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Chapter 2

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~Flashback~

The woman running the jewelry shop watched the strange man. She had a lot of strange men come in here sometimes. Some were buying jewelry for a mistress most of the time. The wives didn’t get this expensive gifts.

He was odd though, not because he was hiding part of his face from her. Most men didn’t want to be recognized, again buying for a mistress. However, there was something about him, something mysterious. He seemed nervous too, like he had never been outside before.

“Can I help you sir?” She asked glancing at him with a small smile.

Erik jumped when he heard the young woman talk to him. He wasn’t expecting anyone to come up to him. He thought his body language was enough to get people to leave him alone.

“Ah, that’s a very nice ring.” She said glancing at the ring he was looking at. “For someone special?”

Erik nodded as he glanced at the ring again. It was simple, yet elegant. A round, almost oval like diamond. There was several smaller diamonds around it. It was perfect. It would look so lovely on her hand.

“My Angel. I want to give her this.” He said touching the glass above the ring. It was made for her.

The girl smiled a little. “I think she will love it. Do you need me to size it for her?”

He froze at that. He had no idea. The rings came in different sizes for women? He stood there and frowned, staring at it.

“You have no idea do you?” The salesgirl asked with a giggle. “Most men don’t.”

“She is small. She has small hands.” He said, glancing at her hand. “Maybe smaller than yours?”

She giggled again. “I tell you what sir, why don’t you take the ring to her as it is?” She asked with a smile. “If it doesn’t fit, you can bring it back and we can get it sized just right?”

Erik nodded and glanced at her, allowing her a brief glance at his mask, before quickly turning back. “Yes, I think that would be best.”

If she noticed his mask, she didn’t say anything and didn’t act surprised in the least. “Of course sir.” She glanced at the ring and said the price, carefully taking the ring out and showing it to him.

“The price is not a problem. I will pay it in full.” He said pulling out some franc notes. He had plenty of money for a ring. His hands were shaking a little.

She smiled and put the ring carefully in a velvet lined box for him. “Don’t be nervous sir. With a ring like that, I’m sure she will say yes.” She took his money and put it in a small collection box. “Now, can I help you with anything else today?”

The girl was nice, she didn’t comment on his face. She didn’t make any comment on his appearance. She was like Christine.

“Yes. There is. I was wondering…I need to purchase a house. Where does one go to do that?”

~Present Day~

Erik just glanced up at her, trying to not fall out of his seat. “What about my daughter, Maman?” The word sounded so foreign on his tongue. Daughter

Madame Giry scoffed as she picked up a green bottle. “Absinthe Erik? Really?” She shook her head as she cleaned off a chair and sat giving him a stern look.

He shrugged as he took the bottle from her, frowning when it was empty, throwing it across the room.

She didn’t flinch when he threw it nor when it hit the wall. “Erik Gabriel Destler, you calm your self down, right now.”

Erik laughed and stood up, stumbling a little. “Calm down? My Christine is dead! My Gustave is dead! Because of me! My poor Gustave…he didn’t deserve…They left me…” He growled and touched his face gently.

“That isn’t true! You have a daughter! A small daughter, who needs you Erik!” Madame said with a frown. “I am too old to be raising my granddaughter.”

Erik laughed again, still sounding a bit mad. “And how am I to feed her? She is scared of me. I can’t go near her without her screaming. Christine is….” He sighed, his hand on his head. It was starting to throb.

“She is a child Erik, that is what they do. They cry. She cannot talk yet. Perhaps if you would hold her once in awhile, she would realize who you were! 3 months is too long Erik! I have let it go because you were mourning for your wife and son. But you need to take responsibility for her!”

Erik scoffed and walked away, he needed something for his head. A potion or remedy. Perhaps his headache would dissipate once his overbearing mother left.

“Erik Gabriel Destler!” Madame Giry slammed her hands down on the table, loudly, causing Erik to wince, she didn’t care. “I am serious. The new season is starting soon, I have rehearsals coming up. I cannot do both.”

Erik turned to her, his eyes narrowing. “You wouldn’t…”

She didn’t flinch and walked over to him, matching his cold stare with one of her own. “The season starts in 2 months Erik. If you cannot prove to me that you can take care of your daughter by then, I will send her away to a family that can take care of her.”

He growled again. “You will not take my daughter from me!” His heart, if possible grew even colder at that thought. His precious little Aria, the only thing he had left of his Christine.

“Then grow up Erik! Stop hiding behind your alcohol! What happened to the little boy I saved and raised? What happened to my son? My son was no coward!”

Erik’s reply was cut off as Aria’s cry could be heard. He glanced at Madame, but she didn’t move.

“You want to prove to me that you can be a father? Go calm your daughter down. She likes music.”

Erik sighed and ran his hands through his hair. “A drunk father is better than none at all.” At least he wasn’t falling down drunk.

He sighed and walked towards the small room where Aria’s crib was. He stopped and placed his hand against the wall. “Your son died the day that his Angel died.” He said softly as he walked in the room.

Madame Giry sighed and shook her head as she began to clean up once again after her son, something she hadn’t done for years. She paused and smiled as she heard a familiar song coming down the way. Some things never changed.