Phantom's Understudy

Part Seven - Mistakes

Word came out that Christine was back, and I went to her room right away. I made sure I had a handkerchief with me to ensure I still looked sick.

I knocked on the door three times and heard a small voice say come in.

I entered the room to see Christine in shambles on her bed. Her eyes were glassy and bright red.

"Christine," I said with a frown. "Whatever has gotten you like this?" I sat at the edge of her bed.

She wept heavier when she tried to talk so I let her cry more.

"I can't do the show tonight. Beth. I can't."

My heart stopped. "Oh, but surely..."

"Beth please! Can you please do it? Your voice doesn't sound bad!"

I was torn. Erik was not going to be happy with me. But I couldn't let one of my dearest friends go on stage like this. She was shaking and her cheeks were missing their beautiful rose color.

"I've been feeling a little better. I can talk to the managers." I said, unsure if I should.

"Thank you, Beth."

I nodded and put my hand on her arm.

"Everything will be ok. Let me know if and when you want to talk about it."

Her eyes returned to look at me and she took a deep breath. Her lip was trembling and her hair was all pushed to be on one side of her head.

"My angel of music is fake." She whispered.

I wasn't expecting her to start talking about it and I was caught off guard. Angel of music?

"Sweetie, what do you mean?"

She took another breath and told me a story about how when her father died, he had promised her an angel of music. When she was brought into the opera house by Madame Giry, she had been visited by a voice who taught her how to sing. She had been very obedient to her Angel and never once skipped practice.

"Last night, I met him. He was a man. The...phantom." she said, wiping her eyes with her wrist.

This was making sense. So Erik decided to teach her and essentially wanted her to excel. But why in the world did he kidnap her?

"The phantom?" I didn't want her to suspect anything with my interference with Erik.

She nodded. "I...I took his mask off. Genuinely, I did not expect what I saw. I thought I'd just see the face of a man but...but Beth!" She started crying heavier.

My heart broke in half and my eyebrows angled upwards in sympathy. Not for her, but for Erik. I had wondered what was under the mask, but I wouldn't dare ask him about it or make him show me. "He got so angry over it, Beth. I feared for my life."

I rubbed her arm and stayed silent, not sure what to say. I wanted to ask why she would do such a thing but now wasn't the time. I turned to her with a smile.

"Why don't you get some rest, Christine?" I stood. "I'll go talk to the managers and see if they'll allow me on the stage tonight. Everything will be ok."

Her eyes thanked me a thousand times and she was finally able to smile. I walked out of the room and made my way to the managers' office.

I knocked on the cracked open door and peered over the crack.

I saw Firman's head shoot up to look at me. "Oh, Elizabeth! What are you doing out of bed?"

I shyly inched in the office. "I...I wanted to talk to Christine. She isn't doing so well. I wanted to talk to you about possibly taking her place tonight since my voice came back, anyway."