AN : Chapter 3 ! Here we are ! It's a longer chapter this time hihi :)
Also, Catherine never had an affair with Richard.
Disclaimer : I own nothing.
Chapter 3:
Now that he had all he needed, the general directed himself towards the exit of the mall.
Just when he passed the automatic doors, he remembered that he still had to find an explanation as to why he hadn't received Catherine's letters and neither had she received his.
He walked a little bit down the street, thinking of what he could do in order to find a reason to this.
Finally, he decided to call on his old friend, the colonel Richard Delacroix. He was responsible for all the military postal service and surely, he would be able to tell him who was in charge of it at the camp he was staying in when he was still on mission abroad.
Henry sat on a nearby bench, took his Iphone and called Richard's private line. Unfortunately, he didn't pick up. Henry sighed but decided to call at his office, it was late in the afternoon but normally the colonel would still be at work at this hour.
After a few moments of waiting, Henry heard a female voice at the other end of the phone : "Military postal service, how may I be of help."
Probably the office's secretary. Thought Henry.
"Good afternoon, I wish to speak with the colonel Delacroix, please." He answered the lady.
"I'm sorry sir but the colonel said he was very busy and not to be disturbed. Maybe I can take a message, what is your name ?" Answered the woman.
"General Henry Valois." He answered and felt the woman becoming as liquid as water at the other end of the phone.
After a few seconds, the lady spoke again with great uneasiness, saying she was stressed was an understatement : "Hum… I believe the colonel is now available, general, my apologise."
"Of course he is." Answered Henry with a strict tone, he was accustomed, every time he said the word 'General', the military people became livid. He understood, he had been in the same case when he was younger and not yet at such a high military rank. They were in the army after all and the chain of command was a very important matter.
A few moments later, his call was transferred to Richard's private office.
"Henry ?" Said Richard.
"Yes, Richard, it's me." The two friends had long ago forgotten formalities between them, at least in private. They had been in the same promotion as they had engaged themselves into the army at the same time but Henry's career had been more flourishing than Richard's.
"What are you doing calling me on this line. My secretary nearly had a heart attack." He said laughing.
"I'm sorry for her, but you weren't answering your phone and I have an urgent matter to speak to you off." Answered Henry, feeling a little bad for the woman, but not too much.
"Yes, my cell phone battery is dead. What is it ? Is it that dire ?" Said Richard.
"Actually it's more of a personal matter than a military one. But to answer your question, yes, it's dire." Said the general.
"Oh I see, and how can I help you ?"
"Well, to clarify things, I precise that, as usual, I was in a war zone where all personal communications using satellite and internet were impossible. So, as always, I sent Catherine letters but, she didn't receive them and she sent me letters and I didn't get them either." Henry began to explain.
"I see, that is odd."
"Oh but it's not even the beginning of it. I hope you are sitting because when I returned today, I got a call from Ambroise Paré's clinic, telling me that my wife was currently giving birth. I now have a new born daughter. I swear to you I'm not joking." Henry continued, realising that his story was not so believable for someone who had not lived it.
The colonel was clearly shocked and made speechless during several seconds before he answered : "I believe you, Henry. It's not the kind of joke one makes but… that's a hell of a story."
"I couldn't say better." The general let a few moments pass before speaking again. "In fact, I'm calling you to find the reason why we didn't get each other's letters. You know Catherine's temper and can easily imagine her reaction upon seeing me since I not have answered a single one of her letters. Not that I could because as I told you I never received them."
"Yes, I imagine she was not very welcoming." Richard confirmed, stifling a laugh.
"To say the least." Henry chuckled while remembering his least than pleasant "talk" with his wife.
"I was hoping you knew the name of the person responsible of the postal service in the camp I was in. Because, you know, I've thought about it and I think you'll agree with me : One letter can be lost but not the dozens we have written to each other. The only reason I can find for the disappearance is sabotage." Suspected the general.
"Yes, it certainly is. I'll look into the files and call you back as soon as I find it. Oh ! And congratulations for your little girl and good luck with your wife, Henry." Richard answered gently.
"Thank you Richard, you are a true friend to me. Until later then." Said Henry.
"You too, Henry. Until later, my friend."
And the two man hung up the phone. Henry with a smile on his face. Maybe the situation was finally going to be better.
/-/-/-/-/
After hanging up the phone with Richard, Henry decided that it was best if he got his friend's answer as to who was responsible for the postal service before he went to see his wife and daughter. So, he waited more or less an hour. During this time, he went to buy himself an ice-cream and returned to sit on the bench, still with bouquet, teddy bear and jewel in hand. Until, finally, Richard called him back.
"Hey, I found the name of the person you're looking for." Came the colonel's words through the phone.
"Great ! Who is he ?" Said, Henry eager to find out.
"Well, actually, it's a she. Her name is Diane De Poitiers." Answered Richard.
Then there was a blank in the conversation. Now, Henry understood. Years ago, back when he was barely twenty, this Diane had wanted to date him and didn't take it well when he had chosen Catherine over her. Knowing her a little, he wouldn't be too surprised to learn that she was behind the missing letters. Now, he had to find a solution to get these letters back.
After telling Richard of his story with Diane, Henry asked : "I need to get back these letters, Richard. Do you think you could do something ?"
"Well, maybe I could ask another person - who's actually staying the camp you were in - to find out if your letters and your wife's are still kept and hidden in this camp's postal office." Proposed Richard with sympathy.
"You'd save me Richard. Thank you. And if your man happens to find them, before sending it back to France, tell him to take a picture of them and to send it to me, please. This way, I could try to convince Catherine that I am being honest." Said Henry, relieved that his long-time friend had maybe found a way to resolve the problem.
"Of course, Henry. Consider it done." Answered the colonel.
"Thank you, really." Said the general.
After saying goodbye they hung up the phone for the second time that day.
/-/-/-/-/
Henry took a taxi back to the hospital and was pleasantly surprised to receive the picture he needed from Richard so quickly. He was a true friend.
He opened his text message app and looked at the photo more closely. The letters were all there, clearly unopened. Henry sighed, maybe finally he was saved and Catherine would agree to look at him again. That was a good start to his plan to reconquer her.
/-/-/-/-/
A little while later, Henry arrived once again at the clinic parking lot. This time however, he was a little less hurried but as much stressed as the first time. Although, it was not for the same reason. He was no longer worried about his wife and baby girl's health but about Catherine's reaction to what he had to say.
Quietly he went into the elevator and pressed the button of the second floor. He went into the long corridor and stopped before the room 204 where his wife and baby were.
The door was slightly open and he could see his gorgeous wife smiling at the tiny baby in her arms. She was softly caressing the sleepy girl's soft cheek while muttering tenderly : "There there baby, now that you've had your milk, you're sleepy my love." And she kissed her daughter's forehead lightly.
That's the moment Henry chose to make his presence known.
He quietly entered the room with his all the items he had bought in his hands. He said nothing by fear of waking up their baby and incurring his wife's wrath more than he already had before. During the several minutes he stayed looking down at his little family, Catherine didn't even grace him with a look. This isn't going to be easy... thought Henry. How was he supposed to convince her if he couldn't even talk ? This was making things a lot more difficult for him, and truthfully... he didn't need that.
Until, miraculously, like his own guardian angel, the nurse re-entered the room. Henry stepped aside to let her pass and get closer to the bed.
Then the lady whispered with a smile : « I'm sorry to interrupt but the doctor said that he could advance to now, the appointment that was scheduled for tomorrow. »
Catherine nodded and handed over her princess to the nurse for her to take the baby to make final tests.
The nurse turned back towards the door and towards Henry with the little girl on her arms, when she saw him with all his bags, she smiled encouragingly and left.
Now, they were alone, now was the hour of truth.
« Catherine I... » Henry began but his wife cut him off dryly without even looking at him.
« I don't need your meaningless gifts. » Henry sighed, put the bags on the little bedside table, placed a chair near the hospital's bed, sat and decided to adopt another strategy.
« Catherine look at me. » She didn't move an inch.
« Catherine please. » Reluctantly she turned her cold, hard and disappointed look towards him.
Cold and hard, he was accustomed to but to see such deception in her beautiful eyes crushed his heart, he didn't think her ever saw her so disappointed in him. Even though this time, he had done nothing.
After a few seconds, he forced himself to continue : « I know I'm probably the last person you want to talk to right now... you don't need to speak, but I'm asking you to listen to what I have to say. » Henry watched her intently to see her reaction, when none came, he went on.
« First of all, I would like to apologize for everything I did to you over the years, I'm sorry for not being the husband you wanted or needed me to be. I'm sorry for not treating you the way I should have. I'm sorry not to be present as much as I want to due to my job. I'm sorry, Catherine, for everything.
You must also know that earlier, I spoke true... I love you still. All these years of estrangement and pretended hatred, have not diminished in the least the depth of my love for you. Forever to me you are the gorgeous, petite, Italian girl who was running along the turquoise-watered sea with her soft sun-colored curls flowing down her back and who stole my heart. The first time I saw you, I knew you were the one, my one and only and this has never changed. There was no one like you then, Caterina and now it's still true, you make other woman tame. You are the only one I think of in the day and the only one I dream of at night.
You are and always will be my everything Catherine, the only one I need.
I've never expressed how grateful I am to have you as the mother of our children, they couldn't have wished for a better one darling. » Henry took a breath after his very unusual and emotional speech. Catherine was stunned, her husband had apologized and said that he loved her. Nonetheless, one thing she knew was that Henry was nothing if not an excellent orator, it was part of his job after all. And, she couldn't afford to be swayed so easily by his expertly chosen words. He had just ignored her for nine months, time he had supposedly spent in the arms of Diane de Poitiers, the woman that he probably joined every time he went on mission - or at least that was what Catherine thought.
Seeing her lost in thought, he decided to attempt to lighten the mood before going to a more complicated topic : « And even though you said you hadn't found a name for our princess, I'm sure you've thought about it and even come up with a list of potential names. » While speaking he lowered his head to try to look in her eyes that were directed towards the mattress of the bed she was resting on.
Upon hearing his playful comment, Catherine smirked, he knew her all too well, then she lifted her eyes to meet his.
He smiled when he saw her smirk, he had succeeded to lift up the mood or at least for now...
« So, tell me. How should we name her ? » He tried his luck.
After a moment of hesitation, she answered « Search the bag in the corner of the room, there is a list of names inside. »
His smile never leaving his face he went to find the paper and returned to his seat.
When he read them all, he immediately was drawn to one he thought would compliment his delicate daughter. He lifted his head to look at his wife who was already watching him.
« Do you have a favourite ? » He asked. She nodded.
« I have one too. What about Margot ? »
Her eyes widened, it couldn't be possible, they never agreed on anything these days. When she finally found her voice back she softly uttered « That's the one I prefer too. »
His smile was even wider that before « Then it seems that we have found our little girl's name then. »
She smiled, thinking about her baby girl, her little Margot. « Yes, it seems as much. »
Henry let a few moments pass, pondering about his dainty and soft baby, how such a perfection could even be his ? He didn't know but with a wife such as he had, it wasn't surprising.
Unfortunately, not so long after his thoughts wandered back to the impending conversation he was to have with Catherine.
With all seriousness, he started « Catherine, I swear to you I didn't receive your letters. »
But that was all he could say before his wife raged again « No ! I don't believe you ! You have no right ! » she screamed, she had managed to stay calm during his not so sincere apology and love declaration but no more.
"Catherine-I…" That was all he could say before his wife interrupted him again.
"NO ! I won't let you convince me, don't even try ! You've done too much this time. I'll NEVER forgive you !"
Once again she hurt him more than anyone ever could with only her words. In that moment, he understood that no words would ever convince her of his innocence and genuineness. So, he decided to play his last card, the photo Richard's man sent to him earlier : the only proof he had for his innocence.
He got out his phone and searched on it until he found the envelopes' picture.
Sighing he handed her the phone : "Maybe this would convince you ?"
Catherine looked at the picture, speechless.
"I'm sure you recognise your letters hum ?" Still he got no answer.
"As you can see they are unopened, I never read them because they were never given to me. And, close to yours are my letters, unsent." He continued.
"Catherine" He took her hand in his to get her attention "Catherine, I never received your letters and neither did you get mine. We were framed. Someone wanted to destroy us by making us think neither of us gave a damn about each other. And… without our little miracle girl, we would maybe never have discovered it." He looked deeply in her eyes as he spoke.
Catherine tore her gaze away from his, still trying to process the situation, she had before her eyes the proof that her husband was not the selfish bastard she thought he was. It was true, her letters were not open, and thus, he couldn't have known she was pregnant.
When her eyes found back his, a whole different feeling could be read in her orbs – one that Henry could not quite place.
The next words she pronounced astonished him "I'm sorry Henry." Her hormones still playing tricks with her, a single tear escaped her eye.
Henry came to sit closer to her on the side of her bed. "No, no Catherine, It's alright." He wiped away her tear tenderly.
Staying silent for a few moments to regain her senses, Catherine asked the question that was burning her lips : "Who was responsible of the post office in your camp ?"
"Well, I contacted Richard and he was able to find out that it was Diane De Poitiers." He answered truthfully, a million miles away from imagining the reaction he would get from his wife when she heard that name.
Catherine's gaze turned dark with fury once more as she forced the words to pass her lips, spitting them out to him.
"Ha ! So your whore finally succeeded in doing what she wanted."
He was shocked "I beg your pardon ? My whore ? What do you mean ?"
The look she gave him froze him on spot as she spat warningly : " Do not toy with me Henry. I know everything."
This left him even more confused : "You know everything ?" He repeated her words. "What do you know exactly ?"
AN : I know, I know I'm cruel to leave you here. Sorry ;) But don't worry the next chapter will come soon. Tell me if you like this :)
I hope you are all well along with your families and friends.
Love you.
Laura D.
