Chapter 13

Within a week Constance and her daughter were released from the hospital. They left with one task incomplete, however. Constance and d'Artagnan had not yet named their daughter.

Porthos and Aramis offered their assistance in this. Their efforts however were met with eye rolls, raised eyebrows and a few glares.

Sylvie, Anne and Elodie had come to the hospital the day they were released offering to give them a ride home. D'Artagnan didn't look anymore rested than Constance and they feared he might drop at any moment.

D'Artagnan carried their daughter in the baby carrier into their apartment following Constance in. Their friends followed close behind.

"Let's get her to her room," Constance said.

Sylvie sat down on the couch feeling nearly as exhausted as Constance and d'Artagnan. Anne had followed the couple into the nursery while Elodie went to the kitchen.

"What smells so good?"

Sylvie jerked startled by Constance's voice. She blinked a few times realizing she must have dozed off. She sighed leaning back against the cushions only to groan. "Bloody hell," she muttered.

"Sylvie, are you alright?" Constance was suddenly next to her sitting on the couch.

"I need to use the toilet," she said trying get back up.

"Oh," Elodie rushed over to Sylvie's other side with Anne close behind. "Would you like some help?"

"Please," Sylvie looked at the two women plaintively irritated by her need for help with something that used to be such a simple task.

Both women took an arm wrapping theirs under Sylvie's. She was pulled up to standing with their arms still around her until she was steady.

Sylvie went to the bathroom taking twice as long as usual, another thing she hated. When she came back out Anne was setting the table.

"Really Elodie, you didn't need to go to all this trouble," Constance said sitting down at the table next to d'Artagnan.

"Really it was no trouble," Elodie said placing the casserole she had fixed at the center of the table. "It's easy to reheat and there will be left overs. Trust me, you'll be glad you have it."

"Thank you Elodie," Constance leaned over hugging the woman.

"Yes, Elodie, thank you," d'Artagnan said. "I don't plan on cooking for a while."

Sylvie smiled at the couple as d'Artagnan looked at Constance as she leaned her head briefly against his shoulder.

"So, have you narrowed down a name yet?" Anne asked.

"We have a few ideas," d'Artagnan said.

"This one won't allow me to name our daughter after him," Constance pointed her thumb towards her husband.

"Charlotte is such a pretty name though," Elodie said.

"Yes, but Con wants to call her Charlie," he turned up his nose. This had everyone laughing. D'Artagnan hated being called Charlie.

"What about you and Athos, Sylvie?" d'Artagnan redirected the conversation rather quickly to everyone's amusement.

Sylvie swallowed her bite of food. "We've hardly had the opportunity to talk about it."

It was true, between both of their jobs it was difficult to find time or the energy to talk about it. The next weekend they agreed they needed to work on the nursery. And in a couple of weeks Sylvie would be taking her maternity leave.

Eventually the conversation led in other directions and before long Constance was feeding her daughter again and Sylvie was using the bathroom again. And soon after that the ladies decided it was time for them to leave.

They hugged and said their goodbyes. Sylvie was dropped off first by Elodie who was driving.

Sylvie was in a hurry to get into her apartment needing the toilet again. She didn't remember her bladder ever feeling so full. In her hurry she the keys slipped out of her hand falling to the floor at her feet, which she hadn't seen in weeks.

She cursed pounding on the door. She was certain Athos was home, but then anything could have happened at work to change that. She was nearly panicked as she wasn't sure if any of their neighbors were home and she hadn't met but one or two of them.

But then a miracle happened and her apartment door opened. Athos stood inside looking at her confused and maybe a little worried. She really couldn't care at that moment as she dropped her bag on the floor of the entrance to the apartment and brushed past Athos making it just in time to the toilet.

"Sylvie, are you alright?" Athos asked through the bathroom door.

She shook her head as she put herself back together and washed her hands. She opened the bathroom door and leaned against the door frame. "Just needed to pee for the thousandth time today."

Athos stood holding Sylvie's keys in one hand and her bag hanging off the other making an 'oh' shape with his mouth.

Sylvie huffed, but gave her fiancée a kiss anyway. "Give me a foot massage and I'll be even better."

The corners of Athos' mouth lifted ever so slightly. Transferring the keys to his other hand, he took hold of Sylvie's giving it a light kiss. "As you wish."

TBC