“Nadir, I’m not being hostile. Let’s be civil this time, yes?”
Erika adjusted her hold on Reza. “Please forgive what I said in anger…I don’t want to keep him from you. You’ve been such a wonderful father.” She grinned at Raoul apologetically. “You both have. And…it’s no longer a secret. You can claim him openly. I’ll take the disgrace. I deserve it.”
@persianmacarons
Nadir’s face softened and he nodded, “you don’t deserve any of this…I shouldn’t have been so quick to take him but I panicked…I was afraid that I would lose him…he’s my world.”
@mirageoftheopera
“I know…” Erika sighed. “I know. He shouldn’t be without either of us, though. I offer you your position back, as the children’s govorner. But, if you choose not to take it…I promise to bring Reza here to visit, as often as I can. We may not be an item, but we’re still his parents. We need to start acting like it.”
@persianmacarons
He thought for a moment. Erika had given him his son who loved dearly, but he didn’t want to go back and he certainly didn’t want to give up his son. “I don’t know what to do…this situation is not ideal for any of us but…if you promise to bring him by often, and tell me before you take him out of France, then….I will let him stay with you. But when he gets older if he desires to stay with Christine and I instead, we will let him. He should gain full choice of which family he wants to stay with at 15, when he is circumcised and becomes a man.”
@mirageoftheopera
Erika glanced at Raoul, a bit taken back. Circumcision wasn’t typically something in the cards for a Frenchman…but Erika had suspected that Nadir wanted to raise his son Muslim – as much as she disagreed with him on the matter.
“If he wants to, I’ll have no issue with it. And I swear, you’ll be there for every milestone and celebration. I’ll write to you daily, tell you how he’s faring. Though…I’m worried how I’ll explain this arrangement to Sylvie. I know she wouldn’t understand.”
@onfeatherywings @persianmacarons
“What if we bring her along too, or explain them as play dates….at least until she gets old enough to understand.” Raoul offered “She visited when she was younger and I’m sure she’ll love to visit again. The only thing I would be worried about would be her trying to fly around in here and getting her wings tangled in something. Angel bones aren’t very strong.”
@mirageoftheopera
“That’s an excellent idea, dear,” she said. “I’ll bring Reza back in the morning. Right now, we need to get home and sort the mess out over there.”
@onfeatherywings
“Please keep Christine safe, I don’t know how much I healed her, I haven’t exactly had training at ‘angel school’. I can only go by what feels right.” he explained as he lifted Erika and Reza into his arms and carried them out to fly back home.
@mirageoftheopera
Erika tucked Reza tightly in the quilt, afraid she would drop him in the air.
“If Christine is well enough, I’d like to speak with her tomorrow,” she added before they took off.
@onfeatherywings
Nadir nodded and saw them off with a wave.
Raoul held tightly, to the pair and flew as fast he could home so they warm back up. “You know… it occurs to me that this is his first flight” he said with a chuckle.
@mirageoftheopera
Erika almost didn’t hear him over the wind in her ears. “Yes, and he manages to sleep through it, by some miracle.”
Bundled up where the cold altitude couldn’t reach him, the smooth flight kept him in that peaceful sleep of his.
@onfeatherywings
Raoul laughed as he carried them in through the window and shut it firmly behind them. “I wonder if he’ll be mad about that when he’s older?”
@mirageoftheopera
“I doubt it,” Erika said, carefulky climbing down. “He can go for flights with Sylvie once she’s gotten the hang of things.”
And speak of the devil, once word circulated the master and mistress of the house had arrived, Sylvie came running into her parents’ bedroom.
“Maman! Papa!” She cried, wrapping herself around Raoul’s shin and sitting on his boot. “Don’t leave!”
Her sudden ruckus startled Reza awake, adding his tired crying to his sister’s hysterics. Erika sighed, knowing he would probably take a while to sleep again.
“Maman and Papa aren’t going anywhere, duckling,” she told her daughter sweetly. “We couldnt find Buba, and we were scared. But, look, he’s back now.” She held out the red-faced one-year-old so Sylvie could see him.
@onfeatherywings
Raoul smiled and scooped up Sylvie, “he’s such a cranky boy, you should give him a little kiss to feel better” he held Sylvie close to her brother and smiled when she gave him a kiss. To his surprise it worked and Reza began to calm and smiled up at his sister, reaching out to squeeze her nose with a laugh.
@mirageoftheopera
Erika saw the change, and wondered if Sylvie had her father’s healing abilities.
“We all need to sleep. Sylvie, we have a playdate at Uncle Nadir’s flat in the morning.”
@onfeatherywings
The little angel pouted, “I’m not tired though….and Reza just woke up.”
Raoul chuckle, “Sylvie, it’s getting dark and you won’t want to wake up if you don’t go to bed now. Think about all the fun you’ll have tomorrow with Uncle Nadir.”
Finally the tot relented and nodded with a yawn reached for her brother to give him a goodnight hug.
@mirageoftheopera
As Erika put the children down to rest, she nervously locked the nursery door behind her.
“I’m locking them in from now on,” she told Raoul. “Just in case.”
@onfeatherywings
Raoul nodded, though he was concerned. “what if they have nightmares, do you think they’ll be okay?” he asked as he change into his pajamas and got ready for bed, exhausted after so much panicked flying in a single day.
@mirageoftheopera
“I can hear them call from here,” Erika assured him. “I’m leaving the key on the nightstand.”
It still felt like a novelty, climbing into bed beside her husband. She pressed up beside him with a yawn, her arm draped over his toned chest.
“Today was bloody terrible,” she groaned. After a minuites of sleepy silence, she perked up. “Oh! Raoul, I never got a chance to tell you. The doctor examined me…that day, and he said it’s still possible for us to try again. You healed the worst of the damage, and the scarring won’t make me infertile.”
She gave him a small squeeze. “I don’t know how to feel about it. I’m still upset that Christine is replacing her, but…I can’t help the emptiness I feel. I don’t want Celeste to think we’ve forgotten about her, but…I still want to try again.”
@onfeatherywings
@onfeatherywings
Raoul smiled and kissed her, “No one is replacing her my love. No one ever could.” He held her close and wrapped them up in the blankets, “Give yourself time to figure things out, you’re a wonderful mother and deserve another chance.” he said sleepily. “I love you, and you’re the strongest woman I’ve ever met…”
@mirageoftheopera
Erika kissed him in return, her legs tangling up with his under the sheets. “I love you, too.” She rested her head in the crook of his arm. “You know,” she yawned. “We never did go courting like we should have done. Maybe thats something we could do, while everything settles into a new routine.”
@onfeatherywings
“We could boat down the Seine and I’ll play the violin for you while you sit under a parasol sipping a glass of wine.” he chuckled sleepily. “Maybe we could get someone to paint our portraits, you’d look lovely...posed across a chaise lounge with a book and wine....put the.......greats to shame” was all Raoul managed to get out before falling sound asleep.
@mirageoftheopera
