Chapter 5: The Excitement

Esmeralda smiled, breathing a sigh of relaxation. The bubbly water surrounding her felt like a warm blanket, providing a welcome distraction from the aches she'd been feeling. It was made even better by the sensation of her husband's chest against her back, and his arms around her waist.

Her smile grew when he kissed her cheek.

"I hope I've made you feel better since yesterday." Claude said regretfully.

"Much better." Esmeralda assured. "But I wasn't really mad at you. You know that, right?"

"I made you feel hurt." Claude acknowledged. "Which is even worse, and at this time of all times..."

He didn't claim to quite understand how Esmeralda felt, since the experience of being pregnant was one he was incapable of knowing. But Claude wasn't sheltered from the fact that bringing a child into one's life was difficult, especially if you were the one to carry and give birth to that child. He could only imagine what it would be like to be in such a vulnerable position and be made to feel like you were not supported, and by your baby's other parent of all people.

"The timing was what made it hurt." Esmeralda reminded. "And you didn't know that. You were just concerned, and for good reasons..."

She frowned at the thought of those reasons. Claude had certainly been right to worry about the implications of starting a family right now. Esmeralda knew she would be needing him, and he would be hard-pressed to make himself available.

Claude tightened his arms around her.

"I'm sorry I made you worry." He apologized. "We will make this work. It won't be easy, but I will be here for you."

Esmeralda managed to smile again.

"Of course you will." She agreed.

"And most importantly," Claude said with a new smile. "we are going to be a very happy family."

He kissed Esmeralda's temple. Her smile widened with the thought of what was to come. She had her dream of being happily married and in love, and now that dream would be complete with a baby to love.

Joyfully, she turned her head toward Claude's and kissed his lips. He kissed her back eagerly.

A few minutes later, they were wrapping themselves in towels. It was still morning, so they had to decide what to do with the rest of the day.

"What would you like to do today?" Claude asked.

"Are you sure you don't need to work at all?" Esmeralda questioned.

Claude had already decided to put his meetings on hold and spend a day with her, but Esmeralda didn't want to be the reason that he didn't complete his work.

"Like I said before," Claude insisted. "I want to spend the whole day with you. I won't have this happy time be taken up by work."

Although he had pressing matters to attend to, Claude had no intention of dealing with any of it today. He refused to think about those corrupt judges or how difficult it would be to become a father while working on this project. Instead he wanted to put a pause on that stress, if only for a day, and enjoy this happy moment with Esmeralda.

"Well, I suppose it would be nice to visit Quasimodo." Esmeralda suggested. "We can tell him the good news!"

"Of course!" Claude agreed. "And I assume you'll want to tell Clopin next?"

"Definitely!"

Quasimodo was instantly excited when he heard the news. He'd already been hopefully anticipating a new sibling, so the confirmation that a baby was expected was very joyfully received. Claude and Esmeralda had a hard time leaving because of how many questions they were asked, but they didn't mind that. They were glad that Quasimodo was so happy for them and so interested in their plans for the baby. Claude was especially glad to see it, since he'd previously had some concern that having a child of his own would cause his adopted son to feel less loved. Not having to worry about that was quite a relief.

Clopin took the news just as happily. In fact, there was probably nothing he would have liked to hear more. Clopin loved children, so he was thrilled that he would soon be an uncle. Perhaps a little too thrilled. Esmeralda had to ask him not to run around telling everyone so that she wouldn't be crowded.

Nevertheless, Esmeralda and Claude went home in a good mood that evening. Visiting Quasimodo and Clopin had given them a much needed reminder that their baby would grow up in a loving environment. That made them look forward to telling their other friends soon, but there was no rush to do that. Right now they wanted alone time together.

They had it that night with the company of The Canterbury Tales, taking turns reading the book aloud. As always, Claude read the last part so Esmeralda could dreamily listen with her head resting on his shoulder. She loved the sound of his voice, especially when he was reading. He always read so elegantly, making the story captivating.

Claude put his arm around Esmeralda after he finally closed the book.

"Did you have a good day?" He asked.

Esmeralda lifted her head off his shoulder and nodded.

"I'm glad you were here." She shared.

Claude smiled. Regardless of what he would have to do tomorrow, he was very glad to have taken this day off.

They were sitting on the bed, so Claude pulled a blanket over the two of them for warmth. Almost automatically, Esmeralda climbed over her husband so she was sitting on his lap, putting her arms around him and kissing him. Claude gratefully returned the affection. When the kiss broke, he let out a chuckle.

"I'm completely in love with you." He commented.

"Really?" Esmeralda asked sarcastically, a playful smirk crossing her lips.

"Quite." Claude insisted, sharing the same smirk.

He truly was happy to be married to this woman, and to be having a child with her. This was a life he couldn't imagine with anyone else. Claude doubted that anyone else would have taken the time to get to know him like Esmeralda had, finding ways past the many barriers around his heart. There was something quite special about her. She was a wonderful wife, and she would be a wonderful mother.

"I haven't said it enough," Claude observed. "But I'm so eager for us to be parents."

Esmeralda smiled widely

After yesterday's incident, she was more than relieved to see Claude happy about starting a family. She was willing to talk about this all night if he was interested. Finally, the happy time they'd been waiting for.

"What do you think it will be like?" Esmeralda asked.

Claude chuckled.

"Well," he started. "I can picture a little Esmeralda running around, causing chaos."

Esmeralda laughed.

"That's how you imagine our child?" She asked. "A little me?"

"I do enjoy you." Claude reminded. "I'd be delighted if our child reminded me of you."

"Why not a little Claude?" Esmeralda asked. "I want to be reminded of you too."

Claude frowned.

"I can't say I'd want our child to be too much like me."

Esmeralda looked at him worriedly. Was this Claude's old self hatred again? Was he again looking at himself with judgment because of his past?

"Why not?"

Claude smiled weakly.

"I suppose I wasn't clear. I wouldn't mind at all if our child took after me as I am now. It's my own childhood that I wouldn't want to see repeated. I was rather an unhappy child..."

He didn't need to explain. Esmeralda knew about the lack of love that Claude had grown up with. She knew that his childhood had not been a happy one. Of course Claude wouldn't want his own child to be the kind of child he had been, one who hadn't smiled much.

Esmeralda wondered if that was Claude's entire image of his younger self. Had there ever been a time when he hadn't been so unhappy?

"Do you remember what you were like before then?" Esmeralda asked. "Before..."

She stopped, not wanting to end the sentence with something too specific. It was obvious enough what she meant. Before the trauma. The abuse. All the things that kept the young Claude Frollo from feeling happy like a child should.

Claude looked lost in thought. He frowned.

"I don't remember." He replied. "In fact, I don't think I can remember a time when it wasn't so... dark."

Claude looked shocked at the realization. Of course he knew that his upbringing had been terrible, but this was an extent of it that he hadn't really considered. His parents had always been cruel to him, so much that he could not remember a time before their mistreatment had made his life so painful.

Esmeralda looked devastated by the sight of Claude's realization.

"Claude-" She started, clearly about to apologize.

"No." Claude interrupted.

He managed a smile.

"It's alright." He assured. "After everything we've been through, you are the last person who should feel bad for asking me questions."

"I just like seeing you happy." Esmeralda explained. "I don't want to put you in the wrong mood."

"You didn't." Claude insisted. "Life is wonderful. A little thought of the past will not change that."

To Esmeralda, few things were quite as nice as knowing that she made Claude happy. After multiple painful decades, his life finally was wonderful, and she was much of the reason for that.

She smiled back at him.

Claude caressed her back, and his other hand rested over her belly. It was much too soon for her pregnancy to be visible, but knowing what was to come was plenty of cause for excitement.

"The best part hasn't even come yet." Claude remarked.

Esmeralda happily leaned against him, and they held each other close.

Thanks for your patience! The next chapter will most likely be a little while, but hopefully not as long as I took for this one. I appreciate you sticking around while I work on this story!

By the way, I've been thinking of adding to my author's notes at the end of The Fire That Made Him. There was one part of my original notes that I didn't include: my writing process. I originally wrote quite a bit about what inspired me to write that story and why I chose certain plot points, but in the end I didn't publish that part because I felt it was an unnecessary chunk of text that most people wouldn't care to read. And maybe I was right. But if anyone would happen to be interested in my writing process, let me know and I'll be happy to share it!