A New Beginning

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

(Christine's POV)

I woke up late the next morning in the arms of my husband, and the simple thought of being able to call him that now, made my heart want to pound out of my chest. I smiled and turned to face him, but he seemed to be asleep. I kissed all over the scarred side of his face until I got him to grin a little bit, and just as he was opening his eyes, I kissed his lips.

"Good morning, my husband," I spoke to him as we pulled back.

He pulled me closer to him and pecked my lips twice before he said to me, "Good morning, my beautiful wife." Then we both smiled widely and stared into each other's eyes until we were interrupted by a sound coming from downstairs, and we remembered that Raoul had stayed overnight.

"He wouldn't," Erik told me as we thought the same thing.

We reluctantly got out of bed. I wrapped a robe around my body as Erik pulled on a pair of trousers and a shirt before we walked out of the room. As we walked down the stairs, Erik stayed in front of me, even though I wasn't scared.

"Raoul?" I asked as we walked into the dining room.

Just then he walked out of the kitchen, carrying a tray of delicious-looking food. "Good morning," he told us. Erik and I eyed the food and Erik looked at him confused, waiting for an explanation. "I decided to make you breakfast since you are both doing so much for me. I'm so sorry if I woke you up," Raoul said and I smiled at the gesture.

"Thank you, Raoul. You didn't wake us up, don't worry," I said, taking Erik's hand. "And it is a very sweet gesture," I finished, squeezing my husband's hand a little bit. Erik nodded at Raoul and led me to the table, where he pulled my chair out for me and kissed my hand.

After we finished breakfast, Erik suggested taking me to see the village. He had been there numerous times while I hadn't, but he said he always found it as beautiful as the fist time he went nonetheless.

Erik ordered the carriage and we were there in no time; we lived fairly close. We walked around for a couple of minutes, but we were enjoying ourselves so much that, eventually, those minutes turned into hours, but we were too busy looking at each other that we didn't even notice. We entered a few shops I liked and bought a few things, despite the fact that Erik wanted to buy me everything. He bought me a bouquet of red roses and kissed my cheek as he handed it to me. I smiled and kissed his jaw since he was too tall.

We finally decided that it was a good time to get back, as it would get dark soon and we were a little bit tired. When we entered the house, we immediately heard noises coming from the parlor. Erik led me to the room, and there was Raoul; glass of whiskey in hand.

I sighed in disappointment at the sight before me, and Erik started approaching him. Raoul didn't look drunk, but I didn't want him to drink, and neither did Erik.

"Raoul, give me the glass, please," Erik told him, reaching his hand out. Raoul shook his head and stepped back. "No, let me finish just this drink," he replied. Erik sighed and took the glass from him.

"Raoul," he started, "we are going to help you, we promised, but you can't keep doing this; you have to help yourself as well." Raoul nodded at Erik's words.

Raoul sighed and looked at his feet. "Erik, I want to, and I try, but it is too hard. I can't do it," he said.

Erik then took all the bottles from the cabinet and left the room without another word. I followed him and found that he was heading to the kitchen. He grabbed all the bottles from the kitchen as well and went outside. He then emptied them on the street and put the bottles in a carriage. "I will throw those out tomorrow," he said, motioning towards the empty bottles.

I couldn't believe what I had just seen. My husband had just taken all those bottles of the finest liquors in France and threw them away for the sake of my childhood best friend, despite all the pain Erik went through because of him. He just wanted to see me happy, and if helping Raoul was going to make that happen, then he was willing to do anything to do so.

"If having no liquor in this house will help, then we will have none," Erik gave the smallest of grins and held out his hand for Raoul to shake, which he did with a surprised expression on his face.

Erik offered me his arm and led me up the stairs, but Raoul stood in place, shocked. When Erik and I were halfway up the staircase, we heard a voice behind us. "Thank you," Raoul spoke. Erik nodded his head at him and replied saying, "Goodinght, Raoul."