Twisted Every Way(Phantom Of The Opera Fic)

Chapter 73: Notes

Ilios looked over her shoulder vaguely to the window. She had changed out of the sopping wet dress and back into her old blue school dress.

How she dreaded the idea of going back to school.

Eli, admittedly, dreaded the thought of his sister leaving again as well. A sort of lovley light had renetered the small house, a light Eli relished seeing in his family.

His Father smiled softly, put aside the paper and spoke softly with great excitement and animation.

The twins, who were usually enveloped entirely in conversations with each other even stopped to giggle and speak loudly to Ilios with glee.

"Has Peter come?"

"He's just gone and left for Gustaves," Christine laughed. "He was hoping to catch you there."

"Oh," Ilios laughed in disappointment. "Well, nothing to be done. He is rich and clever, there's no reason for him to stay around long. "

"Rich and handsome," Eli said with a scoff, "Enough to get any man in an outrageous amount of trouble."

"Peters a good man, with good sense," Erik stated firmly, "I trust he knows what's best for himself."

"But he always seems so happy when he visits," Christine noted, "He never looks so happy in the papers."

Ilios brow furrowed, "What papers Mother?"

"The news will gossip about anything and anyone. Ghosts, actors, and rich men named Peter Jammes."

Eli shrugged, sneakily helping Wade feed his broccoli to the cat. Wade giggled uncontrollably as the small tabby gulped it down.

Eli smiled, Wade was on the quiet side, always cowering at the sight of him, even at himself in the mirror, but they shared hatred for broccoli. A hatred that bonded them together happily whenever their Mother made it.

Erik pretended not to notice the myriads of piles of broccoli disappearing from his son's plates.

"Learn anything interesting?" Erik asked Ilios.

"Lots of things from my letters," Eli mumbled smugly with a sly grin.

Ilios choked a bit on her water in laughter.

"Like what?" Erik said, his tone changing.

"Oh, just the basics Father. All very droll." She said sternly, "Things like-"

Her eyes met Elis and it was hard to exercise constraint. "Things like Math and science."

"And chemistry," Eli added under his breath causing her to give him a swift kick underneath the table.

"Ilios," Winnie said after a swift look from her Mother to change the subject. "Would you like to hear me play the piano."

"Yes!" Ilios beamed excitedly. "I'd love to hear."

"Not this again." Eli internally moaned. 

He just couldn't understand it.

Winnie had little to none natural musical talent.

It had taken months of her sitting with her little-determined face fixed on the piano keys to even get the first phrase out.

And yet she was convinced that to not play as well as Wade was some overwhelming curse that would disinherit her from the family all together.

"I wasn't proficient at your age either dear," Christine had comforted her.

"But Father was, as was Eli, and Ilios." Winnie moped. "And Wade is ready to start soon too."

Christine shrugged, "Ilios has never been particularly musically inclined."

"Shes never cared enough to try. She could compose if she wanted." Winnie noted.

Now she stood in front of her sister proudly, her little dress tucked into her boots as Ilios had done as a child.

Slowly, and meticulously she played twinkle twinkle little star.

When finished Erik arose with loud clapping.

"Brilliant," he noted.

Eli looked at him strangely, he was always proud of his children but usually edged them onward by lovingly critiquing at the end of a piece.

With Winnie he said nothing. 

Treated her as if her hard practice and brilliance weren't commonplace.

More questions.

"It was beautiful Winnie!" Ilios exclaimed.

Winnie blushed in the ears, putting a hand to the back or her neck and feeling the twisted flesh. "I worked hard on it. Father was patient with me." 

"It was well worth it," Erik said proudly helping her off the stool. 

Winnie sat down in his lap taking a deep sigh of relief. 

She felt like now she could truly fit in. 

She knew she belonged here. 

Yet, something felt out of place in her heart. 

But she was young and unafraid, and doubts soon were forced out by new hopes and anticipation.

Eli had watched his siblings carefully, they were running faster every day.

But you can't run from the truth forever.

If only he knew where to find it before it found them.

Either way there was music, and in the music hope.

Eli felt he was going to need all the hope he could get.