One last Chance

she is warm

*Charles*

"Charles?", I heard her voice but didn't wake up right away "Charles? You need to get up slowly. We have to leave soon. I made breakfast.".

"Yes.", I grumbled and heard her footsteps slowly moving away.

"I'll be right there, mon cœur.", I grumbled, still half asleep.

It took me a moment to realize that I had just called her by the pet name I had given her earlier. She had stopped. For a moment I thought she was coming back, but then the footsteps only moved away faster.

I had almost forgotten that we were no longer together. At least for that moment between sleeping and being awake. In that moment, she had been mine again.

The sound of her warm voice, the smell of coffee and pancakes in the air, the sound of her bare feet on the hardwood floor. For a moment, it had been like old times.

"Mon cœur.", I repeated softly and to myself.

I knew she couldn't hear it now. My heart, however, leapt. I missed her.

My hand groped to my side. For a brief moment I had hope that she had slept next to me. But the side of the bed was made and cold. I slowly pushed myself up out of bed and glanced at the clock. I really needed to start getting ready.

Now my heart was starting to beat faster with excitement. I was going to be a father today. Well technically I was a little over a year and a half ago, but I had never been allowed to see Alyssa. Mella had forbidden me contact and I had respected it. I had been sure she was in good hands with her mother and had everything she needed. If I had known sooner what was going on, I would never have left her alone.

But starting today, everything would change. I would do everything for my daughter and make sure she was okay. She would have a good life with me, and I hoped that I would be able to give her all the love in the world.

Tired, I left the bed and disappeared into the bathroom to get ready.

Freshly showered and changed, I then went over to the kitchen. Evi was humming along, lost in thought, to the music playing in the background. The sun shone through the large balcony windows, filling the kitchen with light. I leaned against the wall and watched her. She was beautiful in that light.

"Good morning.", I said quietly, she winced.

"Morning Charles.", there was nothing left of the lightness with which she had hummed just a moment ago.

She looked tense as she reached for a cup and poured me a cup of coffee.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, handing me the cup before sitting down at the kitchen counter.

"A little nervous.", I admitted and sat down with her.

"Yeah, me too." she said, nodding towards breakfast "That's why it turned out so much.".

She had always had to do something when she was nervous. Before she had first met my family, she had made a much bigger breakfast because we had invited them over for breakfast. It hadn't mattered then because she was a great cook and my brothers had loved her right after.

They had been horrified when I had told them about the breakup.

"It's not like we have to eat everything. At least not before we leave.", I smiled and she nodded "But it looks excellent as always.".

We ate breakfast in silence after that. Somehow everyone seemed to be preoccupied with their thoughts before we made our way to my car and drove it towards Nice to the airport.