The Final Act (A Phantom of the Opera Phan Fic)

Chapter Seven ~ In Which Secrets Are Confided

Erik's POV

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We sat in the car, parked on the corner of the street looking out at the lot that I would be finding myself purchasing in a few short hours. To talk about the performance would be to discuss a large bunch of tangled nerves that erupted into a mass of complete stomach-flipping relief. The performance was grand. Charlotte sang with the beauty of a morning sunrise accompanied by a gaze over the clear ocean, and I played to my heart's satisfaction and to Monsieur Worthington's great admiration.

For once in a long while I was nervous about performing. The way Master Alex rung his hands and paced got me on edge and caused the hairs on the back of my neck to stand stiff. But I brushed it off once the grand Monsieur walked through the doors. He was a stately fellow. Dressed in a fine, three piece suit and tie with all the poise and grandeur of royalty to say the least. And once I learned he was a master of the sciences as well as a lover of the arts, I found myself at a greater ease and some sense of companionship with the man.

But all of that was past, nearly three hours past. Now Charlotte, Alex, and I sat in the couple's small car staring out at the rubble and dirt that would soon become the great new venture and hopefully a splendid opera house.

"What do you think of it?" Alex asked, looking over at me and then beyond me to spot the land again.

"It is bare. Spacious. I think it will do quite well." I commented, leaning back a little but keeping my eyes on the property. I was already imagining the grand structure. Maybe I could convince the man to let me model it off of the Opera Populaire. It was a long shot, but I think with enough money floated in front of his face he would allow it. Not to say he was a greedy prick like some, but I think he was in this project deep enough to be swayed farther than he realized by monetary bribes.

"You already have plans, don't you Erik?" Charlotte asked over my shoulder as she had taken the back seat.

"I have an idea, but only if your husband will allow it." I turned slightly to give her a smile.

"I'm sure Alexander would be pleased with any suggestions you have. Wouldn't you, love?" She turned to face her husband and placed a hand on his shoulder. I spotted a light but deliberate squeeze take place before Alex nodded and went to remove Charlotte's hand for a relief.

"Any idea is a welcomed idea." Alex said, kissing his wife's hand and giving me a half-forced smile.

I chuckled a little and looked back out the window. "Would you mind if I just spotted the land?" He asked.

"Not at all." Alex said, motioning for him to be free to do so. "I actually insist upon it, seeing that you will be the primary patron."

I moved to get out of the car and took a careful look before walking across the road to the empty lot. Potential. Potential. Potential. All I could think. My mind began to lay each brick and arrange each seat. Lighting here. Statue there. Marble here. Stage there. Such potential.

The click of heels against the pavement turned my head back to find Charlotte had followed behind. She cast me a smile, stepping over a bit of the rubble that had taken up home in the lot.

"You look like you're envisioning the Roman Colosseum." She joked, coming up beside me.

"Ha, nearly." I replied and tossed her a smile.

"Alexander told me everything." Her topic transition was swift, but her attitude remained the same light and cheery bit it had before.

I turned to look at her more directly. "What do you mean?"