Hopeful Soul: A Phantom Story

Chapter Forty-Nine.

MEG:

With how long it had been since we last saw Christine, we began preparing for confinement. Mother had brought the birthing bed up to my room and we began pulling out various things that the physician would need - blankets, old towels and water basins. It was the last week of her pregnancy and Erik, though reluctantly as he wrote in his letter, would bring her over in a carriage.

Mother, though she hustled about a worried mess, had a bright smile on her face and was obviously excited about the baby. We each waited near the front door until Erik knocked, to which my mother opened. He had Christine's head carefully to his chest, her stomach swollen incredibly, and guided her inside, "I shall lay her to rest, but here is the payment for the physician," he handed my mother a small sack of francs and I showed him upstairs, pointing to the birthing bed on which he laid her down - lifting his mask to give her a kiss, "I will see you later, my dear. Meg, keep her safe. Make sure you get the physician as soon as possible when she gives birth and please, someone notify me when the baby has arrived."

"Will do, Monsieur."

He set a bag of her things by the door, Christine stirring about dizzily, "M- Meg? This is confinement?"

"Yes, Christine. Feel free to get comfortable. In just a few days, you'll have a child."

She was smiling at her full belly, stroking the center where the baby rested within. It was different to see Christine this way, as I always thought I would lose my innocence first, but here she was - about to create a baby at any moment and become a true angel in the house. Christine looked up to me with a smile only a mother could give, caressing her stomach like it was the baby itself, "Meg, would you mind handing me those robes Nadir so kindly gifted me with. This gown is impossibly tight."

"Of course," I opened her bag and immediately saw the bright, Persian robes, handing them to her, "Will there be anything else?"

"Not at the moment. Thank you, Meg."

"Any time."

Just as I had left my room, shutting the door so my friend could change, my mother had called me downstairs. I found her in the family room, setting down her teaspoon as she took a sip of the hot liquid from one of our many porcelain glasses. She was smiling, a sight that put me at ease, "That baby is going to be so big."

I giggled, remembering the swell of Christine's belly, "Definitely."

I sat beside my mother on the loveseat and handed me a glass of tea. After a few sips, a question came to mind, "How will we call Erik here?"

She nodded, setting down her tea cup, "Christine is expected to give birth any minute now and Nadir has taken Caeser from the underground. He will be coming tomorrow to stay here and warn Erik if any signs show."

"Alright."

The door to my room had opened and I heard Christine coming down the stairs. Though she was pregnant and her body was worn from months of the infant within her, she was still impossibly beautiful - I was always secretly jealous of her loveliness, "I am sorry to interrupt, but are there any-"

"There is a bowl of fruit in the kitchen, dear," said mother with a grin, "Help yourself to as much as you like."

Just as Christine headed off for the fruit bowl, a knock at our front door interrupted us again. Mother shook her head and I sat loveseat mindlessly. She opened the door to Monsieur le Vicomte, of all people. He looked more tired than Christine, if that was even possible, "Yes, Monsieur?"

"Where is that lovely blonde?"

I felt my cheeks turn red - the Vicomte was calling on me, "She.. she is busy at the-"

"I'll talk to him, mother," said I, rushing to the front door, "Really, I will handle this."

She nodded me off and I went out onto the doorstep with him. He had dark bags under his crystal, blue eyes and looked rather weary, as if he had been drunk for a while, "Hello, Meg."

"Is there something I can help you with?"

He sighed, throwing down his top hat as he aggressively rubbed his temples, "My brother thinks I've gone mad."

"How so?"

"I've had a recent encounter with an Apache member who said the Phantom has returned. The opera was just rebuilt. There is no way he could have survived that fire. And even then, what use would he have?" he was raking his hands nervously through his hair, leaving it a disgruntled mess, "I am not mad, am I?"

"Maybe confused."

He glanced at the kitchen window, then took a second look and stared like it was a ghost. I saw what he was looking at and shook my head, "Is... is that Christine?"

"Yes. It is. Now, if you do not mind, I think you should be-"

"You must let me see her."

"I mustn't do anything you say."

"Please!" he cried out, clutching his hands together, "I only want a moment. Just a moment and then I will go."

"Alright. But answer this," he nodded like an obedient pup, "Why did you call on me?"

He laughed, "I am in need of female company, Mademoiselle. My brother is with La Sorelli, so I saw no harm in my attempt on yourself. Now, may I please see Christine?"

I did not know if what I was doing was right or wrong, but I had no judgment at the moment. I opened the door and witnessed their reunion, though Christine looked as if she were about to cry. Raoul smiled, indeed madly as his brother said, and laughed at Christine, "Oh, my dear, what happened to you?"

I struck him across the face, Christine only covering her mouth as tears streamed down her cheeks, "She is pregnant, you doofus! Now please, if you won't mind-"

"Who's the father, Christine?" he laughed madly and it began to frighten me, "Who's child are you swollen with?!"

"Leave!" with a knee to his ballocks, I shoved him out the door and locked it, Christine leaned against the wall as she cried into her hands, "Christine?" I went up to my dear friend and pulled her for a hug, "Look, that man is as mad as a hatter. He wasn't really thinking."

She pulled away from me, wiping her face with her handkerchief, "Thank you, Meg. You are a good friend."