Twisted Every Way(Phantom Of The Opera Fic)

Chapter 76: Family

"Clara slow down!" Eli laughed, "Who would even want to harm you in the first place."

Claras lower lip trembled with fear, "My Father."

Gustave frowned, "You told me you never knew your Father." 

"I didn't," Clara shrugged, "But-"

"But?"

"My Mother died three months ago."

"What?! I thought she died when you were born."

Clara shook her head, "They lied. They called me into the office  and told me, on my turning ny age, that my Mother was a prestigious woman, and taking care of a child could have been 'detrimental to her career and her health.' My Father sent me to the school, told my Mother I had died." 

Clara looked at him with distressed eyes, "It broke her heart. And all the time she didn't know I was walking past her house every day, smiling, laughing, living." 

Eli shook his head, "I can't even imagine-"

"It's no matter," She stated firmly, "When received my last tuition payment from the school, they deemed that now that I was old enough they were entitled to disclose my benefactor's name." 

"Who is he?"

Clara bit her lip, "The Vicomte Dechangy."

Eli couldn't believe his ears, he repeated it over and over in his head but it didn't make sense, it couldn't make sense. 

There had been more, more about her Mother that she wasn't ready to share. 

More of her suspicions about the man in the shadows. 

"And John?" Eli asked crossing his arms, "Does John know?"

Clara looked at him in minute surprise, "You know John?"

Eli kicked his feet a bit in the sands, "I've been conducting a bit of research on my little- Never mind continue on." 

She nodded, "There's more but I won't tell it here." 

"Where would you want to go?" 

"The room behind the box office in half an hour." 

Eli conferred with his watch, his Father would be working by then and he could slip away. 

"Alright." He muttered in annoyance, "Now go!"

"Thank you Eli," She proclaimed with a sigh as she rushed away. 

"Blast and condemn it all," Eli muttered angrily. He had never asked for friends, never asked for family. Here they were disguised as glorious gifts, when in reality all they had caused him were trials.

Eli slammed the door as he entered, not that anyone noticed over his Fathers violent piano playing in the next room. 

"Eli?" Christine asked hesitantly, starting from a deep day dream. "Are you alright?'

His face was flushed red and he had a brooding look in his eyes that alarmed her.

The last time she had seen his eyes like that was that dreadful day on the roof. 

Eli pointed with a fury to his the music room across the hall, "Eighth note there," He shouted, "That was supposed to be an B-flat." 

"Got it!" Erik's frustrated voice called back. 

"Eli?" Christine laughed, it wasn't like him to be so vocal. "Who was at the door?" 

"Ilios wanted to know if she could stay late with Elizabeth at school."

"Dear Lord, Giry will kill her," Christine laughed. 

Eli knew Ilios was late as it was, she was always getting in trouble with the head master and having to stay late. Beside, what was he supposed to say?

"Mother?"

"Yes?"

"Did you love Raoul?"

Christine didn't notice but the violin in the other room slowly came to a hault.

She frowned deep in thought, "I suppose yes. At one point."

"Was he a good man?"

Christine gave a sigh, "One of the greatest I've known. But Eli theres a diffrence between great and good. When I first met your Father-"

She now smiled becoming aware of the silence and his listening at the door.

"When I first met him, he was a great man, stunning, but he wasn't good. I never blamed him, he had never been taught how. Raouls fault as a good man was not in his heart, but in his mind. All he thought of was becoming great, somehow worthy in the end. He didn't  know the greatest thing a man can be is kind."

Eli nodded profoundly. "Where does Father keep his old inventing supplies? From when you were seeing Raoul?"

Christine looked at him skeptically, "In the mirrors. Why?"

"No reason," He shrugged, calming down considerably. He kissed his Mothers cheek and smiled, "I'll be home by dinner."

"Where are you going?" She asked in suprise, Eli hadn't once, in her knowledge since the accident left the saftey of home.

"Just to listen and see how Peter is and if he's coming as patron any time soon."

Christine nodded, believing his every word, but Erik from behind the door was more than skeptical.

Eli took a deep shaky breath, and went to his room to collect himself and write some music before going to meet Clara.

He didnt see his Father watching carefully from the walls.

Neither did he see the masked figure of a man creeping along side his window.

He didn't see much about the danger that lay ahead.

No, not yet.