He hadn´t gotten far when he heard the very characteristic sound of somebody walking with a cane, so he stopped and waited for her. She did not look good, and his concern for her outweighed his annoyance earlier in the day. He rushed to her and held her, to which she responded by dropping her cane and clinging to his neck. Odette was a woman who hardly ever shared what she was feeling, and yet had been oversensitive for the last few days. He really did not know much about pregnancy but prayed that this would not go on for the whole nine months. He kissed her head and let her hang on to him for as much as she needed. They took the stairs to Odette and Félicie's attic, making slow progress and holding hands.

When they arrived, Félicie was inside, sitting with a book in her lap, but not interested in reading. She looked up when they came in and said "Well, I hope you have better luck with her than I did, Louis.". She then went to her room without speaking to Odette.

Left alone, the two shared a look and he took her to the seat Félicie had previously been occupying. She looked marginally better off, so he decided to broach the subject.

"What was that today at lunch, Odette? I thought we had discussed this last night and had agreed on going through with this."

She did not answer immediately, instead she looked at him, her eyes bigger and sadder than usual.

"Louis, I do not know if I can go through with this. I am afraid of the changes this will bring, of what will happen to me. An unmarried woman pregnant with her boss's baby? You do know what they will call me, right? Do you think I will be allowed to continue to work here? Even your and M. Vaucorbeil's kindness will not be enough, Louis. I could be out on the streets again, I… Mon coeur, do you remember when we saw Mme Albert the other day? Do you remember how you looked at her and treated her? The way you spoke to her? I could not bear being treated and looked at like that, not when I have done nothing wrong."

"Odette," he stopped her "what are you talking about? Living in the streets? Losing your job? You think I would allow that?" He asked incredulously. "I meant it yesterday when I said we'd do it together. What do you think you are to me? You make it sound as if it were a meaningless affair of some sort of immoral nature. A one-night thing with undesired consequences, which we both know this is not." He raised an eyebrow at her in a way Félicie would immediately recognize.

"Odette, I still maintain that I said that we'd do it together, you and me. I am not a stupid man and have been thinking of asking you to be my wife for quite a while. I know what it means for a woman to be with child and unmarried, and I would never dream of you suffering that fate. In fact, I have been a coward up to now: I should have asked you a long time ago, before I laid with you; but I guess I liked things as they were."

Odette was looking silently at him, and for the first time in three days she was the one who looked the most discombobulated of the two. Louis did not really know what to expect as the next thing out of her mouth. Her eyes became shiny with tears, but a smile slowly started growing on her face.

"Is this you asking me to marry you, then, M. Mérante?" She asked, her mood now completely different from what it had been a few hours ago.

Yes, chérie, if you will have me, I would be honored to make you my wife, as I should have done a long time ago."

"Of course I will, Louis, if you really want me, of course I will!" She finally answered, going to him and kissing him with all she had. She let herself smile and feel like everything could be fine. He responded eagerly. They held each other close, both intensifying their kiss, until Louis separated himself from Odette, gave her a meaningful look –one of those that touched her to her core– and put his hand on her belly, and she put her hand over his.

"Now are we both in agreement over going on with this, chérie?" Louis asked.

She nodded and her smile got even brighter.

Very sorry it took this long, I just wasn't liking how it was turning out, but well, here it finally is! If there's still someone there to read it, I always appreciate the feedback :)