Like Father, Like Son | Phantom of the Opera

xix. I'd Like to Introduce You To...

LATE JANUARY 1916

Gustave,

While I am sure that William has already received a letter or will be receiving one soon from his mother and father about this, I thought that I would write one of my own to you. Enclosed with this letter is a photograph of a baby girl, which I am sure you have stumbled across already. In that case, I would like to introduce you to Elizabeth Rose Edwards, who was born on the twenty-sixth of January. Congratulations are in order for William for becoming an older brother, so please pass those sentiments on to him for me. Both Madeleine and Elizabeth are happy and healthy, and Charles is doing fine, though his hand is a bit bruised from helping his wife through her labour. All in all, everything is running as smoothly as it can here, and we all could not be more thrilled to finally have this little one with us. We cannot wait for the two of you to come home and finally meet her; I just know you are going to love her.

Do write soon. I hope all is well.

- Your Father

~

ERIK

It was the early morning when my doorbell rang, tearing me from my thoughts. I had been trying to plan out my day in my mind, knowing that Nadir had to work for once, which gave me the day to myself. My architectural business was positively booming, leaving the phone constantly ringing and an ever-growing stack of commissions on my desk. Besides that, I had an upcoming lunch with Lara to get ready for, and I had to make time to go visit Madeleine and Charles. The new father had phoned me when his wife had gone into labour and again once she had delivered a healthy baby girl. I had told myself that I was going to make it to see them - it was just their home, after all,- but the more times I said that, the more often an obstacle arose. I hated that I hadn't gotten around to going to see them and to check up on Maddie, but life kept getting in the way in the form of my clients and there wasn't much I could do.

"Alright, alright," I said to myself, briskly walking to the front door when the bell rang a second and then a third time. Not quite sure who could be calling on me with such persistence, I opened the door with a frown, only for it to disappear when I saw who was on my front porch. "Maddie, Charles! What are you doing here? I thought you were still at home resting, you told me the doctor said you couldn't be out and about until tomorrow."

"Yes, well, we got let out early for good behaviour," Charles joked as he gave me a handshake. "So we figured we would stop by and say hello."

"Well, I'm glad to see the two of you. I'm sorry that I couldn't make it to see you both; I truly wanted to, but life seemed intent on preventing that." I turned to Maddie then and gave her a warm smile. "How are you feeling, Madeleine?"

"I'm doing well, considering all that happened. But Erik, I believe you are forgetting to greet the newest member of the family; say hello to Elizabeth," Maddie said, smiling as she moved her hand to push the blankets held in her arms away from her newborn daughter's face.

I looked down at the bundle in her arms, wondering how I had managed to miss the baby that she was holding. I was clearly so accustomed to only seeing Maddie and Charles that I wasn't quite used to the idea of someone else joining them when they came to my house even though I knew the baby had arrived. Looking at the child, I couldn't help but smile at her round little cheeks and the light dusting of red hair on her head that so closely resembled her mother's.

As I gawked at the child, I started to curse myself for making the three of them stand out on the front step. "My God, what sort of host am I? Come in, please. It's been cold and damp, I don't want any of you to catch cold," I said, stepping to the side so they could walk into the front foyer. "Come and get comfortable. Then I'll greet your new little one."