That was the last address on their list – yet Marinette was afraid of this one the most. She heard her heart beating in her ears, her breath quickened. Adrien squeezed her hand as a signal of supporting her and smiled.
"You can do it…"
"I'm so scared…"
"Why? They're your friends."
"Juleka is Luka's sister. She'll be mad…"
"You don't know it. And I'm sure she'll understand. Come on! We don't have time. Remember that we have to buy an engagement gift…"
Marinette lowered her head and followed Adrien unenthusiastically. Since this morning they had already visited most of their friends. They'd started at Mylène and Ivan's. Then they visited Nathaniel and Marc, who lived nearby. It wasn't surprising that Alix was their next-door-neighbour. Yet, Max as her roommate was a little unexpected. Marinette had an impression that he wasn't just a roommate… She tried to recall any hints that those two had ever been interested in each other, but didn't remember anything like that. They asked about Kim and Ondine, so Alix told them that they were always busy with swimming tournaments. Before Adrien and Marinette left the apartment, Max received a message from Kim who just visited Paris between sport competitions. After a few minutes Kim and Ondine joined them and accepted the invitation for the evening. Actually, all of friends agreed to come for the engagement party, even Sabrina. Although she made sure first that Chloe wouldn't be there… Marinette smiled evasively trying not to admit that miss Bourgeois was the only one that wasn't invited at all.
Now, only Juleka and Rose left on the list.
Marinette sighed and ranged the doorbell. Soon after that a tiny blonde appeared at the door. She squeaked with excitement when she saw them.
"Oh, God! Marinette! I haven't seen you for ages! And you, Adrien, even longer! Where have you been hiding?! What's up? Oh, God! You're together now?" Rose couldn't help asking, before she even invited them in.
"Is Juleka there?" Marinette asked looking around.
Rose seemed to be a bit embarrassed. That was obvious that her girlfriend had hidden in the other room when she'd got known who visited them.
"I'm sure she'll join us soon…" Rose whispered. "Do you want anything to drink? What brings you here by the way? Not that I'm not happy seeing you here! Of course I'm happy! We haven't seen each other for so long… Something happened that you've come so unexpectedly?"
"We wanted to invite you for an engagement party…"
"Oh! You're getting married?! Wonderful!"
Rose's exclamation made her partner leave the bedroom finally. Juleka was too curious and too astonished to hide anymore. She wanted to hear why Marinette had moved on so quickly after breaking up with Luka.
"Hi, Mar…" she muttered uncomfortable.
"Hey, Jules… Uhm…"
"I'm so sorry for my stupid brother…"
"Oh, don't be… Uhm… It's not necessary…"
"He's a complete jerk…"
"Don't say that. He used to be okay for the most of time."
"He behaved like a pig and you defend him?"
"Oh, you're so big-hearted!" Rose exclaimed in an awe. "You've forgiven him. That's so noble of you! And now you're with Adrien!"
"It will kill Luka. For sure…" Juleka muttered.
"Don't tell him, please…" Marinette whispered, suddenly realising that she wouldn't stand Luka's face when he'd say: 'I told you so!'
"I'm sure he'll feel relief. That you're not broken-hearted anymore!" Rose admitted enthusiastically.
"Or it will kill him…" Juleka knew better. "At least… We can tell you…" she added after a moment. "I was afraid how you'd react, but… If you're with Adrien now…"
"What happened?"
"I'm going to be an aunt…"
"Wh-What?!" Marinette stuttered in shock.
"My brother's made a baby with Chloe…"
"Jules!" Rose snorted. " Don't be gross! I think it's so romantic!"
"Yeah, right! I'm more than sure that discovering the fact that contraceptives fail sometimes wasn't romantic at all" Juleka noted. "I bet that it was commented with a long list of curses. I'm not sure only who cursed more: my brother or my future sister-in-law."
"Oh…" escaped from Marinette. "So they're getting married?"
"Well, the mayor Bourgeois didn't leave any choice to my brother… Luka wasn't happy, of course, but he's finally accepted the fact he'll settle down. In my opinion he'd prefer someone else to be his bride…" Juleka stopped, embarrassed.
"Please, relay my best wishes…" Marinette said carefully after a moment.
"Sure…"
They all became silent for a long, awkward while.
"There is a bright side of this situation…" Juleka said suddenly. "My brother remembered that he has a family. You know, he used to forget about my birthdays for a couple of years. Now, he calls me twice a week. Or even more often…"
"And Jules has fun every single time…" Rose added in an amused tone.
"Because he's whining all the time about Chloe's complaining on everything. That she'll get fat or earn some stretch marks, or ruin her complexion. That's so funny!"
"I hope Chloe will be a better mom than her own mother." Marinette murmured.
"Don't worry about that. My mom has already a plan to take over Chloe after the wedding." Juleka explained with satisfaction. "She'll never let anyone hurt her grandchild. Oh, man… I wish I could see that! My sister-in-law who barely touches anything because it's dirty or not golden enough… Luka will turn grey. He deserved it!"
"Maybe Chloe will change for better?" Adrien wondered. "Maybe she'll be a great mom? Maybe she'll discover she's a good person?"
Juleka glanced at him doubtful but said nothing. She remembered that Adrien used to be Chloe's friend and he'd always justified her bullying at school by reminding that Chloe's mother had left her…
"Let's hope so…" Marinette agreed.
"And they will get away with cheating?!" Juleka asked outraged. "What moral comes from that story? That you can be unfaithful, break someone's heart and live happily ever after?!"
"I'm not saying they will live happily ever after…" Marinette replied calmly. "They have to figure out how to live with the consequences. For some years they will remember that they've got married because they had to. If they want to be happy, they have to realise that they're together because they love each other. That their child only advanced the course of events. It may happen that during their arguments Chloe will reproach Luka with an apartment not luxurious enough or staying at home with the child when he's on tour. Or Luka will argue that he had to settle down against his will… Or it also may happen that they both will lose their heads for their child and discover they're made for each other. Time will tell…"
"You're so smart and forgiving!" Rose exclaimed.
"And naïve…" Juleka added.
"Just wonderful…" Adrien whispered in Marinette's ear, and she smiled in response.
"So, when is your wedding?" Rose asked.
"Oh, it's not our engagement party!" Marinette laughed.
"Maybe next time…" Adrien replied at the same moment, and his girlfriend glanced at him in amazement.
"I guess it'll be quite soon…" Juleka muttered.
"It's Alya and Nino who engaged." Marinette explained. "We want to organise a surprise for them, so we invite all classmates for tonight."
"Even…?"
"No. Chloe isn't on that list." Marinette cut in a serious tone.
"That's good. I'm trying to like her, but I prefer her in small doses…"
Suddenly Juleka's phone began calling. She glanced at the screen and commented:
"Talking of the devil…" she reached for the smartphone. "What's up?" she asked her interlocutor. Judging from her face expression, Luka began complaining of his fiancé. "Before you go too far, let me share some news with you. You won't believe who's visited us today!"
Marinette tried to protest wordlessly to avoid revealing her presence, but Juleka ignored those signs and informed her brother with satisfaction:
"Marinette!"
Hearing her name, the girl felt as if her heart stopped for a moment. Her anxiety arose when she noticed her friend stopped talking and only listened to Luka. After a while of nodding and muttering Juleka finally looked at her friend and said:
"Uhm… Okay… Mari?" she handed her the phone.
Adrien had an impression that his world had just been ruined. He was afraid that after all they'd learnt here, all Luka needed to do to win Marinette back was to apologise. She'd forgive him, they'd get back together. Maybe they'd even raise Luka's child together, because Chloe wouldn't be a single mom…
"Uhm… Hello?" Marinette began in uncertain tone.
Silence.
"Is that you? Really?" Luka asked quietly.
"Yes."
"I… I'm so sorry, Mari…"
She didn't expect that those words would bring her such a relief. She smiled and looked at Adrien, as if he was her support, her baseline that enabled her to navigate her life properly again.
"Thank you." She replied calmly. "I want you to know that I've forgiven you. And I wish you to be happy, Luka…"
