“No, I will try later, but thank you.”
Lulu walked past the lobby and thought that she would step outside to look at the pool. When she got outside it appeared empty, but then she saw two figures in the pool. A woman and a man making out at the far corner. It seemed surreal. Monique and Raphael locked together. It was almost laughable. “Ciao, Bella,” yelled Lulu as loud as she could. She paused only long enough to see the look of surprise on their faces. Lulu walked back to her apartment angry.
She told herself not to be angry. But she wasn’t able to console herself because she felt like a fool. When she got inside the apartment, she burst out crying. She was glad that Dillon wasn’t home. When Dillon arrived, he noticed how gloomy Lulu looked, and her eyes were red. “Did you go to his hotel?” asked Dillon.
“Yes. He was in the pool with Monique—making out. I don’t know why I’m so upset—maybe because he lied.”
“He’s a player. Let it go. You shouldn’t talk to him anymore. I think he knows that it’s over now.”
“I can’t talk about it. Do you think that I should give his jewelry back?”
“No, the bastard doesn’t deserve it back. Act like it doesn’t bother you that he was with Monique.”
“I’m going to my room for a while; I don’t want to talk about it anymore,” said Lulu.
Dillon left the apartment to walk over to J. P.’s bookstore. He was glad that J. P. was there.
“Hey, what’s happening?” asked J. P.
“Well, you were right about Raphael. Lulu found him in the pool with Monique—kissing.”
“Monique is his mistress. They split up for a few months two years ago, but he still sees her. Lulu was a distraction. But he knows that Lulu is leaving soon. He and Monique have some kind of understanding, and Monique puts up with Raphael. Maybe she sees other guys when Raphael isn’t in Paris. I’ve never been interested in Monique. I like her as a friend, but I would never date her.”
“Lulu looked like she had been crying when I got back today. Somehow he got to her. She fell for the last note that he sent her with the tulips. What a jerk he is!”
“He probably does like her more than Monique. I tried to give hints out to Lulu about Raphael, and that’s why I told her to check up on him. It’s better that she found out. Now she probably won’t fall for somehow like him again. Lulu isn’t the type of woman to just have a little fling with a married man. She’s going to get burned.”
“I told her from the beginning not to get involved with him—that he was a player,” said Dillon.
“I hope she gets over it quickly so she doesn’t waste the rest of her time here in Paris. Just humor her.”
“Let’s do something in a few days,” said Dillon.
“Maybe we can take a day trip somewhere to a small town outside of Paris. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“OK. See you soon,” said Dillon.
Dillon walked back to the apartment. Lulu was sitting on the balcony drinking a cup of coffee.
“Bonjour,” Dillon called out. Lulu waved. Dillon went out to the balcony and sat down on one of the chairs. “It’s nice sitting out here watching the people go by,” said Dillon.
“Yes, I’ll miss it when I return to the States.”
“I think I’ll go to Italy next year and visit some of my relatives that I haven’t seen since I was ten years old.”
“Well, just stay away from Milan,” said Dillon laughing.
“Oh don’t worry, I’m over it. My affair will make good story material.”
“Will I be in your story too?”
“Oh course, you’re the main character, besides me.
“Will you call your book, Chockey Bickey?”
“No one would get that title. I have no idea what I’m going to call my book or when I’m going to write it.”
“Are you interested in taking a day trip soon—to the countryside?” asked Dillon.
“When do you want to go?”
“J. P. suggested it. He said that he would call tomorrow about when he’s available.”
“That sounds like fun,” said Lulu.
“I hear the doorbell ringing. Let me check,” said Dillon.
A delivery person was at the door with a bouquet of white roses. There was a note attached with Lulu’s name. Dillon put the vase on the coffee table. “Lulu, something came for you.”
“This must be from Raphael. White roses—he must be sorry,” Lulu said while laughing.
Lulu read the note out loud. “My angel, please accept my apologies. Monique is my mistress. I should have told you from the beginning. I didn’t want to hurt you—that’s why I never told you. Please don’t think badly of our brief relationship. If I were single, it would be different. I wish you the best for your future and hope you enjoy the rest of your time in Paris. As always, Raphael.”
“He’s in a different world from you and me. At least he didn’t say, ‘Ciao, Bella’,” said Dillon.
“Oh, he wouldn’t have said that. That’s what I yelled at him at the pool.”
“Well, that was the kiss of death. No wonder he’s sending white roses. You realize how ridiculous he sounds,” said Dillon.
“Yes, I’m so over it. I’m embarrassed.”
“I’m embarrassed about the ice cream that the Parisian guy bought me the first day that I met you, so let’s just forget all this,” said Dillon.
J. P. picked up Lulu and Dillon early Friday morning to see the French countryside.
“What kind of car is this?” asked Lulu.
“It’s called a Peugeot.”
“That’s hard to say,” said Lulu.
“Not for me.”
“Can you say it, Dillon?” asked Lulu.
“No, I’m not going to try.”
“That’s OK. I can’t pronounce the word beach. It always sounds like the word for a female dog.”
“That sounds so funny when you say it. It does sound like bitch,” said Lulu.
“What’s another word that’s hard to say in English for you?” asked Dillon.
“The little animals that hide the nuts.”
“You mean squirrel?” asked Dillon.
“Yes, I’ve given up on that one.”
“We’ll be in Rouen soon,” said J. P.
“The countryside is really beautiful. The poppies in the fields are so gorgeous. I think I would rather live in a small town than in Paris,” said Lulu.
“My parents might retire in Rouen because there are very few tourists. While I’m young I’d rather be in Paris. But if I had a family, then I think Rouen would be better,” said J. P.
“Look there is a tour bus coming,” said Dillon.
“That’s for retired folks,” said J. P.
“What on earth are you doing?” asked Lulu.
From the back seat, Dillon said, “I’m going to moon them.”
The bus driver beeped at Dillon as he showed his brown behind to the senior citizens on the bus. J. P. was laughing and so was Lulu. “I didn’t know what you meant when you said you were going to moon them. Is that some kind of American tradition?” asked J. P.
“I think it started in the 1960s with college students,” said Lulu.
“Just don’t do it when we get to Rouen; they might arrest you,” said J. P.
“Lulu might go to Italy next summer,” said Dillon.
“Really Lulu? Stay away from Milan.”
“Don’t be funny.”
“If you let me know, I can take you to Rome and other cities. I know Italy very well.”
“Can you get away from the bookstore for a month?”
“Of course. I’m not tied to that store. My parents can hire someone to help them.”
“You probably don’t speak Italian,” said Dillon.
“Actually, I
do speak enough Italian to have a conversation.”
“Why didn’t you tell us that?” asked Lulu.
“I never thought about it,” said J. P.
“There are so many churches here. Everything looks so old,” said Dillon.
“What is the name of the Gothic church across the street?” asked Lulu.
“It’s the Church of Saint-Maclou. Do you want to go inside?”
“Yes, the architecture is amazing,” said Lulu. Dillon had his journal with him, and he was writing down facts.
“The architect was Jacques Eugene Barthelme. I was named after him.”
“How interesting,” said Lulu.
“I’m kidding. My parents probably don’t know who he is.”
They approached the entrance and went inside. Lulu placed her finger in the holy water, and J. P. did the same. They both made the sign of the cross. Dillon tried too, but he didn’t know what he was doing.
“You have to use the right hand like this,” said J. P. Dillon was grinning and tried again.
“You shouldn’t be doing that if you aren’t Catholic. It’s not something to make fun of.” Lulu quickly took a few pictures and then put her camera inside her purse. She walked halfway down the altar and genuflected while J. P. and Dillon stayed in the back. She sat in a front pew and kneeled on a cushion and said a prayer. She was there for a few minutes.
“What do you think she is praying about?” asked Dillon.
“For sinning and being with a married man, most likely,” answered J. P.
“I’m glad that I’m not religious, or I would be in here for a long time,” said Dillon.
“Yes, we are all big sinners.”
“Are you ready to go?” asked J. P.
“Yes, and ready for some lunch,” said Lulu.
“I know of a good restaurant near the spot where Joan of Arc was burned. They have great soup.”
“Sounds good. Poor Joan of Arc,” said Dillon.
“I really don’t remember too much about Joan of Arc,” said Lulu.
“She was only nineteen years old when they burned her. The English burned her at the stake. She died of smoke inhalation. That’s better she died that way before being consumed by the flames. They made her a saint in 1920. Here is the spot. Doesn’t look very significant considering the event,” said J. P.
“Poor girl,” said Lulu as she took out her camera. She took a few pictures, and then they entered the restaurant.
“I recommend that you try their curry cauliflower soup and their fresh cod,” said J. P.
“I’ll try it. Sounds delicious,” said Lulu.
“I think I’ll try their duck since I’m eating fish all the time in Hawaii.”
The waiter took their orders and brought back a bottle of the region’s red wine. “I really could drink a beer right now because I’m very thirsty,” said Lulu.
“Let me order you one then,” said J. P.
“This is a nice spot—being able to look out the window while we’re eating,” said Lulu.
“I don’t see a lot of tourists,” said Dillon.
“That’s why I like it here. It’s a small town with so much history. And the people are very friendly,” said J. P.
“You’re right about the soup; it’s so delicious.” J. P. winked at Lulu.
“Are you ready to hear some gossip from Monique?” asked J. P.
“I don’t know if Lulu wants to hear anything on that subject,” said Dillon.
“I want to hear.”
“Well, I saw Monique yesterday, and she was eager to tell me what transpired after the swimming pool incident—after I told her that I knew you. She said that Raphael was totally shocked, and now she thinks Lulu is smarter than she realized. Anyway, Raphael got really upset and made Monique leave, and then he packed his bags. He flew back to Milan early evening. He had planned on staying two more days.”
“Well, he blew it. But I’m glad that I caught him with Monique because I didn’t realize that he was that much of a player. What an ego he has. But he does have class. He didn’t have to send the flowers and the note before he left.”
“Monique said that he really liked you because she had never seen him behave like that before with his other flings. She also said that you looked a lot like his wife, but younger. She said that she was going to split up with him. It just isn’t worth it for her anymore.”
“He made up a story about what his wife looked like. He told me that she had dark hair and dark eyes. He lied about his age too. When I first met him, he said that he was thirty-two but he’s actually thirty-six.”
“Monique told me that his wife is thirty-four,” said J. P.
“Enough about Lover Boy. I can’t stand to hear about him anymore. I’d rather listen to ‘Free Man in Paris’ than hear about Raphael anymore.” J. P. and Lulu laughed.
“OK, we get it,” said J. P.
“Now what do you want to do boys?” asked Lulu.
“There’s a lake not far from here that we can go to. The water is very clean, and it has a sandy shore—a nice place for getting some sun.”
“OK. Let’s go,” said Dillon.
As they walked back through town to get to J. P.’s car, Dillon had his camera out taking pictures. He wasn’t paying attention while J. P. told Lulu that she had something on her face. J. P. pretended to wipe it off and then kissed Lulu. Lulu put her arm through his. “Let me go in this little store for a minute to get some drinks,” said J. P. He brought out mineral water and a box of chocolates. People walking by were saying bonjour and smiling.
“This has been a great day,” said Lulu.
“It’s not over yet. You’ll love the lake. It’s really serene and quiet.”
“You’re not saying much Dillon,” said Lulu.
“I’m not big on getting into the water. And I don’t have a bathing suit.”
“You can swim in your underwear. Usually there aren’t many people around, and we can look for a secluded spot. I have towels in the trunk.”
“You come prepared. I don’t know if I’m going to go swimming though. I’ll decide when I get there,” said Lulu.
When they arrived at the lake, it looked pretty isolated. There were a few people, but they weren’t that close to where Lulu and the boys decided to put down a blanket. “It’s nice that you have a blanket in your car too,” said Lulu.
“That’s my picnic blanket. I always keep it in my car.”
“This really is lovely here. Nice shade from the trees. I’m going to take a few pictures before I sit down.”
“Where are you going, Dillon?” asked Lulu.
“I’m going for a walk. I’ll be back in thirty minutes or so.”
J. P. stretched out on the blanket. Lulu laid down and put her head on J. P.’s chest. “Dillon seems kind of quiet today,” said Lulu.
“Maybe he misses his friend. I can’t remember her name.”
“It’s Jena. She’s in San Francisco now and makes jewelry. And you were friends with Dillon first, so maybe he feels left out.”
“Maybe he just wants to go on a date with someone. He went out with someone in Nice. Some French guy after you left for Paris.”
“Oh, he didn’t tell me about that,” said Lulu.
“He doesn’t tell you everything,” said J. P. laughing.
“Yeah, he probably doesn’t.”
“What’s the word for swimming naked?” asked J. P.
“Skinny-dipping,” said Lulu.
“Let’s do it while Dillon is gone.”
“OK, but by those trees so no one sees us getting in.”
“All right. Don’t be an American prude.”
J. P. took the blanket and towels with him and put them down by a clump of trees. He took all of his clothes off and jumped in. Lulu took her clothes o
ff too and wrapped a towel around herself. Then she dropped the towel on the sand and quickly waded in. “Don’t look.”
“I’m not looking; I’m closing my eyes,” said J. P.
“The water feels good. Not as cold as I thought it would be. Were you looking when I got in?”
“No, of course not. Well, maybe a little,” said J. P.
Lulu started splashing him, and he returned the splashing. Then she swam to a small island and he followed her. She was able to stand with the water just below her neck. “You are quite beautiful, but I’m sure you know that by now.”
“It’s always nice to hear. I don’t want to have another fling before I return to the States.”
“I don’t want to either. It would just break my heart when you leave. It took me a year to get over my last girlfriend.”
“Why did you break up?”
“She wanted to return to Sweden and go back to school to study something. I didn’t want to live in Sweden. The timing was off.”
“Let’s go back. I’ll follow you,” said Lulu.
While J. P. ran out and grabbed a towel, Lulu ran out after him. “Looking good, Jacques,” said Lulu.
“Are you looking at me?” laughed J. P.
“Of course,” said Lulu.
While Lulu dried off under the trees, she could see Dillon in the distance walking back. She quickly put on her sundress. J. P. was already dressed and walked back to the spot where they had been earlier. “Hey Dillon, what’s happening?”
“I took some pictures of the lake. I met some French people on the other side of the lake. They were very friendly. One of them has a cheese shop in town. Did you go swimming?”
“We went skinny-dipping. You should have stayed.”
“Three’s a crowd when skinning-dipping. I’m surprised that Lulu did that. She’s always wearing a one-piece to the beach, so she has an excuse not to take her top off.”
“There weren’t any people around, and I had to promise not to look.”
“Did you keep your promise?” asked Dillon
“What do you think?” Dillon laughed.
“Did you have a good walk?” asked Lulu.
“Yeah, got some nice pictures. Are we going back now?”
The Odd Couple in Paris Page 11