Running From the Past

Chapter 20

Mommy Christine?

Wow, guys I am so very sorry about not updating in donkey’s years. I’m back and ready to go and I promise you it won’t take another year to get an update out of me. As always, please Read and Review.

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Happily Ever After… There was a time Christine dreamed these words for herself as well. In her opinion, marriage was based more on convenience rather then love. It was “convenient” that Raoul came from money and could take care of her until the end of her life, it was convenient that he rescued her from Erik’s rage, and it was convenient that he was the last connection to her late father. All that was wonderful, yes, but she wasn’t too sure it equaled love. She looked briefly at her life now as a countess and then as Mrs. Phantom and wondered if things would be better.

“Oh Sara,’ she sighed, “I’m not sure there is any happily ever after. Perhaps that’s all in stories that we are supposed to believe as children.”

Sara’s green eyes opened wide, to be told there was no such thing as happily ever after was just as big a sin as saying there was no such thing as Father Christmas or the Easter Bunny. Unthinkable in the world of a child. “Of course there is,” she argued, “The stories wouldn’t lie to us. They can’t.”

Her parents made her believe in happiness for life, and she would be darned if she was going to let that belief go in a heartbeat. After all, look at all the fairy tales, the boy and the girl always ride off together and stay with each other until they die.

Christine shook her head, her brown curls waving around behind her. “I can’t do it sweetheart, I can’t be with Erik. It’s just not possible.”

“Why not? You love him, I know you do.”

“Well It’s…complicated. I already am married. To Raoul. I picked Raoul. He loves me and I him. I will gladly bring you back to Erik but I cannot stay with you both.”

The conversation died down and Sara lollygagged behind Christine for the remaining few minutes trying to fix things, and quick. Erik would be angry at her, no doubt of it and she needed to bring a big present. If there’s one thing she learned in life, it’s when you mess up in a big way, you have to apologize in an even -bigger- way. She was sure nothing would please Erik more than having Christine Daae stay with him and only him. There had to be a way, there just had to be.

“Are you sure you can’t stay? For me?” Sara begged, turning on the “orphan charm” and her secret weapon--the puppy dog eyes. Desperate times always call for desperate measures.

Christine gave a small smile and knelt down to the young girl’s eye level. “Sara I know you’re looking for a family and I know how lonely you must feel. At your age, I was too. I suppose in a way, well I still am, but the fact of the matter is I can’t do it with Erik. Now my dear you are most certainly welcome anytime you please, our door will always be open to you.”

Daddy and I can be your family…“Why would I want to come see someone who wanted me alone and miserable?” she asked, clearly meaning the fop. She didn’t want to see him again for all the gold in China. “Maybe he’ll get run over by a pony!”

“I’ll talk to him about that. When you enter our home you will be among friends, and with friends you are always safe. And I‘m afraid that won‘t happen my girl.. Nobody knows horses better then Raoul”

“Couldn’t you stay for just a little while? Please? I promise to be good.”

“Why so determined? Why I can count back to the times you would have had my head on a pole. Did I make that much of an impression on you?” Christine asked , gently pushing the door forward and letting herself in the opera house.

Well, yes. As it turns out Christine was everything Sara wanted to be. Minus the whole married to a fop. She was beautiful, wise, incredibly patient, and best of all, accepting. She finally saw what made her so desirable to Erik as a woman. Those same qualities she desired in a mother.

“But I want you with me…” Sara muttered following Christine to her former dressing room. “I want you as my mom.”

“Sara do you remember your mother?’

“Absolutely, sometimes I can even still hear her.”

“And if your mother could pick any woman in the world to take care of you now, who would she choose?”

It was a no-brainer. Sara didn’t even have to think. “You.” she replied without missing a beat. “She would pick you. Just like I do.”

“And why is that?”

“Because against the odds we formed a bond and you did the impossible to rescue me. If I were just anyone else, would you have done the same?”

Christine had to agree, had it been a perfect stranger she would not have tried so hard or went against her husband’s actions. Did that mean in her heart she wanted to be Sara’s mother? Or was she still in love with Erik and cared deeply for his happiness? She pushed her hair back and put her hand on the door. “Well,” she began in a hoarse voice, “Are you ready to be with your father?”

Sara nodded feverishly, what a silly question! Of course she was ready. “Daddy!” she cried running under Christine’s arm and pushing open the door.