Reunited

-Chapter - 53 - Juste nous trois -

-Autumn Morning-
-October 20, 2026-
-Agreste Mansion-

While Nathalie slept on the bed, her daughter, Gabriella, sat next to her, playing on her iPad, waiting for mom to wake up so she and her brother could commence their plans to celebrate their mother's birthday.

Gabriella was entirely concentrated on the dressing game she discovered from an advertisement when she felt movements on the bed she was sitting on. She immediately turned to her mother and observed that she was slowly waking up.

The little girl then placed her iPad on the empty spot beside her on the bed, before going ahead and giving her mother the first of many hugs she would receive today.

She wrapped her arms around her mother and once Nathalie opened her eyes, her lovely daughter Gabriella was the first she saw.

"Good morning, mama..." Gabriella says, leaning in to kiss her mother's cheek.

Nathalie smiled and answered, "Good morning to you too, my love." She absolutely loved waking up in the morning, knowing her daughter Gabriella would be there, showering her with hugs and kisses the moment she woke up.

"Happy Birthday my beautiful mother," Gabriella greets her. When she stared at her mom, she noticed the realization look on her face so she decides to ask, "Mama... Did you forget?"

"Uh-" Nathalie giggled, "I might have," she answered.

Gabriella's forehead creased, and she shook her head, "You forget every year, mama," she hugged her tighter and smiled, "But that's okay. Were gonna be celebrating you all day today."

Nathalie raised her brow, that was the moment she realized Gabriella was all dressed up. Normally, at this time, Gabriella would still be in her pajamas. And so she decided to ask her daughter, "Why are you all dressed up? Are we going somewhere?" Gabriella wasn't able to answer her mother, when Adrien entered the room holding a flower bouquet.

Gabriella let her go, and so she sat up on the bed.

As Adrien approached them, he had a smile on his face. First, he placed the bouquet on the bed before he wrapped his arms around his mother and saying "Happy Birthday, mom!"

Nathalie smiled, hugging her son back. "Thank you, my son," she replied.

Adrien withdrew his arms from her, to face her and give her a smile, before turning to the bouquet of flowers he placed on the bed to pick it up and offer it to her.'

"This is from father, mom," he smiled as Nathalie took it from him.

Nathalie glanced at the bouquet then stared at her son, questioning him, "Y-your father?" he gave her a nod, and when she turned to her daughter, she was nodding as well.

"Well technically... I bought it. But it was father's idea," Adrien stared at the flowers, "He told me what kind of flowers you liked to have in your bouquet," he look at his mom again, "Pink rose, red rose, burgundy carnations, poppy anemone white leaves with deep blue on the center, burgundy scabiosa, and of course the greenery."

Nathalie fixed her gaze on the flower bouquet. It was similar to the bouquet Gabriel and Gabriella handed her when she was diagnosed with a threatened abortion and was advised to stay rested in bed by her doctor.

Adrien began speaking again, making Nathalie stare at him again, "This wasn't supposed to be his gift... His gift was something he carved himself, but unfortunately, they didn't let me accept anything from him because they had already let him before. However..." He turned to Gabriella, who reached for the letter on the nightstand, then placed the white envelope on her brother's palm.