Chapter 32

245 15 6
                                    

Christine

I died twice - once when Raoul pushed me off the roof and I saw myself as a ghost but then came back, and once when Will poisoned me. Now, just like before, I come back.
My heart beats again.
My lungs inhale again.
My eyes flutter open again.
I live again.
Someone is looking down on me, pumping my chest and they stop once they realize I'm conscious again.

"She's awake!" The person - a nurse, I now realize - sighs with relief.

"Christine, Christine," I feel my hand in someone else's, and look over to see it's Erik, tears of joy flowing down his face. "Oh my God, you were dead! Your heart stopped!"

"Well, it's beating now," I smile tiredly.

"Alright," the says the doctor, "we'll leave you two alone, but once you finish this bottle you should be well enough to be discharged."

"Thank you, doctor," Erik nods and the medical team exit the ward.

"Christine, why do I keep nearly losing you?"

"I don't know," I admit. "But listen," I caress his face with the back of my hand and smile fondly, "I'm going to stick around for as long as you're mine."

"I'll be yours forever," he whispers gently. And then he leans in. Our lips meet and it's like a slice of heaven.

***

About a week later, I finally return home. I am delighted to see my kids. They run up to me enthusiastically, and our family is soon enveloped in a massive hug.

"Oh, my darlings!" I kiss each of them on their forehead and hug them again. "How I've missed you!"

"How are you, mother? Feeling better?" asks Gustave.

"Yes, dear."

"Princess Meg missed you too," Melody holds up her doll. "She couldn't stop worrying about you at the Unicorn Ball!"

"Aww," I stroke Melody's little head. "Goodness, look at the time! Don't you feel hungry?"

We all sit down for dinner and Gustave tells us about his band.

"It's fantastic!" he enthuses, "We're doing an instrumental cover of one of your songs, papa! The band leader said it's one of the greatest pieces of music!"

"Oh, which one is it?" Erik smirks confidently.

"The one you wrote for mother, the aria called Love Never Dies."

"It is a beautiful song, every note and every word of it," I smile at the memory of singing the melody, feeling as beautiful as the song itself.

"Also, guess who I came across when I rejoined the band when we moved back here," Gustave beams with glee.

"I don't know... what's-his-name that kid who used to live next to us?" Erik takes a guess.

"No, it's Amelia! Remember her? The redhead who used to be a ballet girl! She now plays the clarinet in our group, and she's training to be a soprano."

"Oh, I was rather fond of her all those years ago," I say.

"She hasn't changed a bit," he beams. "Still as playful and lovely as she was before." I inconspicuously elbow Erik upon seeing Gustave's dazed look. Erik only looks confused, and I roll my eyes.

"You should bring her to see the show one night," Erik suggests. "She could learn quite a lot, the acts being quite new and original."

"Maybe I should..."

I smile at Erik and he smiles back.

"Ooh! Amelia and Gustave sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Melody teases.

Your VoiceWhere stories live. Discover now