“Yes, I think we should drive back now,” said J. P.
“Let me take a picture of you and Dillon.” A couple walked by and offered to take a picture of the three of them. Dillon took a picture of J. P. placing a kiss on Lulu’s cheek.
They drove along listening to Elton John’s music. “He’s very popular here in France,” said J. P.
A car with a few elderly ladies approached them, and Dillon stuck out his tongue and made funny gestures with his hands. A lady in the back seat of the approaching car gave Dillon the finger. “She must be American,” said Dillon laughing.
“I see that you are up to your old antics,” said Lulu.
“Hey, Dillon, can you open up that box of chocolate in the back seat?” asked J. P.
“It’s a little melted. But it still tastes good,” said Dillon as he passed the box to Lulu. J. P. looked at the candy and then saw a cow walking across the dirt road that they were on.
“Watch out!” yelled Lulu. J. P. swerved to avoid hitting the cow and hit some gravel. The car spun around a few times before it stopped.
“Oh my God, I almost peed in my pants,” said Lulu. Dillon was laughing.
“I’m so sorry. Let me pull over to the side for a minute. Is everyone OK?”
“There’s chocolate all over your car,” said Lulu.
“Oh, merde.” J. P. got out and looked at his car then went to the trunk for a towel. He found an old paper sack. Lulu and Dillon got out. His car was covered in dust. J. P. looked annoyed while Lulu and Dillon stood at the side not knowing what to do.
“Let me clean up the candy.” J. P. took some mineral water and wiped off the seat of his car, then put the chocolate pieces in the paper bag.
“What was that cow doing on the road anyway?” asked Lulu.
“It must have gotten out of the fence on the other side. I’m just glad no one was hurt. Good thing that I wasn’t going very fast.” Dillon was trying to refrain from grinning. Lulu was just relieved that they weren’t all injured.
“I see a farmer now down the road getting the cow. Do you want to tell him about the accident?” asked Dillon.
“No, the car isn’t damaged, and we aren’t hurt, so what’s the point?” said J. P.
“Shall we go back?” asked J. P. They all got in, and Lulu was gripping the door handle.
“Don’t be nervous. I’m really a careful driver,” said J. P.
“I’m just a little rattled that’s all,” said Lulu.
Dillon closed his eyes and decided to take a nap.
“It was a wonderful day Jacques, and thanks so much for taking us to Rouen,” said Lulu.
J. P. leaned over to kiss Lulu on the cheek. Dillon woke up and thanked J. P.
“If you’re free on Saturday, come over to the apartment and have dinner with Dillon and me. We can play cards afterward.”
“That would be very nice. How is eight o’clock?”
“Perfect. Au revoir.”
“I’m glad to be back. I’m tired now. I’m going to take a long bath and relax in my room,” said Lulu to Dillon.
“Yeah, me too.”
Lulu had the white roses in her bedroom. She decided not to play “Free Man in Paris.” She ran her bath and thought about her time in Paris. She had only one week left before she had to return to California. She liked J. P. but was determined not to sleep with him before she left. She wished that she had met him first instead of Raphael. Her summer had been quite an adventure. If she hadn’t met Dillon, she wondered if it would have been as fun.
17
The Post Card
The next morning, Lulu looked in the mail slot and found a post card from Uncle Martin. He told her to meet him in Rome for her last week. He was staying at an apartment belonging to a friend who was out of the country. Lulu would have her own bedroom. He didn’t mention Dillon, and Lulu felt that he only wanted her to come. Maybe this would be a good time to leave Paris, she thought. J. P. was coming over that evening for dinner. Lulu would wait to tell him and Dillon that she was going to fly to Rome the next day. She called the airline to get a ticket for Rome. She started packing her clothes and getting everything in order. She knew that it was going to be a shock to Dillon, but he did have J. P. to do things with.
She hurried down the street to buy her plane ticket. She still had to call her uncle later as he suggested. It would only take a few hours flight time, and she decided to fly the next evening. On her way back from the ticket office, she stopped at the market. She picked up fresh fish and vegetables for the dinner that she planned on cooking that evening. Now she was glad that dinner wouldn’t be until 8:00 p.m. Her next stop was at the bakery. She wanted to have a fresh apricot torte for her last dinner in Paris. Her stomach was churning because she knew that both Dillon and J. P. would be surprised. But it was her chance to see Rome before she returned to the States.
Yesterday had been so much fun with J. P., except for almost hitting a cow. He wanted to take her to Rome next summer, but who knows what could transpire by then. He might be in a serious relationship by next summer. And, as for Dillon, she knew that he couldn’t wait to get back to Jena. Lulu knew that she was just a temporary distraction until he returned to the States. They had been thrown together by chance and made the best of it—two strangers in Paris wanting to have a good time, neither one speaking any French. She didn’t think that she would ever see Dillon again after leaving Paris. He would become part of her memory of Paris.
“Hey, Chockey Bickey, did you go shopping?” asked Dillon.
“I went to the market for the dinner tonight. How was your day?”
“I went to a small museum and then stopped by J. P.’s bookstore. He wasn’t in, so I just looked in the English-printed books. They have some nice art books.”
“I’m going to put this stuff away and then relax in my room for a while,” said Lulu.
Lulu continued with her packing in her room and organizing her things. She needed to call her uncle but didn’t want to do it in front of Dillon. She heard the apartment door close and went out of her room to the balcony. She called down to Dillon. “I’ll be back in a few hours,” said Dillon.
“OK. See you later,” said Lulu. She looked for her postcard that she had hidden in her purse and dialed her uncle’s number that he had written to her.
“Hello,” her uncle answered.
“Hello, it’s me, Lulu. I’m glad you were home. I bought an airline ticket for tomorrow evening.”
“What time will you be arriving in Rome?”
“It will be 8:00 p.m.—should I take a taxi?” asked Lulu.
“I will be there to meet you. We can take a shuttle bus or taxi. I’m so glad that you decided to come to Rome. I feel like I kind of deserted you in Paris.”
“I’ve had a great time here in Nice and Paris. But I’ll wait until I’m in Rome to tell you about it. I don’t want to run up the phone bill here. Ciao.”
“Ciao, Lulu.”
18
Last Dinner in Paris
Lulu soaked in the tub. She wanted to feel fresh for J. P. She thought that Dillon was acting a little distant, and then it dawned on her that he might have read the postcard before she did. She let her hair dry naturally and put on one of her summer dresses. She dabbed on her L’Air du Temps perfume. She found a chef apron in the kitchen and put that on before getting her groceries out. She got everything organized but wasn’t going to cook the fish until after J. P. arrived. The French weren’t always on time. She found a bottle of white wine and put that in the refrigerator.
She had used her own money for this last dinner. Her combined money was in a jar with the last of Dillon’s. She needed more money for Rome, so she had stopped at the American Express kiosk on her way back from the market. Now she would have a cup of tea and sit out on the balcony.
Dillon had walked to a café and
was drinking a cup of coffee. He was disappointed that he hadn’t found J. P. earlier. He wondered if Lulu was going to leave for Rome. He read the postcard before she read it. He was always up earlier in the morning than Lulu. He heard her moving around in her room a lot and thought that she was probably packing. He knew that J. P. really liked her and wanted to warn him. Now he waited to see if J. P. would be coming by to his usual café that he frequented. It was only a block from the bookstore. “Hey, what’s happening?” asked J. P. as he came out of the café.
“I’ve been sitting here for a few minutes. How did you get past me?” asked Dillon.
“I went in the back way from the alley. I wanted to buy some fresh bread for the dinner tonight.”
“Can you sit down for a minute?”
“Sure. What’s going on?”
“I think Lulu is going to be leaving soon for Rome. I read a postcard from her uncle. She hasn’t said anything yet, but she’s been busy in her room. He uncle suggested that she spend the last week in Rome. I can’t blame her, but it’s kind of sudden.”
“Well, it is what it is. I was hoping to spend more time with her. So that’s disappointing to hear. I wonder when she will tell us. I’m willing to wait for her. Maybe I can visit her in the States if I visit you sometime.”
“Are you looking for a serious relationship?”
“Yes. I almost married my Swedish girlfriend, but she wouldn’t live here in France. She wanted to return to Sweden and wanted me to move there. I just can’t live in Sweden. It took me a long time to get over her.”
“I don’t think Lulu would object to living in France if she really wants to be with someone. She could always teach English.”
“But it’s premature. I don’t know how she feels about me. But she is definitely someone I could marry. I wanted to introduce her to my family—now there probably isn’t any time. Merde.”
“There must be plenty of French girls here for you.”
“I know, but I haven’t met any that I would want to marry. Women like Lulu don’t come around that often. She’s a little gem. I have to go but will see you soon.”
“See you for dinner.”
At 8:15 p.m. the doorbell rang. Lulu opened the door and saw J. P. carrying a bag with the bread, and he had a single pink rose in his hand. “You look lovely,” he said. He handed her the rose and kissed her on the cheek. “Merci, Jacques,” said Lulu.
“Hey, Dillon.”
“Let me get you a glass of wine,” said Dillon.
“I have to cook the fish, but it will only take a few minutes,” said Lulu.
“Can I help you with something? I know how to cook.”
“Oh, do you know how to make a salad dressing?” asked Lulu.
“Of course.”
J. P. went into the kitchen and looked in the cupboard. He seemed to be at home in the kitchen. Dillon was surprised. “Do you like it on the lighter side with less oil?” he asked.
“Yes. You read my mind.” Lulu added a cup of wine to the fish and let it simmer.
“I’ll set the table,” said J. P.
“You’re making me look bad. Are you trying to step up your game?” asked Dillon.
“It’s never too late to make a good impression—besides French men are expected to know their way around a kitchen. We learn at a young age.”
Dillon went to the kitchen and carried out the food to the table. J. P. tossed the salad with the dressing that he had made. “Bon appétit,” he said.
Lulu poured the wine. “It’s so nice to have everyone here tonight. I will really miss you guys when I’m gone.”
“I think I will miss you more,” said J. P. Lulu blushed slightly.
“I’m flying to Rome tomorrow night. My flight is for 8:00 p.m.”
“Wow, you didn’t waste any time. I saw the postcard, but I didn’t think you would go so soon,” said Dillon.
“I have to make the most of my last week,” said Lulu.
“It’s OK. I understand. You should take advantage of your uncle’s offer. I can drive you to the airport tomorrow,” said J. P.
“You’re so kind, J. P. “
“We had such a good time in Rouen. Do you think that you could live in France?” asked J. P.
“Yes, if I could live in a smaller town like Rouen and teach English.”
“Wouldn’t you miss your family?”
“They could come for long visits. My dad takes a month off every year and my mom only works part-time as a registered nurse. So that’s possible if I ever decided to do that. Who knows? I definitely would prefer France to Italy. There are too many problems in Italy. I think France is a better country.”
“Well, thank you. I like France better too,” said J. P. Dillon laughed.
“I’m looking forward to moving to San Francisco. That’s my ideal city,” said Dillon.
“I could see why you’d want to move there,” said J. P. while winking at Lulu.
“I’m going to miss you, Chockey Bickey. We did have a great time here this summer. The summer of 1976 will always be a great memory for me.”
Lulu got out the dessert. She raised her glass and said, “To friends.”
Lulu walked J. P. to the door, and he kissed her lightly on the lips and said, “I will come by at 4:00 p.m. tomorrow, ma chérie.”
Dillon was in the kitchen doing the dishes. Lulu went in to help him. “What are you going to do tomorrow—your last day?” asked Dillon.
“I’m going to wash my clothes and then go to the gardens. Do you want to come along?”
“Let’s go around eleven and stop off at the bakery. Good night,” said Dillon.
Lulu thought about how she wished that she had met J. P. earlier. She thought that he had all of the characteristics that she liked in a man, for a long-term relationship, but she didn’t know him well enough. She would like to have met his parents. Perhaps I should stop by his bookstore and meet his father if he is there, she thought.
She got up early and went to the Laundromat nearby. She was using her last French coins. It took her a little over an hour, and she rushed back to her apartment. “You really got up early today,” said Dillon.
“I think I’ll go over to the bookstore and try to meet J. P.’s father.”
“Do you really think that’s a good idea?”
“Why not?”
“It seems like you’re trying to check him out at the last minute. It seems too desperate, don’t you think?” asked Dillon.
“Oh, you’re right. I should just leave things as they are. I have to finish packing, and then we can leave at eleven.”
19
Last Walk
“Let’s stop off in the bakery and buy some chockey bickies,” said Lulu.
“I’ll buy them,” said Dillon.
They walked through the park, and an old man in ragged clothes approached them. He stretched out his hand for money. “I have very little in my purse,” said Lulu to Dillon.
“Let me have the bag,” said Dillon. He gave the chockey bickies to the old man. The old man looked inside and then smiled. He nodded his head and walked away. He sat down at a nearby bench and began to eat a chocolate croissant.
“Looks like he is really enjoying them,” said Lulu.
“Such a simple thing can make someone like that so happy. I’m going to miss the chocolate croissants when I return to the States—they just don’t taste the same.”
“How much longer are you staying in Paris?” asked Lulu.
“I have two weeks left. I’m ready to go back. I want to stop off in San Francisco to see Jena before I go on to Hawaii. I’m anxious to finish my degree. It will take me about six months. Then I’m moving to San Francisco.”
“You can do things with J. P. before you go back.”
“Yeah, but he doesn’t want to see me ev
ery day. He wouldn’t mind seeing you every day.” Dillon laughed, “I do know a gay guy that I can hang out with.”
“Why don’t you fly back early if you’re so anxious to get back?” asked Lulu.
“My airline ticket can’t be changed. I would lose the entire fare.”
“That’s too bad. Speaking of J. P., I really like him. I hate goodbyes. If I stayed another week here in Paris, it would be even harder to say goodbye.”
“You should stay in touch with him. He thinks you might be the one. He’s smart, good looking, great personality, rich. I met his parents in the bookstore. They’re really nice—very charming. J. P. was planning on inviting you to his parents’ flat for dinner. We didn’t think that you were leaving tomorrow.”
“It’s not that big of a deal that I’m leaving early. Things change. I have to finish packing, and I’m going to take a nap. I didn’t sleep well last night. You should give me your address.”
“Martin has my address, and I have his in San Francisco. You can always reach me through him.” They walked the rest of the way to the apartment in silence.
20
Ride to the Airport
J. P. arrived on time. Lulu hugged Dillon several times, and each time that she thought it was the last, he hugged her again. “You can keep my share of the money in the jar, it’s not that much.”
“Are you sure?” asked Dillon.
“I don’t need French money in Rome, and it’s not enough to bother with changing it into Italian. Bye, Chockey Bickey.” Dillon went to Lulu’s empty room and decided to play “Free Man in Paris.” He turned it up loud.
J. P. carried Lulu’s suitcase out to the car. He was just about to place it in the trunk when Lulu screamed. A foreign-looking man had grabbed her wrist and was trying to get her Gucci watch off while Lulu kicked him hard. It all happened so quickly. J. P. hit the man in the face and did some type of martial arts move on him. The man fell backward. He didn’t get up and looked unconscious. “Get in the car, Lulu.”
The Odd Couple in Paris Page 12