Chapter 48 - Breakfast

I dreamt that I was pregnant with a baby boy. In the dream, I seemed happy and felt fulfilled as a mother. I woke up with that tight feeling because it wasn't real; I didn't have a child. In the dream, even though everything was blurry, I could see the child growing. Try as I might, I couldn't remember who he looked like, nor were Axel, Dorian, or Carbon in the dream. There was no sign of EVE either. What did that mean? Would I be alone?

As I got out of bed, I heard a noise. Who could it be? Had they broken into my house? My head was confused, lost in the thoughts of the dream. I didn't think I'd be as upset as I was at that moment. Still awake, I walked over to see where the noise was coming from. "Ah, Dorian," I said, finally realizing what the noise was about. "Are you making pancakes? When did you get here?" I asked, confused but happy to know that I wouldn't have to cook.

"Good morning, Amelie," he said, as he approached me. "I arrived at night, but you were already asleep," Dorian said, as he gave me a quick kiss.

The fragrance of freshly brewed coffee floated through the air, mixing with the sweet aroma of pancakes. It was one of those comforting smells that filled the house, creating a cozy, familiar atmosphere. Dorian was there, with his morning cooking skills and his presence always bringing a sense of calm to hectic moments. He always liked to cook, although I had the feeling that he only did it in my apartment.

As my bare feet touched the cold kitchen floor, I felt a shiver run down my spine. I was still trying to untangle the threads of a dream from reality. The dream of pregnancy seemed so vivid and tangible that its absence left a disconcerting void inside me. I guess I did want a child after all.

"Thanks for taking care of breakfast," I mumbled, trying to clear the clouds of confusion hanging over my mind. "I really need a cup of that coffee right now. I had a confusing dream," I said. I had no interest in hiding it from Dorian.

Dorian smiled, his brown eyes reflecting the soft light that flooded the kitchen. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, as he served me the pancakes he had made.

I shook my head, trying to dispel the shadows of the dream that still danced in my mind. "It was just a strange dream," I mumbled, trying to sound carefree. But the words echoed hollowly, unable to dispel the feeling of unease that had settled in my chest. "I dreamt that I had a baby boy, and I watched him grow up," I said.

Dorian studied me for a moment, his eyes searching mine for answers I didn't have myself. "Well, if you need to talk about it, I'll be here," he said softly, before turning his attention to the stack of golden pancakes on the frying pan.

As I sat at the table, watching him work with the dexterity of an artist, I noticed the silence that hung over us. It was a comfortable silence, laden with unspoken meanings, a silent communication taking place between us.

"I woke up sad that it wasn't real," I said, breaking the stillness that enveloped us. Curiosity danced in my words, a silent desire to understand the reasons behind his unexpected arrival. "I was alone," I said.

Dorian smiled, flipping the pancakes in the air with impressive skill. "It seems that your subconscious doesn't know who the father is either," he admitted, his voice laden with disarming sincerity. "I don't blame you. Anyway, Amelie, I hope it's me. I really do," he said. I felt a flash of empathy echo inside me, an echo of my own longings for peace and tranquility.

"I'm glad to hear that. I wish the others shared the same opinion," I murmured, my voice a soft whisper in the air. "It would be much easier if we weren't considering two options."

"I'm sure everything will work out, Amelie. In any case, it's your life and your body. The whole decision is yours, and it's nobody's business. I think you can consider yourself pregnant now," Dorian told me. My eyes lit up when I heard that from him. We really could be a happy family, just as I had fantasized.

As we savored the hot pancakes and steaming coffee, the world seemed to slow down around us. And, for a moment, the shadows of the dream disappeared. As breakfast drew to a close, a sense of serenity enveloped the kitchen, dispelling the worries that had clouded my mind since I woke up. Dorian collected the dishes with a calm gentleness, his movements flowing with a harmony that seemed to infect the very atmosphere.

"Thank you for that," I murmured, feeling the gratitude pouring out of me. "I really needed this breakfast and your company. I think I've always needed you, but I didn't know how to say it," I said, almost declaring myself.

There was a soft gleam in Dorian's eyes, his radiant expression reflecting the gratification emanating from within. "I'll be here whenever you require me. I don't know the right time to say things, but I see myself marrying you," he replied, his voice laden with a silent promise. I smiled and agreed with him. Furthermore, I wanted to. I really did.

As I watched him clear away the dishes with serene calm, a feeling of gratitude flooded my heart. "It's funny how life can surprise us," I murmured, the words slipping out softly between us. "I never imagined we'd be here, having this conversation, sharing this moment."

Dorian raised his eyes, his gaze meeting mine in a gesture of silent communion. "Life is full of twists and turns, Amelie," he said, his soft voice carrying a tone of reflection. "A few years ago, we didn't imagine that someone like EVE would emerge. I also thought you'd be interested in someone else, and I'd be left in the lurch, waiting for some love to come my way. Look where we are now," he said, moving closer.

His words echoed inside me, resonating in a deep, intimate place. It was strange how Dorian seemed to understand my thoughts even before I put them into words. It was as if he could unlock the hidden secrets of my soul, illuminating the dark corners with his reassuring presence. I think I have fallen in love with the right person.

"Sometimes I feel as if we're sailing in uncharted waters," I confessed, letting slip the words that had rested in my heart for so long. "But somehow, when I'm by your side, everything seems clearer and more certain, but I have to admit that I'm afraid of making the wrong decisions. It always seems to happen," I said, letting off steam.

A soft smile curled Dorian's lips, his expression radiating a tenderness that enveloped me like a warm hug. "I feel the same way, Amelie," he replied, his words tinged with a touching sincerity. "In fact, I feel as if almost all my choices were wrong, except for being by your side and having a child with you," he said, holding my hand.

The silence that followed was filled with the soft echo of our hearts beating in unison, a gentle melody that echoed through the space between us. It was as if we were sharing something sacred, something that transcended words and gestures, something that only hearts could understand.

"I don't know what the future holds for us, Amelie," Dorian said, his voice a soft whisper in the air. "But I do know that I want to be by your side, facing every challenge, celebrating every victory, and building a future together. I hope we can solve all our problems."

His eyes met mine in a gesture of silent promise—a promise of love and devotion that seemed to echo through time and space. With a smile, I squeezed his hand even tighter.

The warmth of the morning filtered through the ajar curtains, painting the room in golden hues and flooding it with a sense of tranquility. Sitting on the sofa, I watched the shadows dance softly on the walls, lost in thoughts that seemed to spin in circles inside my mind. Dorian was next to me.

"Have you thought about what to do about EVE?" Dorian asked suddenly. "If all goes well, how will things be when you're with the oscillations?" he asked. I hadn't thought about that yet. It was quite important.

I thought for a moment, my dark eyes reflecting the seriousness. "EVE is unpredictable," I said, my soft voice echoing in the silence. "It's going to be a problem dealing with her since she doesn't want the child. Honestly, I don't think she's the type to change her mind when the child is born. It's going to be complicated dealing with her, especially with a newborn."

"Still no way of getting rid of her?" Dorian asked. I always knew that he and EVE didn't get along. I wondered if I would get along with her if we were completely individual people. Whenever I thought about it, I realized that I wouldn't even know her. I didn't like her very much either, but I'd learned to live with her, so it was natural to be absent. "That didn't sound very good," he said, trying to get his words back.

"If you said something like that around Axel, it would be an issue," I said. "Anyway, I'd like to have my normal life back, but I think the fact that EVE has managed to build a whole life for herself makes me so sick that I can hardly think about eliminating her," I said, letting off steam. In my head, it sounded like murder.

"Even if it's for the protection of your son?" he asked me. Anyone else would have thought it was out of spite, but I knew Dorian well enough to know that it wasn't just about their dislike of each other. I knew he was really worried about what would follow after his son was born.

"I don't know, Dorian. Besides, I have no idea how I'd get rid of it since I can't even control when it appears. In any case, I'm sure he must share the same opinion. At the very least, I need to make sure that, if there is a way, I have to find out before she does," I said. Now, that was a risk.

Dorian looked at me seriously, his eyes searching mine for a connection. "It looks like we're going to have a lot of work ahead of us," he said, his voice laden with determination. "I can promise you that I won't let anything bad happen to you, Amelie. I hope Axel won't either." The weight of Dorian's words hung in the air, carrying a promise of courage and solidarity that left me breathless. It was comforting to know that he was by my side, even when the world around us was collapsing into chaos.

"I trust you, Dorian," I murmured, my words laden with a gratitude that overflowed from within me. "But I'm afraid of whose side Axel will be on if things get even more serious."

A soft smile curled Dorian's lips, his gaze reflecting the depth of our shared bond. "I'll take care of it, Amelie," he said, his soft voice echoing in the space between us. "If he tries anything, or chooses EVE, I promise I'll sort it out. You were here first, and you're the one who's going to stay," he said.

With those words, I wrapped myself in a warm, cozy embrace. Dorian seemed really determined. I was happy that he didn't just want to have the child because I did, but also of his own free will. It was decided that we would have that child, no matter who it came from.