"Well, was she?" I asked Caline. Nathalie and I were sitting in her living room when she told us about her date and the night that followed.
The red-haired woman blushed and shook her head.
"I won't tell you about that!"
"Oh please, spill. If you tell us your darkest secrets, we might be willing to give you some from our threesome!" Nathalie tried to bait her. It worked. She was just about to start when her doorbell chimed and she quickly went to see who was in front of the door.
"I hope you're okay with my offer?" Nath quietly questioned me while we were alone.
"Yeah, sure. As long as we'll hear some spicy stories, I am fine. Sean is still refusing to do anything with me because of that tiny thing on Monday!" I exclaimed. I only figured that I had answered much louder than I had intended, when a familiar voice asked from the door that led into the room.
"What happened on Monday? Something going on?" Gisele looked concerned as she watched me from where she waited for Caline to come back from the kitchen.
"Oh, hi!" I blurted out. "Nothing really happened on Monday. At least nothing that wouldn't have happened to me before!"
"Actually..." Nathalie began as she stood up to shake the doctor's hand. "Hi, I am Nathalie and you must be Gisele. Now I feel really bad, as I kinda have been a patient of yours without ever meeting you. But I met your brother once. And I had a rather unpleasant encounter with your ex-husband, which might have started the avalanche that got him fired in the end. And what happened on Monday," she looked at me sternly, "wasn't exactly nothing, and you know that. Sean wouldn't be as worried if he had no reason."
Nathalie's words obviously changed Gisele's plans and she entered the room without waiting for Caline any longer. She sat down in an armchair opposite to Nathalie and me and asked directly.
"Why don't you just tell me what happened? Maybe I can give you some advice or be of any help in some way."
After hearing her say 'that' I looked at Nathalie with a mischievous grin and she immediately knew that I was referring her offer to the question I had asked Caline. Before she could say anything, after shaking her head only for me to notice, I burst into laughter.
"That depends," I gushed out between heaving breaths, "on Caline's answer to my last question!"
At the very moment said woman stepped into the room, carrying a tray with four mugs. She placed it on the table, then turned towards Gisele and bent down to kiss her delicately on the lips, before telling her nonchalantly what my question had been about.
"I was just telling them about our date and the moment when I said, I was sure, you're a natural. She wanted to know if I was correct."
"Oh my!" The doctor mumbled in obvious shock. "Now I get why you were laughing. Still, it's..."
Nathalie came to my defense.
"Let me explain the issue very quickly. My friend here passed out on Monday after I told her, what her maman had asked me to tell her. And since then her fiance refuses to have any sexual contact with her. And the problem with that is..." She grinned at me as she stopped.
I groaned.
"You think it's funny, right? Do I have to remind you, how you felt when you were having the twins and Sean ordered you to rest? Or until lately, after the girls were born and you weren't allowed to..."
"Fine, I was really mean. Still, I was a little horny, while you are..."
"Stop it! I confess, I am a hormone controlled monster!"
"I am still a bit confused." The doctor admitted. Caline answered for us all.
"She needs to get laid. Not once or twice, but rather constantly. Right?" She asked me then and I groaned again while burying my face in my hands.
"Voracious!" I hissed through my fingers. "That's what Sean called it when... on the day we came to stop Nath from..."
Now Caline took the word.
"That's what I wanted to ask you about anyway, Nathalie. Why did anybody have to stop you from having an abortion? The Nathalie Sancoeur I knew never would have considered that."
My friend sighed deeply.
"I was in a very dark place, Callie. Thankfully Sean made the right 'call' and saved not just one, as I thought back then, but two lives." She looked at me and added with a tender smile. "Thanks to him calling you to invite you to 'whatever' that made you 'accidentally' see I was about to, well... you know." She reached out and squeezed my hand lovingly.
I just smiled warmly back, yet kept her hand in mine.
The doctor looked angry.
"Your fiance seems to have a confidentiality issue. I hope I won't have to address this again with him. But I like the name Callie." She winked at her obviously girlfriend.
But I defended my future husband.
"He only tried to save the people he cares about from getting hurt. I can't see anything wrong in that. And he never said a word about Nathalie being there. I really read that by accident."
Caline was still grinning at her due to the compliment, while Gisele focused back on me.
"About your mother. Sean..."
"I asked him to find out as much as he can, not to tell me, but to be involved and able to support her for whatever might happen. I really promised him I wouldn't ask him anything as long as he was keeping up with the situation!" I interrupted her.
She acknowledged that with a gesture of her head, then spoke again.
"That's really good news. Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me the truth. About telling the truth. Your mother gave me permission to inform you or Sean about everything I 'can' tell you, which isn't much at this moment. But if you have any questions..."
"Only one, to be honest. What do you think you saw during the ultrasound examination?"
She shrugged. Then sighed.
"I don't know. It might be nothing, and in most cases, it turns out to be just that. Nothing. But considering her age and the higher risk for any genetic defects the older a woman gets... I will do another ultrasound examination next week, and we will also do a blood test in about three weeks to make sure there is nothing wrong. I really hope it was just a blur or something. Your maman and her 'boyfriend' seemed so happy."
"I know. And may I mention that nobody made a fuss over 'him' passing out, when I addressed the possibility for the first time?"
"He did? That's... Sorry, I shouldn't laugh, but..."
"It's okay!" Came from Nathalie. "When he did, this woman here broke into a guffaw and almost got killed by her mother's glare!"
"How many times have you passed out, dear?" Gisele then asked me.
"You mean overall or just in 'this' pregnancy?"
"Just answer both questions."
"Once since we know about the new baby, I think once while having Paulie, but it would have been three times if Sean hadn't prevented the worst. Three to five times before I even had any sexual contact at all."
"I see. Every time was from mental stress, if I understood it right?"
I nodded which made her grin.
"I agree with you that your fiance is just overprotective and I'll have a word with him about the issue." She winked as she said that.
"Oh thank you so much!" I exclaimed, being shushed by Nathalie, who pointed at the strollers, in which our babies were asleep. "Sorry," I said quieter. "But now I still want an answer to my question. Is she a natural?"
The couple blushed in an instant.
"Let's say there are still things to learn!" The doctor stated.
"Good thing that I'm a teacher, right?" Caline added. "Are you okay with me telling them a couple of details?"
Gisele chuckled with her cheeks turning even darker red.
"Let me take a shower while you do, okay?"
"Okay!"
"Shower?" Nathalie and I blurted out in unison and my friend also asked. "You surely are moving fast. That's great, you both seem to get along very well."
Smiling blissfully they agreed and kissed again before my fiance's superior went into Caline's bathroom.
"Now spill!" I demanded and made myself more comfortable on the sofa by leaning back and so did Nath.
"Fine!" The teacher gave in and began to narrate.
As we already knew, they were halfway naked when they reached Caline's bed, both eagerly exploring the other's body with their hands.
When the back of the taller woman's legs hit the mattress, Callie pulled away from the kiss with a smirk. Then she very gently nudged her further backwards until Gisele had no other choice than to sit down.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" She sweetly asked the dark skinned female.
"Why don't we just stop overthinking and see were this will go?" Came as an answer.
"Oh, I like that. May I?" Caline wondered and reached for the pink belt with the skull on the large belt buckle to open it.
"Mh!" Was all the doctor said to consent.
Having her now in front of her in only her underwear, made the teacher pause and take a closer look. Then she stroked very lightly along her arms and shoulders, then down her back to the woman's waist, where she rested her palms for now.
"Your skin feels even softer than it looks!" She whispered hoarsely.
Gisele gulped.
"C-Can you show me, how you like to be touched?" She pleaded timidly.
Callie smiled but denied her the wish.
"Just think of all the ways 'you' like to be touched and simply do the same."
"Oh, like this?"
With a dextrous move Gisele had opened the red-head's bra in the back and was sliding it down her arms. After letting it drop, she brushed with her fingertips back up, along her collarbones and eventually, with widely spread fingers, over her breasts to then cup each in one hand. Using her thumbs to caress her areolas, she narrowed the circles more and more until she reached the now erect warts and put a little pressure onto them while still making the elliptic movement.
"Oh fuck, yes!" Caline moaned desperately to then eagerly press her mouth back on hers. Now her hands were moving again too, brushing the woman's bustier up and over her head, making her lift her arms while she did. "I have to ask. Did you wear a 'bustier' on purpose?"
Gisele smirked and shrugged.
"Maybe."
"I see. So, erm, how about this?" She suggested and bent down to cup one areola with her lips and tease the nipple with her tongue while fumbling the other wart with the tips of her fingers.
"Oh yeah, Caline, I love what you're doing!"
Hearing her name and the word love in one sentence only turned the teacher on more and she slowly nudged the doctor back onto the bed again to then crawl over her, forcing her to lay on her back and look expectantly at her.
Gisele was breathing quickly and her mouth was slightly opened. Her tongue pressed softly against her lower teeth, giving her a very seductive look.
Caline couldn't help but shortly grace her lips with her own, her tongue ever so lightly inviting the other woman's to connect. And she did. Laying both her hands around her back, Gisele pulled the female down to her, made her lie skin to skin and held her taut, while she entangled her into a devouring kiss.
Out of instinct and pure desire for one another, both women intertwined their legs and began to grind them against their partner's intimates.
Feeling the very pleasing friction on her sensitive little nub aroused the red-haired woman even more and she rubbed her leg a little stronger upwards and pressed against Gisele's lady parts with more force.
With a gasp, Caline pulled back.
"Wow!" She whispered lewdly. "You really like what I am doing, huh?"
Blushing Gisele looked to the side but the teacher caught her face with one hand then hummed lovingly.
"There is no need to feel ashamed for getting wet. If it makes you feel better, I really like it."
"But I can't feel..."
"Shush!" She demanded and shut her up with another kiss while taking her hands and guiding it between her legs.
"More fabric, darling. That's why you couldn't feel how wet 'you' were already getting me."
Gisele didn't answer any more. Instead she seized the moment and started to rub her fingers over Callie's clit, then teased her opening with the tip of her middle finger.
"Oh holy shit, Gisele, that's... Oh yes! Pants off, now!" She cried out and the other woman immediately obeyed by rolling them both to the side.
"W-W-What are you doing?" The dark skinned female asked as she felt Caline roll her onto her back again after both their panties were gone and kissed along her stomach further down.
"I am very sure, you'll figure it out!" She said with a wink and continued to caress her with her mouth.
"Best orgasm I ever had!" Gisele entered the living room again, wearing a towel around her head and sitting down on the armrest of Caline's armchair to then kiss her very promisingly.
"Oh, really?" I mocked her. "I would have thought being the kind of doctor you are, you knew a couple of things others don't!"
"Trust me, she does." Callie defended her girlfriend quickly. Nathalie and I joined into their laugh.
"But I was serious. I mean it wasn't the first time for me, being kissed down there, but the difference was... immense."
Caline giggled sheepishly and looked at Nathalie.
"I've always told you, men literally suck at doing that!"
This time we all laughed so loudly that we almost woke the children. Paul had already blinked twice but decided to continue his nap.
I looked around once we calmed down, then stated.
"I wouldn't actually say it like that. I mean..." Now it was me to blush. "I can only compare Gabriel and Sean, but..." I glanced at Nathalie from the side. "Well, with Gabriel it was nice, but Sean, he... even when he tried for the first time, he... well..."
The memory itself made me groan in despair again and Nathalie scooted a little closer to lay her arm around me to rub my back.
"Bad idea!" I hissed which made her chuckle.
"You know what? When we're back home and your fiance is too, I will tell him, if he doesn't take care of your needs soon, I will. I bet that will change his mind in an instant." She then proposed.
I shook my head in despair.
"That would only make him angry. I love that you offer that so selflessly, though."
Caline snickered.
"I don't think it was that selfless, girl. Right, Nath?"
She blushed as she heard her friend call her out. But I simply squeezed her hand, which I was still holding in mine, and whispered into her ear.
"Don't feel embarrassed. Even if you would enjoy it too, it still was very selfless, knowing that Gabriel and Sean would both get angry at you!"
Nathalie smiled again and leaned in to kiss my cheek. I tried to focus on anything else, but it was really difficult, and I let out a desperate sigh. The new couple laughed over me.
"Now I understand." Stated Gisele dryly. "Too bad for you that I already feel protective over this beautiful woman here. Otherwise, I'd suggest letting her tend to your needs."
"Yeah, aren't you all very funny?" I hissed. But I grinned too and leaned against the back of the couch again, asking.
"So, as you got rather close in such a short amount of time, what are you going to do? I mean, you, Gisele, are right now in a rather bad living situation, and if I look around, this seems to be a very small flat for a couple that wants to start a family soon, so... Why don't you just get a place together already? Everybody can tell that you're totally hitting it off."
The two women looked at each other awkwardly. Nathalie gestured me to get up and get ready to leave, giving them the opportunity to talk. Or do whatever came to their mind.
"Please, you can't leave already. I haven't even had the chance to cuddle with those babies yet!" Caline exclaimed and jumped to her feet to stop us. This outburst eventually woke the children up, and the girls immediately started to cry while Paulie only yawned and tried to sit up.
"Just a second, sweetie, I just get the backrest upright again. That's better, right?" I cooed to my son.
"Mama!" He greeted me as he did every time he saw me lately. I beamed with tears brimming my eyes. Gisele had stood up too.
"I see. It's not just your libido but all your emotions. Can I pick him up? I mean, if he won't start crying as soon as I do."
I nodded and wiped my eyes.
"You can try. Usually, he is very calm and open to everyone. Except my maman and her boyfriend when they wake him up with their 'late-night activities'." I mused.
The doctor grinned.
"Your mother is a very special person, as far as I could tell. How long has your father been gone?"
I couldn't answer this question directly and stared at her in a momentary shock.
"Are you alright? If you don't want to talk..."
"No, it's fine. I just... I was just trying to remember but I suddenly became aware that I needed a moment to think. I feel very guilty right now because I didn't think a lot of my papa lately. It's been almost three years. That's why maman felt guilty, I guess." I explained.
Gisele nodded pensively while holding out her hands to my son.
"Hey Paulie. Do you remember me? Probably not. But do you still like to come to me?" He held out his chubby arms and I quickly helped by opening the belt that held him in the stroller. "Come here little guy. Your daddy talks about you and your mama all the time, did you know that?" She turned back to me. "After the examination your mother said something like, this was her punishment for moving on too fast. I really hope the man could talk her out of that. Or write. She said something about him, being ashamed of his accent."
I scoffed.
"Yeah, he's making a fuss over nothing. His accent isn't even that bad. Just the usual French sounds, non-french people can't make. But why would she say something like that? I mean, my dad and her were happy most of the time and his death hit us hard, but... He would have wanted her to find someone new. That's why they went for their vacation, right? So she can make up her mind. Which will certainly end up in overthinking and feeling worse and worrying even more. If she had at least left her phone on." I was getting more worked up already and tried to take deep breaths, when I felt two arms slide around my middle and a head leaning onto my shoulder.
"Don't get yourself there again. That won't help her at all. Quite the opposite. If she hears about your syncopes due to worrying over her, she'll just feel more guilty. Come, sit down and calm down. We'll handle the babies. I figure, he can just have something to eat at this time of the day, right?" Nathalie hummed very softly into my ear and made me have a seat back on the sofa.
"Yeah, I think I have even some of the mashed peas in his diaper bag. We just need to warm them. He eats them cold too, but I find that so disgusting to even watch that the thought makes me want to puke!"
She giggled and looked at her old friend.
"Can we warm them up in the kitchen? I just need a pot with water to heat it in. At least I think it's in some container that I can warm like that?" She wondered with a glance at me.
"Yeah, maman cooked a large portion of it and we filled it into those tiny jars. You could as well take off the lid and put it into the microwave."
Caline objected.
"No, she can't. Don't give me that look. I don't judge you or tell you it's unhealthy, I just don't own one."
I grinned sheepishly and turned back to Nathalie.
"Where do you get the energy for all of that, Nath? I mean, you have twins, TWINS! Very agile twins I have to add."
"Secret superpowers!" She said with a wink. I might have had a little help of a 'very emotional' friend lately. She and her good friend supported me and Gabriel a lot and gave us much strength. But maybe you are in a bigger need of her, and I should send them over sometimes." Nathalie said secretively.
I gasped, knowing very well that she was talking about the kwamis, and made a mental note to ask her about that later on.
The former assistant only smirked and ordered.
"I thought I told you to sit. Please, we've got that!"
I shook my head. Then I said.
"I'm fine, Nath. And I don't know if you've noticed, but when he's eating and sees you feeding the girls, he wants to drink too. So, even if you've got it all, he'll fuss anyway."
The new Mrs Agreste laughed over that.
"Yeah, just like Gabriel!"
Hearing her say that made me giggle in an uncontrollable manner.
"You're so lucky that your little girls are so much more like you. There are days on which I'd like to switch. But then I see how many hours Paulie is asleep every day and how your babies are basically like little grown-ups. They get up around ten, take a tiny nap around 2 in the afternoon, and won't even get tired until like eleven in the evening. On top of that, I can hear them when they wake up in the nights sometimes. Soooo, those are the moments when I think: Paulie is allowed to fuss. Therefore, he does sleep and leaves Sean and me a little time for ourselves." I narrated.
Gisele had, in the meantime, managed to place my son sitting on her left arm while her right was holding his back to her chest. Every other position she tried made Paul get all moody.
"He really has a strong will. But that's not necessarily bad. Oh no! Not now!" She exclaimed when her phone started to chime. She quickly put the little boy into my arms before she explained.
"That's the hospital. I have to answer that."
Then she hurried into Caline's bedroom and shut the door behind her.
"Well... uhm..." I smiled when Nath and her friend came back from the kitchen. "Seems as if your new girlfriend was a little busy. I hope it's not my fiance calling her for nothing."
"Actually..." The doctor already returned. "It was your fiance. But it wasn't for nothing. Well..."
From the mere look on her face and the way she observed me without looking at me directly, I could tell that something had happened. Either to Sean or, what was more likely, to my maman.
"What is it?" I asked her directly.
At first, she seemed to consider not to tell me anything, but then Gisele sighed and sat down beside me and began to explain.
"It's a little difficult to say this without you getting all worked up and worried. But, for now, all we know is that your mother has been brought into the clinic with pain and a, not light but also not strong, bleeding. Sean was doing rounds when they arrived, and another doctor is right now taking care of everything. They'll do a vaginal examination, they'll check the baby's heartbeat on the ultrasound, and they'll do several tests with your mum. Like urin, blood sugar, blood pressure, and other stuff. Once they're done, you'll certainly be allowed to see her. So, uhm, if you wanted to, I could take you with me. Good thing I came here with the car again today. Would be a little much to get there on my motorbike. Not to mention the weather. It's rather cold today."
Nathalie had placed Vivien in Caline's arms, who was already holding Desiree, and rushed to my side to take my hand. I let her do so but smiled.
"It's okay, Nath. I promise I won't pass out today. In fact, when Gisele returned from her call, I could already tell that something had happened, and it could only mean Sean or maman. And, after all I've been reading and Sean has been explaining to me, I already knew that this was one of the common complications if the baby might have a genetic defect. I still feel bad for her."
The gynaecologist, though, also had some good news.
"It could just be a very common pregnancy symptom. She's only about seven weeks along and at an age where a harmless bleeding is more common. Sean only asked me to be there because it's his future mother-in-law. He said he wanted to have me around before he would call you, so he was able to tell you that he had provided the best possible care for your mum. He seemed a little shocked when I said you were in the next room and that I would just bring you."
I groaned.
"For how much overprotectiveness do I have to be prepared?"
Nathalie answered before her.
"I am sure if you look okay when you get there, he will calm down right away. So, I guess, as long as you are steady on your feet, without anyone to hold on to, it's going to be fine. But if you don't mind we can take the car we came with and go there. As Gisele said, another doctor is taking care of your mother already, so she couldn't do much if she went as well. I'd rather see her and Callie spend more time and make progress."
I agreed immediately and thanked the doctor and Caline with a hug, as did Nath before we packed our things and the children and left.
"That's going to be a very new experience for all of us. None of them had to wait with being fed for so long before. I am curious how they'll react." My friend wondered as she started the car.
I thought for a moment, then grinned.
"Do they still fight each bottle, or do they accept them by now?"
"They accept it if they're really hungry or thursty. But that doesn't make it any better as I don't have one with me right now. And I also don't have any pumped breastmilk around." She replied.
My grin even widened when I told her.
"Well, not only did I bring a bottle to fill it into but also another which is in the insulated container to keep it at temperature. And if I hand Paulie one of his cookies, he will stay calm until we've arrived at the hospital and can tend to all their needs. So, if you don't mind them, having some of my milk, I'll take place between them on the backseat, and my little boy can join you in the front while eating his snack. I guess they may need a little help with holding the bottles, right? One is a small one but the other is rather heavy. I'd just breastfeed them but I don't want to take them out of their seats while we're driving."
Nathalie interrupted my rambling and agreed.
"It's fine with me. Just do it so we can get on the road. It's going to take a while at this time of day with all the traffic."
When we reached the hospital, almost forty minutes had passed. The girls had been a little fussy but had eventually begun to drink. And, Paulie visibly enjoyed making faces with Nathalie when we were forced to wait for the other cars to move. After finding a spot in the parking area, we fastened our children in their strollers again and made our way into the large building. As soon as we entered the wing, the maternity ward was in, Placide greeted us both at the same time with a strong hug.
"Woah, are you alright? Where's maman? Why aren't you with her?" I gushed out once I was able to breathe again.
He looked helplessly around until his eyes fell on Sean, who was just walking along the hallway and towards us.
"Hey!" He called from afar. "Just come, let's have a seat inside the office. I'm the only resident today, so nobody will bother us there."
We nodded and followed him, just the tall man said hesitantly.
"I'll go and..."
He looked at my fiance then along the corridor.
"Yeah, of course. She'll be waiting for you already."
After entering the room, Sean hugged me and kissed me softly on the lips to then ask.
"How are you feeling? Everything alright? No dizzy spells today?"
I shook my head.
"Nope. Thanks to Nathalie, who interfered with me, getting myself worked up in time and stopped it. But now I really want to know how my mother is holding up. And what's with the baby? Did she lose..."
The young doctor shook his head.
"The baby is fine, and the heartbeat is still strong and as fast as it's supposed to be. Your mum has had an injection to calm her down, and now she's in her room and hopefully asleep. We've put her on bedrest. On top of that, she should stay here in the clinic until the bleeding has stopped or at least almost stopped. I am sure you want to go and see her." He looked over to Nathalie, who instantly understood.
"I'll wait here, don't worry. I can even look after Paulie, as the girls are already satiated."
"Thank you!" I breathed into her ear as I hugged her and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. "If he starts and gets moody again..."
"Then I repay the favour and let him drink from me, okay?"
I nodded and took the hand Sean was holding out for me. When we arrived in front of the room my mother was in, I took a deep breath and tightened my grasp.
"Relax. She's doing a lot better already. And I am not even sure if she's still awake. So please stop worrying too much. We don't want her to notice anything, right?"
"Right. Here we go!"
I knocked gently and waited for an answer, immediately hearing my maman call.
"Come in!"
"She sounds weird!" I noticed and slowly opened the door.
"Hey, how are you two doing?" I cooed as soon as I could see her pale face with the red and swollen eyes lit up.
She sighed and held out one hand, the other was lying on top of the duvet, and a tube was coming out of the back of it. I quickly walked the few steps towards her and grabbed it, then bent down to hug her firmly.
"You'll see, everything will be okay. And, no matter what will happen, it never was your fault, maman. Moving on after Papa's death is what he would have wanted you to do. Just imagine how very happy it would have made him, to see Paulie and this little one," I pointed at my belly, "play with their aunt who's the same age."
"B-But... I-I w-we..." she started to sob, and I quickly hugged her again.
"Please, maman, don't do this. My little sister or brother will be fine and so will the two of you." I pointed at her boyfriend, who was sitting next to her on a chair.
"I agree." Sean came to my help. "Most of the time, those anomalities are just a blur or a glitch in the system of the machine. Even not enough of the gel in that particular place can cause some suspicious pictures. I haven't spoken to my colleague, who did the examination today yet." He addressed my mother directly, "did he say anything about that while he did the ultrasound?"
"He didn't check as far as I know. And to be honest, at this moment, I didn't care. All I wanted to know was that the baby was still alive and not in danger so far." She started to cry again, and I felt helpless. Not even stroking her shoulder and squeezing her hand seemed to calm her down a little. I looked up at Sean, who shrugged, then at Placide, and gestured at him with my head to take my place on the hem of the mattress. He understood right away and nodded, then got up and waited for me to do the same. As soon as he sat down next to my mother, she clang on to him and sobbed into the crook of his neck.
I whispered something into Sean's ear, and he nodded with a gentle smile.
"My beloved fiancee just asked me if it was okay if he laid down with you. You're alone in here, and if that's what will make you feel better, it's absolutely fine with me. If anyone complains, tell them I gave you permission." He told them with a wink.
Maman took a heaving breath, then said hoarsely.
"Thank you!"
After saying a tender goodbye, Nathalie and I were on our way home. We both didn't speak, everything that had happened lately, making us rather pensive. But we were holding hands as Paul, who had been fed by her while I visited my mother, was now with the twins in the backseat of the car.