Chapter 9
Kagami sat in the lunchroom of the animal shelter, that belonged to her and Adrien's parents eating the remains from last night, while she had her smartphone in her hand, which had a message from her husband.
„So far it's going good so far. I'm using again that advice Yumi from our former university time. You know the one, where we should immediately skip a question if we can't figure out the solution promptly. I feel like I'm going through safer, than last time. Or perhaps the amount of time I spent studying for it plays a role as well,"
Kagami shove the spork into her mouth with the risotto, then tapped down on the smartphone a message to send it to her husband followed by a kiss emoji.
„That's great, Adri. Use this lunch break to catch fresh air and eat peacefully. So you're fit for the rest of the afternoon. Perhaps some yoga or meditation could help you? You're going to make it!"
Kagami placed down her smartphone to scoop another bit from her Tupperware, then watched Adrien respond with an emoji, seconds later above Adrien's message appeared a message coming from the group chat of her old class from the Françoise Dupont school. Kagami opened the message to see it was an image, that was sent by Sabrina Raincomprix and it showed an ultrasound image of her baby bump.
„I was able to hear my little joy's heartbeat for the very first time. I have never felt so much emotion than I did today,"
Kagami smiled at Sabrina's comment, then watched Rose Lavillant getting active and typing down her comment.
„Yay!" Responded Rose followed by many emojis showing a fangirling icon.
„I agree with you, Sabrina. That one first day at the ultrasound exam is one of the best moments," Added Kagami watching Myléne joining the chat as well.
„If you get the chance to have the father by side as I had Ivan, it's just marvelous," Myléne added with a smile and a heart emoji.
Kagami smiled enchanted at Myléne's comment, then noticed Sabrina send another message.
„Delmar was here with me as well. He asked two weeks ago at the work if he could accompany him as well. His boss as well had a child last year, so he's very comprehensive,"
Kagami observed the chatting app notice on the top banner, that two of the users in the group were typing a new message and Kagami left the chat and noticed a foreign number had sent the Japanese woman a message. Kagami opened it to see the icon, that showed a woman standing beside a tent along with a younger boy, which seemed to be her child. Kagami opened the message and saw, that the woman had taken a screenshot from Adrien Agreste's post on his Facestargram about the five puppies he and Kagami had to take care of for a while.
„Good day, I work at the air rescue center at the military airport. I have seen this post and I'd like to adopt one. We're always looking for new recruits for the canine unit. Is there a chance?"
Kagami pressed on the accept button to allow the foreign message, then typed down a message to reply back to the woman.
„Good day! At the moment, you're the first person interested. Is there a chance for you to show up today between the 6 and 9?" Questioned Kagami sending the message, then read up the woman was the last time online about an hour ago. Kagami lied the phone down, then grabbed her serviette to clean her lips.
„She will see the message," Told Kagami herself, then shove her spork into the Tupperware to continue eating.
At the apartment of the Couffaines Juleka sat around the dinner table along with Rose, Luka, Eireen, and Rouven having lunch together. The family had as their meal honey-flavored chicken filets with rice and bell pepper slices.
„We will both open again at two o'clock along with the rest of the team. It's easier for all of us to come and leave at the same time," Mentioned Rose. „So Juleka and I have time to get Eireen home and the other one can prepare the lunch,"
„Does Jean and Marc need to go home earlier as well?" Questioned Luka curious making Rose shrug her shoulders.
„I don't know about Marc, but I know Jean appreciates the early leave at lunch from work to get the chance to make a reservation at the retirement home to eat along with his mother,"
„His mother is in the same retirement home as Nathaniel's grandfather," Mentioned Juleka making Rose nod. „The difference is, that Nathaniel's father is still fit for his age and Jean's mother isn't it anymore,"
„About Nathaniel, has anyone of you seen Lila since she left the hospital?" Questioned Luka making Rose gasp at the question.
„Right, I totally forgot to visit them," Commented Rose covering her face from having forgotten about it. „You've seen her already?"
„Yesterday Marinette and I accompanied Nathaniel and her home," Mentioned Luka making Rose nod. „So far, she hasn't remembered anything about us,"
„Do you think it is a good idea to pass by her home?" Questioned Juleka making Rose shrug her shoulders.
„I would like to see her. It is okay if she doesn't remember anything about me," Spoke Rose making Luka nod.
„She didn't remember us as well, but as Nathaniel was told by the medic she will remember with the time, who we are," Commented Luka making Juleka move her hand up with the fork after she had took a piece of meat into her mouth.
„Rose, I've got an idea. You've got that friendship book of yours and there are plenty images of you or me with Lila," Mentioned Juleka. „What do you think?"
„That's a great idea Juleka," Confessed Rose earning a smile from the girlfriend. „After work, I will go look for it, then we can see if they're home at that time,"
„Alright," Commented Juleka watching her older brother pick up the juice bottle to fill his glass, afterward the woman held up her cup towards the brother, which refilled the sister's glace with a smile. „Merci,"
„I'm done," Commented Rouven putting his cutlery down and Luka glimpsed above the table to see the boy had left the bell pepper on the side.
„Rouven, what about the bell pepper?" Questioned Luka looking at the boy, which was getting ready to stand up.
„I don't really like them," Commented Rouven.
„Have you already tried them out?" Questioned the father making Rouven shrug his shoulders. „Come on, rockstar. They're not so bad,"
„They're good, Rouven. Also, you only got five stripes, that's nothing," Mentioned Eireen making Rose nod.
„If you eat all the vegetables off your plate you will receive along with Eireen a yogurt pudding," Motivated the blonde girl, making Rouven shrug.
„It's caramel," Added Juleka making Rouven sigh, then grabbed his fork to pick up a bunch of bell peppers to shove into his mouth. „Careful, Rouven," Warned the aunt, making Rose giggle.
„Very well," Stated Rose, then heard on the commode in the living room vibrate. „I've mentioned before, that Sabrina sent an ultrasound image of her baby, right?"
„Yeah Rose you did," Commented Luka cleaning his mouth with a serviette. „Remember Christopher from my old class? On my way to work, I've encountered him in front of the hospital and he told me his wife went into labor,"
„Aww, another baby is coming," Cheered Rose enchanted with the news. „You've heard anything about it now?"
„Not yet," Pointed Luka out.
„I'm finished!" Mumbled Rouven making Luka grin at his son, then looked at his sister, which nodded.
„I'll get it after all are done," Stated Juleka making Luka nod.
Adrien sat on the stairs along with a few exam takers, all using their smartphones. Adrien was surfing through the social network passing by several posted images by friends he followed all over the place. Adrien stopped by an image of his childhood friend Chloé Bourgeois, who was on vacation with her half-sister. Both women had taken a selfie together down in front of the Christ statue in Rio de Janeiro. Adrien laughed at the caption, then pressed like on the image and moved along the images and stopped by one image, which was published by a car brand, that had newly sponsored Wayhem to be in an ad for them. Wayhem stood in front of the front headlight of the car, with his left leg up in the air touching the bodywork and his arms were crossed as he glimpsed into the fourth wall with a serious look. Adrien pressed on the like button after seeing that image, then continued to scroll down the page and spotted an image of one of the men he had met during the fencing championship, Parker Larsson from Sweden. Adrien noticed the man held in his arms a wrapped up newborn making Adrien smile, then he pressed above the image under the caption, which was written in another language and Adrien figured out the man had already turned a father about days ago, only now the image had been published. Adrien gave the image a Kudo, then wished his friend the best before he would continue to surf the internet.
Afterward, Adrien's smartphone began to ring and he saw the display lightening up his best friend's name on it. Adrien smiled from seeing Nino's name on it, then attended the video call.
„Yo dude, how're the exams going?" Asked the Moroccan man making Adrien smile.
„It's going fine so far, thank you. How's your day?"
„The usual day at the work, you know. Sometimes the days are alike, sometimes they change. Some of us are excited to know about the upcoming TV show this Sunday night with the masked prominent. This is the only new thing here,"
„Being part of the show would have been lit, I had received that other time an invitation, but I had to refuse it because of my studies,"
„Maybe you'll get the shot again another time. You saw Marc Anciel was there along with Aurore Boreal and Mayor Bourgeois," Mentioned Nino.
„Yes I remember," Said Adrien. „We haven't seen each other in a while, how's Chantal and Alya doing?"
„They're fine. We're handling our parental role just as well as the last year. You know we both had Chris, Ella, and Etta before when we were teens, so we basically learned from them and are using it today,"
„I had Hope a little during our last part of the school and professional education. What added difficulty to us, was that both Kagami and I had Elliot during our time at the university. This year I have noticed, I have not been able to spend as much time as I would love to with Elliot. I'm sure now after today it's going to be better. I have made him a promise to spend the rest of the day together with him. What I noticed I haven't done yet is for the other days,"
„You haven't been often with him?" Questioned Nino with a curious tune.
„Yeah I have noticed it before and even Kagami commented it. I have to see later on, that we do more often things together. I had spent the entire vacation studying, while Elliot was with anyone else but me,"
„That sure was dumb. But good thing you noticed and you want to fix it. Just imagine you'd turn out like your father after your mother's disappearance,"
„That's one of the things I definitely promised to not let happen. And I'm almost letting it happen,"
„Chill, my brother. Just clear your mind and think with foresight. What is something cool, you could do with Elliot on a Sunday afternoon? Questioned Nino making Adrien think about it.
„Many parents do often hang out with their offsprings out on the weekends when they're off the work?" Commented Adrien. „Now Elliot is a bit older for us to do more than just walking him around or pushing the swing,"
„You didn't really do a lot with your boy before?"
„Most of the things I've done with him was at our home," Mentioned Adrien.
„Oh right, you've got plenty of great toys at the backyard,"
„Yes, look I will have to return in the next ten minutes, I have to visit the restroom before and all, so I can start the last part of the afternoon. Thanks for the call. It was good talking to you,"
„No problem, dude. Refresh your mind a little before you return to the exams. You can do it!" Cheered Nino making Adrien smile, then he waved at his friend, which mirrored him, and turned the videocall off.