I sighed slightly as I stood at my mirror in my bathroom, braiding my long brown hair and then tying it with a ribbon. Today was the day that the new stagehand would arrive, and I was supposed to show him around the opera house. I wanted to look presentable, so I dressed in my favorite dress. It was green with a yellow frilly apron tied at the front, and at the edges were white lace. The dress reminded me of home a bit. With the roaming fields of green grass and yellow mustard, and the cold freshwater lakes that I would spend the summers at. The water was so clear that you could swim out 30 feet and still see the bottom. My mom, Emily and I would laugh and play in the water when we'd camp, and then head back to our tent to dry off and eat dinner and s'mores. Then I'd sit in my chair and read a good book as the sky turned dark, and the campfire would warm my feet.
I missed home.
I shook my head clear of my thoughts and twirled my braided hair into a bun and pinned it. I looked myself over in my mirror and sighed, nodding my head.
"Good enough." I shrugged.
I walked out of my bathroom, heading to the door, when someone tapped my shoulder. My heart leaped into the air and I spun around ready to defend myself when I was suddenly face to face with Erik.
I sighed in relief, "Jesus Christ, Erik. I told you not to scare me like that!"
He chuckled, and I couldn't help but smile, "My apologies, mademoiselle, that was not my intent. I was wondering if you would be able to grab a cup of tea with me and we could discuss the piece that you will perform. It is coming along quite nicely, and I would like to know what you think of it."
My smile faltered, "I'm sorry, Erik, I can't right now. I'm supposed to show someone new today around the Opera House, since apparently I have 'nothing better to do'." I quoted Firmin, rolling my eyes, "Any other time I would love to, but I'm teetering on becoming late."
Erik tilted his head at me, "New? Who?"
I shrugged, "I don't know, I haven't met him yet," A bell tower outside the Opera House chimed 9, "Shoot. I'm sorry, Erik," I said as I began to back away, "I really have to get going."
Erik nodded at me, "Don't worry, I'll be right behind you, even if you can't see me." He smirked and held a finger up to his lips.
I smirked with him, "I wont tell if you wont."
xXx
Firmin and Andre were talking to a black haired man with brown overalls and a white shirt as I finally walked on stage, putting on a large grin and rushing over to them.
"Ah, there she is!" exclaimed Andre as I stopped before the three, "The lady of the hour! We were beginning to worry that you wouldn't make it."
I chuckled to myself and bowed my head as the black haired man stared at me, "I apologize for my lateness, monsieur's."
"It's nothing to worry about," said Firmin, "You're here now, and that's what matters."
"Mademoiselle Moore, this is monsieur Jacob Baseeri, the new stage hand," Andre introduced, "Jacob, this is mademoiselle Scarlet Moore. You are going to work alongside her, and she will be, how do you say, your tour guide for the Opera Populaire today. So that you can get antiquated with your surroundings."
Jacob nodded. His face wore a deep frown, his eyes slightly sunken in and the skin around them slightly red, his grey eyes almost hidden. His black hair was slicked back, a few wisps hanging against his forehead. If he wasn't smiling kindly at me, I'd say he wears anger on his sleeve. But then again, you can't judge a book by it's cover, so I smiled back and held out my hand.
"It's nice to meet you, monsieur." I said.
He nodded curtly, "And you as well, mademoiselle." he responded, reaching out and tanking my hand in his own.
"Well then, you two best get started. There is a lot of Opera House and only so little daylight," said Firmin. Then he turned to Jacob, "If you need anything, you can find us in our office."
Jacob nodded.
"Welp," I said as the two of them left, "We better get started. As you can see here," I said, gesturing around me, "This is the stage and that is the auditorium. And over this way," I continued, walking around the backdrop as Jacob followed me, "Is where the props are kept. This is where they are built, too. There is paint over there, rope, wood and tools. Our stage director, Monsieur Bayard, will give some people some directions on a certain prop and they will build it and paint it for the show.
"And if you would follow me," I said as we began to climb up the stairs, "Up here is the catwalk. It goes up 5 levels above the stage, and there are no rope ladders so you have to climb up the ropes to get to each level. The ropes that we use to distribute the props across the stage are over there," I said, pointing over to a back wall, "Come on, I'll show you over to the Prima Donna rooms."
We walked down the stairs from the catwalk, then headed down towards the Prima Donna rooms.
"Over here is Carlotta's room, and here is the Prima Ballerina's room. The Prima Ballerina is Meg Giry, Madame Giry's daughter. Now if you follow me, I'll show you to the kitchens and the sewing room."
Then it was down to the sewing room and the kitchens, where I waved at Claire as we passed. The two of us have gotten very acquainted in the past week. She was even beginning to teach me how to sew, and I was teaching her how to play the piano.
Then Jacob and I began to climb up until we made it past the kitchen, then the dorms, and ended at the chapel.
"Well," I said, "that's all. There is also the roof up further, but it's covered in snow and I just got over a cold. Any questions?"
Jacob stared down at me, "A few. First, when I get paid, where do I go to receive my payment?"
"You'll go to Monsieur Bayard, our stage director. He hands out our payments the first of the month."
Jacob nodded, "Another question, do I have to pay for the food here?"
"No. Since you work here, food from the kitchens is free, but if you want to take any home to your family you do have to pay for it, you can either pay up front or it can come out of your next paycheck."
"Alright. Last question. Why are you, a woman, a stagehand? Isn't that a man's job?"
The question only caught me slightly off guard. I had expected it, but I didn't think it would be so soon. I shrugged, "Because I can't dance or sing, and I don't know how to sew, nor do I know how to play any instrument that is currently being used in the Orchestra Pit. Being a stagehand is just easier for me, I guess."
Jacob scoffed and crossed his arms, "A stagehand is a man's job. Not a woman's."
Now I hadn't expected this, but I should have. I was living in the 19th century after all, "Who's to say it isn't?" I asked, crossing my arms with a heated glare, "I assure you, sir, that I work as well as any man. Besides, where else am I supposed to get a job?"
"A kitchen. Where else? It's where you women belong anyway." And with that he left the room, shaking his head and muttering to himself.
I sighed in annoyance and brushed a strand of hair out of my face, "What an asshole," I said to myself, "Guess you should judge a book by it's cover when the cover spoils the whole book."
"You can say that again, he even looks like an asshole," said Erik behind me, "He shouldn't have said those things about you. You work better than quite a few other stagehands here."
I spun around to face him, "Oh ho ho, I was so close to hitting him, I swear! Another minute of his bickering and he would have lost a tooth." I laughed, swinging my fist around playfully.
Erik tilted his head, "What was the man's name again?" he asked.
I shrugged, "Jacob Baseeri."
Erik hummed, "Well, then. I'm going to keep a close watch on this man. If he ever says anything like that to you again you tell me right away, ok?"
I nodded my head, but said, "You know that I can take care of myself, right?" I said with a smirk.
He chuckled, "Of course. The day that you came down to confront me I knew," I couldn't help but rub my shoulder. Erik took a step closer to me, "You have a fire in your eyes, Scarlet. Don't ever let anyone put it out."
I blushed and looked away at what he said, biting my cheek and hoping that he wouldn't notice the red in my face.
"Come," he said, holding out a gloved hand to me, "Let's head down to the lair and discuss the composition. Shall we?"
I looked up at him and nodded my head, and placed my hand in his.