Now what are you up to Christine?" I jumped out of his arms. I pulled him into his closet. The bathing suit stuck out from the rest of his clothes. It was indeed black and white. While he put in on I walked to bathroom to the mirror. I pulled back my hair and secured the hat on my head. I looked up to see Erik's reflection looking back down at where I sat. "Christine?" He was clearly amused by my sudden liveliness. I turned around to face Erik.
"We are going to finally teach Gustave how to swim." His eyebrows knitted it frustration as his thoughts began to flood his mind.
"Are you sure that's such a good idea?" I stood up and slid my arms around his waist. I stood on my tiptoes and looked deeply into his eyes.
"I'll be fine. But if it will make you feel better I'll watch YOU teach him from a nice dry spot on the sand." He sighed. I knew he was worrying about infections, cramps, and drowning. He took such good care of me that it was hard to not give in to his precautions.
"Alright, Darling." Before I knew it his arm swept up behind my legs and I was in his arms before I could even stumble towards the ground. He carried me towards the door of our bedroom before placing me back on the ground. I walked to Gustavé's room and gave it a light tap. He didn't answer and I realized why. Through the door came a very quiet, yet exquisite melodies and harmonies as he played and sang along to the most beautiful song I had heard in a long time. Erik came up behind me and put his arms around my waist pulling me into his chest as he whispered in my ear. "I see you did a little exploring." I spun around to face him. I could feel the faint blush reach my cheeks, but he didn't seem to notice it. "He gets it from you, yah know."
"You must be joking. He clearly was blessed with your genius. He has your hands you know. And he has your eyes, and your voice. He has so much of you in him, Erik."
"But thank the Lord that he has enough of you in him to create a better version of me."
"As if God could create such a creature without keeping it up in Heaven for himself. There is no better version of you. A better version of you would be too much good for humanity to handle." I stood on my toes and kissed his lips. His grip on my body grew tighter as he pulled me closer. I wrapped my arms around his neck and forced his face closer. He pulled away quickly combing his hair back in place. I stood there panting, out of breath, from the brief encounter with Erik's heart. He turned me around to face the door. He placed his hand on the brass door knob. Turning it, he opened the door and helped my stumbling self inside. I hadn't gained full control of my limbs yet and was still feeling a little dizzy from the kiss.
Gustave quickly looked up and stopped playing. It was an old habit from Raoul's days of parenting. He quickly realized who had entered and he gave a large grin. "Mother!" He ran to me and threw his arms around my waist burying his head into my stomach. I pulled his chin up so I could see his face.
"Oh Darling, why did you stop playing? You are so wonderful, just like your father!" Erik gave me a proud smile.
"I was just playing around. I haven't found quite the inspiration to write an entire song yet. I don't know it hasn't come to me, Mother. I have plenty of small pieces and parts though. Would you like to hear them?" He ran back to his piano and began to play the most intricate music that had ever graced anyone's ear. He quickly looked up to find approval. But he wasn't looking at me as he used to. He was looking at Erik.
"You have learned so much in these past weeks Gustave. I can't wait until you do find your inspiration. I would love to hear what you can really play while you're inspired to do so."
"Thank you Papa. Wait, Mother, why so?" He looked us over, confusion flooding his young face.
"Why Gustave today is the day you learn to swim! Now go find your swim suit so we can all go to the beach." He didn't even answer. His excitement led him to his closet and down the hall to the powder room in one swift blur of movement. Moments later he was standing before me dressed and ready to go and panting like a dog.