Like Father, Like Son | Phantom of the Opera

xx. The Unthinkable

"What do you mean when? We are old and grey, Daroga." I simply had to laugh as I smoothed down my hairpiece. I couldn't help myself when I realized that my hair could be perfect for as long as I wanted: "Well, you're ahead of me with the grey aspect."

He crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, clearly resenting my comment, which made it all the more fun for me. "I came here to enjoy a peaceful afternoon. Why am I being attacked?"

"As always, because I have fun doing it. Honestly Daroga, you are in the wrong house if you want peace." As if on cue, Sasha began barking at something she saw outside the living room window; I admired her perfect timing. "Now, is there something you need? I am quite busy at the moment."

"I came up to ask if you wanted something to eat. It's two-thirty and I imagine lunch is not something you did today."

I looked at the clock and was actually surprised to see the time. I had gotten lost in my work again, obviously. "No, actually, it wasn't. I would appreciate something now that you mention it."

He chuckled at me, obviously entertained by my foolishness. "You are so irresponsible it hurts me sometimes. You know that, right?"

"But you stay anyway. So who is the real fool here?" I replied with a cocky grin on my face. I had often wondered why Nadir had stayed with me for as long as he had. I never exactly give him a reason to stay.

He clearly didn't like my joke as much as I did, as he took on a very serious tone before saying, "Be downstairs in ten minutes or I am eating your serving."

I nodded my head to indicate that I understood and he seemed to be satisfied with that, as he began to make his way downstairs to prepare what I could only assume would be a simple sandwich. My mind, though, was still fresh with the memory of the music box. I walked over to my piano and played the first few notes of that simple melody I had put inside. I was surprised at how clear the memory was, so I quickly grabbed a blank piece of paper and wrote it down before I could forget.

Once it was on paper, I went down to enjoy lunch without fear of it leaving my mind. I couldn't help but hum the song as I left my study. My mind wandered away from the music box and I couldn't help but remember who it had once belonged to. The thought of the whole family being gone in an instant was such a terrifying image. It made me hope and pray that nothing else would go wrong in my own little part of the world that was slowly falling into chaos.

~~~~~

NOVEMBER 1918

GUSTAVE

It seemed the exhaustion was beginning to get to me as I yawned in the middle of my work. These long hours were getting brutal; we were up before the crack of dawn each day and often didn't get to bed until midnight. I had been trying my hardest to stay focused on the project but my brain couldn't help but wander. Almost instantly, my mind brought up Lara; her image floated through my head like a cloud. I had been keeping correspondence with her through the mail but there was only so much emotion that could be conveyed on paper. I pulled out the locket from under my uniform jacket and just looked at her for a while.

"Je retournerai toujours," I whispered to myself, focusing on the promise I had made at the train station. That day felt like a lifetime ago; they all said the war would be over soon, though presently, there seemed to be no sign of that.

"Hey, can I get your opinion on something?" I heard William say as he came up behind me and startled me out of my daydream.

When I turned around to face him, I couldn't hide my laughter; he was holding a piece of paper that looked so delicate that if it was folded one more time, it would break in half, but to be quite honest, he looked like a lost puppy. That expression on his face immediately told me what he was working on.