Chapter Thirty-One
Erik stepped into the home in the early afternoon after leaving in the morning without an explanation as to where he was going. Standing in the foyer, he called to his wife. "Christine! Christine, bring the children and come to the foyer, hurry!" He called, looking down at his companion and smiling.
Christine looked around at her children in the sitting room. "Come, children." She took Phillip's hand and motioned for Charles to take Bella, while Maddy ran ahead of them eagerly. Upon reaching the foyer, both Maddy and Christine gasped, and Christine looked up at Erik with wide eyes.
Erik smiled at Christine, patting the head of the guest kindly. "Christine, please bring Phillip here." He said, kneeling down. Once his son was before him, he took the boy's hand and held it tightly. "Do you know what a dog is, Phillip?" When Phillip nodded shyly, Erik took his son's hand and placed it on the guest's--a large, shaggy golden colored dog--head. "This, Phillip, is Rusty. He was trained to lead you around." He stated, putting a hand on his son's shoulder. "Rusty will walk before you, and make sure you don't hurt yourself. If we are all going somewhere as a family, Rusty will keep you with us, and if we call for you, he'll bring you to our side. He will act as your eyes, Phillip." Looking to the children he smiled. "When Rusty is working, and by working I mean leading Phillip somewhere, you must not pet him or treat him as a pet." He warned, "Or he will not do his job right and Phillip could be hurt." Looking back to his son, Erik smiled. "What do you think?"
Phillip looked curious as he walked cautiously around the dog, feeling him and gaping. "Papa, he's really big!"
Erik laughed and nodded. "He's really strong too."
Rusty turned his head and licked at Phillip's cheek suddenly, and Phillip shrieked and laughed, throwing his arms around the dog's neck. "Thank you Papa... now maybe I won�t fall down..."
Christine smiled wide and moved to take Erik in her arms. She looked up at him with adoration. "What a wonderful idea. That's why I love you... So considerate, of others people's needs..." She leaned up to run her lips across his. "Do you know what I need?"
Erik grinned. "What do you need, my dear?"
Maddy moved toward them before her mother had the chance to tell him, however, and tugged on her father's suit jacket. "Hey, Papa, come down here." She motioned for him to come eye level with her.
Charles suddenly jumped up and rushed to Erik, jumping onto his arm and hanging there. "Papa! You said you would get me a rat that wouldn't bite me!" He exclaimed, looking up at his father as he hung on Erik's limp arm like a little monkey.
Erik laughed and shook his arm until Charles shook loose and plopped onto his rear on the floor. "Yes yes yes... I will see to it that you get a rat." He stated.
Christine raised an eyebrow and grabbed both of Erik's lapels. "A rat, my love? Are you quite sure about that? Because if I find a rat in our bed..."
Maddy crossed her arms over her chest and studied Rusty carefully, and then looked at Charles. She frowned and moved from the room unnoticed. She didn't feel that she actually fit in at the moment, and she didn't want to trouble her parents. They already had a cat, a dog, and soon a rat. They didn't need anything else...
X
Later that evening, Erik ran a hand through his hair and walked into the house. It had taken him all day to find the suitable animal and make sure it was kind... in the end he had returned to the underground house and taken a baby rat from a nest. It was old enough to be on its own, and was wary of people, but not unkind. After a day with the creature, it was completely tame and even knew how to tightrope walk. After all, Erik did have a way with animals...
Checking his pocket to make sure the little gray fellow was still there, he smiled and slipped him a piece of cake, then walked into the sitting room where his family was. Under his arm he held a package, and he smiled at Charles. "The rat is to be kept in the cage when you are not directly handling him. If he bites you, tell me. Do not, and I repeat, do not try to frighten anyone with this animal, or I will take him away." With that, he unwrapped the paper from the wire cage and handed it to Charles, who quirked an eyebrow.
"Um.. Papa, I hate to spoil your fun, but there isn't anything in this cage..."
Erik laughed, and reached into his pocket, drawing forth the tiny baby rat. "Here he is." He said, placing the little creature into Charles's waiting hands.
Christine's eyes widened and she jumped up from her place beside Charles. She ran to the door of the sitting room and took a glance back before squealing and running away, up the stairs to her bedroom, and climbing under the sheets.
Maddy, who would've normally been amused, sat back in her chair and examined Rusty beside Phillip, the little rat in Charles's hands, and Bella rolling over Ayesha, nearly smothering the cat as she drooled all over her. She sighed and bit her lip. She didn't want to be selfish... but she wanted a pet, too. Everyone else had one... She decided against asking and went back to her tenth drawing of Edwin.
Erik chuckled and set off from the room, glancing back in time to see Charles holding the rat in his hands as the little fellow licked his son's fingers curiously. Laughing, he set off up the stairs and into the bedroom, smirking at Christine. "My dear.. it's just a little baby, it couldn't hurt you... it's actually quite cute."
Christine glared at him from underneath the covers. "Don't you touch me until you've washed your hands! Rat boy! Yuck!" She made a disgusted face and trembled before pulling the covers up over her head. "I hope Ayesha eats it! She actually follows my orders now, I could have her do it..." She mumbled to herself.
Erik frowned, sitting next to his wife. "Now Christine... he's perfectly clean, I washed him up before I brought him here, and he's completely safe, I checked him over, no diseases. He's only a month old at the most." He said proudly, before wringing his hands. "And don't you dare have Ayesha eat him, Charles absolutely loves that rat, you should see them together." He said with a smile. "I thought Phillip with Rusty was wonderful... but Charles is looking at that rat the same way I looked at Sasha when I was his age." He stated wistfully. "You have to give it a chance, please Christine, for Charles?"
Christine sighed and poked her head out from under the covers. "Only for Charles," she surrendered. She grinned deviantly and sat up, pulling Erik by the neck to meet her lips. "You can be my pet..." She was about to kiss him when she stopped and scooted away. "Go wash your hands, Rat boy, and meet me back in here as soon as you've done so."
Erik nodded and stood, kissing Christine quickly, then rushing from the room and to the bathroom. Swiftly he began to wash his hands, humming softly as he did so.
Maddy bit her lip as she approached the bathroom, debating with herself whether she should ask or not. Deciding it was reasonable that she have what she wanted since everyone else was, she moved into the open bathroom door and reached up to touch her father's arm. "Papa... Can I... can I speak with you?"
Erik smiled and nodded down at his daughter. "Of course, what is it dear?"
Maddy smiled shyly and pulled him down to be eye level with her. "Papa... I realize it's a lot to ask, because I know you've been busy... but I..." She frowned and looked away from him, biting her lip.
Erik quirked an eyebrow, putting his hands on Maddy's shoulders. "Come now, what is it?"
Maddy heaved a great sigh and reached up to play with her father's hair as she spoke, "Papa, I want a pet. Everyone else has one and... and I'm lonely, Daddy. Can't I have one?"
Erik grinned and ruffled Maddy's hair. "Of course you may, I was wondering why you hadn't asked yet..." He scooped Maddy up into his arms and held her close, kissing her forehead. "What would you like?"
Maddy bit her lip. "I want a bunny. A really pretty one." She grinned and her eyes shined brightly with mirth and excitement.
Erik grinned at Madeleine, letting her down to the floor again. "And what color should this bunny be?"
Maddy grinned. "It should be white! Like the snow, Papa." An idea came to her mind then and she tugged at his suit jacket. "Papa, I want two bunnies!"
Erik smiled. "Whatever do you need two bunnies for, Maddy? Isn't one enough?"
Maddy pouted and grabbed his hand. "I don't want it to be lonely like you were without Mamma..." A puppy dog look came to her face and she hugged his arm.
Erik smiled at Maddy and ruffled her hair. "Okay, two bunnies it is... what color should the other bunny be? Would you like two boys or two girls?"
Maddy grinned up at her father and said, "I want a boy and a girl. And I want them to be two completely different colors so when they give the special hug and have babies they babies will be pretty!"
Erik arched an eyebrow. "Madeleine, I don't know... rabbits reproduce really fast..." He sighed, and an idea formed in his mind. "But okay, a boy and a girl it is." He said, before kissing her cheek and going back to the bedroom to see just what his wife had in store for him this time.
X
Erik walked into the house carrying a large wire cage in his arms. Inside was a black and white bunny. The man who sold them to Erik said they were both male, but Maddy wouldn't know, and he planned to tell her that the black one was male and the white was female. Everyone would be happy. Carrying the cage into Maddy's bedroom, he smiled at his eldest child who was sitting on her bed reading. "Here you go, Madeleine."
Maddy gasped and jumped up to stand on her bed. "Papa!" She exclaimed, rushing to the end of the bed. "They're beautiful!" Her eyes lit up blissfully and she cooed at them, motioning for him to set the cage on the end of her bed. "Oh Papa, I love you, thank you so much!"
Erik grinned and sat down next to Maddy, looking at the bunnies and hugging his daughter close. "You're welcome... what shall you call them? The black one is a boy, and the white a girl."
Maddy grinned broadly. "The white one is the Mamma and the black one is the Papa!" She wrapped her arms around her father's neck as she examined them. "Just like you and Mamma! And when they special hug and make each other scream 'cause they love each other, the black one will scream 'Madeleine!' and the white one with scream 'Edwin!' and they will make babies." She kissed her father on the cheek and moved to open the cage. "Will Charles's rat hurt them?"
Erik laughed at Madeleine's words and shook his head. "No no, his rat is just a baby, it wouldn't hurt anyone or anything." He said simply, watching his daughter with a smile.
Maddy giggled as the white bunny jumped toward her. "Papa, when will they give the special hug?"
Smirking, Erik shrugged. "I don't know, Madeleine, they need to see if they like each other that way, first. If they don't fall in love, they won�t make babies." He stated, standing and petting the rabbit with a grin.
Maddy grabbed the black rabbit and pushed it towards the white one. "Oh, Madeleine and Edwin love each other very deeply, like you and Mamma, and they will soon." She giggled as she watched them hop around her bed, and then looked up to her father. "Thank you, Papa," she began, gazing up at him adoringly, "I love you very much."
Erik leaned down and kissed his daughter's cheek, ruffling her hair with a smile. "I love you too, dearest." He said gently, before giving the black rabbit a pat and moving toward the door. "I have a bit of a surprise to give your mother now, enjoy your pets." He said warmly, before winking at his Maddy and moving to the foyer. Picking up the glass container, he moved up the stairs and into the bedroom he and Christine shared, setting the tank on the bedside table. Then he moved down the stairs and into the hall, searching for his wife.
Christine hummed softly as she fastened her white apron around her dress, preparing to make her family's dinner. She grabbed a ribbon and tied her hair back at the nape of her neck with it. "Angel of Music, guide and guardian, grant to me your glory..." She hummed and smiled as she worked, setting a pot out.
Erik heard his wife's voice, and stepped into the kitchen doorway, grinning. "I am your angel of music, come to me angel of music..." He sang, winking at his wife. "Come here, I have a surprise for you."
Christine turned and wiped her hands on her apron. "Really now?" She grinned and moved toward him, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him deeply.
Erik kissed Christine back lovingly, and squeezed her close. "Yes, really. Come." He said, drawing her by her hand out of the kitchen and up the stairs. Once outside the bedroom door, he covered her eyes with his hands and let her walk in. "Keep your eyes closed. " He said, bringing her to stand before the tank of water. "Okay... open them."
Christine opened her eyes and gasped. "ERIK!" She cried, falling to her knees beside the tank and reaching behind her to take his hand, clutching it tightly. "Oh, Erik!" Tears filled her eyes as she marveled at the beauty of the two fish within the tank of water.
Erik grinned, kneeling next to Christine and putting an arm around her shoulders. "They are called angelfish... I thought they would be perfect for you." He said softly, kissing her cheek. "Well, what shall you name them?"
Christine leaned into his embrace and examined the fish. She looked at the dark one, black, though shimmering as though it might be a dark blue. It reminded her of Erik's cloak at the performance of Don Juan Triumphant... She smiled and pointed to it. "That one shall be Angel." She looked to the other, sparkling white, and grinned. "That one will be Lotte." She looked up at her husband, and embraced him warmly. "I love them, Erik, thank you so much."
Erik pulled Christine into his lap, trailing his lips down her neck as he wrapped his arms tightly around her waist. "Care to show me your gratitude?"
Christine grinned and rolled her hips against his as she moved her hands over his shoulders and down to squeeze his rear. She giggled and playfully licked at his lower lip.
Erik gasped, pressing his lips to Christine's tightly and moving his hands up to cup her cheeks. "Yes... Christine..." He whimpered, pushing his hips hard against his wife's and moaning deeply.
Christine grinned and pushed him to lie back on the floor, sitting up at his waist as she straddled him. She ran her hands all over his shirt and sighed, and then leaned down to capture his lips with hers. As she did so, her hands tore open his shirt, and she pushed it away from his chest and down his arms, but kept his hands in, and placed his restrained wrists under his body. She grinned and slid down his waist so that her head was at his chest, and she began pressing kisses as well as gentle licks to the broad expanse.
Erik growled at Christine, although he let his hands remain beneath his body, and instead focused on the sensations that flew through his body as Christine's soft mouth touched him. "Mmmm... are we playing 'tie up the angel' again, my dear?"
Christine chuckled against his skin and looked up at him as she sat up, her hands going to his pants. "No, mon amour, I just find this the easiest way to show my gratitude..." She grinned and moved down his legs, and put her mouth to the buttons at his pants, and undid them with her lips and tongue, tasting his abdomen as her tongue slid across the skin revealed.
Erik gasped, looking down at Christine with a quirked eyebrow and he smirked. "If this is how you thank me, I will be sure to bring you many more gifts..." He purred, licking his lips.
Christine grinned mischievously as she released his from his restraining pants, and she tugged them down to his ankles, but kept them there so as to hold them, as well, though, she couldn't tuck them under his body... She grinned as she ran a fingertip down his manhood, singing as she did so in a light mock, "Damn you, you little prying Pandora... You little demon, is this what you wanted to see?" She squeezed her hand around the middle as her mouth came to the tip.
Erik groaned, arching his hips upwards and letting his eyes slide closed. Smirking, he replied to Christine. "Yes, this is exactly what I want to see."
She raised an eyebrow and stopped, looking up at him. "Oh, really? So you, in fact, had this planned?" She sat back on her legs and rested her hands on his thighs, staring at him with arched eyebrows. "So you thought, 'If I get Christine pretty fish and pretend to be romantic, she will... put her mouth on me?' Is that how this works, Erik?" She tilted her head to the side, demanding an answer.
Laughing, Erik winked at Christine. "Not at all, my dear... but after you seemed so enthusiastic about showing me your gratitude, I had hoped..." He bit his lip and moved beneath his wife, sighing heavily. "Please don't stop..."
"Why?" She asked, as she let her index finger slide up and down the length of him, watching as she did so. "Because there are worse things than a shattered chandelier?"
Crying out now, Erik arched his hips. "Yes! The shattered sanity of your husband! Stop playing games with me..." He begged, squeezing his eyes closed.
Christine raised an eyebrow, and wrapped her hand around his manhood, and began sliding her fist slowly up and down as she held herself by pressing her palm down onto his thigh. "Do you advise me to comply?" A smirk tugged at her lips, as she continued ever so slowly.
Letting loose a strangled moan, Erik's mouth opened in a silent cry of passion. "Christine... yesss... I do advise you to comply..." He murmured, lifting his head weakly and meeting his wife's gaze.
"Really now?" She settled herself between his legs as much as she could since he could not spread his ankles, and let her lips graze along the tip of his manhood as she spoke, "Are my instructions clear?"
"Christine! Stop these games!" He cried, arching his hips upwards as much as he could and whimpering. "Please Christine... you will drive me to madness..."
Christine decided to stop teasing him. Her body was aching and she quickly unlaced her dress and corset, and slipped off her chemise. With a deep moan, she came down on him, feeling him slide deep within her. She threw back her head as her palms came to rest by his ribcage.
Erik cried out in passion, wrestling his hands free and sliding them up Christine's sides, clinging tightly to her hips. "Oh God yes..." He moaned, squeezing his eyes shut and licking his lips.
Christine moved on him, her fingers curling and nails digging into the flesh of his chest as she moaned deeply in desire. She closed her eyes and felt her hair slap against her back every time she moved forward. "In sleep he sang to me.... In dreams he came.." She opened her eyes and stopped moving on him, though her body tingled and her breasts ached. "This is not a dream, though..."
Shaking his head slowly, Erik gasped for breath and slid his hands up to grasp Christine's breasts, pressing his palms to them and smiling softly. "No... this is not a dream... it is very, very real..."
Christine gasped and felt herself beginning to ride him again, her hands reaching out to grab his shoulders. "Oh Erik.. I think.. I think I'm..." She gasped and arched her back, moving forward and back swiftly as she moaned.
Erik gasped, lifting his hips against Christine's and grasping her face, bringing her down to kiss her lips passionately. His mind began to fill, the dull roaring of his blood pumping was the only sound in his ears, and he threw his head back, nearing his release quickly.
Christine screamed into his mouth as she came, falling against him completely as she began to tremble mightily. She squeezed his upper arms and held him as she rested her head against his chest, panting heavily onto his skin, moaning softly still.
Erik's eyes widened with shock and he gave a great cry of pleasure, the sound rounding off into a deep growl as he thrust once more and released with a startling intensity, body jolting. "Christine!" He cried, holding her tightly to his body and gasping for breath. "Oh God... you are amazing, Christine..."
Christine rested one hand on his chest as she lay atop him, breathing deeply and slightly shaking from the aftershocks of her release. She closed her eyes and smiled as she rested, and said softly, "Erik, we don't have a chandelier... What would've happened if I hadn't complied?"
Shrugging lightly, Erik chuckled. "I would have found something to drop, I suppose.." He said lightly, kissing Christine's forehead and slowly moving to sit up. Looking at the fish, he smirked. "I think we may have frightened your angelfish... pure heavenly beings and all..."
Christine formed a pout on her lips as she moved off him to reach for her chemise. "But Erik... you once said I was a pure heavenly being..."
Erik laughed evilly, throwing his arms around Christine and tackling her to the bed. "Yes, you were.. and then, sadly enough, I corrupted you." He stated, kissing her lovingly. "Was it really all that bad to become a creature of darkness?" Winking playfully, he stroked his fingers over her cheek.
Christine giggled. "I'm only a creature of darkness in our bed... as well as the other places we make love." She grinned and reached up to kiss him. "I could be an angel if I wanted to be. Though, being innocent was boring." She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Besides," she began, looking over to the tank. "The fish are going to have to get used to it."
X
Jean Claude held Marie's hand as he knocked on the door to his niece's fine home, and grinned down at Christine when she opened the door. She stepped forward and placed her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. "Thank you for coming to dinner! The children have been dying to see you." Suddenly a loud war cry sounded, and Maddy came flying down the stairs to jump on Jean Claude. Christine laughed. "Charles, Phillip, Uncle Jean Claude is here!"
The excited sound of Phillip's laugher came from the hallway, and Phillip, with Rusty in the lead, came flying into the foyer. The dog obediently stopped next to Christine and Phillip nearly ran into him, but the bar attached to the dog's neck stopped him. "Good boy, Rusty!" He cried, before walking to where Jean Claude was. "Pick me up!"
Jean Claude grinned down at his nephew and swung him up into his arms, still holding Madeleine as well. "Well, look at that! A dog! Rusty, was it? Does he lead you around, Phillip?"
Phillip nodded vigorously and clung tightly to Jean Claude. "Yup, Papa got him for me!"
Maddy looked up at Jean Claude. "That's nothing! I have two bunnies! Two bunnies that are in love with each other!"
Charles came running into the room after Phillip, and seeing Maddy and his brother crowded around his uncle, he walked over to Marie. With a shy smile, he wrapped his arms around her waist and squeezed her. "Hello Marie!"
Marie had grown used to seeing the young boy, who reminded her so very much of Erik when he was young, and she held him tightly against her waist. "Hello there, Charles. How are you? Have you been a good boy?"
Charles looked up deviously at Marie and smiled. "I put my pet rat in Maddy's bed but she wasn't scared... so I guess I was a good boy." He stated.
Marie frowned and ruffled his brown curls. "That's not very nice, though, Charles. What would your Maman say?"
Glancing at Christine, he bit his lip. "Maman doesn't like Newton."
Christine folded her arms across her chest. "I didn't say I didn't like him..." She shivered and hugged herself. "I'm just glad I hadn't been Maddy... Otherwise Newton would've been cat food." She closed her eyes briefly and chastised herself and then said, "Your father told you not to try to scare others with him. Keep him away from Marie, and especially Meg."
As Christine led her uncle and Marie to the dining room, Maddy whispered to Charles, "Meg." She grinned mischievously. "Especially Aunt Meg. Get her, Charles. Newton runs fast, they'll never know what it was she screamed at. And if you get him to hurry back to his cage you can tell them for sure that it wasn't Newton!"
Charles grinned and looked down into the pocket of his white shirt, biting his lip. Newton stuck his head out and peeked around, before ducking back inside. "I don�t' know Maddy...I don't want maman to take him away..." Smiling at his sister, he rushed after his mother and uncle.
Erik looked up as Christine lead their guests inside and smiled. "Ahhh... are we ready to eat, then?"
Christine grinned and leaned down over him to place a quick kiss to his lips before placing herself beside him. "Depends on what you wish to eat, my husband." She winked and smiled up at Jean Claude as he helped Phillip to sit beside her, and placed himself in the middle of Erik and Marie.
Maddy sat by Charles and smoothed out her dress before raising her hand eagerly as far into the air as she could reach. "Oooh! Papa, papa!"
Raising an eyebrow at Maddy, Erik smiled. "Yes, dear...?"
"I want to say the prayer!" She announced eagerly, grinning at her uncle and then her father.
Sighing softly, Erik nodded. "Go ahead, then..." He cast a nervous look to Christine and bit his lip.
Maddy took Charles hand and reached for Marie's. "Dear Lord, thank for the food we are about to...consute... comsulm... consummate... And... please, let Uncle Jean Claude and Aunt Marie give the special hug when they get home... And Mamma's angelfish not be eaten by Ayesha... And please let Edwin and Madeleine make lots of babies because of their love. Amen."
Erik chuckled at Madeleine's words when the prayer was done, and kissed the back of Christine's hand. "Lovely, Madeleine... and the word was consume." He said, reaching out to ruffle her hair. Looking then to his wife, he grinned. "Now we eat?"
Christine smiled and nodded, entwining their fingers and resting their hands atop the table as she reached for her fork. "So, Uncle, how have things been?" She turned her gaze to Marie suspiciously and then back to her uncle.
He raised an eyebrow. "They've been... fine." He was still a little flushed from Maddy's prayer, though she was adorable and he enjoyed hearing her as she grew up.
Maddy looked to Jean Claude. "Uncle Jean? When are you gonna marry Marie? She's such a nice lady. Charles has a crush on her, and he'll steal her from you!"
Charles glared at Maddy. "I have not!" He stated, before looking to Marie. "You're pretty, but I don't like you like that, girls are icky." He stated simply, before beginning to eat his food.
Erik shook his head at Charles, chuckling softly as he gave Christine's hand a squeeze. "Just wait a few years... you'll change your mind."
Marie blushed and frowned as she pushed around her food with her fork. She'd had thoughts about that, too, and it was really starting to get to her. She figured Jean Claude would ask in his own time.
Maddy grinned and grabbed the back of Charles's head, smothering him with kisses. "You love me, Charles, and I'm a girl! Aww, Charles, I love you so much, let me give you cooties!"
"Ahh! Maddy stop it! If you do that long enough you'll want to give me the special hug like maman and papa, and maman said you can't special hug your brother!"
"Ew! Charles! I only want to give Edwin the special hug. He's the only one! Plus, his naughty area is way bigger than yours and Mamma said that's a very good thing!" She grinned triumphantly and stuffed her mouth. Christine shook her head and looked down to Erik's lap before grinning and nodding to herself.
Jean Claude cleared his throat then, after coming out of deep thought. "Actually, everyone... I have something special to do tonight. I wish Bella weren't asleep..."
Marie looked up at him as he rose from his chair and kneeled before hers. "Marie... You've made me feel whole again, and with you I don't feel like such a lonely old man... Will you be my wife?"
A hand rose to Marie's heart and she stood, knocking her chair over, and tackled him, wrapping her arms around him as they fell to the floor. "Yes yes yes YES!" She shouted, kissing him wildly.
Maddy squealed and stood on her chair. "You're supposed to give the special hug at your house!" She frowned down at them with her hands on her hips.
Charles laughed and stood on his own chair like Maddy, grinning as he watched his uncle. "Maman... will uncle Jean Claude and Marie make a baby like you and Papa did?"
Christine blanched and looked to Erik. "Is that even possible at their age?" She asked, her voice low as Marie and Jean Claude continued to roll around like weasels.
Erik chuckled. "No... I have a feeling Marie is unable to have children now..." He said softly. "But Jean Claude certainly looks more than able..."
"You know," Christine said, still in a low, seductive voice, "You were quite romantic when we married..." She grinned and moved from her chair to straddle his lap, her arms winding around his neck.
Maddy giggled. "Look, Charles, Mamma and Papa are special hugging AGAIN!"
Charles made a disgusted face and felt his front shirt pocket, then gasped. It was empty. Looking around, he became frantic. "Newton?! Newton where are you?!" Looking around the room, he suddenly caught sight of his beloved rat sitting on the dining table near Erik's plate. He had some of the bread in his paws and was munching away happily.
Maddy gasped, seeing her mother lean back her hair fall over the rat. "Charles!" She hissed. "Save Mamma!"
Charles bit his lip and moved forward quickly, but Newton scurried away and jumped up onto Christine's shoulder, snuffling at her ear curiously, then licking her.
Christine gasped, shrieked, and pushed the rat off her shoulder and to the floor, and then lifted from Erik. She glared at Erik and cursed at him several times before turning and leaping over her startled Uncle and soon to be Aunt, and moved from the dining room, to the bathroom.
Charles gasped and rushed to Newton, scooping the creature up and holding him close. "Are you okay?" He asked the little rat softly. In response, Newton just licked Charles's finger and looked curiously up at him.
Erik groaned and stood, giving Charles a hard look. "I thought you were told to keep him in his cage, not in your pocket."
Charles winced. "He gets lonely!"
Shaking his head, Erik ruffled his son's hair and set off after his wife. Reaching the bathroom, he knocked softly at the door.
Christine glared at the door and spoke sternly, "Whoever it is, do NOT come in. I am naked and I am rinsing off where that hideous rat touched me!" She ran the dark green rag smoothly down her shoulders and arm, and all around her neck and ear.
Erik sighed and pushed the door open anyway, closing it behind himself and coming up behind Christine. "Let me help you." He said softly, his eyes begging her not to be angry.
Christine opened her mouth to spin off a few more curses at him but she clenched her teeth together and just glared up at him. Sighing loudly, she grinded her teeth before turning and reaching to put her chemise back over her head. She didn't want to be upset, but she was. Reaching for her corset, she fit it onto her upper body and started with the laces, not meeting his gaze. "Please make sure he doesn't bring the damned rat to the wedding, O Holy Rat boy." She reached for her dress.
Erik rubbed his unmasked cheek, reaching out to touch Christine's arm. "I will be sure Charles leaves Newton at home... he's just a boy, Christine.. genius or not." Turning, he went to the door and held it open for his wife, head lowered.
Christine glared at him for a moment before striding from the bathroom. Jean Claude and Marie were standing now, holding to each other tightly. "I suppose we'll be going, now. We have a lot to prepare for."
Christine nodded and moved toward them. "Well, if you need help with anything, Maddy and I love weddings. We'll be here." After hugging them and asking Maddy to take them to the door, she turned and gathered her skirts. She didn't feel good at all. She began climbing up the grand staircase.
Erik frowned and asked Charles to clear the table as punishment, before following after his wife. Reaching her at the top of the stairs, he reached out and touched her shoulder. "Christine..?"
She paid him no attention, as if in a trance, and moved toward their bedroom. She moved almost mechanically, and lay down on her side of the bed, eyes wide and glazed over as she turned away from him and stared at the moon outside the window.
Sitting next to Christine, he bent over and kissed her cheek. "Christine, you are worrying me... please..."
Her eyes filled with tears and she reached up to brush them away furiously. "I'm a bad mother," she murmured, holding back a sob.
"What?!" He demanded, grasping Christine's shoulders and rolling her to lay on her back. "Why on Earth would you think that?!"
"I'm too hard on the children... I don't show them enough love... I've taught them some very bad things they shouldn't know until they are married!" She didn't meet his gaze. She kept her eyes on the window. "I was never meant to be a mother, you know. I was supposed to die in childbirth, just like my mother, and her mother before that..."
Shaking his head, Erik bent low to brush his lips over Christine's. "Don't talk like that... I like to think that you lived because we need each other... and you show the children plenty of love! Christine, we can't help that they are very intelligent... they figure things out faster than we can come up with excuses! Of course they are going to know about things that children their age wouldn't know, they're geniuses. I suppose in a way I wish I could have given you four children like Bella... just normal... they would have been so much easier for you..." He sighed, pulling Christine to lay against his body. "The children love you... please do not be upset..."
Christine buried her face in his shirt and clung to it as she let a few tears slide past her eyelids. "I'm just so worried I'll do something completely wrong and they'll never love me again... Like with Charles. I don't want to be like your mother, I don't want to hurt him the way she hurt you... But I am, Erik, can't you see that?"
"You aren't! Christine, he should not have brought the rat to the table, you were right in being angry!" He exclaimed, holding her tightly to his body. "He knows he was wrong, he understands, and he is not upset with you! Please... Christine, you could never be like my mother.." He murmured, kissing her forehead.
Christine's eyes opened as she rested her head on his chest. She caught sight of the angelfish parallel with her and sniffled. "I'm sorry that I got upset with you. I should not have cursed at you like I did. You must know I love you too much to ever mean any of the words I said."
Erik nodded, wiping Christine's tears gently. "I know, mon amour... you were just upset..." He whispered, rubbing her back gently. "I love you so very much, Christine..."
"I love you, too..." She smiled and raised a leg to place on the other side of him, sitting up atop his body. "Now where were we at dinner?"
Chapter Thirty-Two