A Light in the Dark

Chapter 19

Chapter 19 Gustave's POV

I woke up unusually early the next morning, and I decided to take a stroll around the park before it opened. The sun had not risen quite yet, and Phantasma was generally quiet. A few workers were already out running errands, but other than that, there was really no movement to be seen. I decided to go out and walk along the pier. I hung myself over the edge like Father had that night, and I felt the salty air whisk about my face. I could almost understand why Miss Giry wanted to just jump in that night. It was almost like the sea beckoned you to come. I pulled myself up and sat on the pier where I had last seen my mother. I liked to go out to the pier on occasion. Since Mother was still legally married to the Vicomte when she had died, her body was sent back to France where, I can only assume, the Vicomte buried her. The pier was the closest thing that I had a grave. My eyes started tearing up. I missed Mother so terribly. I couldn't help it. I had to talk to her, so I did.

"Mother," I said, "I wish you could have been at the concert last night. I have made a new friend. Her name is Elaina. She's beautiful, and she sings beautifully. She reminds me of you. Oh, and Father actually came. You should have seen the tears in his eyes as I played. I almost wanted to cry right there with him. He's been good to me. You were right to love Papa. I may not understand everything that you did, but I understand that. He's the man that I can only hope to be. Last night, we got jumped by a few boys. Oh, don't worry about us, neither of us really got hurt. Anyways, Father didn't even hit them back. He just stood there and took it. I punched them though. I am terribly guilty about it, but I couldn't let them just hurt Papa. I wish you could have been here to see me grow up. I'm almost as tall as Papa now. I'm not quite as strong though. I will be one day. Papa said that this summer he was going to teach me all about the park, well, what I don't already know about it. Like, how the rides work, and how his inventions work. Oh, and Mother, you should have seen me! I learned how to swim! Papa taught me! I was scared at first, but he helped me. Mother, I miss you terribly. I wish you were here with me." I got up to go back to the aerie before Papa realized that I was gone. "Oh, and I almost forgot, I love you, Mother."

I turned to find a crying Meg Giry leaning on the post on the other side of the pier. I had not really spoken to her since the accident. Occasionally, she would ask me to give my father a note, and sometimes, I saw her in the shows. I had never really noticed how much she had changed. Her once flowing blonde hair had been cut to go just barely past her shoulders. The light that used to be in her blue eyes was gone. It had been replaced by dark, tired looking bags under her eyelids. She looked older. She was still a very beautiful lady, but not in the same way she used to be. She looked more distinguished as opposed to just having a youthful glow. Standing on the pier with her made my heart race as I thought about what happened last time that we had both been standing in the exact same place.

"My, Gustave" she said as she was wiping the tears from her eyes, "look at how you've grown!"

I swallowed what felt like a lump in my throat. "What are you doing here?"

"Gustave, you have every right to be angry with me. You really do, but please, don't make me go away."

"I'm not. I just wanted to know what you were doing here."

"Gustave, your Mother and I grew up together. She was my best friend. I can't express to you how just how much I regret what I did."

I didn't know how to reply. I continued to stand there and look at her.

"You don't have to be nervous," she said. "I never even intended to hurt anyone but myself the first time. There is no way on Earth that I would hurt you now. Plus, like you said, didn't Erik teach you how to swim?"

I nodded, but I didn't say anything. I didn't take my eyes off of her. I didn't quite know what I was feeling towards her. It wasn't hate. I wasn't really scared of her. I wasn't angry with her. After all, it had been an accident. I suppose that I just didn't know what to say. What was I supposed to say?