While Lotte is a die-hard member of the "Christine should have married the Phantom" group, she has written fanfic in favor of Raoul marrying Christine, and that is the only reason it's under Raoul-Lovers.
Early one Saturday morning, Christine came down the stairs (patterned after the staircase at prop at the Opera House) and entered the kitchen. Victoria was sizzling eggs in a skillet, so Christine walked up to Raoul, who was reading the newspaper at the table, and gave him a light good morning kiss.
"Hello, darling," greeted Raoul, tossing aside the paper as it suddenly lost all claim to interest and setting his wife in his lap. "How are you and the baby?"
Christine smiled sweetly, patting her daily-growing abdomen. "Just fine, dear. Today�s the day!"
Raoul nodded, lifting the paper to thumb over to the second page. "She made the news. See--�Former Star of Opera House to Sing With Fianc�.�"
"I�m so happy for her!" cried Christine. "In her earlier letters, Carlotta only bemoaned the loss of Ubaldo. Then she started talking about Jos� Carreras. Now she�s engaged!"
"I�m assuming you want to visit with her while she�s here?"
"How very smart we are!"
"I�ll drive you over directly after breakfast."
Victoria set two plates of bacon and eggs on the table, and Christine jumped up (as well as she could) to fetch two glasses of milk.
*****
"Christine, darling!"
Christine turned round at the door of the Opera House to see the tall, slender figure of La Carlotta herself rushing up the sidewalk. She wore a long emerald green dress, and she was holding a green hat on her head as if trying to keep the long Spanish-black hair from flying away.
"Carlotta!" cried Christine, hastening down the steps (as fast as she could) and embracing her rather new friend when they met.
Carlotta surveyed Christine in a motherly way. "Oh, my dear, why didn�t you tell me? You need to lose some weight! Tut, tut! Singers must be slim!"
Christine laughed merrily. "We�ll call it Erik Andrew if it�s a boy and Margaret Aminta if it�s a girl."
"Oh, how splendid! But why Erik?"
"Old friend�s name," smiled the House�s new star. "Yes, my first music teacher�s name."
"How long will it be now?"
"Three months."
"I�m thrilled for you!" Taking her arm to lead her up the steps again, Carlotta reproved, "But my dear Mrs. Chagny, you really shouldn�t have run like that! Not down steps!"
"What are friends for?" smiled Mrs. de Chagny. "I�m equally thrilled for you and Jos� Carreras!"
"Wail �til you meet him," Carlotta teased, trying in a friendly way to make Christine jealous. "He and I are �Amigos Para Siempre.�"
"I have no doubt of that!" cried Christine, moving through the door into the grandiose foyer of the House.
The former Prima Donna gazed about in eagerness. "It hasn�t changed! Not a bit! I�m so-o glad!"
"Andr� and Firmin like the ancient look in the atmosphere. They would be fired if they threw out old Bach or Beethoven here!"
Carlotta strode to the guestbook podium. "Even the old guestbook! Shall I sign it--just for old time�s sake?"
"Please do!" urged Mrs. de Chagny.
Carlotta printed "Miss Carlotta Giudecelli, soon to be Mrs. Carlotta Carreras, Madrid, Spain," in her flourishy, flamboyant handwriting that anybody enbied. Christine wrote below her entry, "Baby de Chagny, Paris, France."
"Oh, Chrissy!" squealed Carlotta, "I�m catching YOUR excitement! Do tell me as soon as he�s born!"
"Or she," corrected the mother-to-be.
Carlotta made a pretend insulted face. "�He� refers to those you�re unsure of, you know. The NERVE, to correct ME, la Carlotta, la Prima Donna!!"
"La Carlotta, away with this pretence!" laughed Chrissy. "Come--isn�t Senior Jos� here?"
"Yes, rehearsing. I�m sure he�ll take time to meet you. Come on!" Taking Chrisitne�s hand, Carlotta struck out for backstage. Not a hunt of old spite was in her attitude or demeanor now. She led Christine as if they had been friends for life... Amigos Para Siempre.
Jos� Carreras was a tall, muscular Spaniard with thick black hair and dark eyes. He was handsome, and his rich, deep voice beautifully contrasted with Carlotta�s strong high notes. They obviously were devoted to each other.
"Jos�!" cried Carlotta upon entering the practice area. She rushed up to her betrothed and embraced him more affectionately than she had ever hugged Piangi. "This is Christine de Chagny, the woman I used to hate but now love like a sister. We�ve been writing for nearly two years, and she�s the sweetest thing next to an angel!"
Jos� looked as if he thought there was ONE sweeter thing, but he smiled, nodded, and bowed politely all the same. "Carlotta has told me all about you," he said respectively. "I understand you are now the star of this place? Fine House it is!"
"I don�t half fill Carlotta�s place," Christine answered. Carlotta smiled, as if grateful that her memory still stood out with dignity. "Please bring her back often, sir. There are many in the audience quite put out over her absence."
Jos� nodded. "I�ll see to see to it you ladies visit once a year. I�m half inclined to run off to England next year with my bride. Won�t you and Raoul join us? Queen Elizabeth has asked me more than five times to sing at her royal Majesty�s Theatre."
Christine smiled, gazing wistfully about the old practice room. She could go, and thus leave the Phantom behind forever. "No, sir. You and Carlotta go. Raoul and I will come to visit you often, but I have dear friends here that I cannot leave."
Just then a bell rang. "There�s our cue," Carlotta announced. "Time to practice, unfortunately. I�ll see you tonight, Chrissy!"
"Follow that limelight!" ordered Mrs. de Chagny, waving.
