Like Father, Like Son | Phantom of the Opera

xxix. You Will Be Blessed

"I do know, yes. Come in, Gustave, and I'll put some tea on for the two of us." I opened the door wider and let him step inside before we made our way to the kitchen. While I set the kettle to boil on the stove, I noticed just how off he was; not nearly as talkative as usual and alternating between fidgeting with his ring and tapping his foot, just like his father did. Something was definitely off and I knew that I needed to get to the bottom of it before he left my home that day. "What is going on?" I inquired, leaning against the kitchen counter and folding my arms across my chest.

Gustave sighed, letting a moment go by before he finally spoke up about what was bothering him: "Lara and I still can't have a baby."

Definitely a sensitive topic; I could see why he hadn't broached the subject with Erik. "I'm sorry, Gustave. I'm sure that-"

"Two miscarriages and more flat-out failed attempts than I can count," Gustave abruptly continued, clearly too agitated to hear me out before he had finished what he had to say. "I don't understand why our efforts have accomplished nothing. I know we aren't doing anything wrong if that's even possible, so I don't know why we still don't have a baby! I mean, my parents had me their first time and they weren't even trying!"

I had to bite my lip at that to keep any sort of laughter from slipping out; as true as that comment was, it was far from the right time to be laughing about the more intimate parts of my best friend's life. I already knew that Gustave wouldn't appreciate it in the least, so I found myself in one of those moments when I truly hated the idea of having to be an adult.

"Well, I'm not going to speak on your father and mother's...fertility, but I know that it's been difficult for you and Lara. I'm sorry that you've had to deal with this for so long now," I said, trying to be as gentle as possible given how stressed he was.

"I'm not so worried about myself as I am about Lara. She's really been neglecting herself amidst all of this," Gustave said with a shaky sigh. "She's so distraught; between losing the babies and the struggle to simply get pregnant, not to mention her feeling that she's disappointing me, she's a mess."

"And I'm sure you've comforted her as best you can and promised that you aren't disappointed in her," I said as I took the squealing kettle off of the stove and poured the water into the teapot to steep, all while fighting my own emotional battle as memories of my own experience with the same dilemma along with Rookheya flooded my mind. I knew sharing my experience would likely help, but whether or not I could control my own emotions long enough to tell the stories was up for debate.

"Of course I have. I tell her that constantly and yet she still feels that way. She blames herself for it, but it can't be her fault; there isn't a thing wrong with her, she's perfect. The only logical explanation is that it must be me. I just hate that I can't give her the family that she wants and deserves."

I set two teacups and the teapot down on the table with a sigh, watching Gustave closely. Seeing the boy I considered a son so upset and anxious - twisting his wedding ring around his finger, breathing shakily, and failing to hide the tears pooling in his eyes - broke my heart, and I realized then that showing him that I understood his pain was the best way to help.

"I know how you feel. My wife and I struggled just as you and Lara are," I began as I sat across from him, folding my hands together on the tabletop. "We tried to get pregnant for what felt like centuries, losing a baby along the way. It broke Rookheya's heart; she didn't get out of bed for a couple of days after the miscarriage and hardly said a word to me. It destroyed me to see her in pain. When we finally did conceive, though, we were blessed with Reza for the short time the three of us had together.

"I urge you to keep trying, Gustave. You have done nothing to deserve punishment from the universe or from God or the Devil or whatever it is you may believe; neither has Lara. The best things come to those who wait. When Reza finally entered my life, I was the happiest I had ever been, even with the heartbreak of losing my wife. Just don't lose hope."