The Fifth Cellar (Phantom of the Opera)

Chapter 33 - Objections

Evangeline's POV:

Uncle Michael led me down the stairs and into the living room. Erik was standing to the left of my Uncle Enrique. He was looking a little nervous and I wasn't surprised. I walked toward them and Uncle Enrique said to me,

“I wish to talk to you alone for a moment.” I was puzzled. This wasn't right. I nodded and he led me off to a corner.

“Eva, what are you thinking? Michael told me who that man is. He is a monster.” My eyes narrowed and I growled.

“He isn't. He is a man who had been broken and left to die. I love him. I don't care about his insanity. I don't care about his past. I know he has murdered but I forgave him. I loved him.” Uncle Enrique sighed.

“I can't change your mind. I know that. But, Eva, listen to me. He is isn't normal. Leave this one and choose a normal man. I know about you and Jaguar. He is perfect for you.” I swallowed. I had told Erik about Jaguar and he had been ready break necks. I did tell him that Jaguar mean nothing to me and I had only let him in my life because I thought that Erik wasn't going to be there. He had calmed down after that which was a blessing. When he was mad he could be pretty frightening.

“No, he isn't perfect for me. Erik is. I love Erik not Jaguar. Jaguar is a nice enough man but I don't love him. I want Erik. I don't want Jaguar. Please, let me make my own choices.” Enrique sighed.

“I can't change your mind. But he is dangerous. Are you absolutely sure you want him?” I nodded.

“Yes, I am. I have seen him angry, insane, broken, happy, and every other emotion you can think of. I know what I am getting myself into. Enrique shrugged his shoulders and let me back to where the ceremony was going to be held. I took Erik's hands in mine and the Enrique started to talk. I was barely listening. My mind went back to when I first met Erik. I remembered how interested I had been in the Opera Ghost. How is frightening exterior never scared me. I remembered asking for his name and realizing how perfectly it fit him. “Erik” was just the right name for him. Then the day he yelled at me and for the first time I was scared of him. Then how he had come to me on his knees begging me to forgive him. Then the time that I fell in love with him and realized he would never be mine. Then the pictured changed to the roof where I had been listening to the Christine cutting him deep with every word. I knew what he had heard hurt him. I remembered when I had walked into the living room, the same one I was in now, and seen Jaguar for the first time in my life. He was so beautiful but I loved Erik more. The day of the funeral when Jaguar had asked me if he could court me. I couldn't explain what I felt then. I liked him. He was a nice young man. It was his politeness that made me regret ever having given him hope. He would be heart broken to learn that I was a married woman. I should have contacted him. I knew that. I had been an idiot. My only hope was that he wouldn't come around until I and Erik were gone.

I fixed my eyes on the golden flames that burned within Erik's skull. He had been called so many things. Love, husband, and dear weren't any of them though. I could only imagine what he had gone through. One day I prayed he would tell me. I wanted to know what haunted his mind. As there was only one normal bed in the whole of his lair we had grown accustomed to sharing it. It was comforting to go to sleep with someone beside me. Sometimes he would wake up screaming my name in fear. His nightmares were horrible. He never told me about them. He would only say that they were scenes from his past. I once asked about it and he wouldn't tell me a word. I wished I knew so I could comfort him better but he always said that my presence was enough for him. Suddenly my thoughts were interrupted when Enrique said,

“Do you, Erik Destler, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife? In sickness and in health? For richer or for poorer? Til death do ye part?” Erik looked me square in the eye and said,

“I do.”

“Do you, Evangeline Morris, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband? In sickness and in health? For richer or for poorer? Til death do ye part?” I nodded and firmly said,

“I do.”

“And unless any presence have objection I now pronounce you-” Suddenly a voice interrupted him. A voice I knew all to well.

“I have objections.”