Wandering Off

Arrangements And Support

On our way home we brought some food for Nathalie and Gabriel, Maman and Placide and Adrien and Marinette. The teenagers were inseparable by then and either the girl spent the afternoon at the mansion with him or he spent his time at the bakery. Only for the nights they were forced to part. I was very certain, though, that I had seen ChatNoir leave or Ladybug enter through the boy's bathroom window when I got up in the middle of the night because I needed to pee.

My mother was in the kitchen, sitting on one of the stools around the aisle in the middle, slicing apples, bananas and mangos to make a fruit salad for dessert.

"Hi." I greeted and leaned down to peck her cheek. "How are you feeling?" I wondered.

She shrugged and hugged me, then said.

"Like shit. But we agreed that we still want to have the baby. Even if it might become difficult. We already love the little one too much to, well, you know."

"That's great, maman." I enthused. "And I promise to help you as best as I can. We all will, right?"

I looked towards Sean and Placide, then towards Nathalie, who nodded and agreed.

"We will too. I hope Gabriel won't be mad if I suggest something without asking. But I figure that children with down syndrome can live an almost 'normal' life these days. They just need some special support. And that's what I'd like to offer. To pay for education, therapy, whatever he or she might need."

It was the bodyguard who replied, making all our eyes widen, as he usually wouldn't talk in front of others if not necessary.

"That's kind, but I've saved enough money while working here that I can take care of that. But we really could use the emotional support."

My mother stared at him open mouthed.

"You didn't tell me about that. And I find it wonderful that you eventually believe me when I say, your accent is barely audible. Did you see? Everybody understood you and nobody laughed." She then looked at me. "How are you doing? Did you find out if it's a boy or a girl?" She pried.

I nodded with a smirk.

"Yup. But I won't tell you. Not until everybody made a guess."

Adrien and Marinette instantly reacted and exclaimed in unison.

"Girl!"

Nathalie grinned as she approached me and placed an arm around my waist while laying the other hand onto my protruding belly.

"I think it's a girl too."

Gabriel nodded.

"Same."

"Well, we talked about it and agreed on a little boy!" Maman said and interlinked her fingers with her partner, who nodded encouragingly.

"You can tell them!" I said to my fiance.

"Really?" Sean asked with tears glistening in his eyes. Then he inhaled deeply and gushed out. "It's a girl!"

Everybody squealed and awed, then they hugged us both. Nathalie had still an arm around me and asked now.

"Is she kicking hard already or is it still gentle?"

I beamed at her.

"It's still a soft little flutter. But she's getting stronger every day. It's truly amazing. I mean, with Paulie I didn't feel anything until I was almost four weeks further along and she is already so very active. That reminds me, Sean, we need to pick him up from your parents. I almost forgot."

My beloved man grinned at me as he answered.

"Believe me, they wouldn't mind. My mum and the girls are so in love with him, especially because he looks a lot like Adrien," he grinned over that, "that they would gladly keep him forever if we let them!"