Persephone's Angel

La crème glacée

Chapter Eighteen: La crème glacée

--* It was near two o'clock in the morning when he came in. I was dozing on my bed, unable to sleep; I would have nightmares and wake screaming. Abelia rested on the couch in the living room and I felt his arm fall around me. I quickly tuned and sighed, I needed to be sure it was my Opera Ghost and note my perverted uncle. I sat up and lit a lamp, he groaned and shielded his eyes; when he put his hand down, however, I saw the red outline of a hand on my Opera Ghost's right cheek! "Wha..?" I asked, he gave a weary smile and Abelia walked in, leaning on the doorframe and cocking an eyebrow.

"I hit him so you didn't have to" said she, I smiled and turned my attention back to my Opera Ghost, his eyelids were half drooping, his shirt was torn in places (one of his sleeves was torn off!) He was covered in dirt and muck and heavily smelt of sweat. Dotted over his body were red, puffy scratches and deep, purple bruises. His hair was a mess and his trousers matched his shirt; overall he appeared most exhausted.

"I'm sorry, my little dove, I'm sorry I couldn't see you sooner...I was making a new...uh...machine for the good Monsieur William" my Opera Ghost said, changing his tone to a growl as he said William's name. 

"...Ten minutes" I whispered "all I wanted was maybe ten minutes"

"I know, my lovely little angel, I know; I'm sorry, I cannot say how sorry I am enough" he said, entrapping me in a hug and kissing my head multiple times. "I won't ever do it again, my love, I swear on everything I hold dear" he added, rocking me back and forth "how about tomorrow we spend time together?...the whole day! Just us! I'll take you to the park and we can go for a stroll...I'll even take you during the day!

We can get ice cream cones and go to little antiquity shops and walk around the gardens in Parc De Bagatelle, hell, we can even go to the Louvre if you so fancy to go! I hear they have a new collection of exhibits from the Susa Galleries." My Opera Ghost said, giving me a weary smile and grasping my hands; I nodded.

"I would love that" I whispered, he nodded and sighed, running his fingers through his hair and laying back down, pulling me down gently next to him. I reached up and switched off the gas, Abelia said goodnight and I heard her leave my room; I sighed and curled up against my Opera Ghost. I don't think sweat had ever smelt so sweet.

--* In the morning, as he made me breakfast, I told my Opera Ghost everything that proceeded with Firmin the day before; I had to calm myself several times as I read Firmin's note to the Opera Ghost. He would pause and push the charcoal black frying pan off of the hot burner and walk over to me, holding me and kissing my cheeks. When I finally did finish reading the note to him he shook his head "so, M. Firmin and your mum...?"

"Yes" I whispered softly

"But it didn't make you..?"

"Yes" I said, he nodded and sighed softly, placing an egg onto a plate next to buttered toast and two links of sausage. He gave to me this plate and smiled.

"I know it's hard, my darling, but, you must think, that was your mum's deal. Your mum didn't say 'no' to it...did she? I thought so, and, as perverse as this may sound, just remember that your mum got what she wanted and the only consequences are memories; whilst I do think incest is wrong and utterly nauseating, you must consider the person's happiness....were they both happy? I think so." My Opera Ghost paused "though, Firmin's actions towards you are strange and inexcusable...I will speak with him later" he added with a growl, finishing his own breakfast and bringing his plate 'round, sitting beside me; he smiled and gave me a wet kiss to the cheek.

--* That day the first place my Opera Ghost took me was to Parc De Bagatelle. I wore a light blue dress whilst my Opera Ghost wore a black suit; the day wasn't that hot, surprisingly, seeing as it was May! My Opera Ghost wore a top hat to shield his face from the sun whilst I carried a parasol that matched the colour of my dress. It was as if we were walking in a rainbow! Insects hummed merry tunes all around us and there wasn't a cloud in the sky; the sun pointed its golden fingers towards the earth and tipped his golden crown to my Opera Ghost and I as we walked along a concrete path on the rainbow of sugary smelling flowers.