The CEO's Wife

Chapter 17 - Magoa

„Africa. New Zealand. Australia. So many places, faces, things we saw, learned, met, so much food we ate. The many beaches and trips we took."

„The weeks just flew by", Michael sighed and raised my hand to kiss it. „I almost wanted to add a few more weeks to them, but duty was calling us after all."

„Would you go there again?", Clarissa asked as she poured everybody but me a glass of wine.

„Oh one hundred percent!", Michael and I answered in sync, then smiled at each other. „I would love to go diving again with you", I brushed his face while I searched those sea blue eyes that were always the first thing I noticed in my husband. „Even if you suck at catching sea animals."

„And I would love to teach you more about wines and wood work", Michael countered while shoving me softly. „The figure wasn't half bad."

„You couldn't tell what I carved, stop lying", I rolled my eyes and broke out laughing. „It was so obvious that I sucked but you just wouldn't say it into my face!"

Jess rolled her eyes as well, smiling as Philipp nudged her. „You were the same in the beginning."

„I was never sappy!", Jess stated startled, nearly jumping up while Philipp was making smooching faces at his girlfriend.

Michael and I laughed and I leaned against his shoulders as they bickered like always. Everybody had a different love language, for us it was physical, for them it was witty bickering that ended in a kiss, no matter how much Jess tried to hide it. 

„Once we returned my uncle awaited us", Michael redirected their attention to him. „We got our titles and had to leave. France, Normandy was our goal, where the mansion of the de Beaumont's is located. Sara and I had to undergo training and had to be all snobby with other ‚royals'."

„And Sara got food poisioning as well", Jess reached over for me in worry and we linked hands. „Poor thing you ... but honestly, I would have expected your family to have something more fancy than spaghetti and sauce."

Michael tried not to let it show, but I knew the twitch in my husband's neck vein and the movement of his chin as he pressed his teeth together. It was a silent: that's what you came up with, Sara? 

„W-Well", I swiftly tried to divert, but stumbled over my words.

„Sara craved it and made it for herself", Michael answered instead, giving me a side long glance as our eyes met. „You were fed up with all the fancy food they were serving."

„It was fingerfood!", I honestly errupted. „Who can be full after eating itty bitty pieces like that? And the price of those is just-"

Michael spoke over my angry rambling about money and food. „And we got hit with great news there as well, just as we wanted to return to America."

„Already?", it came out of me as I turned to him, me not able to hold the question back.

„Well, when else should we tell them? When they leave?", Michael whispered sweetly to me as he brushed my hair back.

„Your phone", I whispered after I stared in his eyes for a while. I melted at the love they reflected.

My husband nodded and shot the others a big grin. „Listen to this."

Silence filled our surroundings - and then it started.

Badum. Badum. Badum. Badum. Badum.

I closed my eyes at the sweet sound. 

Michael's hand found mine at the same time, silently, happily, full of love and pride for our child.

„A ... heartbeat?", Philipp spoke first after the recording was over.