They arrived both a little late that morning. Inspector Brakenreid had not prevented from noticed. William had tried to hide his proud smile. It had been almost two weeks since Roland was gone, and the night before, for the first time in two weeks he had made love to his wife. Julia had proved seductive and enterprising, he understood the message. He had made love to her as seldom before, his wife seemed to be more passionate and tender than ever before. And God knows how Julia is passionate, thought William as he sat at his desk. But it was as if she felt everything with more sensitivity, strength, passion, the slightest movement he made. William wondered what had happened the night before, but he did not complain at all.
It was with a sigh of contentment that Julia began her work that morning. For two weeks, she was finally at peace again. She spent several minutes in her office to complete reports and classify records before we bring her a body. As was the case for some time, she asked Miss James for help. But the young woman had to admit that her teacher stood much further than usual from the body.
-Do you feel good Doctor? The young woman asked, frowning.
-Yes, Julia said placing her hand over her mouth to hold a start-heart, keep going Rebecca.
-Are you sure? For a few weeks now that you seem sick and ...
-Do not worry, tenderly cut Julia hiding her smile, it is quite normal.
Rebecca did not answer. She had seen the hand of Julia go on her belly. She realized in the second and her heart skipped a beat. She gave her a tender smile which Julia replied in the same way. Yet they did not speak, and they went back to work.
Dr. Ogden waited lunch with impatience and anxiety. William had to pick her up at the morgue and they had to go to the nearest park to enjoy one of the last still warm days of the season before the arrival of winter. Yet thinking back to the conversation she had had with her husband, her heart sank in her chest. She did not know if she was ready so soon after losing Roland to announce such news. Lost in thought, she jumped when George came to her side.
-Doctor Ogden, I'm sorry, Detective had to visit a suspect, he asked me to tell you he can not have lunch with you.
-Oh, Julia sighed, looking at him, I understand. But you did not go with him?
-Inspector Brakenreid did, do not worry, he is not alone. But it concerns a judge and I was not the most "qualified" man for this, George muttered with a grimace.
-Oh that's just the policy George, Julia replied smiling, William hates this, but he is forced.
George did not answer and just nodded. He looked at Julia attention leaned on her desk again. He noticed her disappointment she was trying to hide, but he also saw a long sigh escape her lips. George was not fooled, he saw that something was different about her friend, but he could not put my finger on.
-You know, he began shyly watching the tips of his shoes, I ... I do not like to have my lunch alone.
Julia looked at him again and continued.
-If you wish ...
It ended not his sentence and Julia smiled even more broadly. It was rare that she spent time with George, only to themselves, and she had to admit she enjoyed his company.
-Why not, she said, getting up, let's go to lunch together in the park.
He smiled and Julia walked to the coat rack to put her hat and jacket. George helped her pass and not even one, each carrying a small wicker basket in which was their meal, they left the morgue to get to the nearby park and sat on a bench in the sun.
They ate quietly for several minutes, talking about everything and nothing. Julia had listened carefully to the theories of George, he had the idea for his next novel and his working relationship with his colleagues and friends of the police station. They talked about more personal things also. Julia was sorry to learn that George had nobody in his life, he focused on his work, he remade his life with any woman. But the young man did not seem to care, he admitted that sometimes the loneliness weighed, but he accommodated. When they drew up their things to return to the police station many long minutes later, the young man finally took his courage to ask this question nagging the last few days.
-Can I ask you a question Doctor ? He asked timidly.
-Go ahead George.
-I ... I noticed that you were not good lately, you were tired, Miss James was very busy with bodies ... and you seem different. I know this does not concern me and that is private but ...
-I'm pregnant, Julia replied in a whisper, I ... I understood the next day when the family of Roland picked him at the police station.
-It's good news Madam, the Detective must be overjoyed.
-He does not know, Julia said plunging her gaze in that of the young man, I have not been able to say and it's not for lack of trying. I'm afraid to tell him George. I fear that this child is there to replace Roland and I do not want to. It's too early.
He spent a few seconds in total silence when George spoke again.
-I think it's not too early Doctor, this is a godsend and he will not replace Roland in anything and I'm sure you already love him with all your heart.
-Immensely, Julia replied, smiling shyly.
-You have nine months to get to know him and see that he will be different than Roland, this does not mean that you will forget him.
-I would rather say about seven months, Julia corrected, but you're right George, it's very different. William will be overjoyed.
-I am sure,George nodded smiling.
-Thank you.
He smiled again and went out the way of the police station in silence. George accompanied Julia to the morgue and once inside, protected from view, he asked permission to take her in his arms to congratulate her. They hugged for a while and it was with a huge smile on her lips and soothed Julia went back to work, waiting impatiently for the time to go home that night.
Julia entered after the nightfall. William was surprised to see that night, she had not wanted to wait him. It was then concentrated on the investigation and Julia had done the way hastily to the hotel to get everything ready to get her husband. She had sent for the meal for 8p.m, she had decorated the room with dozens of candles, she took a long, hot bath, not hesitating to put scented salts. She had wear an evening dress, but no corset, knowing how much her husband loved feel that she was not wearing when he took her in his arms. Julia make-up a bit and put the gramophone on the way. She poured herself a glass of wine and simply waited. When she heard William's key turn in the lock, she left the sofa and waited, standing in the center of the room, smiling. In the entry, William took off his hat and coat and went into the living room to see the staging carefully prepared by his wife. William gasped, staring with big eyes candles arranged in the bedroom and living room, ready meal on the table and his beautiful wife in the middle of the room, wearing that dress he loved.
-Good evening Detective,Julia murmured silkily, welcome home.
William did not answer, too messed up. Julia then approached a rolling gait and she put her hands on her husband's chest to caress and place a soft kiss on his lips. He did not resist, placing his hand on the back of Julia to bring against him.
-You do not wear corset, he whispered in her ear in a voice full of desire.
-I know you love know that there is only only one fabric between your fingers and my skin, Julia whispered in his ear.
He did not answer and he kissed her neck tenderly.
-You took a scented bath, he whispered before kissing her again at this so sensitive place, you have placed candles in the entire room, he continued stroking Julia curves, what do we celebrate?
-And I asked for your favorite meal, Julia replied softly losing foot by tightening her arms around William's neck without regard for the question, now tell me William, what would you do? Eating, dancing, or withdraw this dress?
He walked away from her just enough to catch her eye and smile tenderly.
-I love to see you in that dress so I'm going to enjoy this view a few minutes, what if we dance?
She nodded, smiling, and she moved away from William to put a disk and when the music rose in the air, he took her in his arms again to waltz into the room. They never took their eyes off, seeing all the love and the desire of the other eyes. When the music ended, they exchanged a long, languorous kiss before sitting down to table and eat quietly. William was dying to ask Julia why she had prepared all this a part of him did not want to know, he just wanted to enjoy the evening at fair value.
When the door closed behind the bellboy who carried the remains of meals, William approached his wife again to take her in his arms. She felt William's torso jam against her back and she closed her eyes, feeling the hands of her husband to rest on her hips and draw against him.
-I think it's time that I remove this dress, he growled in her ear.
-No ... not yet, sighed Julia who fought with all her might.
She moved away from him and she turned to face him. She leaned over to kiss him languorously and open his vest. She took it off, as his tie and when William showed himself a little more crowded again, she stopped.
-I must tell you about something William, tenderly whispered Julia.
He caught her eye and she took his hand to lead him to the sofa. He sat down and she walked away in the bedroom to look for something in her chest. She returned a few seconds later and she handed the package to William. He looked at her with incomprehension and she sat on the sofa beside him.
-Open it, she said simply.
William complied immediately, frowning when he saw two small slippers in canvas resting in the palm of his hand. He looked at her and saw the tears running down the cheeks of Julia.
-I could not separate myself from Roland slippers, she said in one breath, I did not know why, but today ... I know.
-Julia, what ...
He didn't ended the sentence not seeing Julia take his hands and put them on her belly.
-Roland showed us which parents we are, that we can love our children without any limits. I loved this child William, infinitely, but I like even more the one that grows in me at that moment. I did not think to love him more than I have felt for this little boy, and yet it is.
William did not answer, looking down Julia's stomach where he always had his hands. He felt the fingers of his wife dancing on his own and his heart skipped a beat. She simply waited for his reaction, in silence. When he looked up, she saw tears dance in his so sweet eyes. She then tenderly stroked the cheek of William.
-You are pregnant.
-Are you ready for this adventure?
-Oh yes Julia, William launched soon, I'm ready.
He leaned over to kiss her passionately. She immediately responded to the kiss, heart full of joy and pounding in her chest. It was only when they needed to catch their breath they parted and rested their foreheads against each other.
-A baby, murmured William, we're having a baby. We'll have to buy everything and ...
-I kept what we had for Roland, Julia tenderly cut, I put them in a basement of the hotel. But it will take gelongins for a newborn, I have to be pregnant for two months, we still have a little time to prepare everything.
-You knew?
-I thought so, Julia confessed, and even if I had not been pregnant, I could not bring myself to part with, I thought that one day perhaps, when the pain would have disappeared we could have talk. I did not know it was going to be early. But as someone has said, this child is a gift from heaven and that's not why we forget Roland.
-We will not forget him Julia, William replied, stroking his wife's lips, we're having a baby, repeated William gasped.
She smiled and kissed him again languidly. Then, slowly, the tension rose between them. They left the sofa, they went to the bedroom, William opened the robe of his wife. He took her in his arms again, he kissed her, caressed, touched and he lay down on their bed. The breath of Julia was already choppy when William, lying between her legs, tenderly stroking her forehead spoke on her lips, his eyes plunged into hers and his other hand just below the navel of his wife.
-I love you, he whispered softly.
-Me too William, I love you.
They smiled, they kissed and they made love, happy, serene, ready to start a new adventure together, and the little miracle growing inside her womb.
END