Our Love is Evergreen

Chapter 82: Catherine Returns

   One night, Catherine had been thinking about her family. She missed them dearly. She decided to have a talk with Pierre. They decided that it would be in their best interest to return to Paris.

   "We should have never moved here to begin with," Catherine remarked. "What were we thinking? This is probably killing my father. Gustave sent me a letter ten months ago saying that he and his family moved into the nearby apartment building. I would have never left
Paris if I knew that he was going to move too."

   "Why would Gustave move right after we moved?" Pierre asked.

   "He probably thought that Father would be okay. You know Gustave. He doesn't always think things through," Catherine brought out. "He doesn't know Father quite like I do."

   "Nobody knows your father quite like you do. You've always had a special bond because of your distortions."

   "That is true," Catherine paused. "Did I tell you of the news I got this morning?"

   "No, dear. Do tell me what it was."

   Catherine told Pierre her news. The couple continued to talk well into the night. The decided that they would pack up and leave for Paris the next day.
   The following morning was indeed very tiresome. Pierre and Catherine had to pack up everything they had on their own, as Victoria was much to young to be of any use. Since the family hadn't lived in New York for very long, they didn't own much and they were packed within two hours.
   The ride to Paris was long and exhausting, but the family of three finally arrived the next morning. They hadn't time to tell any of their family that they were returning, so this would be a complete surprise.
   As soon as they arrived at the opera house, they were greeted by Mia. It seemed like so long since they had last seen her. After a few minutes of small talk, Pierre and Catherine departed, saying that they were going to see Catherine's family. Fortunately, the couple still remembered how to navigate the catacombs.

   "Have we really been gone for an entire year?" Catherine asked as they made their way through the labyrinth.

   "I'm afraid so," Pierre replied. "Victoria, are you excited to see your aunt and uncles?"

   "Yes," the little girl replied, giving a big, cheesy smile that made both parents laugh.

   When they arrived in the main room, not a soul was in sight.

   "Hello! Is anybody home?" Catherine called.

   Aphrodite came running out of her room and into her sister's arms. "Catherine! I missed you so much!"

   "I missed you too, Aphrodite. Where is everyone?" Catherine asked

   "Apollo is in his room. Mother and Father went to see an opera in box five," the girl replied. "Apollo! Get out here! Fire!"

   Apollo came rushing out of his room. "Fire! Where?" He asked frantically.

   "Nowhere. Look who's here," Aphrodite replied, gesturing to their sister.

   "Aphrodite, you don't yell 'fire' if there isn't a fire. You scared me half to death," Apollo reprimanded. "Wait. Catherine?"

   "Apollo!" Catherine exclaimed.

   Apollo flew into his sister's arms. "We missed you! Are you back for good?"

   "Of course we are. We've come back to live her underneath the opera house," Catherine explained.

   About an hour later, Erik and Christine returned from watching the opera. They were very surprised to find Pierre, Catherine, and Victoria in the main room with Apollo and Aphrodite.

   "Catherine! What are you doing here?" Christine asked.

   "Is nobody noticing that we're here too?" Pierre whispered to Victoria, who giggled in reply.

   "We're moving back," Catherine reported.

   Erik looked his eldest daughter up and down. He observed that her figure was slightly larger than usual. "Has she put on weight or...no, she couldn't be," Erik thought.  He began to ask, "Catherine, are you-"

   "Pregnant? Yes," She replied, cutting him off.

   "You're pregnant?" Christine asked excitedly.

   "I am," Catherine confirmed. "Two months."

   "And you didn't tell us?" Erik asked indignantly.

   "I only found out two days ago. I would have come back much sooner if I had known."

   Erik embraced his daughter and held her tightly. "I missed you so much. Don't ever leave me again."

   "I won't, Papa. I promise."

   Christine took her husband aside and asked, "Were you really going to ask her if she was pregnant?"

   "Maybe," Erik replied sheepishly.

   "Need I tell you that you never ask a woman if she's expecting?"

   "Well, she's my daughter, so I figured-"

   "You never ask a woman if she's expecting," Christine repeated, a bit more firmly this time.

   "Yes, Dear," Erik replied, kissing his wife gently on the lips.

   The family sat and talked as if nothing had changed. They were still the Destler family and they were still together.
   Still, Catherine felt that it wasn't right that Gustave and his family didn't live with them. That needed to be fixed and soon.