Two weeks had passed. Christian was almost finished with his "masterpiece"
as he called it. Jocelyn wanted to read it desperately but he wouldn't
allow any other eyes on it until it would be published. Although Jocelyn
loved him very much he was still a pain in the neck sometimes. He would
stay up countless hours keying away, inspiration flooding his mind as
though there had been a drought that had dried up every memory.
Anticipation and excitement filled everyone as the long awaited story was
finally being written. The story of the time, the place, and the people.
But most of all the story of the greatest love of the nineteenth century.
The Moulin Rouge was thriving magnificently. The repairs had been fixed and the place glittered as it once did years ago. Crowds of men, young and old, poured into the seats and tables to watch the colorful dancers laid before their eyes and most of all to see the beautiful Sparkling Diamond. Everyone was happy, especially Zidler, who was beside himself seeing how well his business had picked up. He was even contemplating whether or not to revive "Spectacular Spectacular".
Meanwhile Jocelyn and Charlie never left each other's side. They met every day to do something different and explore Paris and met every night to eat dinner. And every so often after dinner, they would move from the fireplace and over to the luxurious bed where they would make love. Then they would sleep, holding onto one another. According to them life couldn't be any more perfect. They were in love and wanted to stay that way. But just as life was so perfect and so blissful a shadow would fall. And an unexpected surprise would be revealed.
Jocelyn sat on a chair and looked drearily out the window. Early this morning she had felt so sick. She could barely leave the bathroom and was so dizzy. The room would spin, forcing her to stay in bed. Around noon she was feeling better. She nibbled on some dry toast and her dizziness had been reduced but sometimes she felt a little unsteady. At least the room wouldn't spin anymore. Harold told her she was to stay in bed until she felt well again; he couldn't have his Diamond sick. More like he couldn't afford it. Jocelyn was confined to her dressing room. Marie would come and see if she needed anything or one of the dancers would come and see her but it would've been better if Charlie were there.
Duke Bateson had some business to attend to in London and insisted Charlie go with him. He wanted Charlie to get into the business so when the Duke retired Charlie would take over. Charlie tried to get out of it but it was useless. They left early Monday morning four days ago. Jocelyn was terrible lonely and hoped Charlie was missing her as well. She didn't know when they would return but she hoped it was soon.
It was a beautiful summer day. The white clouds would roll in the sky sometimes covering the golden sun but it would not be covered for long. Although the air was still it wasn't that humid. Jocelyn longed to be outside. She thought of things she would do on a day like this, things she could do with Charlie.
"Excuse me pumpkin." Harold's voice poked through her thoughts and brought Jocelyn to reality. He came through the door with a man behind him. He seemed a bit sadder today.
"Are you alright Harold?" she asked. "Of course my dear. May I introduce Dr. Jerrold," he gestured to the man behind him who took off his hat and put it on the doorknob. "I asked him to give you a check up, I want to make sure my little diamond is well."
Jocelyn looked at the doctor. He was short and pudgy with a round face and silver hair. He wore oval shaped glasses and carried a rather large worn, leather bag holding his medical tools and other gadgets.
"You don't mind do you?" Harold asked.
"Not at all," Jocelyn said. She tried to make her voice convincing but it sounded tired. She moved slowly from the chair and sat on the bed where the doctor set his bag.
"Okay then, I'll be waiting outside," Harold smiled and shut the door behind him.
"Now, what seems to be the problem Miss Jocelyn?" Dr. Jerrold asked, taking out a stethoscope.
"Well, this morning I was very sick, I couldn't hold anything down. I also felt so dizzy I could barely walk. But it went away by this afternoon and I ate some toast before but nothing major."
"I see and you just got sick only this morning?"
"Actually," Jocelyn hesitated and looked at the floor. "It's been like this every morning for the past two weeks. Although this morning it was worse than usual."
"Oh dear. Well let's take a look."
"But please," Jocelyn looked up and grabbed Dr. Jerrold's hand. "Please don't tell anyone. I didn't because I always felt better later in the morning. If Harold were to find out."
"You have my word," the doctor smiled.
Zidler and Marie waited outside the dressing room door. The doctor had been in there for almost an hour. Sometimes they would stand or sit or Zidler would pace back and forth then stop. They waited in silence until Harold couldn't wait any longer.
"He's been in there for forty-five minutes! What could possibly take that long?! I hope he knows what he's doing!!"
Marie sat wordless but rolled her eyes while Harold was ranting and complaining. As he got older he lost more patients as he lost his curly gray-red hair. She could tell him that these things take time but he wouldn't listen anyway. Harold began pacing again and mumbling to himself. Finally the door opened. Jocelyn ran out of the room sobbing, holding her robe tight around her.
"What happened?" Zidler asked the doctor.
"You better come in and sit down," Dr. Jerrold said, piling his tools back into his bag.
Jocelyn ran as fast as she could to get away from it all. Tears running down her cheeks sometimes blurring her vision. She couldn't get out and go home, everyone would know something was wrong, especially her father. That was a bad idea. She thought of a place where no one would look for her. She ran behind the stage and up the wooden steps, creaking with every step she took. No one would look for her in the attic.
The door would only open half way and Jocelyn slipped in sideways and shut it. There was lots of junk in the attic. Old props and costumes, broken tables and chairs. Dust was everywhere. It was dim in the room; the windows were boarded shut, which made it hard to see. Jocelyn bumped into something making a loud thud. She hoped no one below would hear. She stood to the side leaning against the wall and cried.
A door creaked. The tears became silent and Jocelyn quickly brushed them away. Someone was up here. She looked at the door she came in but that one was still shut and no one was there. Then she heard footsteps and a voice.
"Hello?"
It was Peter! Jocelyn stepped away from her hiding spot and saw him standing by another door across the room.
"Jocelyn?" he looked surprised to see her up here and in her robe and nightgown. She wanted to speak but wasn't sure what to say. She walked over to him.
"Watch out, there's a loose floor board over there," Peter grabbed her hand and helped her across into the door he came through. She was shaking. They were in his room. There was a small bed, a table with a candle on it, and a broken nightstand held up by some boxes. The room itself was tiny and dusty with a small round window letting some light in. Jocelyn sat on the bed as Peter shut the door and joined her.
"What's wrong?" he asked, breaking the silence.
"Oh Peter, I'm in trouble. I don't know what to do," her voice cracked a little.
"I'll help you, just tell me what's wrong."
"You can't help me."
"Well then tell me what's wrong, I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to."
Peter placed his hand over hers. "It's okay."
"It's not okay," she cried. She looked up, her eyes bloodshot. "I'm pregnant."
The Moulin Rouge was thriving magnificently. The repairs had been fixed and the place glittered as it once did years ago. Crowds of men, young and old, poured into the seats and tables to watch the colorful dancers laid before their eyes and most of all to see the beautiful Sparkling Diamond. Everyone was happy, especially Zidler, who was beside himself seeing how well his business had picked up. He was even contemplating whether or not to revive "Spectacular Spectacular".
Meanwhile Jocelyn and Charlie never left each other's side. They met every day to do something different and explore Paris and met every night to eat dinner. And every so often after dinner, they would move from the fireplace and over to the luxurious bed where they would make love. Then they would sleep, holding onto one another. According to them life couldn't be any more perfect. They were in love and wanted to stay that way. But just as life was so perfect and so blissful a shadow would fall. And an unexpected surprise would be revealed.
Jocelyn sat on a chair and looked drearily out the window. Early this morning she had felt so sick. She could barely leave the bathroom and was so dizzy. The room would spin, forcing her to stay in bed. Around noon she was feeling better. She nibbled on some dry toast and her dizziness had been reduced but sometimes she felt a little unsteady. At least the room wouldn't spin anymore. Harold told her she was to stay in bed until she felt well again; he couldn't have his Diamond sick. More like he couldn't afford it. Jocelyn was confined to her dressing room. Marie would come and see if she needed anything or one of the dancers would come and see her but it would've been better if Charlie were there.
Duke Bateson had some business to attend to in London and insisted Charlie go with him. He wanted Charlie to get into the business so when the Duke retired Charlie would take over. Charlie tried to get out of it but it was useless. They left early Monday morning four days ago. Jocelyn was terrible lonely and hoped Charlie was missing her as well. She didn't know when they would return but she hoped it was soon.
It was a beautiful summer day. The white clouds would roll in the sky sometimes covering the golden sun but it would not be covered for long. Although the air was still it wasn't that humid. Jocelyn longed to be outside. She thought of things she would do on a day like this, things she could do with Charlie.
"Excuse me pumpkin." Harold's voice poked through her thoughts and brought Jocelyn to reality. He came through the door with a man behind him. He seemed a bit sadder today.
"Are you alright Harold?" she asked. "Of course my dear. May I introduce Dr. Jerrold," he gestured to the man behind him who took off his hat and put it on the doorknob. "I asked him to give you a check up, I want to make sure my little diamond is well."
Jocelyn looked at the doctor. He was short and pudgy with a round face and silver hair. He wore oval shaped glasses and carried a rather large worn, leather bag holding his medical tools and other gadgets.
"You don't mind do you?" Harold asked.
"Not at all," Jocelyn said. She tried to make her voice convincing but it sounded tired. She moved slowly from the chair and sat on the bed where the doctor set his bag.
"Okay then, I'll be waiting outside," Harold smiled and shut the door behind him.
"Now, what seems to be the problem Miss Jocelyn?" Dr. Jerrold asked, taking out a stethoscope.
"Well, this morning I was very sick, I couldn't hold anything down. I also felt so dizzy I could barely walk. But it went away by this afternoon and I ate some toast before but nothing major."
"I see and you just got sick only this morning?"
"Actually," Jocelyn hesitated and looked at the floor. "It's been like this every morning for the past two weeks. Although this morning it was worse than usual."
"Oh dear. Well let's take a look."
"But please," Jocelyn looked up and grabbed Dr. Jerrold's hand. "Please don't tell anyone. I didn't because I always felt better later in the morning. If Harold were to find out."
"You have my word," the doctor smiled.
Zidler and Marie waited outside the dressing room door. The doctor had been in there for almost an hour. Sometimes they would stand or sit or Zidler would pace back and forth then stop. They waited in silence until Harold couldn't wait any longer.
"He's been in there for forty-five minutes! What could possibly take that long?! I hope he knows what he's doing!!"
Marie sat wordless but rolled her eyes while Harold was ranting and complaining. As he got older he lost more patients as he lost his curly gray-red hair. She could tell him that these things take time but he wouldn't listen anyway. Harold began pacing again and mumbling to himself. Finally the door opened. Jocelyn ran out of the room sobbing, holding her robe tight around her.
"What happened?" Zidler asked the doctor.
"You better come in and sit down," Dr. Jerrold said, piling his tools back into his bag.
Jocelyn ran as fast as she could to get away from it all. Tears running down her cheeks sometimes blurring her vision. She couldn't get out and go home, everyone would know something was wrong, especially her father. That was a bad idea. She thought of a place where no one would look for her. She ran behind the stage and up the wooden steps, creaking with every step she took. No one would look for her in the attic.
The door would only open half way and Jocelyn slipped in sideways and shut it. There was lots of junk in the attic. Old props and costumes, broken tables and chairs. Dust was everywhere. It was dim in the room; the windows were boarded shut, which made it hard to see. Jocelyn bumped into something making a loud thud. She hoped no one below would hear. She stood to the side leaning against the wall and cried.
A door creaked. The tears became silent and Jocelyn quickly brushed them away. Someone was up here. She looked at the door she came in but that one was still shut and no one was there. Then she heard footsteps and a voice.
"Hello?"
It was Peter! Jocelyn stepped away from her hiding spot and saw him standing by another door across the room.
"Jocelyn?" he looked surprised to see her up here and in her robe and nightgown. She wanted to speak but wasn't sure what to say. She walked over to him.
"Watch out, there's a loose floor board over there," Peter grabbed her hand and helped her across into the door he came through. She was shaking. They were in his room. There was a small bed, a table with a candle on it, and a broken nightstand held up by some boxes. The room itself was tiny and dusty with a small round window letting some light in. Jocelyn sat on the bed as Peter shut the door and joined her.
"What's wrong?" he asked, breaking the silence.
"Oh Peter, I'm in trouble. I don't know what to do," her voice cracked a little.
"I'll help you, just tell me what's wrong."
"You can't help me."
"Well then tell me what's wrong, I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to."
Peter placed his hand over hers. "It's okay."
"It's not okay," she cried. She looked up, her eyes bloodshot. "I'm pregnant."