ÊTRE À L'OUEST:

Literal meaning - 'be in the west'. This means a daydreamer; someone who is spaced out.

A few days past and Valerius went to collect the blood test which was needed to make sure that I was carrying our baby. Valerius hasn't left my side and even though he has been sorting his business out, he manages to spare time to come and check up on me.

For the past few days, I have been feeling very tired, which is one of the main symptoms of the early stages pregnancy, it has been quite difficult to explain to my parents why I have been feeling like this but Valerius and I decided we would let them know once the blood test reports arrive.

Despite the worrying thought about how my family and Valerius's family members will react, Valerius has been gentle than ever. Each day that I have spent with him makes me fall harder than before.

The tiresome days has made Valerius develop a temporary habit for now. When I have fallen asleep, he begins to pepper kisses on my stomach and says the sweetest thing to our little bean. Some of the sweet things are about me and others are about how he will do his best to be a great father but I know he will.

-

"Papa, I am going to visit Dante so I might be back late," Abella said while playing with the ends of her hair. Twisting and untwisting. It was a common habit that she did when she was nervous. Papa glared at her and Abella smiled forcefully and batted her eyelashes.

Papa's fists were clenched but as soon as Mama saw, she placed her delicate hand on his, instantly calming him down. "Be careful, chérie, " Papa sighed. Abella smiled widely in her chair and thanked him.

Dante hadn't made it into Papa's good books just yet. Papa wasn't a type of person to dwell on the past but he had his father duty to fulfil and with Dante's past of having women coming in and out of his life like money, Papa wasn't impressed but he bent his morals for the sake of Abella's happiness.

"Chérie, what did the blood test say, is everything ok?" Papa questioned. I looked up from the casserole in front of me and inhaled a deep and confident breath. "I have something to tell all of you?" Valerius intertwined his tatted fingers with mine and rubbed the pad of his thumb against my skin.

"Gosh, the suspense is killing me already," Abella said, scratching her head. "Abella, you are going down the right track for me to not letting you step out of this house and meet your loverboy." Papa said, narrowing his eyes and Abella brought her fingers up showing that she was zipping her mouth.

"Continue, Shira." Louis sighed, rubbing his eyes. Everyone's faces felt so intimidating for the first time and I could sense the thick cloud of fear. "First promise me, you won't be upset," I said as a caution before the whole mansion echoed with the roars of my dad's protecting nature.

Each and every one of them had promised and I felt slightly better, my confession began. "I am pregnant." It had come out like more of a question than a statement that had left unreadable reactions from everyone.

"Chérie, you are pregnant?" Papa raised his eyebrows in concern before he stood up and walked my way. Mama called out his name but Papa kept walking in my direction. I couldn't tell whether he was disappointed in me.

The only thing that I had seen was his eyes faltering. He only did that when he found out when the doctors told me at the age of twelve I couldn't bare children due to my uneven period cycles which led to me not ovulating as much as a normal woman should.

Valerius stood up causing his chair screeched. Hastily, he stood in front of me before Papa could make his way in front of me. "If you are angry, take it out on me not on Shira." Valerius sensed the fear that had turned me cold and rigid.

"Valerius, don't," I said, standing, trying to stop the situation from becoming something unstoppable. "Papa, stop." Louis said. rushing by his side, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Papa's face turned into a smile before he laughed. "Santis, you think I could ever be angry towards Shira? Or even, any of my daughters? Impossible." Papa placed a hand on Valerius's shoulder. "They mean the world to me. I can't believe I'm going to be a grand-père ." He announced before embracing Valerius into a tight hug.

Valerius turned his body, allowing me to meet my father. Papa smiled and hugged me so gently that the tension that had built up within me finally disappeared as it had never existed. "Chérie, I can't wait to meet your little one or little ones." Papa said, kissing my head.

Mama hugged me into a warm hug as tears streamed down her face. "I can't wait to see our little ange running around." Mama laughed before wiping the tears that began to stream down my face. "We are going to be grandparents." She cheered, hugging Papa.

"Papa, I find it unfair how you said you can't be upset with 'any of your daughters' but what about me, Ace and Alexandre?" Louis frowned, crossing his arms trying to look intimidating. "You have your Mama for that situation, she'll take your side." Papa deadpanned, which made Mama hit him playfully on the arm before he pulled her into an embrace.

"Now, the throwing up and the feeling tired makes sense,"Abella stated, her eyes began to swell with tears. "Aw, I'm going to be an aunt!" She sobbed but then open her eyes wide with shock and repeated what she said over and over again. "Oh no, no, no, I'm too young to be called an aunt. Uh uh, it is not calling me 'aunt' yet."

"Drama queen." Louis mumbled, before pushing Abella out the way. "I don't know where to start but I'm happy for the both of you. Valerius, you hurt or do anything to make my sister cry, I'm coming for your head and I'm not joking." Valerius nodded expressionlessly.

Louis wasn't the emotional type of person I'm the family but today was the first in many years that I have seen his blue eyes coated with a layer of his tears.

-

Hours go by and it was time for Valerius to leave but he wouldn't be going alone, I was coming with him. After having spoken to Ace and Alexandre on call since they were out on a business trip to France, Valerius made a proposition of me staying with him so he could take care of me and our baby.

Papa and Mama agreed and so did everyone else but only on a condition that they would come and visit as long as they would like. Which I knew would be every weekend.

Placing my remaining clothes in a suitcase, Valerius embraced me from behind and began to pepper his kisses along my neck. "You know, I'm going to

be very jealous of our baby." Valerius said, before releasing the most sexiest sigh ever.

"Why? What's there to be jealous?" I asked placing my hand over his, which were securely wrapped around my waist. "Well, you're going to be giving our baby all the attention and I'm not going to get any." I could feel him pout against my skin, which made me giggle.

"He's going to be taking what's mine," Valerius growled as his hand began to move under my jumper. "And I won't like that." He whispered, tamely biting my neck as his pad of his thumb drew circle on my nipple.

"Valerius, I need to speak with— what are you doing?" Papa walked in, frowning his brows in confusion. Valerius was quick to remove his hand when he heard his voice and picked up a random clothing item that was close to him.

"I am helping Shira pack." He said, holding the clothing item in his hand that he didn't even look at once. "Valerius, you do realise you are holding my panties." I whispered.

Valerius quickly placed my lace panties in the suitcase and gulped as my father stared daggers into his soul. "I need to speak with you. Meet me outside the house." Papa said before closing the door of my bedroom.

"Hey, it will be fine." I said trying to reassure him. "Easy for you to say." Valerius mumbled. I smiled and gave him a small peck on his lips before telling him to go.

Hello, my loves, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you did, let me know your thoughts. Anyways, as always, have a wonderful day or a good night's sleep.

I'll let you decide on this ;)