*Author's Note:

  Dear Readers,

    I finally felt the inspiration for this part on a usually hot day for April. It is in the upper seventies where I live.  Good day, talk about a scorcher!  Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter, and no rude comments allowed. Also, no copy cats allowed.

  Thanks, and Happy Reading.

   Sincerely,

Summer Cheng

    Narrator's POV:

     Marinette's family did notice any change in her when it came to progress by the next day. 

  As if this was not bad enough they wondered why she kept stuff bottled up inside her.  The doctor said this was common in patients who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD for short.  


     Luka, John, and Olivette agree with one another this must be the case for their family member.  It seems a day never goes by with her lack of a real smile.   Will it ever return?

      
    John's  POV:

     " Mom is it okay if I go fishing with my friends? "  John asks.

      "Hmm, what was that John?"  Marinette asks.

     "Nevermind, I will just go ask my father,"  John says.

        John walks away and wonders why his mother can not seem to pay attention to much these days.  He might be the older sibling, but that still does not mean he understands too much about his mother's condition.

       Luka's POV:

        Luka sees his son, asks his mother a question, and can tell she did not pay attention. He feels sorry for the lad who struggles so much to understand things.  He can tell John tries hard despite everything.  

      "John, what was it you needed?"  Luka asks.

     "Oh, a group is going fishing and I was wondering if it was okay if I went too?"  John asks his father.

     "It is spring break, so sure go on ahead.  Just make sure to wear your safety vest, and take your good lake hat with you,"  Luka answers.

    "Alright, thanks so much father, and yes I will do both those things,"  John states.

       Luka smiles as John grabs up his hat, and the vest. He watches him leave the house faster than you can say, Happy fishing day to you!

     Olivette's POV:

            Olivette sees John leave the house in a hurry.  She figures he must be about to hang out with his buddies.  She sighs and thinks well good for him.  She wishes she had more friends. It seems like the two she has a rather busy lately, and hardly have any time to spend with her.

          She does not know how to respond to the doctor's diagnosis of her mother.  She knows what PSTD is, but her mother has it.  She shakes her head in dismay.  She can not help, but feel sorry for her mom.  Despite her young age, she understands more than she lets on as the genius of the family.

       "Dad, do you think mother will ever recover from her PSTD?"  Olivette asks.

       "I honestly do not know,"  Luka replies.

      "Do you suppose the doctor is right about that being what mother has anyway?" Olivette asks her father.

     "I am sure as he said as much himself and the test results show as much," Luka states.

      "I am glad he prescribed her medicine, but I worry if it never works," Olivette responds.

        " Me too, but we must not give up on her," Luka reminds his and Marinette's daughter.

              Olivette smiles, nods her head, and goes to her room. She can not stand to see her mother this way.  It drives her crazy.  The whole thing is just too sad for words.

Marinette's POV:

      Marinette thinks some days I feel like I am trapped inside my skin or world. It is as if the world is about to open up and swallow me whole.  

      She stares out the window and sees the sun shining.  She can see a few butterflies go past too. She hears the sound of a bird's chirp, a  child's laughter as she plays on her bicycle, and the slam of a car door.

        Marinette wishes she could explain just how she feels.  She can not begin to describe it. One minute she feels happy, then sad, and a bit of both the next time around.  Sometimes she feels angry too.  Mostly, she feels sad.  It is as if she were a balloon that burst and now all the fun is gone.  She wishes to capture it so she can be whole again.  Oh, whatever is she to do?

      "It is not okay," Marinette says to herself.  She does not look up when he enters the room.

     Luka's POV:
       Luka sits in the rocking chair and wonders why he kept it all these years.  Was this mistake part of Marinette's pain and suffering all this time?   Was it because it reminds her of the child who was never born is that it?  He begins to think perhaps it is a small part of her health issues.  

       Luka's  Flashback (This part continues some sensitive, sad material so use caution when you read it.  I recommend you have Kleenex nearby just in case.)

       Luka smiles over at his six-month pregnant wife. He can tell it is something he shall never forget for the rest of his life.  He can not think of a reason he would want too.

       "Marinette, dear,  how did the doctor's appointment go?"  Luka asks.

       "It was great dear, I could hear the baby's heartbeat and everything,"  Marinette says.

     "Awe, I hate I missed it, but I could not get the time off from work," Luka explains.

      "It is okay dear as long as you are there for her birthday,"  Marinette tells him.

       "Ah, yes, well, I would not want to miss the birth of our daughter, now would I?"  Luka states.  

             Luka tickles her and she squeals.  He looks forward to this special moment in both their lives as they never had children before now.  He sure hopes nothing goes wrong. Then, again, how could it when she has carried the baby along with this far with no troubles?

            Two months later, Luka wakes up with the feeling something is wrong.  He hears his wife's sobs, and asks, "What is the matter dear?"

          Marinette looks at him all teary-eyed and says,  "My water broke, but  it is too early."

            Luka rushes to come to her help, he calls 911, explains everything, and follows through with the instructions.   An exhausting hour later, the baby is born.

            Luka can not bring himself to tell Marinette the horrible news that the baby is gone.  His daughter is dead. No, their daughter is dead.  He can tell as her skin is all blue and her lips are too.  He sighs in defeat.  He sobs but tries not to wake his wife who grew tired from birth and feel asleep.   He tells the operator what happened and they cry on the other end of the phone.

         A few minutes later, the pastor of the church arrives with his wife, the doctor comes, and so do the paramedics.  The baby is taken to the hospital and all is done to help her.  However, she never regains any ounce of breath.  It is too late, their baby is never coming back.

      "She is dead is not she?"  Marinette asks when she sees the looks in Luka's eyes.

       "Yes, I am so sorry," Luka says with tears in his eyes.

        "I am too. It is all my fault," Marinette says.

        "Shh, do not talk this way," Luka says.

   "Oh, but it see I did not listen to all the doctor's instructions on what to eat and not eat. Now she is gone, my baby is gone and it is all my fault," Marinette says through her tears.  She asks to see her, and kisses the forehead of her dead child, then pulls away.

      The medical professionals fell bad about the outcome at the hospital.  They hate to tell the Cuffaine's they could rescue their newborn baby.

     The doctor who came by the house, along with the pastor and his wife, pray with and for the Cuffaine's, then give hugs, and leave.

       Months go by, and Marinette gets pregnant again. This time she carries the baby for eight months with no problems.  Then, when she is 34 weeks along, the water breaks.  She is to have a boy this time.  John is crying, but he gasps for air.  It is then, Luka and Marinette know something is wrong with their son. 

       Luka rushes, Marinette and baby John to the hospital immediately. Once inside, he says,  "Quick, someone do something.  It is my newborn son, John, he can barely breathe!"  

    The date is Mother's Day, the same day Adrien died on years ago, the same day, the day Marinette found out her mother died weeks after her Adrien,  the day Luka and Marinette eloped on years later,  and now it is the day their son struggles for his life on the day he was born to them.

   The medical professionals get to work as Luka holds his wife close to him.

  Luka must be here for her in this time.  He can not leave her alone.

   Two hours later, the doctor comes out, and says,  "It was touch and go for a while there, but we put him in the NICU  for now.  He will have to stay there for a few weeks, but he will be just fine."

  "Thank you, doctor," Luka says.

     Marinette stands there with a blank expression on her face. 

     "Marinette, did you hear that dear, John is alive,  he will have to stay here a few weeks, but we can come to visit him," Luka tells her.

       "Marinette, Marinette?"  Luka asks.  He waves a hand in front of her face and she still does not respond.

    End of  Luka's  Flashback...

      Marinette's  POV:

   "Marinette, I am here," Luka says.

       Marinette turns around at the sound of his voice. She gives him a half-smile and hugs him. She thinks after all this time he remains with me.  She is so glad that no matter he is always there.  She does not know why or how, but he loves her.  She is sure she loves him.

      find out more in part 5

    -Summer out!