"Meg? Where is she? Meg!" Antoinette cried hysterically as she entered her daughter's house with Christine and Raoul. Meg's driver had fetched her after they retrieved a doctor.
"Madame please...you can't go in there..." One of the maids replied but Annie wasn't having it and pushed past her into the bedroom. To her surprise, she found not Meg's husband, but the young Reynolds boy sitting beside her bed holding her limp hand as she slept. If she wasn't mistaken, he looked as worried as any soon to be father.
"Where is Andrew?" She asked the boy who shrugged.
"God only knows...most likely giving some dumb girl a roll in the hay." He said bitterly. She looked at him a moment, before settling on the other side of Meg as her eyes began to flutter open.
"Maman?" She whispered, clutching at her mother's hand.
"I'm here Meg..." She said softly as Meg turned her head to see Brett.
"My baby...is my baby alright?" She asked in fear and he nodded, patting her cheek.
"Your baby is fine..." He said softly, brushing a blonde tendril from her eyes. She put both of her hands to her middle.
"He's not moving...why is he not moving?" She asked, looking now to her mother. Annie wiped her daughter's clammy face with a wet rag.
"Babies need to rest too love." She said softly as she saw her daughter's hand jerk from the movement of the child within.
Brett's eyes even widened.
"Your hand...it moved!" He said and Meg nodded.
"Would you like to feel?" She asked and he looked at her in surprise.
"I...yes. I would." He said, allowing her to guide his hand to her stomach as the baby made another twitch.
"I'll be damned!" He cried, pulling his hand back as Antoinette raised her eyebrow at him.
"Language boy!" She scolded, though amused and yet saddened that this boy was more interested in the child than its own father.
"The doctor said you will be fine if you rest much and don't go walking through town by yourself. He also suggested having someone spend the days with you while Andrew is at work." Brett told her as Madame Giry nodded.
"Christine and I will take care of that." She said softly. "Your husband will also need to make more of an effort Marguerite." She said and Meg nodded.
"I know..." She replied, not able to look at Brett. "Thank you, Brett for helping me." She said, remembering their fight and conversation. He patted her hand.
"Please, don't be angry at me...I'm so sorry for my behavior. It was highly inappropriate." He said kissing her hand.
"Well, isn't this a pretty picture." Andrew's sarcastic voice dripped from the doorway. Brett practically leapt from his seat. "Why are you in my house Reynolds?" He asked Brett, who sighed.
"Perhaps because someone needs to take care of your wife." He said and left the room before Andrew had any chance to reply.
"He's right you know." Antoinette chimed in. "You are seldom home...Meg nearly lost your child today because of the stress she's felt." She said her words dripping with ice. He looked at her, anger burning behind the dark blue of his eyes.
"You almost lost the child?" He asked his wife, who nodded. He sighed. "I'm sorry." He said softly, but Meg wasn't moved.
"No, you aren't." She said quietly as her mother sat sullenly and defiantly next to the bed.
"Angel had the baby today." Roxana said to Christine after she'd told her about the whole fiasco with Meg.
"Oh? And?" She asked as Roxana sighed.
"A little girl. Blonde hair and blue eyes. Trevor is smitten. At least that's what Rachelle reports." She said as Jamie came into the room with a drawing he'd scribbled with the paper and pencil Erik had given him to play with.
"Mama look!" He cried. He'd begun to speak in sentences like a normal three year old. "I draw for you!" He said and thrust the paper proudly into her waiting hands. She smiled fondly as she looked at the drawing. It was nothing but a few scribbles, but he was so proud of it. Kissing his forehead, she laughed.
"It's beautiful love...thank you!"
After he'd disappeared into the other room with Erik and Raoul again, Christine smiled.
"So how are things?" She asked and Roxana nodded.
"They are...well." She said, unsure of how to answer. She was still working on admitting she loved her husband, though he had no problem showing her he did. It was hard because some days she would wake up ready to tell Erik she loved him and then she would see Justin's face. She did however make sure to kiss him every morning both on the lips and the marred cheek. They continued to make love nightly and his bedroom had been abandoned as they prepared for Christmas. Life had been rather nice with no interruption from Andrew, but she knew that was not to last as his parents were holding a Christmas ball at their estate.
"Anyhow...I've gone over and over it in my mind and I don't have a clue." Raoul was saying as he and Erik re-entered the room.
"A clue about what?" Christine asked, moving to wrap her arms around Raoul's waist.
"Why my wife is so nosy..." He said, kissing her forehead. She looked at Roxana and they both knew the men were hiding something but decided to pester them later. As much as Christine loved the both of the men standing there, they were both stubborn males. Jokingly, Erik pushed Roxana and she pushed him back. This was what she liked about them, they could joke around and laugh. Justin had been that way too. James crawled onto her lap.
"Mama?" He said and she kissed his hair.
"Mmm?"
"Brother." He said and she looked at him, confused.
"What?" She asked, making sure she'd heard right. He pointed to himself.
"Me have brother?" He asked and Roxana looked at Erik and Raoul.
"Alright, what bull have you been feeding him?" She asked and they shrugged, but Raoul gasped.
"He must of heard me saying that Lisette Champoux's son Cary was all excited about her having a boy and getting a brother. Renaud was going on about it earlier today when he stopped by my office."
"Ah, thank God." Roxana replied, tickling the child. Christine snickered. Jamie was persistant, however.
"Me have brother?" He asked again and she sighed.
"No James…not…right now." She said and he looked at Erik.
"Please?"
"What about a sister?" Christine chimed in and Roxana smacked her arm.
"No." She said, looking at Erik. By the looks of it, he agreed with her. Not now. Not yet. Maybe not ever. He nodded and she breathed a sigh of relief. Luckily, James was three and forgot easily.
"Well, we should get going…" Raoul said, ushering Christine toward the door. "Tomorrow is Alana and Garrett's rehearsal dinner." He said and Erik groaned.
"Ah yes…I'm looking forward to seeing which of them climbs all over me at the wedding." He said dryly.
"Probably Izzy." Raoul teased as Erik scowled at him.
"Would you get the hell out already?" He asked and Raoul chuckled.
"I planned on it!" He retorted and shut the door behind him as he and Christine left.
"Ugh, finally!" Erik said as they left, sitting beside Roxana on the couch and leaning over to kiss her neck quickly.
"Erik…" She warned, nodding toward James and he laughed.
"Relax Roxy…I am not going to make love to you in front of your son. We have all night after he goes to bed for that." She pushed him off of her and touched his lip.
"You are evil…" She said and he shrugged.
"Your point?" He asked, as she settled her head onto his shoulder.
"Erik?" She asked.
"What?"
"What were you and Raoul talking about?" She asked and he sighed, knowing that this question had been coming. Still, he wasn't going to lie to her.
"Raoul thinks that Andrew had Justin killed." He said flat out and she sat up.
"He said that?" She asked as he nodded.
"I believe him." He replied and she nodded.
"So do I. I have always thought that." She said darkening. "That bloody bastard…" She said, and he put his hands on her shoulders.
"Roxana…we are going to get the truth. Andrew will get his. I swear." She nodded and let him kiss her lips. "I do love you Roxana." He said and she nodded.
"I…" She began, wanting so badly to say it, but she stopped, noticing the chain around his neck now only had her wedding band on it and his. "I know Erik…I know." She said.