When Love Begins

The Arrival

Christine POV:

When we arrived to America and got off the boat, there were a bunch of reporters waiting for us. I stayed in the back with Gustave, trying to shield him. I didn't want him any pictures to be taken of him. They all started to shout my name.

"Ms. Daae! Over here!"

"Ms. Daae! We have some questions for you!"

"Her name," Raoul stopped when he realized no one was paying attention to him. He raised his voice, so he could be heard. "Her name, is Madame De Changy." He motioned for Gustave. "Gustave, come here. No pictures, do you hear? No pictures of the boy." He put a hand on my sons shoulder so that he wouldn't run off.

"Your first performance in years. Why can't ya sing it at the Met?" Shouted a reporter.

"How'd they lure the great Christine Daae over here anyway?"

"It's all that American moo-la!"

"My wife is an artist!" I could tell Raoul was getting mad, but I stayed in the back of the crowd hoping he wouldn't take out his anger on me. 

"Yeah, and her art is paying for your gambling debt. At least that's what they're saying in France."

"Is it true you left your entire fortune on a roulette in Monte Carlo?" I looked at Raoul. He hadn't told me this. No doubt gambling wasn't the only thing he spent his money on when he was there."

"You insolent jackal!" Raoul raised the umbrella he was holding and charged at the man. He didn't get very far though, before they took a picture. I sighed. This was going to be in all the newspapers, I just knew it. Suddenly, they remembered Gustave, and started to question him.

"How's it feel to have a famous mother?"

"Your first time to America, what do you think?"

"It's two weeks 'till the opera house opens. Wha'd ya plan to do?" Gustave thought for a second.

"I  want to go to Coney Island, and learn how to swim!" They all giggled at him, he was just so cute they couldn't help it.  Suddenly, thunder struck.

"Mother look, right over there. Across the square, that carriage."

"What is it?"

"No horses, that's the darn'dest thing!" The doors opened and three circus freaks got out. One man was tall, with nothing off about him except for his makeup. His name was Dr. Gangle he said. The other man was large, and looked as if he were very strong. His name was Squelch. The last was a very short woman, shorter even than Gustave by the name of Fleck.

"Honored friends, welcome to America. Take a seat, rest your feet."

"Honored friends, we will escort you. We assure you Mr. Hammerstein sent us to transport you." He motioned for us to get in, and of course Gustave ran right up to them. I followed and tried to get him to come down 

"What's the meaning of this?" Raoul questioned. The large man just repeated what he had said.

"We assure you, Mr. Hammerstein sent us to transport you." Raoul looked at the big man, and seemed to decide that it wasn't worth the fight to decline the offer.

"Alright, I give up. Take us to Hammerstein." Raoul gave the umbrella to the tall man and started walking over to us at the carriage, 

"This way, Prima Donna." They motioned for me to get into the carriage. I sat down beside Raoul and got ready for us to take off. All of a sudden, Gustave got up and started talking to the freaks. 

"Mysteries and melodies play inside my mind. Fairy tales and fantasies silently unwind!" Raoul made him sit back down. The freaks all looked at each other, then said, "Ask no questions, have no fears. Anything can happen here." I didn't like the sound of that. They shut the door and I heard a whisper of a song. One that I knew all too well. 

"I am your Angel of Music. Come to me, Angel of Music!" I kept myself composed. He was dead. It was just my imagination. We started off and I leaned against the seat, trying to forget.