Wanted

Chapter 52

March 8, 1892

Erik walked through the gates of Phantasma and to the office building. The park would open in a few minutes and a lot of people would be there. Knowing this, he quickly got to his destination.

He opened the glass door and walked into the tall office building. Mary, the secretary sat at the front desk.
"Mister Y, it's good to have you back! How is your family?" She asked and Erik walked over and leaned against the front desk to sign in.

"They're good. The twins have adjusted well, Gustave is having some trouble but we're working on that." Erik said and sat the pen back down on the desk. "If my wife calls, send the call to the upstairs phone." Erik said and Mary nodded.

"Will do. Enjoy your day, Mister Y!" Mary said and Erik thanked her before walking up the stairs to his office. He sat down at his desk and took his mask off and glanced at the pile of paperwork on his desk. Let the dreadful paperwork begin.

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"Gustave, can you hand me Melody's blanket?" Christine asked and Gustave reached into the crib and pulled out the pink silk blanket and handed it to his mother. Harmony was already asleep in the other crib, but Melody still wouldn't sleep.

Christine wrapped her baby in the blanket and began singing the lullaby Erik had written.

" A dream is a wish your heart makes
When you're fast asleep
In dreams you will lose your heartaches
Whatever you wish for, you keep

Have faith in your dreams and someday
Your rainbow will come smiling through
No matter how your heart is grieving
If you keep on believing
The dream that you wish will come true."

Christine held the note out and kissed the now sleeping child on her forehead before laying her in the crib. Christine motioned for her son to follow her as she left the nursery.

Gustave sat down in one of the kitchen chairs and Christine went to start making lunch. "Would you like to help me, Gustave?" She asked and her son shook his head. That was odd, Gustave never turned down helping to cook. Christine gazed at her son before going and sitting beside him.

"Darling, I'm truly sorry for not being a good mother lately. Your my son, I love you so much." Christine said and Gustave looked over at his mother. He climbed into her lap, buried his head in her shoulder and just seconds later his body shook with a sob. Christine held him tight and stroked his back.

His tears finally subsided and he looked at his mother. "I love you too, Mama." He whispered and hugged her again. Her four year old boy deserved so much love and affection and she was going to make sure that he received it from both of his parents.

They spent the day together, sometimes playing with the twins. Christine sat on the floor as Melody and Harmony lied on their backs. She tickled their stomachs. "Are Mama's princesses ticklish?" She asked in her baby voice as both of them laughed and squirmed around.

The front door opened and Christine turned to look at her husband who had just walked in. He hung his coat up and hugged his son when Gustave came running over. "Did you have a good day at work, Papa?" He asked and Erik shrugged.

"It was alright, very productive though. How was yours, my treasure?" Erik asked and Gustave smiled happily.

"Great! Mama and I made cookies and played games!" Gustave said excitedly and Erik smiled at Christine. His son was happy again, that's all he needed. Erik walked into the living room and sat down beside Christine as she continued to tickle the babies stomach.

"Look, Papa's home!" Christine said to the girls and they kicked their feet. Christine lifted up Harmony and handed her to Erik. He laid down on the floor and let Harmony lie across his chest.

"How was work?" Christine asked a and Erik sighed.

"Tiring. There was a huge stack of paperwork on my desk when I came in. I'm only halfway through it." Erik said and Christine took Harmony from him so he could sit back up.

"Well, I'm glad you came home." Christine said and Erik nodded. She leaned over and pressed a kiss to his lips. Gustave sat on the couch and opened his book. "Is it a good book, Gustave?"

"Yes, Mama!" Gustave replied as he continued to read. Erik took his mask off and set it on the end table.

"I'll go make dinner." Erik said as he stood up and straightened out his now wrinkled clothes. His head pounded and he really just wanted to lay down and sleep, but he had a family to take care of. As he started on dinner his headache just got worse. The masked man opened the medicine cabinet to get pain pills and the first thing he saw was the morphine. No. He wouldn't. He couldn't. He refused to get addicted to it again. But it did relieve pain and then he'd be able to make dinner.

Erik reached up, took out the morphine and took some. He got back to making dinner once the morphine had kicked in. He started feeling a little loopy, but he'd be fine.

He finished the chicken and set it on the table as he called his family in. Christine came in and set the babies in the high chairs. Erik sat at the table as Christine went over to get baby food out. "Erik?" She asked.

"Yes, my love?" He replied and turned around to see the bottle of morphine in her hand.

"Did you take morphine?" Christine asked and Erik stood up and tried to take it out of her hand. "Do you know how strong this drug is? Do you realize how it could hurt you? I thought you didn't take it anymore?" She replied and Erik looked confused for a second.

"Wait, how'd you know I've taken it before?"

"Nadir told me that you were addicted to it for a while." Christine said as she took the bottle and put it away. She calmed herself down and touched her husband's arm. "I just want you healthy. People die from morphine, Erik. It's a dangerous drug." She said and Erik nodded.

"I didn't take a lot. Only enough to stop my headache." Erik promised and Christine kissed his lips sweetly. He wouldn't get addicted to it again. He had a family now he had to take care of. They counted on him.

Cast:
Erik Destler ~ Ramin Karimloo
Christine Destler ~ Sierra Boggess
Mary ~ Mary Beth Peil
Gustave Destler ~ Hadley Karimloo