Paris Woven With Dreams

s she stared at the pregnancy test on the coffee table. Two pin

h fear. A child, the family she and Olivier had dreamed of in Abi

ier's coldness turned into the warmth she'd once known. But his words from last night "stay home, no little explores" echoed in her mind, a

Cocody's warmth against Paris's sterile elegance. She moved to the kitchen, brewing coffee, the scent a small com

You're up early," he said, his tone clipped. He glanced at the coffee.

, I need to tell you something." Her voice

ughed, a sharp bitter sound that made her flinch. "Pregnant? Now?" He ran a hand through his hair, pacing. "You th

uring. "I thought... we wanted this," she w

. "You can't even manage yourself! You're late to dinners, cooking that market foo

e a shard of her broken dream. Tears stung her eyes, but she blinked them back, refusing to let him see

r pressure, and you're making it worse." He grabbed his briefcase, slamming it on the cou

that strength now. Pulling her sketchbook from the drawer, she flipped to a new page, her pencil tracing a dress with soft curves; a gown for a mother, inspired by the Seine's ge

: Are you up? Almost instantly, her phone buzzed with an incoming video call, Yasm

What's going on?" Her voice was firm, her charm giving way to sisterly conc

ivier's outburst, the fear gnawing at her. But the words wouldn't come. "It's

I'm not the only one. I will speak to Maman about this." She soften

Ariane with a flicker

out of her room and walked down the hall to their mother

She's not okay; I can see it in her eyes. She's trying

ghter. "I've been feeling it too, Yasmine. She's far away, and we've neve

Olivier's control. She longed for Abidjan's zouglou beats, the laughter of Cocody's markets, and t

acked out," he growled, tossing his briefcase onto the sofa. His eyes locked

doing? Daydr

he started, but his voice c

er and flinging it against the wall. It shattered, s

h as fear gripped her. Olivier's chest heaved, his eyes wild