Free Felicite Found by Julia King

mother’s help, named her Félicité.
    My name is Félicité. I remembered my name. Somehow and I don’t know how, I dreamed about my birth. I watched my mother die to give me life, and my father loved me so much .
    A rush of sweet warmth flooded Félicité for having remembered something about her past. The heaviness in her mind and heart seeped free from her as though it pushed itself from all of her pores. She knew that eventually everything—her memories and knowledge—would come back.
    She ached for Pierre and Hélène to know her name. As fast as her legs could carry her, she sped into the living room. Pierre was sound asleep, chest rising and falling in a rhythm that followed his thunderous snores. He was so loud she found it difficult to remember why she had come to see him. However, she couldn’t bear to wake him.
    She observed that the light shining through the gap of the curtains came from only the moon. It must be the middle of the night. It was difficult for her to believe that she had slept all day and into the night.
    Gazing at Pierre, she noted how handsome he was even in his thunderous slumber. She wanted to touch his skin and the rough stubble of hair growth on his face. His hand that fell from the couch beckoned her to him. She resisted the urge to take it into hers, feel it, relish its rough texture, and press it to her face. Again, she felt as if she had known him for a long time.
    Should she wake him to hear his welcoming, deep and vibrating voice?
    No , she thought as her euphoria faded. All that was left was a lump in her throat.
    Her happy news would have to wait until morning. With one last look at the most kind-natured and loving person in the world, she shuffled her feet back to bed. However, before she fell asleep, she distinctly heard her father’s voice in the room telling her, “Félicité, my daughter, I love you. I love you so much.”
    She bounded out of bed like an animal pouncing on its prey and flipped the light switch. Scanning the room, she saw no one in there. She was alone.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

 
    Hélène Rousseaux
     
    A light tap on Pierre’s shoulder woke him up. Instantly, he wanted to see Ém, but as he turned, he only saw his mom’s small, round face. He let out a disappointed growl and rolled over on his side, smothering his head with the pillow to escape from the blaring light that poured into the room.
    “I’m happy to see you, too,” Hélène said, her voice lathered with sarcasm.
    “Sorry, just wasn’t expecting you.” After saying those words, he regretted it. He knew his cover was up.
    “You like her, don’t you?” She picked up his legs with considerable effort until he sat up to make room for her.
    “I can’t keep anything from you, can I?” He nudged her in the ribs, making her giggle. He had tried his whole life to make her laugh since it was so difficult for her to be happy because of her depression.
    “You’ve never been good at hiding things from me. Like that time you brought a rat you caught on the street home as a pet.”
    He laughed at the thought. “After smuggling it in and putting its cage under my bed, it took you only three hours to smell it out.”
    “That was the end of your pet days. But Ém’s a different story.”
    “I promised you that I wouldn’t fall for her . . . And I haven’t. I just think she’s pretty. I’m a guy, can’t help noticing, ya know. Even Luc thinks so.” He imagined taking a punch at Luc if he ever tried anything. “Anyway, she’s only here until her memory comes back. She’ll be out of my life soon.”
    “If you say so.” She nudged him back, but it didn’t have the same effect as when he did the same thing to her.
    Pierre stood and stretched his arms to the ceiling, yawning deeply.
    “What in the world? Put some clothes on. What if Ém came out right now?” She threw the