The Phantom's African Rose

Chapter 31: Bliss and Chaos

The Next Day

Erik's POV

She loves me.

She really loves me!

It's about time someone told somebody that they loved them. The Voice replied, a joking tone in His words.

At the moment, the two of us were presently spending the morning blissfully in the library with me taking a seat on one of the chairs to read and Evangeline deciding to take a seat on my lap as she took a quick nap, the bottom part of her plaid and blue dress (A/N: outfit is above) draping one of the armrests as I stroked the loose curls on her head.

Oh, I felt my heart become full of joy as she snuggled deeper into my chest, a sweet sigh escaping her precious lips. My wound was still healing and very sore, but I didn't care. She was here with me and that was all that mattered.

Our breakfast, which consisted of oatmeal made with cinnamon-sugar and cream and some fruit, were on the table as we sat in content, blissful silence.

As the hands on the clock turned to reach 7:30, I knew that it would be soon time for her to leave for the world above and I was almost regretting her becoming the Prima Donna. Almost!

I gently began to nudge Evangeline awake.

"Mon amore, you need to get up. It's time for you to leave."

"Noooo." She whined, "Five more minutes."

I chuckled as I continued to coax her to open her chocolate-colored eyes, but she wouldn't budge.

"How about this: if you wake up, then I shall bake those chocolate-filled croissants that you like so much for dessert after dinner. "

Almost immediately, she sat up and proceeded to get off of my lap, giving me a quick peck on the lips as she ate her bowl of oatmeal and grabbed a piece of fruit on her way out, me slowly following her in pursuit.

"Erik, I'm gonna have to stay out a little later than usual." She suddenly said as I caught up with her, "Will you be okay until I get back?"

"If you are talking about the wound, then don't worry. I will be just fine, but may I ask why you have to stay out late today?"

She gave an agitated sigh.

"Well, I sort of promised Robert that I would talk with him after rehearsal was over."

I felt my eyes dialate in distaste.

"Why?"

"I'm sorry, babe. It happened last night when I was taking you home. I just agreed to it so that he would leave me alone. He was about to enter my dressing room so I had to agree to talk with him later on today."

I wound my arms tightly around her torso, trapping her into my embrace and lowering my head to her shoulder.

"I don't want you to leave." I huffed as I held her close. She reached and ran her fingers through the top of my head, ruffling my black hair and kissing my unmasked cheek in the process.

"I know, Erik. But if I don't leave, I'll be late and if I'm late then Johnny boy will use that as an excuse to fire me."

I reluctantly let go of my beloved, my arms aching to hold her once more as she retreated to her room to grab her satchel and back into the kitchen. Then, she reappeared as she hopped onto the gondola and rowed away from the lair.

"Hey babe, I had already prepared your lunch. It's in the fridge." She called as the boat moved further and further away.

"Don't you mean 'ice box'?" I teased.