Double Fault

Chapter 58

FLORENCE'S POV:

There were things that I have loved forever. My dad, my little team that had become family, memories of my mom, tennis, and friends.

Then Charles came into my life two years ago and easily flipped everything upside down. I probably fell in love with Charles the moment I met him, but I would never admit that and it truly felt like a lifetime ago that memory didn't serve me correctly. He has held my heart entirely through everything, even when I stepped away from him.

After Charles, I fell in love with life away from tennis. It was a feat I never thought possible because a life separate from tennis was unimaginable for so long.

These new things in my life enchant me everyday. There's being on our boat in the water. No place makes me happier than the Mediterranean Sea. It is the easiest get away when Charles and I want to leave anything behind us and be in the present. We simply pack a weekend bag and pull off from the dock with a swimsuit and new book.

Then there's a new favorite love. When Charles reads out loud every night. Some adventure book fills my imagination until we finish it after a few weeks. Then comes a new book, likely to be a new story of exploration. My body leaned back and rested into his chest with my eyes closed. His free hand always rested on my stomach while he speaks in Italian or French, whichever one he is feeling for the night.

I have new friendships that I cherish. Laurie always being the old faithful, but now seeing her and Lando together brings a whole other element. Kelly and Max becoming like family. Kelly felt like a sister. Holidays often spent together, couples trips taken, or going to any event as a solid group of four. Kika would then come in from Paris to always keep life exciting, and Pierre and I always had an understanding of what the other was thinking.

Finally, there was an overflowing amount of love I had for our unborn baby. I'm sure they knew the sound of my voice, that I talked too much to my belly, and that I couldn't stop moving in anticipation to meet the little one. My instinct of nesting had completely taken over as I worked on every corner of our new house. The nursery was my favorite room. Cloud walls with a window overlooking the sea.

Finally, Monaco becoming home. The relaxation our home brought me. The tennis family I was able to come into. The family I built with Charles mom and brothers. My dad venturing to us often with his now girlfriend and everything feeling right when we were all together.

Now we just needed to meet the little one. Something everyone was anticipating in less than two months. My stomach continued to grow, but Charles always made me feel beautiful. Plus I was fortunate to still feel active. My casual training with tennis was on pause, but I still enjoyed the swims in our pool, dips in the warming ocean, and my walks around Monaco. Walking was becoming more tiring though, but I continued to go on short ones around the streets of our home. My bike was retired for now.

Charles and I were taking one of our last getaways before the baby came. I would be staying in Monaco until the baby arrived. Charles with three more races, an off week when the baby was to arrive fortunately, one more race, then summer break.

For this weekend of no racing, we  took off on the boat just the two of us.

~

The swim had tired me out for the day. Charles snorkeling and diving around me while I stayed up on the surface swimming around then resting on the floating mat.

He was quiet ever since we woke up, but there was something telling me he just enjoyed being relaxed physically and mentally while we were away from the world.

Charles popped up in the surface next to me holding on to the mat attached to the boat. He threw off his mask near me and took a deep breath.

"How was it," I asked curiously keeping my eyes on the clouds.