I'll be Home for Christmas ©

by Phantasmarose

MODERN DAY. Christine is a foreign student, and her visa is running out. Erik is her reclusive neighbor, who is willing to help. Will she let him? Fluffy. EC. Due to reader request, the story will continue as "Let it Snow."

I always felt as if this story needed a more clarifying ending. This chapter ties this story to its sequel, "Let it Snow," which takes place two years later. Please Read and Review Thank you.

Chapter 8

Erik sat composing in what used to be her old bedroom. Ever since his marriage, he had neglected his composition in favor of canoodling with Christine. He felt the tiniest bit guilty about deserting his music, but he would continue canoodling as much as he could with his wife.

A loud knocking at the door made him jump. It couldn't be Christine. Even if she threw her full weight on the door she wouldn't make that much noise. Besides he was supposed to pick her up from the beauty parlor. Erik warmed all over as he thought of his wife. His own wife. He had a wife!

He put his music sheet down. It could be Mrs. Williams. That woman had a fist like a heavy weight boxer. When she wanted the door opened, there was no way Erik could ignore her.

He Erik threw the door open and there stood Brent. They had not seeing Brent for months. It had pleased Erik to have his handsome neighbor gone.

"Where's Chrissie?" Brent barked at him.

"Out."

"Good, I've been waiting for her not to be home to have a word with you."

"So you got your wish. What do you want?" Erik sized Brent up. He looked belligerent. He also looked like he had been drinking.

"What do I want? My woman! You snake. I go away to get her papers and you sneak in and steal what's mine."

"You we're not married or engaged. So no, she wasn't your."

"We were lovers. Come on, walk out of the apartment and I'll teach you to take another man's woman."

We were lovers. The words reverberated through Erik's skull. Of course he had wondered, but he had never asked her. He hadn't wanted to know. She had once told him they were living together but not like that. Obviously Brent had thought differently. "You don't want that." Erik began to close the door.

Brent stuck his foot in the way.

Erik rolled his eyes slowly and breathed deeply. My fault, I opened the door without looking.

"Come on old man. I'm not losing my Chrissie to some freak wearing a mask. Why the heck do you cover your face with that thing? You're that ugly?"

"Take your foot away."

"Ah, I'm getting close. Are you a burned? Or just a criminal hiding out. How she found the nerve to walk in there with you looking like that, is beyond me. Any other woman would have been five miles away."

"I'll give you one warning. Stay away from Christine. She my wife."

"So you are worried. Of course you are look at me!" Brent lifted his arms and paraded in front of Erik. "How could she not prefer me?"

"You left her alone to starve!"

"I was delayed. And she's resourceful." Brent snorted.

"Or jailed for some criminal activity."

"You enchanted her with all that music playing and your money. You own that music school in the next town don't you?"

Erik did not answer. He kicked at the foot stopping him from closing his door.

"Bingo. Hit a nerve. You know it's true."

Erik made a grab for Brent but the younger man maneuvered out of his way.

"Ho, what happened old man? Need a cane?"

Erik swallowed hard. He closed his eyes and confirmed that he still had himself under control.

"I know she doesn't sleep with you."

"You son…" Christine had told him? Or was he guessing? Early in their marriage Erik had given her permission to visit with Brent a couple of times. Had she confided in this man about their intimate life as man and wife? They were intimate now, but Brent had been away, he wouldn't know that.

"Yes, yes Bingo again." Brent danced in the hallway, gyrating to and fro. Brent had been guessing and his reaction and given him more information than Erik wanted him to have.

"She doesn't let you put a finger on her does she? How much does she cost you a month?

"Get the hell away from here." Erik made a second attempt to grab Brent, but the shirt slipped between his fingertips.

Brent laughed. "Next time you go to your music school. I'll take care her."

"Make sure you stay clear away from her."

"You're a bundle of nerves today and I'm hitting every one of them." Brent laughed loud and ugly.

He poked his hardened finger and dug into Erik's chest. "Bing… Bing… Bing."

"This is not going to end well." Erik growled and stepped out of his apartment. "Better return to your place or…"

With lighting speed Brent had a hold of the edge of his mask. Erik raised his hands to the mask to keep Brent from ripping it off. "Don't, you have no right to…" Brent went straight for the solar plexus. Erik doubled. The hit had caught him off guard. Brent continued to pull on his mask. It was half way off. If Erik brought his hands down to protect himself, Brent would see his face and rejoice relating all the horrific details to Christine, about the monster she was married to. Erik held on to his mask, while Brent pummeled away at his center and sides. He held himself as tight as he could. Brent wasn't just a pretty boy. There was power behind the punches.

"Let go the mask. I want to see your ugly hide," Brent shouted at Erik.

Thank God his mask was made from surgical grade material.

Brent got a few fingers deeper inside the mask, his fingertips grazing the skin on his cheek. Brent recoiled pulling his fingers and letting go the mask. He held his hand up as if it had been contaminated. Frantically he wiped it his hand on his pant leg and shivered.

"What the heck do you have in there? It… it feels slimy and grotesque. Not even human."

He knows and he'll tell her.

Brent launched for his mask again. Another punch to the mouth of his stomach brought Erik down to one knee. He should have never left his apartment. Brent's words had made him forget his training. Brent kicked his knee back and Erik fell forward the mask twisted around his head. The eye holes were no longer in front of his eyes. He was blinded by the mask, yet he had to hold on to it and keep it on his head. Brent kicked his other leg from under him. Erik was lying on the foyer floor holding on to his mask while Brent kicked at him mercilessly.

"Let go the mask and I'll stop the punishment." Brent shook him by the mask as if Erik were a rabid dog.

Erik felt something connect hard with his head. It made him momentarily dizzy and somehow, blinded as he was, he held on to his mask and managed to get back to his feet.

"You can be conscious or unconscious. Either way I'll have her see your face. Then let her choose."

Erik punched out hard to where he thought Brent's chest was. He heard a grunt. Brent let go the mask. Erik moved away from the younger man as quickly as possible and straightened his mask. He placed the holes before his eyes.

"Lucky punch," Brent gasped.

Erik kept Brent away with a few strategic punches which barely landed.

Erik turned away ready to go back into his apartment. "Stay away from me or I'll k…" He had almost said it, but he'd caught himself. Still in control.

"So I have to keep bedding Chrissie behind your back? That's what she likes me to call her in the sack."

Erik felt the rage burst in him in several colors at once. Not in a harmonious pattern like a rainbow, but in a discordant way.

There was no more thought.

Time stopped.

"Erik stop, stop. Christine needs you. They will take you away if you do this."

Mrs. Williams. Her voice penetrated his fog.

"Open your hands dear. That's it."

She pulled his fingers one by one from Brent's larynx. Brent was completely limp in a choke hold.

"You had him out in two moves. Ripping his throat out would have been… excessive force. He's thrash."

Mrs. Williams put two fingers to Brent's neck.

"He lives. Throw him into his apartment."

Erik pulled Brent into his apartment by his feet. The place was surprisingly neat. He left him in the middle of his front room. Erik heard the phone in their apartment ring and he sauntered over.

"How is my wonderful husband? Did you get a lot of work done?"

"Sure, but I missed having you by my side."

"Pick me up. I want to kiss you."

"I have to pick her up."

"I'll go with you. I'm your alibi in case he croaks. Anyway I saw him attack you first."

"Front row seat."

"You were about to kill him."

"You exaggerate."

"He was tapping out when you had him in the choke hold. You never noticed and went for his throat after he was unconscious."

His ribs ached. "I'll be black and blue all over."

"You were very brave to take on my assailant."

He opened the door to his car for Mrs. Williams.

'Very comfortable."

"Don't get used to it."

"I have to stay by your side, remember? I'm your alibi."

-o-

Erik and Christine met Brent in the hallway. Brent nodded and quickly took his key out and fumbled with it.

Erik went in and Christine stayed behind asking Brent about his trip. Erik stood just inside the door listening. A moment later she walked in and repeated what she had learned about Brent's to Erik. Erik knew Christine wasn't cheating on him, but had she been his lover? He would have to curb his imagination.

Next day, Erik knocked. Brent opened the door and groaned when he saw it was Erik.

He threw his hands up in the air.

"I have nothing to do with her. You left her by the door asking me questions," his voice rasped badly.

"You have to move."

"What?"

"I want you to move. Find some place to stay. Store your garbage I don't care. I give you to the end of the week."

"It's Wednesday!"

"When we leave for Church on Sunday morning. This apartment will be empty. Remember to leave your door splayed wide."

Brent's eyes narrowed, but he made no move.

Erik reached across and pulled Brent's the turtle neck slightly down.

"Enjoying your handy work?"

Brent's throat was covered in deep purpled marks. Marks made by deeply embedded fingertips. Erik did not recall putting Brent in a choke hold or digging his fingers into his throat.

Brent pushed his hands off.

"Doctor says my larynx may be permanently damaged. I should sue you."

"You might win, but will you be around to collect?"

"You're a freaking animal. Chrissie was crazy to marry you."

"My wife's name is Christine Bonneville. From now on, if you need to refer to her, that is the name you will use. Only that name."

Saturday morning when Erik and Christine left for Church they discovered that Brent's front door was open. The apartment looked empty. Christine peeked in.

"How odd, he never even said good-bye. Some friend."

"Go figure."

"Don't forget me. I'm coming to church too." There stood Mrs. Williams waiting by her door. Her flattened old hat perched on top of her head. Her chin held high. If it hadn't been for his nosy neighbor, Christine might be going to visit him up the river, instead of the three of them going to church. There was much he needed to be thankful for.

The story continues as "Let it Snow" by Phantasmarose