Phantom Christmas story

Christmas

Christine sighed to herself as she adjust the picture of her and Erik's wedding. It sat above the fireplace which had tinsel all along the edges. In the corner away from the fire, sat a Christmas tree covered in lights and decorations that her and Erik had decorated together before he went away on his business trip. She sighed again.
"Oh Erik Christmas isn't the same without you."

Erik smiled to himself as walked through the airport, dragging his suitcase behind him. Christmas music played through the airport.
His business trip had finished early, and he had a surprise planned for Christine. He stopped at a pay phone to give her a call.
"Erik!" She cried, always happy to hear his voice "Merry Christmas!"
"Merry Christmas to you too, How are you darling?"
"I'm fine.. how did your meeting go?"
The meeting that Erik had made up. To cover the fact he was flying home. With a surprise.
"It was alright, listen I have to go. But I'll talk to you soon. I promise"
"Alright. Goodbye Erik. I love you"
"I love you too" he said handing the phone up.
He could hear the sadness in her voice, and he would make sure that by the end of the day, she would be smiling.
He took a seat in the waiting area and waited until the flight from Greece came in. Meg and Madame Giry has planned to spend Christmas Day in Greece, but Erik had changed their plans.
"Erik I wanted to spend Christmas at the beach!" Meg complained when he told them the change.
He changed her mind when he spoke about Christine being lonely on Christmas and the fact that she hadn't seen her because Meg had been living in Norway with her mother.
When they entered the waiting area Erik stood up and waved them over.
"Good to see you two" He smiled
"You too. Now I just need to pick someone else up, then we can leave"
"Who are you picking up?"
"Raoul.."
Madame Giry and Meg stared at him.
"Are you serious? You hate Raoul!"
"But Christine doesn't, he's her oldest friend. And hate is a very strong word Madame.."
"Well Christmas has certainty altered your brain Erik" Meg laughed.
Erik tolled his eyes and went to pick Raoul up from the flight from Germany.
It was a bit awkward at first, but after a while it was fine.
"Okay, when we get to our home, I want you all to hold a plate of food I've prepared."
"What have you prepared?"
"Well it's not cooked yet, but I've glazed a ham, there's potato salad, some vegetables, and a trifle."
"That's a mixture. But it sounds perfect" Madame Giry smiled.
"Okay, Everyone in the car." He told them.

On the way home Erik and Raoul had a small argument about which was was the quickest to get home, Erik compromised and took Raouls route, got lost and had another argument.
"We have already got lost, do you want us to have a car crash too? Stop playing with the radio!"
"Right. Raoul you and I are swapping places. Pull over Erik." Madame Giry instructed.
"We're almost there, I am not stopping now."
"And I won't touch the radio again." Raoul added.
Madame Giry sighed as Erik kept driving.
"I told you my way was quicker, we're on the street now" he smiled as he parked the car on the side of the road.

Erik ran up the steps and rang the door bell.
"Coming" he heard Christine call from in the house. He listened to her footsteps and then the click of the door opening.
"Erik! Oh Erik I'm so glad your home" she cried taking him into her arms.
"I would have come home sooner, my work finished a week ago but I had to.."
She silenced him with a kiss, which he gladly returned.
"Let me finish" he laughed a little. "I had to gather up this lot" he said pointing to Madame Giry, Meg and Raoul. "And organise our dinner"
He watched her face lift up as she ran to hug everyone.

The Christmas dinner was everything Christine wanted. Erik and Raoul actually got along, the food Erik had cooked was delicious and it was snowing outside.
Erik and Raoul pulled a cracker on the couch after dinner and the room echoed the satisfying bang. Raoul already had a blue paper crown on so he gave the red one to Erik, who had got the dud end of the cracker.
"Madame, let's pull a cracker!" Raoul said going into the kitchen where she was.
Erik put the paper crown on his head and Christine couldn't help but laugh.
"Erik that was a wonderful surprise darling" she smiled kissing his cheek. "I have something for you"
Erik smiled as she handed him a wrapped up box. He carefully tore the wrapping of and took the lid off the box.
Christine looked at his puzzled face as he held up a very small shirt that had a little yellow duck on the collar. On the back it said 'I love my daddy'
He looked at her confused and opened his mouth to speak. Before she spoke first.
"I'm pregnant Erik." She smiled.
The laughing from the kitchen, the crackle of the fire and the music faded as Erik processed her words.
"Y-you're pregnant? I'm going to be a father.." he said quietly as a smiled broke across his face.
"You're going to be a father" she nodded, smiling wider.
Erik wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a soft kiss.
"'Merry Christmas Erik." She whispered against his lips.