Categories > Books > Phantom of the Opera > Midlife Crisis
Erik was both miffed and unsurprised when the chest pains became more frequent. He wasn't sure if it was stress from work or the horrid way he'd treated his body in his youth that was finally catching up with him. Knowing his luck, it was probably a mixture of both. He still refused to go to the hospital, though. If he did, they'd automatically call Christine as she happened to be his emergency contact- well, one of them. The other was Nadir and he knew for a fact that he couldn't trust him to keep his damn mouth shut.
Nadir was too similar to Jiminy Cricket to truly understand why Christine could never know about this issue. He'd try and tell him that she deserved to know but what he would refuse to understand was that Christine could be sensitive when it came to health issues. Her father's death had traumatized her greatly and something like this would freak her out. She'd panic.
That was the last thing he wanted for her. She deserved to be happy and as it was often said, ignorance is bliss. So he was going to suffer in silence and nothing or no one could change his mind.
He had managed to get through his work day without another incident by some miracle. However, his relief wasn't long lived as he'd gotten a call from his client almost as soon as he entered the door. Unfortunately, Carlotta was one of the most enraging, stubborn women that he ever had the misfortune of dealing with.
"Are you listening to me, Mister?! Everything is ruined?" Carlotta screeched directly into his ear. He winced and held the phone a couple inches away, gritting his teeth. He should've passed her down to one of the people who worked under him. But that still would've been a horrible idea as somehow, everyone seemed to be incompetent aside from him.
"Madame, please. Calm down." Erik snapped, interrupting her tirade. He knew this was probably the wrong thing to say but he didn't care. He headed to the bedroom and locked the door behind him. He knew that he had just escalated the situation and he needed to be sure that no one could walk in on him should anything happen, namely the thing he didn't want her to know about.
"You dare tell me to calm down? Do you know who I am? I am the reason you've been in business this long." Carlotta retorted, her voice becoming even more of screech. This was something he hadn't realized was possible. He shouldn't be surprised. The wench was always finding horrifying ways to surprise him.
"Madame. I assure you, I have clients that are both more important than you and more tolerable than you. The real funny part? They're just as loyal. If not more." Erik sneered, finding that the simple act of breathing was getting more difficult. Brilliant. He needed to end this conversation and end it now. He found it ironic that after all the stress of the day and his constant worrying, this is what triggered it.
"You just lost a client! I am going somewhere that can actually handle me." Carlotta threatened, probably hoping this word force him to beg or plead for her business. He would do neither, even if he could breathe correctly.
"Good." Erik grunted, hand instinctively coming up to clutch his chest. He didn't have to wait too much longer for the pains to start. He braced himself against the bedroom door, for added security. He heard the woman continue to rant but he could no longer focus upon it. He simply ended the call, letting the phone slip from his hand as he slid to the floor.
His dread heightened when he saw the door knob turn uselessly and felt Christine give the door a feeble push. He willed her to go away but he knew it wouldn't be that easy.
"Erik? What are you doing in there darling?" Christine questioned, her tone becoming concerned the longer he went without answering.
It took him a few moments to remember how to form words, especially seeing as his concentration was elsewhere. When he found his words, he'd need to make it seem like he was alright so she'd be comfortable with leaving him to it.
"I'm not doing anything, Ma chérie. I just need some time alone. Carlotta had one of her bitch fits and I really don't want to take it out on you." Erik struggled through the response, but he was quite proud of his ability in sounding as if nothing was going on.
The pause from Christine made him rather hesitant. He wasn't sure if she'd figured anything out or suspected anything. He knew she was too kind to tell him she didn't need the burden...so perhaps if it got too much worse or if she did figure it out.. it would be time to remove the burden for her.
"I understand. She is rather unlikable. If you need anything come find me." Christine's response was a major relief. So was the sound of her footsteps as she walked away. It meant that he wouldn't have to dwell on it for too long. Now all he had to hope was that this would pass before she returned.
Nadir was too similar to Jiminy Cricket to truly understand why Christine could never know about this issue. He'd try and tell him that she deserved to know but what he would refuse to understand was that Christine could be sensitive when it came to health issues. Her father's death had traumatized her greatly and something like this would freak her out. She'd panic.
That was the last thing he wanted for her. She deserved to be happy and as it was often said, ignorance is bliss. So he was going to suffer in silence and nothing or no one could change his mind.
He had managed to get through his work day without another incident by some miracle. However, his relief wasn't long lived as he'd gotten a call from his client almost as soon as he entered the door. Unfortunately, Carlotta was one of the most enraging, stubborn women that he ever had the misfortune of dealing with.
"Are you listening to me, Mister?! Everything is ruined?" Carlotta screeched directly into his ear. He winced and held the phone a couple inches away, gritting his teeth. He should've passed her down to one of the people who worked under him. But that still would've been a horrible idea as somehow, everyone seemed to be incompetent aside from him.
"Madame, please. Calm down." Erik snapped, interrupting her tirade. He knew this was probably the wrong thing to say but he didn't care. He headed to the bedroom and locked the door behind him. He knew that he had just escalated the situation and he needed to be sure that no one could walk in on him should anything happen, namely the thing he didn't want her to know about.
"You dare tell me to calm down? Do you know who I am? I am the reason you've been in business this long." Carlotta retorted, her voice becoming even more of screech. This was something he hadn't realized was possible. He shouldn't be surprised. The wench was always finding horrifying ways to surprise him.
"Madame. I assure you, I have clients that are both more important than you and more tolerable than you. The real funny part? They're just as loyal. If not more." Erik sneered, finding that the simple act of breathing was getting more difficult. Brilliant. He needed to end this conversation and end it now. He found it ironic that after all the stress of the day and his constant worrying, this is what triggered it.
"You just lost a client! I am going somewhere that can actually handle me." Carlotta threatened, probably hoping this word force him to beg or plead for her business. He would do neither, even if he could breathe correctly.
"Good." Erik grunted, hand instinctively coming up to clutch his chest. He didn't have to wait too much longer for the pains to start. He braced himself against the bedroom door, for added security. He heard the woman continue to rant but he could no longer focus upon it. He simply ended the call, letting the phone slip from his hand as he slid to the floor.
His dread heightened when he saw the door knob turn uselessly and felt Christine give the door a feeble push. He willed her to go away but he knew it wouldn't be that easy.
"Erik? What are you doing in there darling?" Christine questioned, her tone becoming concerned the longer he went without answering.
It took him a few moments to remember how to form words, especially seeing as his concentration was elsewhere. When he found his words, he'd need to make it seem like he was alright so she'd be comfortable with leaving him to it.
"I'm not doing anything, Ma chérie. I just need some time alone. Carlotta had one of her bitch fits and I really don't want to take it out on you." Erik struggled through the response, but he was quite proud of his ability in sounding as if nothing was going on.
The pause from Christine made him rather hesitant. He wasn't sure if she'd figured anything out or suspected anything. He knew she was too kind to tell him she didn't need the burden...so perhaps if it got too much worse or if she did figure it out.. it would be time to remove the burden for her.
"I understand. She is rather unlikable. If you need anything come find me." Christine's response was a major relief. So was the sound of her footsteps as she walked away. It meant that he wouldn't have to dwell on it for too long. Now all he had to hope was that this would pass before she returned.
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