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Christine smiled as she ran her hands over the bodice and skirt of her dress, smoothing out the fabric. She checked her appearance in the mirror and made a slight adjustment to the back drape of her skirt, her fingers lightly shaking as she did so. After drawing in a steading breath to try to get ahold of her nerves, she took a step back and gave herself a small nod, trying to assure herself, I can do this. Everything is going to turn out just fine.
Repeating this several times over in her head, Christine moved over to her vanity and opened the drawer to pull out a small, gift-wrapped box to bring downstairs with her. While she knew that whatever anniversary gift he had for her would undoubtedly be far more intricate than the golden pocket watch she had gotten him, she hoped that the addition of her secret little surprise would be enough to excuse the simplicity of the gift.
Absentmindedly stroking her thumb over the smooth blue wrapping paper, she treaded out of the room and down the hallway to the staircase, only stopping briefly to ask their maid to start a fire in the parlor fireplace, as the night would soon grow cold, and she did not wish to have a chill run through the house in her delicate condition. She ended her request with a nod and a small smile, thanking the maid before continuing down the staircase.
“Madame,” their kitchen maid said softly, meeting Christine at the bottom of the staircase, “Pardon me, but Madame Bernard wanted me to let you know that the special dinner you requested for this evening will be ready shortly. Will the master return soon?”
“I believe so, yes. Thank you, Thérèse. If the wine has had sufficient time to breathe, please pour it out for us. I think we’ll each have a glass as we exchange our gifts.” No sooner than Christine had spoken the words, she heard the front door open and immediately turned in the direction of the sound. “Erik, you’re home!”
“Christine, my darling,” her husband replied with a warm smile, one hand held behind his back as he closed the door behind himself with the other. “I’m terribly sorry to be late, but the meeting with my client was at a café in the city, and it went longer than expected. Apparently, he and I differ greatly on the opinion of how a home should be properly built. In the end, I was disgusted with his taste and decided to drop the project altogether.” He let out a bit of a laugh at his last statement, which had been spoken rather flippantly. Still smiling, he crossed the foyer to meet his wife and swiftly wrapped his free arm around her to pull her close. “The good news is that the café is right by that lovely little flower stand I like so much, which allowed me to fetch you some of these.”
Christine let out a soft gasp as he produced a bouquet of red roses and baby’s breath wrapped and paper and secured with a large ribbon bow. “Thank you, my love,” she said softly, tipping her head back and tugging his face down to give him a kiss. “Somehow, your little romantic gestures still manage to surprise me.”
“Good. They’re meant to,” Erik said with a quiet laugh. “Now, if you’ll pardon me for a moment, my dear, I have to fetch your anniversary gift. Wait for me in the dining room?”
“I will,” Christine replied sweetly. “If you could take the flowers to one of the maids and ask her to put them in a vase at my bedside, that would be lovely.”
“Anything for you, my love.”
Christine smiled at her husband as he walked away, setting a hand over her slightly swollen belly absentmindedly as she thought of the surprise she had in store for him. As she moved into the dining room, she went over her little speech yet again to be sure that she had it down perfectly, repeating it to herself in hushed tones.
A few minutes later, Erik appeared in the doorway with a box in hand and gave his wife another of his lovesick smiles, which had become quite commonplace since their marriage a year prior. “Alright, I have it. Would you like to open your gift first? Oh! Before I forget”—he leaned over her chair and tipped her chin upward, pressing a gentle kiss upon her soft lips—“happy anniversary, my darling.”
“Happy anniversary,” Christine returned, chuckling quietly as she took the box from his hand, never once breaking eye contact. She waited for him to join her at the table before she glanced down at the box in her lap and untied the ribbon, then gently lifted the lid. “Oh, Erik, a music box.”
Erik had gone to take a sip of wine, though he had paused in the middle of the action to try to gauge her thoughts on his gift. “Do you like it?” he asked rather hesitantly. “If you don’t, I’d be happy to make one that suits your tastes.”
“No, my darling, don’t do a thing. I love it, it- it’s perfect,” Christine replied as she lifted up the music box to examine the intricately carved, wooden design and the two figures on top of the box—a man and a woman in wedding attire, the latter holding a bouquet of roses. Christine twisted the key in the back of the box and smiled when the two figures leaned close and appeared to kiss each other as one of Erik’s personal compositions tinkled from the inner workings of the box. “I can’t believe you made this yourself. It must have taken hours.”
“It did. I constructed it mostly during the night and during times when I should have been working, because I wanted to keep it a complete surprise. But that smile on your face is worth it, I must admit,” Erik said with a quiet laugh, setting down his wine glass. “Don’t worry about how much time it took, my Christine.”
“Believe me, all I’m thinking about right now is what a wonderful husband I have,” Christine replied with a wide smile before she set the music box down and gently slid her gift for him across the table. “Your turn.”
Erik smiled as he opened the gold pocket watch his wife had gotten him with the inscription: I would not wish any companion in the world but you. “Christine, this is the watch I had my eye on. And you inscribed it with Shakespeare, making it even more perfect. Thank you,” he said with a smile. “I absolutely love it.”
“I’m glad you do,” Christine said with a smile. “I know it’s not much.”
“Not much? Christine, this is a very expensive pocket watch,” Erik said with a quiet laugh. “Besides that, it’s incredibly thoughtful of you.”
“I know, but still, compared to what you’ve given me, it isn’t much,” Christine said softly. “But I…I do actually have one more small thing.”
“You didn’t have to get me anything else, dear,” Erik replied with a small smile. “I’ve told you time and time again that all I need is you in my life for me to be happy. That’s a promise.”
“I know, and I appreciate that,” Christine said with a soft laugh as she reached across the table to slip her delicate hand into his calloused one. “But my love, there is another surprise.”
“What is it, angel?”
Christine gave him a hesitant smile and squeezed his hand. “Well, Erik, I know we’ve been talking a little bit recently about some things regarding our future. I know that you’ve been…reluctant to have children up until our recent talk a couple weeks ago, and I’m glad that you expressed that you would be open to having a child, because I’ve recently found out that I’m a few months pregnant,” she said softly, giving his hand a squeeze as she spoke the words. “And I know that this news may make you a bit nervous, but I do hope that you’ll be able to find the joy in it, because I must admit to being very happy about this.”
Erik sat there for a few moments in stunned silence as he took in the news she had given him. His heart rate had certainly picked up at hearing her words, and his mouth immediately seemed dry, despite having just had a few sips of wine. He couldn’t help feeling it all a lot to consider—having to take care of another human being, especially one so small and dependent, was certainly quite much for him, let alone the fact that there was the possibility of the child acquiring some of his…less desirable physical features.
Even still, he couldn’t deny being very fond of the thought of having his own child. It was an idea he had always found to be a pleasant one, though he had shied away from the idea for so many years due to his concern of the child inheriting his deformity.
“I…I don’t know what to say,” he finally spoke, the words soft.
“I can understand that. I know that you’ve only newly agreed to having children,” Christine acknowledged.
“It appears we were already having one, whether I said yes or not,” Erik replied in jest, the corners of his mouth slightly turning upward. “But I…I am pleased, Christine. Please don’t think me unhappy.” He gave her hand a squeeze before lifting his free one to cup hers between them. “I simply have my own worries to get over before I can be completely excited.”
“Which I understand,” Christine replied softly. “And I want you to know that, no matter what happens, things will be just fine. We are going to love this baby with everything we have, and we are going to give it all of the happiness it deserves.”
Erik smiled warmly at this comment and leaned forward to give her a gentle kiss. “And that, my Christine, is all I could ever ask for this child. That they be happy and healthy and loved,” he replied quietly, giving her another quick kiss. “Now, do I have your permission to spin you around, or will that make you ill?”
Christine laughed softly at this. “You may celebrate as you see fit,” she replied, her smile only growing as he stood up, bringing her with him, and pulled her into his arms to give her a spin. “I’m relieved you’re happy.”
“Of course I am. Even if this does mean that we run the risk of the child inheriting your short stature,” Erik replied softly, a small smirk playing at his mouth as he set her on her feet, though he still kept her encircled in his arms.
Letting out a laugh, Christine gently smacked a hand against his chest in reprimand. “I thought you found my height charming!”
“On you, yes. For our child, it might be rather unfortunate,” Erik chuckled. “But you know, there is another good thing about your being pregnant. Those nursery designs I’ve been working on behind your back will finally be put to use.”
At hearing this comment, Christine’s eyes brightened as a smile lit up her face. “You…what?” she asked with a bit of a laugh. “You’ve been working on designs for a nursery?”
“Well, of course I have. I’ve been working on them ever since we agreed to have a child. Granted, that happened faster than either of us thought, so now I’ll have to hurry along those sketches.” Erik gave an overly dramatic roll of his eyes and feigned a frustrated sigh. “Do you see how much work you’ve caused?”
“I’m terribly sorry,” Christine replied, though she laughed through her words. “Do I at least get to see these sketches?”
Erik hummed thoughtfully as he inclined his head to press a kiss to her forehead. “No,” he muttered against her skin, smiling at the sound of her amused giggles. “But perhaps I will once they're finished.”
Christine shook her head fondly. “I suppose I can agree to that,” she replied as she reached up to cup his face with both hands. “Now, come down here and kiss me again.”
Her husband returned her smile and leaned over to pull Christine into his arms, her wrapping her arms around his neck in turn as he lifted her off her feet and pressed his lips into hers. He felt a tug at the corners of his mouth as she buried her fingers in his hair. Gently, he ran his thumb over her back, wanting to do something in reciprocation but not wanting to drop her and break their kiss.
The two of them stayed like that for a few minutes, holding and being held, getting lost in the taste and warmth of each other. Their spell was soon broken, though, when Christine opened her eyes a bit and noticed their cook, Madame Bernard, standing in the doorway. Her eyes widening, she pulled away from her husband and gave the cook an awkward smile.
Erik immediately frowned at this action, opening his eyes to look at his wife. “Hey,” he complained as he moved to kiss her again, apparently not having noticed the cook.
“Stop, Erik,” Christine chided softly as she glanced back to their servant. “I’m terribly sorry, Madame Bernard.”
“Quite alright, Madame. It’s not as if this is the first time I’ve witnessed a romantic moment between the two of you,” the cook replied with a small, amused smile. “I just wished to tell you that dinner is ready.”
Erik’s cheeks flushed at hearing her comment and was quick to set his wife on her feet, then cleared his throat. “Thank you, Madame Bernard. You may have Thérèse bring it in,” he said with a nod, avoiding her gaze as he sat down at the table.
“Yes, Monsieur Destler, of course,” the cook said with a nod before retreating to the kitchen.
“Well, now that that’s happened,” Christine said after a beat of silence, laughing a bit as she joined her husband at the table and reached across for his hand. “Let’s celebrate our anniversary with a lovely meal.”
“And perhaps a little private celebration of our own later, away from the prying eyes of our servants,” Erik replied, pleased to see that his suggestion had the desired effect when his wife’s cheeks flushed lightly.
“I think, my love, that is a wonderful idea,” Christine said with a smile, and she gave his hand a squeeze.