This chapter is dedicated to Bella, who needs this more than me:))
"Distance, timing, break down fighting."
Christine Daae
Nine months.
Almost a year.
Ugh.
I hadn't been in this much pain since Lyrics birth. This child was a lot more energetic. It was constantly moving around and I wanted to see him or her so I could calm them down.
Speaking of Lyric, she was beginning to talk in full sentences. She could sit up by herself, and was even walking, but she preferred to crawl around. She always wanted me or Erik around, and when we weren't, she would cry. It was exhausting.
Erik and I had started to fight a lot more. Lyric was always asleep when we did, and somehow she always managed to stay asleep.
This is how the arguing started....
He had started to compose again. The music was beautiful and I couldn't wait to hear the story, but there were points where it was dark and I was scared of it. There were songs that were familiar-and I could've sworn he was playing Don Juan again.
Now, I love Erik's music. It's gorgeous, but he started to neglect me. I would wake up every morning to see him playing with Lyric. When I came in, he would curtly nod and walk into his music room and I wouldn't see until I brought him lunch. He didn't even come out for dinner.
He would come out and sing Lyric to sleep, then shut himself in his room for another couple of hours. I would always be asleep when he came in.
The arguments were always small, and over something silly, but both of us were so angry at the other, me for him not speaking to me and him for me interrupting his music.
I was tired of not seeing him. My own daughter got to see him more than me. So, tonight I decided I would confront him.
"Erik, can you come eat dinner?" I had asked.
"No, I'm busy."
"Erik, you need to eat," I replied.
"Not hungry."
"Erik, please just come out. I want to see you," I said.
"Christine, I'm busy."
"Erik, please just open-" I stopped.
The bastard had locked the damn door. Oh, I would kill him.
"Erik Destler. Open the door now."
"Why should I? This is my home."
"Because I'm your pregnant wife and I say so. Open it."
"Christine Daae, please for the love of-"
"Destler. My name is Christine Destler. Erik you know that. You chose me. You told me you loved me. I gave you a child and I'm carrying another one. You can't just shut me out."
"Christine I don't have time for this."
"You mean me? You don't have time for me, is that it?"
"Yes Christine! Now please, just go."
I felt my heart stop. I sunk to the floor and started crying.
"Do you even love me anymore?" I whispered.
"Christine..." I heard him trail off.
I screamed. I screamed with all my power and I couldn't stop.
Lyric started crying. Erik unlocked the door. He was angry.
"Christine, just because you accuse me of not loving you doesn't mean you can ruin your vocal cords," Erik spat.
"I-I..."
"What is it with you?" Erik yelled.
Lyric started crying harder, but I cried the hardest. It hurt so bad.
Erik huffed and went to hush Lyric. I grabbed my stomach. He walked back in, upset. Then he saw the pool of liquid all over the floor and gasped.
"Is it-oh my gosh Christine, what is it?"
"Call Meg."
"Why?"
"I don't care if you don't love me anymore. I was expecting that. But what I can't change is this. This baby is coming. Right. Now."
Erik Destler
I had never heard anyone scream louder than she did and I had never wanted to die more.
We had called for Meg as soon as she went into labor. She had shown up minutes later with a crew of women and shoved me out of the room claiming I couldn't go in.
She kept screaming. I pounded on the door.
"LET ME IN!" I yelled.
"Erik!" Christine yelled back. Meg opened the door and shoved her hands over my eyes. I was too worried to care. She guided me to Christine's bedside and walked away.
I grabbed her small hand.
"Erik?" She asked.
"Yes. It's me. I'm so sorry. I'm here now."
"Why are you here?" She spat.
"You called for me," I said hesitantly, tears threatening to spill.
"I called for you before. Why are you here now?"
"Christine I love you." I said.
She started screaming louder and grabbed my hand. She squeezed so tightly, I lost all feeling in my fingers.
"Ready?" Meg asked. Christine nodded.
A few minutes later, we heard cries, but we had something more important to do.
Exhausted as she was, she grabbed my face and kissed me, pulling off the mask. A few maidens gasped, but I didn't care.
"Christine, it's a boy. What's his name?" Meg asked as she handed the child to Christine. She and the boy giggled at each other.
"Canden," I said, absentmindedly. Christine nodded in agreement.
She looked at me and said, "Hold him." I took the bundle from her. I watched as the child studied my face.
Then,
To my absolute horror,
Canden, my only son,
After looking at my face,
Cried out in fear.
