| "In Between The Lines" |
| "The Show Must Go On" Part 2 Chapter 1 |
| Christian arrived at the Moulin Rouge early in the afternoon, with his typewriter in hand. He�d even arrived ahead of his newfound friends and co-workers Toulouse, Rico; Also Known As �The Unconscious Argentinean�, Satie and �The Doctor�. However his effort to be there before everyone else was not an attempt to make a good first impression as the new writer, rather he couldn�t wait to see Satine again. He had spent all day thinking and writing about her, he just couldn�t get Satine out of his head. Performers and stagehands had spent much of the day clearing what little furniture was present in the Moulin Rouge, off to the sides of the hall. They had covered it with old bed sheets and whatever they could find to make sure it was out of sight and out of mind. It wasn�t exactly one of the best removalist jobs, but for less than a days work Christian was surprised at what they had managed to do. Observing his environment as he strolled through the hall, it appeared they were also in the process of moving some of the instruments on to what last night, was the dance floor. �It�s amazing what plenty of money and the promise of fame and fortune can do to motivate people� he thought. Christian found himself in a corner of the Moulin Rouge that housed the booths which were previously reserved for the plethora of men who would pass through the doors each night, tire on the dance floor and subsequently spend all their money on booze. He carefully placed his typewriter on the ground and endeavoured to remove a table from a pile of unstable table and chairs. He pulled at a table, and as he did, several chairs came crashing to the ground. An embarrassed Christian bent over to pick them up and when he stood up, was faced with Toulouse and Rico. �Good afternoon gentlemen!� He beamed at them. The new arrivals exchanged bemused looks over his extremely chirpy disposition and then returned their attention to Christian. �Need some help?� offered Rico. �It seems that way,� laughed Christian. The two freed a table, while Toulouse picked up the typewriter and then placed it on top. Christian smiled at his comrades and thanked them for their help. *Clunk, clang, clang* A loud noise drew the group�s attention to the centre of the dancehall. �MY PIANO!� cried Satie. Toulouse and Rico looked to the roof and sighed. They departed Christian�s company to help right the piano which had escaped the stagehand�s control. Christian pulled up one of the wooden chairs and sat at the table in front of his typewriter. He didn�t really know why he brought it with him, but he figured at such a meeting the writer may be required to do just that; write. He was thankful to be alone with his thoughts for a moment. The place was buzzing with sound from excited performers and crew, and he just needed a moment to clear his head. Christian turned his chair to half face the entrance to the Moulin Rouge. He sat staring at the golden rays of sunlight as they poured through the open doors, and then he saw what he could only describe as a vision of an angel. This was no absinthe-induced illusion; rather it was the person he had been waiting to see all day since he had left her side that morning. Satine was dressed in white from head to toe and as she paused in the entrance, the sunlight from behind created the perfect silhouette with the curves of her body and �heavenly� was the only word that came to Christian�s mind. Satine quickly passed through the doorway of the Moulin Rouge and stood in the entrance for a moment, allowing her eyes to adjust to the sudden change in light. She hoped Christian would be in the hall somewhere as she had been thinking about him all afternoon, and consequently was in a cheerful mood. However before she could take the time to look for him her newly acquired and undesired entourage appeared at her side. �My, my, aren�t we quite the fast one.� said The Duke as he and his manservant Warner caught up to Satine. Several minutes earlier The Duke had appeared in Satine�s room without notice and insisted that he escort her to the meeting. She could tell that these, surprise �visits� may prove to be a problem in the future. �Oh my Dear Duke, I�m just so thrilled to be making this show. I didn�t want to spare anytime getting here. It was so generous of you to offer your time and money to such a spectacular piece of work!� said Satine with pseudo enthusiasm. �Satine! Satine!� Toulouse called out as he rapidly hobbled over to her with The Argentinean in step. She was grateful for the distraction, because if she had to carry on her present conversation with The Duke she thought she would be ill. �Our Spawkling Diamond!� he exclaimed enthusiastically. �We have saved a seat especially for you down the fwont.� he informed her. �Oh, so kind of you Toulouse� said Satine, meaning every word. Toulouse turned, leading the way for Satine, and just like a little lamb The Duke started off after them. A hand reached out to his chest and stopped The Duke�s momentum. �No, no Se�or. For you, the financier, we have other seating arrangements. Over there,� said Rico, gesturing nearby. �You do not mix with the artists!� he laughed gruffly, as if it was absurd. Duke pretended he was already aware of such a formality. He rolled his eyes and said matter of fact, �Of course my man. I was merely going to escort the young lady to her chair.� Rico gave The Duke a sideways glance; he didn�t believe one word. He directed The Duke to his chair, put a firm hand on his shoulder to sit him down and left. Satine observed The Duke was occupied and asked Toulouse with an almost desperate tone in her voice, �Where is Christian...that English, writer friend of yours?� Toulouse smiled at the question. He didn�t know for a fact, but this morning from his studio window when he saw Christian return home, shoes in hand, grinning after spending all night out, he suspected that Satine might have been the source of his delay and cheerful mood. Of course when Christian spoke to Toulouse throughout the afternoon he didn�t mention anything of the encounter, but Toulouse suspected Christian was not the kind to kiss and tell. However, such a question was unlike Satine and it was as good as a confession to Toulouse. �...Well?� Satine probed. Toulouse shook his head with a gentle laugh and then motioned it to the right. �There�s your man.� Toulouse answered. She quickly looked to Christian. He was neatly dressed, sitting at a table feeding fresh paper in to his typewriter, and with such care she thought. It was obviously a very prized possession. Satine looked at Toulouse and her eyes widened as she deciphered the implications of his words. A big smile crept across his face telling Satine that he had figured out their situation. She closed her eyes for a second, then opened them and smiled back with a slight shake of disbelief to her head. She couldn�t believe he had figured it out, although, Toulouse was a very intelligent and emotionally in tune man. Toulouse held a finger to his lips indicating to Satine that he would not tell a soul. Satine breathed a sigh of relief and looked to Christian once more. She knew she could trust Toulouse, and if her relationship with Christian was to continue, which she hoped it would, she didn�t want to have to deny its existence after Toulouse had already figured it out. Rico appeared from behind and in a low tone teased, �So, you and the English boy eh?� and then winked at Satine. �Toulouse!� she scolded in a whisper. He put his hands in and upward gesture fearing her wrath and said, �What? It wasn�t me!� She looked back to The Argentinean. �Who, Christian then?� she suggested with some disbelief. He didn�t seem the kind who would go bragging to the boys. But what did she know? She had known him for less than 24 hours! Rico gave his trademark gruff laugh once more. Nobody had to say anything. �You don�t give us �lowly bohemians� enough credit! To begin, you haven�t taken your eyes off him for the entirety of this conversation.� said The Argentinean. Satine, though listening to their discussion was still looking in Christian�s direction. She realized what he said was true and in an effort to thwart his argument, snapped her gaze back in his direction. However this only made him laugh more. �And as for Christian,� he continued, �well, that boy had eyes for you from the second he saw you, and he hasn�t removed that stupid grin from his face all day.� Satine gave a brief smile at the fact that she could make him so happy and then sighed. She resided to her chair with her leading man, Rico beside her and Toulouse behind the pair. �Great. Another problem,� she thought. If these two thought it was so obvious, there was no telling who else knew and that could get her into serious trouble. Satine had to maintain an available fa�ade. She would have to discuss it with Christian, that and so much more. But how could she ask him to hide his emotions when she wasn�t even aware that her own were on display. �So much for being a great actress� she thought. |