Second Chances

set up -------->chp51

June came, and Marinette was signing new-hire paperwork with Gabriel Agreste. After writing her name twenty or so times, she finally set the pen down.

"Welcome to the company," Gabriel said with a smile.

"Thank you, sir."

He hesitated. "I think 'Gabriel' would be just fine," he said. "You're to be my daughter-in-law in barely a month's time. I think you should be allowed to call me by my first name."

Marinette grinned. "Thank you... Gabriel."

He smiled, but it only lasted a second. "Now, onto your training. Seeing as this is a lower lever position, you won't be designing. That isn't to say you should stop," he pointedly warned. "But the job itself is the tailoring and creation of pieces via my designers' specifications."

Marinette nodded. "Understood."

"I'll have you shadow a couple different people," he said. "So that I can assure that once you return from your honeymoon, you won't be lost on what all needs to be done."

"Thank you."

He smiled then checked the clock. "We have time for a tour of the design house and I'll introduce you to a couple people you'll be working with. I'll keep those conversations brief so you have ample time to make it to your catering tasting."

She felt absolutely over the moon with excitement. "That sounds perfect."

She followed him out to the car that would take them to the building. "In the meantime," Gabriel began once the chauffeur started the car, "how is your dress coming along?"

"Well," she answered. She couldn't help but remember the whole design session with Gabriel where they created her dress. Adrien had to forcibly drag her out of the office after she spent a good three hours with Gabriel, making possibility after possibility. "I finished the base. Now it's just the bead work and adding the lace and the tulle petticoats. Oh," she said, her smile falling. "And the veil."

"I'll complete the petticoats for you," Gabriel said. "As well as the veil. Consider it a thank you for assisting me in the design for Nathalie's dress. It had been giving me fits for weeks."

Marinette grinned. "It was no trouble. I think the only thing you needed was a fresh set of eyes because I know I start glancing over minor issues when I've been staring at a design too long. The dress will be beautiful, and she'll love it."

Gabriel hummed his agreement. "I believe she will."

Adrien held down the flaps of the box while Marinette ran tape over it. With a smile, she patted the top. "That's the last of them," she said.

Adrien grinned. "Perfect. I think we should start taking all this down," he said, motioning to all the boxes that held the contents of Marinette's entire room.

"But lunch first," she said. "Then Papa should be off work and Nino will be here to help take everything over to our place."

Adrien's grin widened. He couldn't help it. It was three days until the wedding and they were packing up Marinette's old room to move over to what was now their home and he really couldn't be happier. "That sounds good to me."