I will love again

Part 21 - Back at work

He gave her some space over the weekend, though he arranged for all four of them to have at least one meal together on both days.

Nathalie was even more reluctant than usual during those meals, especially towards Marinette, though she nervously glanced at her every now and then.

It was around the end of the Sunday night dinner, when Gabriel had to take an 'urgent' phone call from Audrey Bourgeois, and Adrien had left to go find the ice cream, he had stored in the freezer as a surprise for them all, she addressed the woman's behaviour:

"As long as we are alone, Nathalie, I can only tell you, that whatever is going on in your life, I haven't said anything to either of them and I won't do so, but I still think, if your health is at risk, you should tell about it.", she pleadingly muttered to the woman sitting next to her.

The assistant looked at the girl and shook her head vigorously.

"I am feeling much better, and I really hope that will stay that way. So, no need to worry, okay?", she tried to reason.

"And I haven't been completely informed about all the treatments that I could go through, so I can't tell anyone about a health condition, that possibly might soon not be an issue anymore."

She could not react to the teenager's sharp intake of air, because Gabriel and Adrien returned to the dining room together.

In silence they ate their dessert. Then Marinette quickly pulled her boyfriend out of the room to give the adults some unexpected alone time, hoping they would somehow get closer again.

Nathalie sighed as she realized what the young woman had intended. She now considered eating up as fast as she could, but than decided to not raise any suspicion, that she tried to avoid talking to Gabriel. So she just continued to eat her ice cream and thanks to her years of practice she didn't even show any reaction, as the young couple left.

Nathalie was completely lost in her thoughts, when she could hear the designer's voice.

She flinched and turned her head to look at him.

"Sorry I......was just.....", she started.

"Very far away?", he finished the sentence.

"You have no idea how far", the female responded with a weary smile.

He chuckled softly and then said:

"I asked, if your dessert was good."

She nodded and enthusiastically blurted out: "It's incredibly delicious!"

Gabriel gave her a beaming smile.

"I'm glad that your able to eat, well, I was gonna say normal, but, as usual probably fits better in your case. I am proud of you though, that you indeed ate more of the regular food, than of the dessert, today.", he mentioned teasingly.

"Who said I was already finished eating?, she provocatively replied.

The young woman made him speechless. But at the same time laugh out loud.

"Haha, yeah, I can totally imagine you finishing that bowl of ice cream all on your own. I can still remember that giant portion of ice cream you ate on Adrien's 8th birthday, only to prove to Chloé, that he wasn't lying, when he said, nobody could eat as much ice cream as you. It was the first time, he could beat that spoiled brat with anything. His super young, female tutor, beat her precious butler. I guess she has still nightmares about this defeat!", he exclaimed proudly.

Even Nathalie giggled now.

"Yeah, I will never forget the look on her face, when Jean-whatever..., who knows the real name of that man? Anyway, when he gave up after half the portion", she remembered lively.