Another Chance

9

Nathalie expected the night to be quite eventful, since this would be the first time, She and Gabriel would attend any social event as a couple. Gabriel was her fiancé now. Unbelievable. How had her life changed so much in such a brief time? They’d just reconnected a little over two months ago after four years without seeing or hearing about each other and without even having had a first kiss they found themselves engaged.

Gabriel was now her fiancé. 
 
How was she going to tell this to her friends without looking like one of those women who can’t leave an abusive relationship?

Because that wasn’t what she and Gabriel had now.

What they had was…difficult to label.

They were friends in a co-parenting relationship that had decided to marry to make their lives easier and to give Bastien a stable family. And if Nathalie were honest with herself, even though their decisions had all been rational from their point of view, they were hardly what the average people would call logical. 

Dion and Inès were included in that category.

Inès had yet to meet Gabriel, but it was a fair assumption that she’d conclude Gabriel had abandoned her while still expecting or worse, that he was an abusive partner and that was the reason Nathalie had left Paris and severed all ties with him. And given Nathalie could never have foreseen Gabriel’s return to her life, she'd never bothered to correct whatever ideas her friend might have had.  
 
That and the fact that Nathalie hadn’t felt able to confess her indiscretions to her own reflection in a mirror, let alone to another person, and then…well, it was a sore subject she’d avoided with the intention to bury and forget until Bastien got to the age when he would start asking questions.  
 
But the improbable had happened.

Dion had already met Gabriel and in a couple of hours the four of them would be seated at the same table and the status of their relationship would come up. She was certain that’s why Dion planned this. To measure Gabriel. To know if he was a threat to her and Bas.

And she should be grateful for their concern. They had been her main source of support when she’d been alone in a strange city. Still, she wasn’t comfortable with the amount of information her friends would be trying to ferret out.  
 
Especially because Gabriel had been her boss. Her married boss. With whom she’d been living until she got pregnant. Definitely not a good story to tell anyone. And that was just the summarized version of the pedestrian part of their history.   
 
She looked over at her non-fiancé “Gabriel?” 
 
“I was thinking…what should we tell Dion and Inès about us?” 
 
Gabriel seemed surprised by the question. “What do you mean?” 
 
“I mean, I never told them anything about you. I never told them that I worked for Bastien’s father or that you didn’t know about my pregnancy. They know next to nothing about us and they’ll probably assume the worst about you.” 
 
Gabriel thought for a few seconds then spoke. “I see. They may think I’m some kind of adventurer, who just dropped in your lives taking no responsibility at all about my actions and that may or may not leave you and our son again.” 

“No. I’m telling you I know they will think that if not worse. I just don’t feel comfortable telling them about our past dynamic.”
 
“I see.” His jaw was tight. Clearly, he was looking forward to the evening as little as she was.
 
“Gabriel, we are going to marry.” She appealed to him. 
 
“I know. Are you embarrassed to tell your friends that?” 
 
“No, I mean. This is all so fast. And not conventional at all. It’s ok that we come clean to Adrien about the nature of our union, but even if Dion and Inès are the closest things I’ve had to friends, I don’t think they should know the specifics of that, which means that…we’ll have to behave as if we were in love.” 
 
Suddenly, Gabriel’s face became gloomy and his eyes sad. It was…disconcerting. It was everything she didn’t want to see on his face. Maybe they should call this pantomime off. Perhaps he wasn’t over Emilie after all. Perhaps this wedding had made memories of their time together bubble up again.
 
“Gabriel, is it too much too soon for you? We don’t have to go to this dinner. I can call them and cancel.” 
 
“No, no. It’s not that. It was just…” 
 
“It made you remember.” Her. She wanted to say but didn’t. 
 
“It did. But it’s ok. We can do this.” 
 
“Perhaps we shouldn’t mention the marriage part yet?”  
 
“Ok.” 
 
--- 
 
It was so obvious that Nathalie was embarrassed by this dinner thing her friend had invented. He’d already gathered that she hadn’t told them who Bastien’s father was, otherwise, Dion would have recognized him. 
 
How was it that a man could be as stupid as to have everything he needed just under his nose and, as King Solomon said, keep chasing after the wind? He’d had Nathalie. He was sure she, at some point, must have loved him to do and endure everything she had for him. Yes, because she’d had nothing to gain and everything to lose by becoming Mayura. But even before that, she had risked going to prison by being an accomplice to a terrorist. 
 
But now, in less than 24 hours he had heard the words arrangement, convenience and marriage together so many times. His heart had clenched so strongly every time, but he thought, that for Nathalie, he could endure it. Still, hearing her say that she would have to pretend to be in love with him felt like a nail had penetrated his chest cavity. 
 
“Gabriel, is it too much too soon for you? We don’t have to go to this dinner. I can call them and cancel.” Nathalie said, worried by his lack of response. 
 
“No, no. It’s not that. It was just…” 
 
“It made you remember.”  
 
Yes, that you were killing yourself for me while I was chasing a dead woman. I’m so sorry, Nathalie. But he couldn’t tell her that, so he just said, “it did. But it’s ok. We can do this.” 
 
“Perhaps, we shouldn’t mention the marriage part yet?” 
 
He looked down and said “Ok.” 
 
“Are you certain you want to do this? I mean, marrying me?” 
 
Now he raised his head and looked right at her eyes “Of course I am. Are you having second thoughts?” 
 
“Only if you are.” 
 
He grabbed her hand and said, “I’m not.”  

He might have regrets, but he didn’t have any doubts.
 
--- 
 
Since he came to Toulouse Gabriel had begun to appreciate the simpler things in life. Walks in the park, taking his son to the pool, driving around the city when necessary. Nathalie owned a bike too and sometimes if he had to go for croissants for the three of them, she’d lend it to him to go faster.  
 
It made it easier to understand Adrien’s unrest inside the mansion when he was younger. Freedom was addicting, and he could only see benefits in moving here.  
 
Nathalie was driving tonight since she knew the streets much better than him. She was trying not to show it, but he could tell she was apprehensive. As it turned out, Nathalie’s friends were in fact genuinely nice people. And despite their obvious curiosity about him they were trying not to be intrusive.  
 
That was until his phone rang.  
 
 
“I have to take this,” he told his companions, and to Nathalie, he said, “it’s Adrien.” As he got up to have this conversation without any prying ears nearby. When he got back, he told her, “I’ll have to go back to Paris tonight. Adrien’s arriving tomorrow morning.” 
 
Dion looked down at his watch, frowning, “Are you planning on taking the train? Because I think the last one leaves in less than thirty minutes.” 
 
“It’s ok.” Gabriel brushed him off, “I’ll fly anyway.” 

Inés still looked a little concerned. “Should we ask for the check?” 
 
Gabriel shook his head. He wasn’t going to abandon Nathalie to this awkwardness alone. “No, there’s time for dessert.”

“What? You know someone from an airline company?” Dion pressured further.

“No, I’ll take the jet.” The moment those words flew out of his mouth he knew he’d made a big mistake. 
 
“The jet? Wow!” Said Dion, his curiosity getting the best of him. “So, Gabriel. You never told us what you do for a living.” 
 
Gabriel felt Nathalie take his hand under the table, supporting him as she’s always done the entire time, he’s known her. He feigned nonchalance.

“I’m a fashion designer.”
 
It was Inès’ face that told Gabriel that she'd put two and two together before she gasped, “Oh, my gosh! You’re the Gabriel!” 
 
“Keep your voice down, please. I don’t want to draw attention to us.” Said Gabriel discreetly looking around to see if anyone was looking at their table, but thankfully her exclamation seemed to have been missed by the people around them. 
 
“What Gabriel?” Asked Dion.
 
“Honey, he is Gabriel Agreste. The Gabriel Agreste. He’s world famous!” And to the subject of their conversation, she said, “Oh my gosh! I love your work! 
 
“Thank you.” 
 
“Oh…Nathalie, didn’t you say you worked for Gabriel Agres…oh. I see.” 
 
Nathalie bit her lower lip in embarrassment now that the adoration on Inès face had turned sour.

“You should be ashamed of what you did.” Said Inès.
 
“Honey.” Said her husband trying to avoid a scene. 
 
Inès kept her voice level as she said, “No, someone should tell him that as Nath obviously won’t. This is not ok. He was her boss. He had power over her that he abused. She was pregnant and she left the city to come here alone? Nathalie’s had to care and support Bas alone all this time while he was sitting back in Paris rich enough to not even notice the money it would take to fulfil Bastien’s needs.”  
 
“Inès,” This time it was Nathalie’s voice that carried a careful warning to it. 
 
“I’m sorry, Nathalie,” Inès said. “I’m sorry to ruin your night.”
 
“It’s ok. You didn’t ruin anything. But let me clear something up. Gabriel didn’t know about my pregnancy.” 
 
“What?” The other couple said simultaneously. 
 
“I never told him.” 
 
“Why? And why is he here then?” 

Gabriel knew he needed to take responsibility for this. “I came looking for her.”
 
“Oh.” 
 
“I…Nathalie was right to leave me. I was a jerk to her. Not just to her, but everyone around me. But I missed her. She wasn’t just an employee. She was my best friend. So, I looked her up and, well…found out we had a son.” 
 
“Wow,” Dion said through his breath. “That’s…” but he kept it at that. Still digesting their story. 
 
By this point, Inès’ fury had dissipated as was clear by the white flag she waved to them. “Still, you should make your clothes affordable for the middle class.” And that settled the matter...for a few seconds. 

“So, what are you two going to do now? I mean, is Gabriel going to keep flying here every day? Isn’t that unpractical?” 
 
“No, we’re…” Nathalie looked at him for confirmation, and he’d be damned if he wouldn’t give it to her.
 
It was Gabriel who answered, “We’re getting married.”

Inès was finally speechless. It was Dion who broke the silence after a full minute. “That’s…wow. That’s amazing. You’ve been here for what?” 

It was Nathalie’s turn to speak again. “Dion. We’ve known each other for more than twenty years now. I practically raised Adrien. It’s not like we need time to get to  know each other.”

It was obvious that Dion wasn’t in agreement with Nathalie’s decision to marry him. But it also wasn’t as if Gabriel cared.
 
--- 
 
“Well, that was…intense,” Gabriel said after some consideration after they had picked Bastien up from Inès’ since her sister had volunteered to take care of both kids and as he carried his son to bed. 

“I’ve never felt so scrutinized in my entire life,” Nathalie told him. 
 
“Me neither. And I’ve dealt with paparazzi.” 
 
“Yeah…” said Nathalie from her position by his side sitting on her bed just as she let her body fall backward on the mattress. 
 
“Gabriel?” 
 
“Yes.” He answered as he mimicked her actions. 
 
“What time does the jet leave?”  
 
“One more hour.” 
 
“What are you going to tell Adrien?” 
 
“The truth.” 
 
--- 
 
“Hello, father.” Said Adrien as he entered the atelier and approached him for a hug. “I thought you’d be in Toulouse with Nathalie and Bastien. It’s a Saturday, after all” 
 
“Yes. I should be, but there’s something I promised Nathalie I would talk to you about, and I thought it best to do it here, in person.” 
 
“What is it? Has something happened between you and Nathalie?” Then Adrien’s voice rose in pitch as he panicked, “Or did something happen to Nathalie? Or to Bastien?” 
 
“No, nothing bad happened to anyone, but something did happen between us.” And after a brief pause to gather his courage, Gabriel told him, “We decided to get married.” 
 
Adrien’s eyes popped out and his excitement began to drip from his every pore. “That’s great news, Dad! Wow! So, you’ve finally confessed to her.” 
 
“About that…I’d like you to keep this information between us.” Said Gabriel warily.  
 
Adrien’s merry face turned quickly to a confusion. “Why? What happened? I don’t get it.” 
 
“I didn’t tell Nathalie that I love her. I did, actually, but I don’t think she understood it the way I meant it.” 
 
“And how was it that your non-confession became a marriage proposal?” 
 
“It didn’t. That was a decision we’d already made.” Gabriel couldn’t help feeling bashful and ridiculous. He just hoped Adrien would understand.  
 
“How...how is that even possible?” Adrien squeaked and threw his arms up in  the air. 
 
“It makes sense. I want to take proper care of her and your brother. I can’t do that if we’re not married. If Nathalie falls ill or is hospitalized, or if I am for that matter, then spouse is legally allowed to make health and financial decisions on the other’s behalf. It will also secure her future in case I die as well as help disentangle Bastien’s documents and inheritance when the time comes.” 
 
“So, this is a marriage of convenience?” But the question sounded more like a statement. Adrien’s tone was as cold as a block of ice. 
 
“In a manner of speaking, yes.” 
 
“I see.” Adrien stood silent for a second and then, “You’re set on ruining my mother’s life. That’s why you didn’t want to tell me this in Toulouse. Because you knew I would disapprove of it.” Adrien’s eyes were aimed somewhere down below Gabriel’s chin, but they lacked focus. Then he started to shake his head and said, “If your aim with this conversation was just to inform me about this joke, then consider it done. But if you thought you could seek my blessing to ruin Nathalie’s life even more than you already have then you’re out of luck.” 
 
“I’m not ruining anyone’s life. This was as much Nathalie’s decision as it was mine. We want this.” 
 
“NO.” Adrien was making a conscious and visible effort to subdue his voice back to its normal volume. “No, it wasn’t, because Nathalie's judgment has always been impaired  when it comes to you. Are you going to try and tell me this her idea?” 
 
Gabriel looked down and clenched his jaw and fists partly ashamed because Adrien was had seen through to the truth of the matter but also because that he was certain that marrying Nathalie was the right decision to make. “No. It was my idea.” 
 
“I knew it.” His son told him, taking absolutely no pride in being right. “Have you considered that you’re condemning her to a life without love?” 
 
“That’s not true. I do love her, and you know that.” 
 
“Then I guess I was wrong. Because it seems to me like what you're actually in love with is the idea of a second chance to do things right with your perfect family. It’s not fair to Nathalie! I asked you only one thing, father. One. Damned. Thing. That was not to hurt Nathalie. And you’re incapable of doing even that!” Adrien screamed. 
 
"No, I love them, and I want to give Nathalie and Bastien that perfect family. There's a difference." Gabriel raised his voice too. 
 
"So why subject her to a fake marriage?" Adrien ran his fingers through his short and perpetually messy hair. 
 
Gabriel raised his chin and squared his shoulders as he swallowed whatever pride he still had to tell Adrien this last thing, "This marriage will be as fake as Nathalie wants it to be. She'll decide what I'm worthy of...and I'll take whatever she gives me. Do you think that's not love?" 
 
“I think you don’t know how to love healthily.” Adrien kept his gaze level with his. Jaw tight. Then he let out a heavy breath and averted his eyes.

At this small sign that Gabriel might be close to breaking Adrien’s resistance, he said, “Your presence at our wedding is important to us. Be there, please. If not for me, then for Nathalie and your brother.” 
 
Adrien’s response didn’t come as quickly as he hoped but it was at least a positive one. “I’ll be there. Do you have a date yet?” 
 
“Not yet. We won’t advertise it and we don’t want to make a big occasion of it, but I do want Nathalie to know that I care. That I mean it when I say that she’s important to me. That I’ll take my vows seriously.” 
 
He could see that with each second that passed meant Adrien was calmer. Digesting everything Gabriel had told him. . 
 
“There’s also the matter of the house,” Gabriel added. “We haven’t decided yet if we should marry now or wait for all the renovations to be ready and move in and then get married.” 
 
“Ok.” Adrien sighed, “Just tell me when you set the date.”

---

Gabriel took a deep breath after Adrien left him.

That was one son told. At least his youngest’s reaction would be more positive.