Like Father, Like Son | Phantom of the Opera

x. How I Met Your Mother

MARCH 1915

GUSTAVE

The tension had finally cooled entirely in our house after the heated argument between me and Papa. Though I could tell that he was still fairly skeptical about Lara and her family ties, I knew that my newest plan would hopefully help him get over that.

"Papa, you aren't busy tomorrow evening, right?" I asked as I cleaned up my lunch dishes and brought them over to the sink.

"I'm always working, but unless Nadir stops in to play cards and pester me endlessly, I'm free," he replied from where he still sat at the table. "Why do you ask?"

"Just to make sure that you'll be here to meet Lara and her parents when they come for dinner." I winced a bit, waiting for an outburst because I hadn't told him earlier or asked him first. Although, in my defence, Lara had only asked me the day before at school, so I hadn't had all that much time to tell him.

"They're coming here?" Papa inquired.

I turned around and nodded at him. "Her parents, Marguerite and Philippe, were asking to meet my father, and Lara really wants to get to know you. I've been teaching her about music and she loves history. I think you two will get along quite well," I explained. "Please don't be upset that I didn't tell you, Papa. Lara and I only just made the plans yesterday, so I was going to tell you at some point."

"Gustave, I'm not upset. Just relax." Papa was smiling at me, but I could see the nervousness and hesitancy in his eyes. He still wasn't too keen on Lara's family; the Vicomte may have left, but he was still wary of his older brother and sister-in-law. "I would be happy to get to know them. Lara, in particular, considering you speak so highly of her."

I felt my cheeks heat up quickly at that remark and heard Papa laugh a little at my expense. "Well, I love her. What can I say?" I replied sheepishly.

"I know, I'm only teasing," he said. "Now, how has school been? You had that important math test just the other day, did you not?"

"Yes, and I think it went well, although I say that now and it probably didn't go all that well," I admitted, scratching my head as I spoke. "But besides that, I signed up for the talent show that's coming up."

That piqued my father's interest, thankfully drawing his attention away from the possibility that I didn't do well on a test. "Did you? What would that talent of yours be, hm?"

"Well, I wrote down singing as my act, unless you object to that."

"No, that's not what I meant. You play the piano, sing, and have other various talents. I just didn't want to jump to conclusions like I usually do," he said in his defence. "What is it that you're planning on singing?"

"I haven't the slightest idea," I admitted as I sat down next to him. "I was hoping you might have some suggestions for me."

"Well, not off of the top of my head, but I have a folder of sheet music in my study. Go flip through it and see if anything catches your eye. It's a dark blue one."

"Thank you, Papa!" I bounced out of my chair and hurried upstairs, already knowing exactly which desk drawer the composition folders were kept in. I looked behind the red folder that held Papa's opera and found the blue one that he had told me to look for. I sat down at his desk and opened it, only looking up when he walked in the door and leaned against the desk to watch over my shoulder.

"Well, we're off to a good start," I remarked as I pulled out the first piece of music and found it covered in ink blotches and scratches. I could barely read the title. The first word was scratched out beyond recognition, though the second word looked almost like 'beauty'. "Why is this one all ruined, Papa?"