Vivi's First

Vivienne sat beside the window, gazing at the broad avenue lined with lovely buildings. She could stare at them for hours. Each one had something special about it. Vivienne loved the delicate wrought-iron balconies, the stained-glass panes, and the limestone facades. All of it captivated her. Paris, the City of Lights, never appeared to lose its charm. Not even the pounding rain could make Vivienne hate it. With a sigh, she rubbed at her toes. Her gaze drifted to the pair of pointe shoes by the bed. They were far from new, and they held countless stories. The latest one belonged to the grand stage at the Palais Garnier, and to Vivienne's light, graceful steps as she hurried down the grand marble staircase and across the impressive foyer before leaving the theater to end up in Lucien's arms. The hotel room where Vivienne was staying had cost Lucien a large part of his savings. He would never say it, but she knew it anyway. Lucien was terrible at lying. His eyes betrayed him, even when not a word left his mouth. When Vivienne told him the audition had gone well, relief flooded Lucien's hazel eyes. Blinking back tears, she took in the opera theater farther along the street. The purposeful sound of footsteps in the hallway outside her room, followed by the soft click of the door, pulled Vivienne from her thoughts and turned her attention to Lucien. Raindrops dotted the worn leather of his jacket. With a small smile, he crossed the room and crouched beside the armchair where Vivienne sat. "I've got something for you." Lucien held out a bag. Curious, Vivienne drew out the object tucked inside. A lovely melody she knew broke the silence. Inside the music box, the tiny ballerina in a pink tutu and gold pointe shoes spun to it, much as Vivienne had earlier. Perplexed, Lucien watched tears gather in his young wife's eyes. "Vivi, what's wrong? I thought this would make you smile." "I love it; it's beautiful. It must have cost you so much." Lucien let out a sigh. "Stop that. You know there's nothing I wouldn't do for you. So tell me what happened?" Biting her lip, Vivienne got up from the armchair and went to the desk. Her slender fingers shook as she held the thing that would change her life with Lucien forever. Confusion flickered across her handsome husband's face when she put it in his hand. "Vivi..." Vivienne nodded and sniffled. "I'm pregnant." Lucien smiled, but it vanished almost at once. "Does that mean you'd have to stop? But they told you otherwise—" "I only found out later, Lucien. I thought all that sickness came from nerves. You know how I am before an audition." With a sigh, Lucien wrapped his wife in his arms. "What are we supposed to do? What do you want, Vivi?" Vivienne breathed in Lucien's cologne, a scent that always calmed her, then brushed a kiss against his jaw before looking into his eyes. "I don't know which name I'd choose for a girl, but if we have a boy, I'd like to call him Noah."