"Hello, Elizabeth," Charlotte smiled. "I have news!"

"What sort of news? You look practically giddy," Elizabeth said. "So it must be good."

"Erik proposed!" Charlotte grinned, holding up her left hand.

Elizabeth gasped and gave her a hug. "Charlotte, that's amazing!" she exclaimed, pulling away to look at her friend's hand. "Oh, the ring is gorgeous!"

"I know," Charlotte smiled. "He has really good taste!"

"You're not kidding," Elizabeth said. "Oh, I'm so happy for you!"

"Thank you," Charlotte sighed contently. "I need to find a dress."

"We can certainly manage that. I have just the thing. Come with me."

"Alright." Charlotte followed her friend as she brought her into a back room. "Ah, the old costumes."

Elizabeth nodded. "They're all beautiful, of course. But this is the one that caught my eye," she said as she pulled a white ball gown off of the rack. "It was Christine Daaé's."

"This really was my sister's?" Charlotte smiled. "Do you have a picture?"

"Let me see. You look at the dress while I try and find it." Elizabeth walked across the room to a desk, opening it up to flip through official photographs from the opera. "It was from when she was in Hannibal...ah! Here it is," she said as she located the photograph.

Charlotte looked over at the photograph of her older sister. "She looked beautifu," she nodded. "Perhaps I could recreate her outfit."

"That would be beautiful!"

"Do you think you could help?"

"I would love to," Elizabeth said with a grin.

"Thank you," Charlotte smiled, glancing at the clock. "Oh, dear. I have to get home. I'll see you soon, okay?"

"Of course. Congratulations again," Elizabeth replied as she gave her friend a hug.

"Thank you," Charlotte grinned, hurrying off.

—————

"So you're going to help me pick out the rings, right?" Erik asked Gustave as they walked through the town. "I need your opinion."

"Sure," Gustave smiled. "I thought you already gave her a ring, though."

"I did, yes, but that's an engagement ring. She gets another one when we actually get married, and I'll get one as well," Erik explained.

"Oh, I see," Gustave nodded. "Do you have an idea of what you want to get?"

"No, I haven't thought about it too much, to be honest."

"Well, I guess that's why we're going to the jewelry store."

"Exactly," Erik said as they reached the shop. "After you. Try not to touch anything, alright? It's all very fragile and very expensive."

"I know, I know," Gustave sighed, stepping inside.

"I know you do, I'm only reminding you," Erik said as he walked up to the employee at the front desk. "Good morning. I need to take a look at wedding bands for myself and my fiancée."

"Well, you've come to the right place," the man chuckled. "Follow me. Our wedding bands are this way. Do you know your fiancée's ring size?"

Erik frowned. "Not exactly. I did bring one of her gloves for reference, if that's any help," he said

"It could be. However, if you bought the engagement ring here, we could look in our file and see what you bought. Was the engagement ring purchased here, Monsieur?"

"Yes, yes it was."

"Alright. What's your name, Monsieur? I could look you up," the jeweler nodded.

"Erik Destler."

"Okay. I'll be back in a moment."

"Thank you," Erik said, turning to look at Gustave, who was looking intently at the diamond rings in the cases. "Beautiful, aren't they?"

Gustave nodded. "Will you get one with a diamond or a plain one like the ones over there?"

"The plain ones are usually for wedding rings. Just a nice golden one."

"What about white gold, since it would match her engagement ring?"

Erik nodded. "I had considered that, yes. Go see if there's one you really like."

Gustave went over to the case and browsed for a few minutes. "That one's pretty," he smiled, pointing to a ring.

Erik joined him and took a glance at the one they boy was referring to. "It really is."

"Alright, gentleman," the jeweler said as he returned to the counter. "It appears that the ring you bought was a six and a half."

"Perfect. We were looking at this ring here," Erik said, pointing to the one Gustave had singled out.

"Alright," the man nodded, unlocking the case and taking the ring out. "This is eighteen karat white gold and costs sixty-six francs."

Erik took the ring in his hand to look at it closer. "It's beautiful. I'll take that one. Now I need one for myself," he said.

"We actually have one that looks just like this, but for men," the jeweler nodded, looking through the case. "Ah, there it is."

Setting the other band down, Erik took it from the jeweler to look at it closer. "Yes, perfect. I'll just need it sized," he sized.

"Alright, that won't be a problem. We can have this one ready tomorrow, and you can take the other one home today."

Erik nodded. "Thank you very much."

"It's no trouble," the jeweler smiled. "If that's all, you can just follow me over to the cash register and I can get you a receipt."

"Perfect."

—————

"Hello, darling," Charlotte smiled, kissing her fiancé's cheek. "How was your day?"

"Good, good. We went ring shopping," Erik said with a smile.

"Oh? Do I get to see what you picked?" Charlotte chuckled.

Erik shrugged. "Do you want it to be a surprise or not? Up to you."

"I want to see it," Charlotte smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Alright. then," Erik said, fishing the ring box out of his pocket to show her. "Take a look."

Charlotte immediately opened the little box and squealed. "It's beautiful! I love it!"

Erik laughed softly. "That reaction alone told me so," he said. "But I'm glad."

Cupping his face in her hands, Charlotte pulled him down into a kiss. "I love you so much."

"I love you too," Erik replied. "My ring will be sized and ready tomorrow, so we'll have to pick that up."

"Wonderful," Charlotte grinned. "Oh, by the way, I found my dress."

"Did you? I take it I don't get to see that. It's a tradition of some sort, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is," Charlotte chuckled. "You won't see it until I walk down the aisle."

"I don't know if I can wait that long," Erik said with a playful sigh.

"I'll let you see the veil, once I pick it out," Charlotte giggled.

"Fine. I suppose I'll settle for that."

"Good. Now, we still need to decide on the location and who we'll invite. I was thinking very small - just the three of us."

"Agreed. I had one other person in mind, but that's my little surprise," Erik said with a wink.

"Ooh. How mysterious," Charlotte laughed. "What about getting married at the Populaire?"

Erik nodded. "That sounds like a wonderful idea. In the main lobby with the grand staircase?"

"Wonderful," Charlotte grinned, kissing him tenderly. "Now we just need a date. We're nearly ready and it's already been a month since you proposed, so...what if we get married in a month?"

"Sounds perfect," Erik said with a deep breath. "It's a little strange to think that'll be happening so soon."

"Strange...yet, at the same time, wonderful."

"Oh, so wonderful," Erik said, setting his hands on her waist. "The most wonderful thing I can think of."

"You know...we still haven't decided where to go for our honeymoon," Charlotte said with a small smile.

"Honeymoon...I haven't even thought of that."

"I have," Charlotte said softly. "You love architecture and Italy has some of the finest, so...I was thinking we could go to a couple places. Maybe Tuscany, Rome, and Sicily."

"That sounds amazing. Seeing a country I've always wanted to see with the woman I love. I could ask for nothing more."

"Perfect," Charlotte smiled. "I thought maybe it would be a good idea to have some pleasant memories from Italy."

"Definitely. It'll be lovely," Erik said. "We'll have to make arrangements for Gustave as well."

"Perhaps he could stay with one of his friends. Maybe Jean or James?"

Erik nodded. "We can talk to their parents."

"Yes, we'll take care of that tomorrow while we're out," Charlotte nodded. "Goodness, are you as excited as I am?"

"I'm thrilled, my love," Erik said, giving her a kiss. "Ecstatic, even."

"Me too," Charlotte grinned, hugging him tightly. "I love you so much."

"I love you too, Charlotte. More than you know."