Chapter Fifteen – The Dreamy Girl

Christine took Erik's hand as she stepped out of the taxi onto the pavement. "Why have we come back here Erik?" She asked as she stared at the front of the Broadway Bistro where they had eaten and danced the other night with all the company. "You'll find out very soon, my dear." Erik replied offering her his arm. Christine entwined her arm with his and they walked through the restaurant and went up in the lift. When the doors opened onto the huge room they entered and all heads turned to face them. "Chris! Hey!" Meg came rushing forward wearing a dark green dress. "My you look so gorgeous!" Christine hugged her. "Thank you so much Meg and you look lovely too." "Thanks Chris, good evening Erik" She said. Erik leaned forward and gave her a quick kiss on her cheek "And a good evening to you too Miss Gordon." He turned to face Christine "If you ladies will excuse me I need to talk to Mr. Henderson." He kissed Christine's forehead and walked off. "Oh my god, he kissed me!" Meg exclaimed and both girls giggled. "So do you know why we're all here tonight Chris?" Meg asked. Christine shook her head. "I was actually going to ask you the same question." Meg blinked in surprise. "It is strange because I got back to my office and got a call from Roger Henderson, he said that he and Erik were inviting us all to another dinner tonight. I asked him why but he said it was a secret." Christine took her hand "I'm sure it's going to be something great, but we'll just have to wait until they tell us."

A few minutes later Christine was standing by the tall window that she had stood by the other night, watching the traffic pass by. "Hi Christine" Christine turned and saw Madeline standing behind her wearing a bright magenta, satin, backless dress that was so short. "Hi Madeline, how are you?" Christine asked "I'm very well thank you" She replied. "Christine there's something I wanted to ask you. How long have you known Erik?" Christine decided that it wouldn't be any harm to tell her the same story that she told Meg earlier that day. It didn't take her too long to tell Madeline the made-up story about her and Erik knowing each other in high school. As Madeline listened to Christine her expectant face faded away, and when Christine was finished Madeline looked very ashamed. "What is it?" Christine asked. Madeline looked up into her eyes. "Please don't feel like I'm being intrusive or anything Christine."
She took a deep breath and continued "For the past three years Christine, I have been madly in love with Erik." Christine had been expecting this, from the way Madeline had spoken to Erik the other night it was undeniable she was in love with him. "Three years ago when I started working for the company I fell in love with Erik just by looking at him. I didn't even know him well and whenever I watched him I just wished that we could be together. He was polite and charming to all and it made me spellbound. I tried to show him how I felt about him but he didn't seem to accept my feelings. I thought at first that he was shy so I continued to try and show him. Until one day I plucked up my courage and told him that I loved him, he said that he already knew that I loved him and that surprised me. But he then said that he couldn't give me his heart because it belonged to another girl. I asked him who that girl was but he said that he hadn't found her yet. I thought he meant that hadn't met the girl yet but knew she was somewhere. Then you showed up and when I saw you dancing with him and arriving here with him tonight I finally understood what he meant. He meant that you and he were apart and that he was trying to find you." When she finished telling the story Christine nodded "I'm sorry you feel this way, it's never easy when the man you love is already in love with somebody else." Madeline nodded and looked like she may cry. "But you know what Maddy?" Madeline's head rose when she heard the nickname "You are beautiful enough to be worthy any man out there" Her lips curled up into a smile "Thank you Christine, you're so kind. And Erik's lucky to have someone like you."

Christine decided to ask something different "So you're in charge of making me look beautiful for the show?" Madeline nodded and her happy spirit seemed to return to her. "Yes, you wait and see my girl. There won't be a show night where you won't look so beautiful when I'm through with you." Christine smiled too. "Well I look forward to seeing what you can do Maddy" Madeline stepped forward to give Christine a hug. "Thank you again Christine. I know we're going to be great friends." When they broke apart Madeline walked off. Christine could see that Maddy was not the rival that she'd drawn her as when she first saw her. She was a girl that was now her friend just like Meg.

Christine stepped back to the window but turned back round when she heard Erik's voice behind her. "What were you two girls talking about?" He came over with two wine glasses in his hands and handed one to Christine. "Madeline was telling me about how she had been in love with you and that now she understands about how you feel about me." Erik nodded "Oh yes, well that's alright" he sipped his wine. Christine felt it was now time to tell him of the story she had made up for them both. "When both she and Meg had asked me about how I've fallen in love with you, I made up a story about us. We met in high school and became high school sweethearts, you also taught me skills in singing while we were studying music. Then our different college scholarships parted us and just before we said goodbye we made our true love vow. For many years we had been apart and then the other day at the audition our paths crossed and you recognized me. I didn't at first but then I did later on and we were happily reunited." Erik's eye's sparkled as she told him the story. "I couldn't have thought of a better story myself. You're very clever my love." Christine nodded and held out her glass "Here's to our story" Erik clinked his glass to hers "The story" he replied and the both drank.

Author's Notes

Hey guys! I thought this would be over very quickly.
But the last chapters I've been writing have ended up being so long, that I had to cut bits out and make them into separate chapters.
This is one of the separate ones.