Chapter 109 An Impossible Craving

Chapter 109 An Impossible Craving

​Moonlight streamed through the slightly ajar curtains. The silver light fell directly upon the pillow where Agatha lay. Her stomach had felt incredibly tight all night. The three lives within seemed to be jostling for space just to stretch their legs. Agatha tilted her body to the right, but the sense of breathlessness did not subside.
​"Mmh," Agatha groaned softly.
​Xavier, who was sleeping beside her, woke instantly. He propped his back against the headboard. His hand moved automatically to stroke Agatha’s back. "Are you in pain? Should I call Pierre?"
​Agatha shook her head. She gazed at her husband’s face under the faint glow of the night lamp. "I am not in pain. I just want something."
​"Just say it. I will have the chef prepare it now," Xavier replied. He was already prepared to get out of bed.
​"I do not want the chef’s food," Agatha interrupted quickly. She gripped the hem of Xavier’s shirt. "I want to eat the young mangoes from the tree near the back gate. But I want you to climb it yourself."
​Xavier paused for a moment. He furrowed his brow. "The mangoes by the back gate? That is an old, very tall tree, Agatha. Why not just ask a guard to get them?"
​"You just said to just tell you. Now you are protesting so much," Agatha grumbled. She turned her body away from Xavier.
​"It is not that, dear. It is two in the morning. It is pitch black out there," Xavier explained.
​"I want those mangoes. And I want you to eat them with me under the tree. Now," Agatha said in a tone that left no room for argument.
​Xavier let out a long sigh. He rubbed his face for a second before standing up. "Fine. Wait here. I will get a jacket for you."
​Ten minutes later, they were in the vast backyard area. The night air bit deep into the bone. Xavier carried a large flashlight. He shone the light toward the mango tree that loomed high near the concrete fence.
​"Ugh, my stomach feels so heavy," Agatha complained as they reached the base of the tree.
​"Sit on this garden chair. Do not move around too much," Xavier said. He set the flashlight on the ground.
​Thud!
​Xavier kicked the tree trunk gently to ensure there were no wild animals there. He began to climb with movements that were a bit stiff since he had not done it in a long time. Agatha watched from below with sparkling eyes. She felt a strange satisfaction seeing her husband, who was usually pristine in a suit, now struggling with tree branches.
​"Did you get them?" Agatha asked.
​"Be patient, Agatha. The branches are very slippery from the dew," Xavier called out from the darkness of the boughs.
​Not long after, Xavier climbed down with three small mangoes in his hand. He brushed the dust off his trousers. "Here. Satisfied?"
​Agatha took one of the mangoes. She bit into it immediately without peeling it. A sharp, sour taste exploded in her mouth. "Ahh, so delicious. Do you want some?"
​Xavier looked at the mango with horror. "No, thank you. My stomach will have problems if I eat that this early in the morning."
​"You must eat. This is an order from your children," Agatha said as she offered the mango she had already bitten.
​Xavier was forced to bite the tip of the fruit. His face immediately contorted. "Akh! This is so sour, Sayang! How can you enjoy this?"
​Agatha only let out a small laugh. The laugh sounded very sincere in the middle of the silent night.
​The next morning, the atmosphere in the dining room of the Volskey residence was busy again. Frans and Melynda were already seated there. Frans appeared to be telling a funny story until Melynda tapped his arm repeatedly.
​"Morning, future mother of the little army!" Frans exclaimed when he saw Agatha enter.
​"Morning, Frans. Morning, Mother," Agatha greeted. She sat in her chair slowly.
​"How was your sleep? Xavier did not snore, did he?" Frans asked with a smirk toward Xavier, who looked weary.
​Xavier pulled out the chair beside Agatha. "She asked me to climb a mango tree at two o'clock this morning."
​Frans’s laughter broke out instantly. "Hahaha! Really? Wow, Xavier, that is just the beginning. Wait until she asks you to find snow in the middle of summer."
​"Do not scare him, Frans," Melynda scolded. She looked at Agatha tenderly. "What do you want for breakfast today, dear?"
​Agatha looked at the plates on the table. Her eyes fell on a plate of warm croissants and chocolate jam. "I want to eat warm white rice. But I want the side dish to be canned sardines cooked with plenty of chilies."
​Melynda frowned. "Sardines? We have a five star chef here, Agatha. He can make you lobster or steak."
​"I want sardines. And I want Frans to cook it," Agatha said while looking at Frans seriously.
​Frans immediately choked on his coffee. "Uhuk! Me? Cooking? Agatha, my cooking is not good at all."
​"You said you were great at everything when we were at Valois," Agatha teased.
​"That was construction business, not stomach business!" Frans protested.
​"Come on, Frans. Just this once. I really want to taste it," Agatha pleaded with a pitiful face.
​Frans turned toward Melynda and Xavier, looking for support. However, they only nodded. "Cook it, Frans. It is rare for Agatha to ask for your help."
​Frans stood up with slumped shoulders. "Fine, fine. For the sake of my three little niblings. Xavier, you have to help me find where the pans are."
​"Find them yourself," Xavier replied shortly.
​Half an hour later, the sharp aroma of chili and fish filled the dining room. Frans emerged from the kitchen with a white apron tied crookedly. His hands carried a plate of rice with sardines that looked very red.
​"Here it is. The most dangerous piece of art of this century," Frans said as he placed the plate in front of Agatha.
​Agatha inhaled the scent. "Mmh, this is it. Thank you, Frans."
​"Do not blame me if you have a stomachache later," Frans muttered as he took off the apron.
​Cardios entered the dining room with steady steps. He sat in the main chair without a word. His eyes saw the plate in front of Agatha, then shifted to Frans’s sweat covered face.
​"What are you doing, Frans?" Cardios asked coldly.
​"Cooking a request for your, uh, granddaughter, Don," Frans answered nervously.
​Cardios did not respond further. He watched Agatha eating heartily. "Agatha."
​Agatha looked up. "Yes, Grandfather?"
​"When you finish eating, meet me in the library. There is something I want to show you regarding the key Xavier gave you last night," Cardios said.
​The dining table atmosphere that was previously full of laughter suddenly fell silent. Xavier looked at his grandfather with a questioning gaze, but Cardios had already returned his focus to the newspaper in his hand. Agatha felt her heart beat faster. She felt the pocket of her dress, ensuring the gold key was still there.
​"Why does it have to be now, Grandfather?" Xavier asked.
​"The time is right. The sun is starting to rise," Cardios answered without looking up.
​Agatha finished her last bite hurriedly. She felt that something big was waiting for her behind those library doors. Something that might change her life and the lives of her three babies forever.
​She stood up and followed Cardios’s steps as he began walking toward the left wing of the building. Xavier wanted to follow, but his steps stopped when Cardios raised his hand.
​"Only Agatha," Cardios stated firmly.
​Agatha looked back at Xavier for a moment. Xavier gave a small, reassuring nod. Agatha took a deep breath and stepped into the library, which was musty with the scent of old paper. Cardios closed the large door with a heavy thud.
​Thud!
​The room became very silent. Cardios walked toward a large bookshelf in the corner of the room. He slid several thick books until the sound of a mechanical engine turning behind the wall was heard. Click, click, click.
​A secret door opened, revealing a spiral staircase leading underground. Cardios pointed toward the stairs with his cane.
​"Use your key on the door at the very bottom. I will wait for you here," Cardios said. His voice sounded very serious, there was even a slight tremor there.
​Agatha stepped down carefully. The stairs were quite narrow for her pregnant body. She reached a large steel door with a uniquely shaped keyhole. She inserted her gold key and turned it.
​Click!