Through Music We Love

III - Cecilia

We got off the boat to a lot of shouting and dirty smells. I held Gustave's hand as he followed Christine and Raoul through the pushy crowds. We left customs to a cacophony of voices all calling Christine's name.

"Miss Daae! Over here!" They shouted.

"Her name is Madam DeChagny." Raoul scolded the crowd. The crowd promptly ignored him.

"How'd that Oscar convince her over here anyway?" One asked.

"It the money you dimwit." Another responded. "All that American mula!"

"My wife is an artist!" Raoul barked.

One of the men in the crowd laughed. "Oh yeah! And her salary pays off your gambling debts!" He comments. "Or, that's what I heard from Paris anyway!" His snide remark was true indeed.

"Is it true you lost your entire fortune on a roulette table in Monte Carlo?" Someone asked.

"Why you jackels!" Raoul bellows. "How dare you?!" There were some gasps from the crowd before the sound of camera shutters. They were ruthlessly using this opportunity to make him look bad. I almost decided to give them a tip.

"Hey kid!" Someone called to Gustave who gripped my hand a little tighter. "How's it feel to have a famous mother?"

Before he could respond another asked, "The theater doesn't open for two more weeks, what are you going to do till then?"

"See the statue of liberty?"

"You gonna ride the new subway?"

"Are you gonna play baseball?"

"I want to go to Coney Island!" He shouts to the crowd, who laughs at his voice. "I also want to learn how to swim." He squeaks.

"And what about you, Miss? Who're you?" Someone asks, all attention shifting to me. At least they were leaving Gustave alone.

"I am Cecilia Elenor Giry." I say as clearly as I can over the crowd. "I simply watch over the boy."

The crowd releases a series of gawfaws before continuing to ask various questions that all go unanswered. "Mother look! Right over there, I see a carriage!" Gustave exclaims.

"Would'ya look at that! No horses!"

"That's the darndest thing I've ever seen!"

The sound of wheels over cobble stones assaults my ears. When it stops a voice echoes across the crowd.

"Honored friends, welcome to America!" It shouts. "Come, take a seat, rest your feet."

"Honored friends, Mister Hemistein's expecting you!" A different voice says. "Climb aboard, little lord!" Gustave releases my hand and rushes away from me leaving me to stand, frozen in my spot.

"Gustave!" Christine exclaims from my right.

"Where is Hemistein?" Raoul demands. "We were assured he'd be here to greet us in person."

"In my dreams," Gustave says from somewhere in front of me. "they wander free, tell me what we're going to see!"

"This way, Primadona, we will escort you to where you'll be staying." The first speaker says.

"I give up!" Raoul says, exasperated. "Take us to Hemistein!"

I was left standing on the cobbles awkwardly since no one cared to help the blind woman. I felt a tug on my skirt causing me to look down. "Miss are you coming?" A girl's shrill voice asked.

"If you would kindly lead me to the carriage." I state.

"Pardon my rudeness but why must we lead you?" She asks.

"Because I am blind and cannot see where to step, my dear."