Seeing Red

Part 16

They returned from the doctor when Adrien was still outside in the pool. Nathalie, after being on her feet for too long, the examination and all the excitement and the overload of emotions, let herself drop backwards into an armchair and groaned.

"This was by far too exhausting. I need a break urgently."

Gabriel watched her with concern.

"Why don't you already lie down? I can bring you your lunch, and then I can join you and we can cuddle and look at the pictures. I can tell that you truly need that rest."

But Nathalie shook her head.

"I want to wait until Adrien comes in for lunch. I can't wait to tell him about everything we found out today. Especially..." She took a deep breath and wiped her tears away. "I was so overwhelmed when the doctor showed us the screen. Seeing..." Her words were interrupted by her sobs.

Gabriel quickly sat down on the armrest and pulled her to his chest.

"Shush, my love. I can't stand to see you crying all of the time. Come, just let me hold you. I love you so much, Nath. You and our..."

At this very second the door swung open and Adrien barged into the dining room, exclaiming in an instant.

"Mum! I'm so glad that you're home already. How are you feeling? How's the baby? Could you see it? Can I see a picture?"

The couple laughed over his enthusiasm. Then they noticed the girl who had followed him with a bit of a distance and was now standing in the doorframe, glancing at them shyly.

"Calm down, Adrien!" Gabriel tried to soothe him. "Marinette. You can come in, it's okay. Are you hungry? Both of you? Because I've ordered a couple of special things to celebrate. Come, sit. We were just about to look at the pictures again. Here, see. There's one baby and there's the second."

The teenagers gasped.

"You're having twins?" Adrien blurted out.

Nathalie, who had instantly begun to cry again, nodded.

"Wow!" Marinette gushed out. "That's incredible. Are you happy? Or rather scared? I've heard that more than one baby can be very, well, I don't want to call it difficult. But I also don't want to say dangerous. I..."

Gabriel laid a hand onto her shoulder.

"It's okay, Marinette. We know what you meant. And you're right. We're incredibly happy but also scared like shit."

The girl grinned sheepishly as she looked at the pictures, feeling very uncomfortable yet at the same time very special that 'the' Gabriel Agreste was treating her like family already.

Adrien looked at them and asked.

"But how are you feeling, mum? And are the babies healthy?"

"They are, honey." Nathalie, who had eventually calmed down, told him. "And I am fine too. Just very exhausted after everything. So maybe the two of you could help your father set the table for lunch? That would be great. In the meantime, I can try to calm down and recover my legs a little bit. If, uhm, if one of you could accompany me to the toilet first, because I urgently need to go there, and I don't feel very capable of walking at the very moment."

Gabriel was instantly on his feet and held out his hands for her.

"Come, let me help you. Can you make it there, if I support you or would you like your crutches? Or even the support?" He pried.

Nathalie gave him a tender smile.

"I'd be fine with your arm to hold on to.Thank you, darling!"

While they were walking towards the bathroom, Marinette pulled Adrien with her into the kitchen to get plates and cutlery so they could do as the assistant had asked them.