203 (Final)
"My love, thank you so much for giving me this immense happiness. Our son is the result of the deep love we share," he says, softly kissing my lips.
"I'm so happy, Gérard. Our family is the most important thing to me. I hope to be a good mother."
"I'm sure we'll be good parents. I'll give my best to take care of and protect both of you. I love you, Julie."
"I love you too, honey."
"I need to step out for a bit; I'll be right back," my husband tells me, and then the phone rings.
"Friend, congratulations! The photos you sent me of my little nephew are so adorable." It's Chloé's face on a video call.
"You said you were coming back to France for Claude's birth," I reproach her, and she raises her hands in apology.
"I know, friend, but there were some complications," she sighs. "I promise I'll come back to France as soon as I can."
"I hope you keep that promise, Chloé Petit," I raise an eyebrow, and she laughs.
"I promise, my friend," she says solemnly, saluting me in a military style. "I'll let you go now; it's already night here in Canada, and I want to get some rest. Take care of yourself, and send a big hug to both of you."
"You take care too, friend, and I hope to see you soon," I say somewhat sadly before hanging up.
Suddenly, there's a knock at the door.
"Juliette, my love, are you ready? It's time to go home," Gérard tells me.
"Yes, dear, I was just on a video call with Chloé."
"I suppose she'll be back soon," he says, raising an eyebrow.
"I actually don't know. I'm a bit worried; I've noticed she's been acting strange lately," I say, furrowing my brow.
"Don't worry, I'm sure she's fine. Besides, Chloé is very smart. I don't think she'd let anyone intimidate her."
"I hope so," I sigh.
The ride home was very peaceful, and my little baby behaved very well. He didn't cry at all during the whole journey.
A couple of weeks passed, and we headed to the Durand mansion. Since Claude's birth, Grandpa Simon hadn't seen the baby and asked us to visit.
"Surprise!" everyone shouts.
"Is this a surprise party?"
"That's right, we hadn't celebrated the arrival of my little nephew yet. This moment couldn't go unnoticed."
"It's incredible to see the family gathered," I say happily. "Honey, did you know about this surprise?"
"I'm guilty. Sophie came up with the idea. I thought it would be a great opportunity for some family bonding."
"I loved it, thank you very much."
"Gérard, bring little Claude over; I'm dying to see him."
"Yes, Grandpa."
"Little Claude is growing so fast. He looks just like you, Gérard. The only difference is the eye color."
"They're honey-colored, like Julie's."
"Let's move to the table now; I've prepared my famous ratatouille."
"It's one of my favorite dishes, Mom."
"I know, Juliette. I hope you all enjoy the meal."
The food was delicious. My mom is an amazing cook, and I have so much to learn from her. I want to cook for my family from time to time, even though we have our own chef at home. Learning traditional French cooking wouldn't be a bad idea.
"You seem really happy, Sophie."
"Juliette, I have good news for you. I auditioned for a new movie and got a role."
"That's amazing news, Sophie," I move in to hug her. "Congratulations. I told you that with dedication and perseverance, you can achieve what you set your mind to."
"Thank you for all the support, Juliette. I'm not the lead, of course, but I'm still happy to start my journey in the acting world."
It was a great day, full of good moments and laughter. Seeing everyone happy warmed my heart.
"We're home; Grandpa Simon was very happy. I'm glad he's starting to enjoy his life. He always had such a heavy workload, on top of taking care of Vincent and me when we lost our parents," Gérard says thoughtfully.
"Speaking of Vincent, he was the only one not present at the family gathering," I say, puzzled.
"He's about to start filming a new movie. It's a big project, and the locations will be in Canada and parts of the United States."
"What? Are you telling me Vincent is in Canada?"
"Exactly, he left last night. He's already in Canada by now."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"These negotiations started a while back. I offered the project to Vincent, but he turned it down. Alphonse was set to take the role, but he suddenly decided to travel to Canada."
"That's odd."
"It struck me as odd too, but when I asked him, he just stayed quiet. My cousin is quite the mystery," says my husband, shrugging.
"On another note, Chloé hasn't been in touch with me. She only sends messages saying she's okay and busy with work."
"If you're that concerned about her, we can go visit her."
"Really?"
"Of course, sweetheart," he smiles. "I don't like seeing you distressed."
"You're the best husband!"
"The best and the most handsome husband, you mean," he says, and we both burst into laughter.
"I just need to sort out a few things with my work schedule. Give me some time; I promise I'll take you to Canada," he says, giving me a kiss.
"Thank you, dear, for always being by my side. I appreciate the effort you make to make me happy."
"I love you, my little Julie."
"I love you too, honey."
"Claude and Vittoria fell asleep. How about we enjoy the sunset for a while? Come on, sit by my side."
I am a fortunate woman. I stumbled upon true love by accident, but if I could go back in time, I wouldn't hesitate for a moment to relive the story.
No one has a perfect life. In marriage, there are always ups and downs, but when true love exists, no obstacle can destroy it.
I will savor every moment of my life with my husband and son. That's a promise.
The End.