Nathalie's Breakup

Part 33 - Let Me Introduce You To...

"Amandine?" Gabriel enthused. "That's a beautiful name." 

He kissed his wife carefully to not disturb their daughter, who was just suckling on her breast. Marinette said supportively.

"I totally think that too. It suits her, and you can call her Mandy to shorten it."

Adrien was a little hesitant. He felt embarrassed to look at his mother figure nursing her child. Nathalie had noticed and tried to soothe him.

"You don't have to be flustered, Adrien. It's absolutely natural to breastfeed a child. And I am very certain that you aren't looking at them to, well... you know."

"Oh my gosh, I would never!" The boy proclaimed.

The others laughed at him.

His girlfriend grabbed his hand and pulled him towards her, pecking his cheek as she did.

"Good answer, honey. I think you earned yourself a special treat, my kitty."

"Kitty?" Gabriel and Nathalie blurted out in unison, making the baby flinch and start to cry.

"He purrs!" Marinette told them. "Every time he feels good and comfortable, he makes sounds like a cat being patted. That's why I call him kitty!"

"I see." Gabriel mused. Then he looked at his child and apologised. "I'm sorry, my little princess. Please don't cry anymore. We'll try to remember not to scare you like that again."

The newborn had already calmed down a little bit and was searching for her mother's breast. Nathalie replaced her in the crook of her other arm and helped her find her nipple again. This time, she chose the one her daughter hadn't been sucking on before.

She hissed shortly when the baby pinched her wart, then let out the air audibly. 

"I really hope this will get less painful soon. Other than that it's just wonderful to eventually hold her in my arms." She looked down. "I love you my little Amandine. And I love you, Gabriel. And both of you. I..."

She broke off and started to sob.

"I think it's time for us to leave. So you can get some rest and enjoy some alone time with your daughter. I love you too, Nath." Adrien said, feeling touched and hugging her gently. Then he noticed that she was still halfway naked and blushed. Before he could stammer an apology, Marinette had grabbed his hand and shut him up with a kiss.

"Don't ruin the moment, honey. But I agree. We will let the three of you have some bonding time with your child. Bye, and I love you too." She gushed out and then pulled him out of the room by his arm. 

Gabriel and Nathalie stayed back with their daughter.

"She's incredibly beautiful, darling. And I am certain that she will stop looking like him and will soon take a lot more after you. Remember how Adrien looked like me when he was born but now takes much more after Emilie? And even if she doesn't, do you really care? Because I honestly don't. She's our pretty little princess and nothing else. I love you, Nathalie Agreste. And you, Amandine Agreste." He mused with a tender smile as he bent down to kiss the newborn's head.

Nathalie was released early the next morning, and after helping her take a shower and waiting for Amandine to finish drinking on her breast, Gabriel carefully strapped her into the baby car seat and lifted it up with one hand, the other carrying his wife's hospital bag.

"I would love to hold you around your waist too, my love, but..." He looked almost desperate.

"I am fine, Gabriel, I really am. Let's just go home!"

When they arrived at the gate, Jerome was standing there, waiting for them to get out of the limousine.

"Please!" He called from afar, lifting both hands into the air. "I just want to see him or her. Nothing more, I promise. Just one look, okay?"

Nathalie looked at Gabriel hesitantly. The man shrugged, then gave his driver a hint with his head to be ready, just in case.

"Why should we trust you this time?" He interrogated, and the tanned man replied.

"I am here to apologise, and maybe call a truce? I swear, I won't try to make any more trouble, but I stopped drinking and started therapy, and I eventually see how bad I treated you. You deserve a lot better, you both do. Gabriel, you were right. They will be much better off with you than they could've been with a screw-up like me."

Nathalie tilted her head to the side and watched him closely. Her expression softened as she turned around and lifted the baby out of the car and into her arms. Closing the gap by walking the few steps towards him, she said very softly, to not wake her daughter.

"This is Amandine. She was born yesterday in the early evening."

Jerome looked down with tears in his eyes and gulped.

"Can I give her one kiss on her cheek? Just to say goodbye?" He asked hoarsely.

Nathalie nodded.

He bent down and very gently pecked the newborn's cheeks, then straightened himself again and kissed the woman's left cheek.

"Thank you!" He whispered, still sounding husky.

Nathalie gulped and stared at him for a moment, then cupped his face with one hand.

"Thank you for coming around and trying to make amends. I am sure you'll find your way soon."

He bowed his head, then nodded towards Gabriel before turning around and leaving.

The new mother let out the breath she had been holding.

Gabriel laid an arm around her and hummed.

"Come, let's go inside. I can see that you're shaking."

Nathalie agreed and let him guide her and the baby up the stairs and into one of her beloved armchairs in the left corner of the atrium. There, she sat down and sighed deeply.

"Finally back home. I can't wait for the future and all the things that will come."

"I feel just the same, darling!" Gabriel replied happily and leaned in to kiss her.

THE END