A New Beginning

Chapter 37

After breakfast, Erik took Gustave to brush his teeth and then kissed him on the head. "Gustave, you do have to wear your mask outside, alright? There are lots of mean people out there and I don't want them to hurt you," Erik told him and placed the mask on his face. Gustave nodded understandingly and held on to his neck. Erik kissed his head before setting him down and taking him by the hand to take him to the park.

Once they were in his office, Erik showed Gustave everything there was to see, and he taught him many things too. The boy's smile was back on his face in no time. Later that day, they went to get some lunch and after that it began to rain.

"Gustave, you're going to get wet. Let's go inside," Erik said softly. Gustave sighed with a frown and followed his father. "Or..." Erik smirked, "you can try to catch me!" With that, he ran off into the rain, Gustave behind him.

Gustave eventually tapped Erik's back. "You're it!" he giggled and ran away. After moments of being 'it' back and forth, Gustave slipped on a puddle and fell. "My leg!" he cried. Erik turned around and ran to him. He rolled down his son's sock and sighed. There was an ugly bruise already forming.

"Alright, come here," he sighed and put his jacket on Gustave, then picking him up.

Erik ran carefully back home and snuck into Gustave's room. He bathed his son and put him in his pyjamas before laying him down and taking out his medical supplies. He began to bandage the boy's leg and as he was putting a cast on it, he got really nervous. "Mommy is going to kill daddy," he said as he finished working on his leg.

"Only if you give me a reason to," Christine said from the door with her hands on her hips.

Erik's eyes widened and Gustave giggled, motioning at his own throat with his finger, indicating to Erik that he was practically dead.

"H-hi love," Erik turned around and stepped in front of Gustave's leg.

"May I know why I'm going to kill you?"

Erik gulped and loosened his tie. "Well, you see..."

"If he catches a cold, I will!"

Erik stared at her. "N-no, not a cold, but he sort of...I mean it's no big deal," Erik said but wouldn't move.

"Let me see him," Christine huffed and pushed Erik out of the way. Erik closed his eyes as he waited for the scream. "What did you do to him?!"

Erik stepped back, "His leg is a little broken."

"Gustave, mommy is going to kill daddy," Gustave giggled yet again, at his mother this time. "You broke his leg and it's 'no big deal'?!"

"No, th-there's a cast on it, see?" Erik said as he hid behind the door and pointed at the casted leg. "All fixed," he gulped.

"I will talk to you later, Gustave needs sleep now."

Christine kissed Gustave's head and was followed outside by Erik. Lotte stood on her tip-toes to open the door and then entered the room. "Gustave?" she called.

"Hi Lotte," he smiled.

The girl climbed on the bed with him and cuddled against his chest as her brother held her close. "What happened?" she asked.

"I broke my leg."

"No! Gustave no!" Lotte cried.

"Don't worry, it can be fixed. Daddy explained it to me," Gustave grinned and proceeded to explain to her what a broken leg was.

"Will you sing to me?" Lotte asked as he finished explaining. Gustave kissed her cheek and sang to her until they both fell asleep.