You Had Me At Bonjour

by Jennifer Bohnet

  On an ancient stone wall, a life-size silver witch shimmered in the half-light, while an owl screeched occasionally high up in one of the trees.

  Under the shade of one of the oak trees, Lotta and I gave the contents of our goody bags a cursory inspection – incense sticks, dream fairies, witch’s mug, owl keyring and a book of spells to name some of the items – before Peter Pan came to take us to dance with the Seven Dwarfs. From then on, the evening passed in a haze of laughter and fun.

  Wouldn’t be surprised to hear there was some funny stuff in the steam from the witch’s cauldron. Keep remembering the scene in “Saving Grace” where the villagers all get high when the cannabis goes up in smoke and pours out of the greenhouse. Bit like that last night – nobody stripped off though.

  The Nice-Matin the next morning pronounced it to be the Juan-les-Pins party of the year. And I was there. Wonder what their reporter came as?

  June 28th.

  Bella phoned from Nice airport to say she was getting a taxi, which was fine by me. I was in no mood to go trawling over there on public transport to meet her, especially after opening the document the postman had just delivered.

  An hour later when she arrived, I’d put lunch – baguettes and cheese, absolutely nothing special – out on the terrace table. I did have a couple of bottles of wine in the fridge. I figured we were both going to need a drink to get through the next couple of hours.

  ‘Good flight?’

  ‘It was OK. Need this though,’ Bella said, taking a swig from the glass I handed her. ‘Apartment is looking good.’

  ‘Thanks. How long are you staying?’

  ‘Just the night. Midday flight back tomorrow.’

  Conversation between us had never been so stilted.

  ‘So tell me – how’s my daughter?’

  Bella sighed deeply. ‘Jessie, it wasn’t my idea for her to move in with me. She just turned up one night saying she was desperate. I certainly wasn’t going to turn her away.’

  ‘Thank you for that at least. But why not tell me? You knew how worried I was.’

  Bella nodded. ‘I do feel guilty about that, but Katie said she had a lot of stuff to work through and made me promise not to tell either you or Ben. She particularly didn’t want Ben turning up and bullying her to go back home.’

  ‘So what happens next? Has she worked through everything yet? How much longer is she planning on staying with you?’

  ‘She’s beginning to accept things are as they are, and realise there is nothing she can do except to get on with her own life. She’s going to look at a flat share next week. Flatly refuses to go back to your old house.’ Bella held out her glass. ‘Need a top up please.’

  Silently I refilled her glass.

  ‘Honestly Jessie, she’s OK and handling things better now. Think she’s even starting to feel guilty about the way she’s behaved with you. She asked me to give you her love and to say she hopes she’ll see you soon.’

  ‘Does she still blame me for leaving? Will she talk to me if I phone her?’

  ‘She misses you, and wishes you were there, but it’s Ben she’s really angry with now.’

  ‘Should I come back?’

  ‘No. Unless you feel you must.’

  I shook my head. ‘Not really. I just feel guilty about not being there for Katie.’

  ‘Don’t. This is your gap year – make the most of it. It’ll be over before you know it.’

  ‘You’re right. The past six months have flown by. But...’

  ‘You’ll regret it if you cut things short. I promise you, Katie is fine and I’ll be there for her – though I’ve got my fingers crossed this flat share works out. My love life has nose-dived since she’s been living in my spare room.’

  ‘Sorry about that. Bella,’ I paused. ‘Thanks for being there for her.’

  Bella waved the hand that wasn’t clutching the glass of rosé at me.

  ‘You all right apart from the Katie business? Enjoying the Riviera life?’

  I shrugged. ‘My Decree Absolute came through this morning. It brought it home to me – I’m officially single and alone. Not something I ever thought I’d be again.’

  This time it was Bella who poured wine into my glass.

  ‘It feels as though the last twenty-three years have been wasted.’

  ‘Nonsense. If nothing else, you’ve got a beautiful daughter. Cheer up. Just look on it as an opportunity to change your life and steer it in the direction you really want it to go.’

  ‘Trouble is, I’m clean out of ideas on that score. The Decree Absolute arriving has made me realise how everything in my previous life has finished. There’s no way of going back to what I was – to what I had – before. “No husband, no home, no job” keeps going round and round in my head.’

  ‘Now you’re being plain morbid,’ Bella said. ‘Job-wise, your Jessica’s Jaunts column is already gaining followers. Of course you’ve got hope for the future. Just enjoy the rest of this year down here and then come home ready to fight for whatever life you want. You know you’ve always got a home with me – provided of course Katie has moved out by then!’

  ‘Thanks.’

  ‘Friends again?’ Bella said.

  ‘Of course. I’m even going to treat you to supper tonight at Jacques’.’

  To be honest, I’d have preferred to have ordered a takeaway and stayed at home but it didn’t seem fair to deny Bella a night out.

  Unfortunately I’d forgotten it was the evening of the annual Fete de Music when the whole of France becomes a giant concert stage and every Frenchman believes he’s the next Johnny Hallyday.

  Juan-les-Pins was alive with the sound of music as we walked through, and Jacques’ bar barely had room for us to squeeze in. Jacques, too busy serving to do more than blow Bella a kiss when he saw us, sent a bottle of champagne and two glasses over, with a promise to “see you later”.

  I jerked my head at Bella and mouthed ‘Outside?’ Together we pushed our way through the crowd and back outside, hoping one of the pavement tables would be free. No such luck. ‘Beach,’ we both said at the same time and made our way across the road.

  Sitting there on the beach was blissful – watching the sun disappear behind the distant Esterel range, drinking champagne and listening to the sound of a melodious saxophone drifting on the evening air.

  So what if I was now a divorce statistic? So what if I didn’t have a job? So what if I didn’t have a home to go back to? Nothing I can do about being a divorcee but I sure as hell can do something about the other two things.

  I’m healthy. I’m enjoying writing as a freelancer for the OB – there must be other markets I can target as well. My share of the house money will shortly be landing in my bank account. Katie appears to be sorting herself out. And right now I’m living on the Riviera.

  Maybe it was the champagne bubbles infusing me with a false sense of hope that would disappear once I sobered up, but for the first time I began to feel optimistic about my future. This is my Shirley Valentine year after all. My chance to re-discover the real me.

  I glanced across at Bella, about to tell her how I felt, when Jacques arrived with a plate of nibbles and another bottle of champagne.

  Coming to a decision, I stood up. ‘I’ll leave you two to it. I’ll see you at home later. And Bella?’

  She smiled up at me as Jacques sat down beside her, ‘Yes?’

  ‘I’m glad we’re friends again.’ And I left them to it. I owed her that at least.

  Back in the apartment I switched on the kettle. Waiting for it to boil, I lit one of the incense sticks I’d found in my Midsummer Madness goody bag. The wishing fairies stared back at me from the shelf where I’d placed them.

  Lotta had told me to treat them like those worry dolls you can buy to tell your problems to. These fairies though are apparently for making dreams come true. ‘Talk to them, tell them your dreams. You’ll be surprised how it will help,’ is what she’d actually said. I could tell she was deadly ser
ious, though I was struggling not to laugh.

  But I suppose if the real Shirley Valentine can talk to walls, I can talk to the fairies. So I did. And no, I’m not going to tell you what I said. Maybe later – if it works.

  JULY

  Gosh. It is Hot. Hadn’t realised how hot summer down here in the south was going to get. Am seriously thinking of going down to the beach at least once a day and having a swim to cool off – and I hate swimming in the sea. Oh for a private pool. I’m also having to walk Brucie three times a day in the heat.

  Eliosa has still not recovered from her mugging. I know her arm will take weeks to mend but I’d hoped her spirit would have returned sooner. She is so despondent. Even Nino says he’s never known her this low.

  He popped in to see her before he took the boat across to Corsica this week. I was just returning Brucie when he arrived, and Eliosa insisted we both joined her for a cooling drink out on her terrace.

  Apparently her brother is ringing her every day and is threatening to come and take her back to Italy.

  ‘Might be good for you to go,’ Nino said. ‘Let the family spoil you.’

  Eliosa tapped her plaster cast with her good hand. ‘No thank you. I’m not going anywhere until this comes off. Until then I’ll manage. Jessica and my other friends have been marvellous. Giovani can nag all he likes. I’m staying put.’

  Nino sighed. ‘But you haven’t left the apartment for weeks now. That is not good for you.’

  Eliosa shrugged and Nino sighed in exasperation. I could see some family issues coming up so I made my excuses and left them to it. Didn’t want to intrude on private matters.

  Fifteen minutes later and Nino knocked on my apartment door.

  ‘D’you like jazz?’

  I’d been expecting him to say something about Eliosa so wasn’t prepared for that question. ‘Yes.’

  Or the next one.

  ‘I’ll be back before the jazz festival finishes. If I get tickets, you like to come with me?’

  I hesitated, thinking about his wife. Having problems they may be, but I don’t want to get caught up in marriage or family politics.

  But it wasn’t as if it was an invitation to go to bed with him. We’d be in public, surrounded by people.

  ‘A thank you for looking after Eliosa,’ Nino added, as though sensing my thoughts.

  ‘I don’t need a thank you for that, but I’d like to come to the festival with you,’ I said.

  ‘Good. I’ll let you know which night. Any problems with Eliosa, ring me. Try and persuade her to go out.’ And he was gone before I could even wish him “Bon voyage”.

  3rd July.

  Have to say, I’ve really enjoyed walking Brucie – I’ve even lost a bit of weight with the regular exercise. Result. I’ve particularly enjoyed the morning walks when it’s been quiet and cooler. As it’s gotten hotter, I’ve started to take Brucie out earlier – seven a.m. would you believe – not only is it cooler, but the tourists are still in bed. I think Brucie feels the heat too, he never seems very keen to go far in the afternoon.

  I’ve discovered parts of Juan-les-Pins off the beaten track. I’ve also started to be fascinated by its history. In the late afternoon, or early evening, I walk down past the old Provencal Hotel to the shelter of the woods on Cap d’Antibes. Such a shame the hotel’s been empty for so long. I bet in its 1930s heyday it saw some action from the celebrities like F Scott Fitzgerald, Mistinguett and Cole Porter that flocked to stay on the Cap. Thinking of doing a feature on it for the OB.

  5th July.

  Yesterday evening I did manage to persuade Eliosa to come with me when I took Brucie out last thing. Just to get her out of the apartment. We actually made it as far as Jacques’ bar for a glass of wine. She was definitely brighter when we got home. Will try and get her out with me every day now.

  6th July.

  The house money has finally landed in my account so I’m officially what is called a “rich bitch” down here – for a few months anyway. There’s not that much – certainly not enough to buy anything outright when I get back – but it will make a hefty deposit. I thought I’d celebrate my new temporary financial status by throwing a supper party. So I’m off out to buy stuff and get organised.

  8th July.

  My small terrace looked good for last night’s supper party. I’d dotted citronella candles everywhere to try and keep the mozzies at bay, the geraniums were flowering and trailing in the required manner and the lemon tree still has half a dozen lemons on it. I actually bought lemons so I didn’t have to raid it for the G&Ts. Sad or what. I’d decided finger food was the way to go as there was no way I could seat everyone, so the canapes and the drinks were on the table by the terrace doors.

  I’d pushed a note through the doors downstairs in case either of the yachties or the vet – none of whom I’d yet met – were around. Was quite surprised when three of them actually turned up with Lotta. Colette and four friends from French conversation, Jamie, Eliosa and me made the numbers up to a dozen. The only people missing really were Katie and Bella. Would have been nice to have been able to invite Nino too.

  It was a great party until the doorbell rang nonstop halfway through the evening, bringing a thirteenth – uninvited – guest.

  ‘For heaven’s sake, take your finger off the button,’ I said, opening the door to an unknown sixty-something dark haired man with attitude. Oh boy, did he have attitude.

  ‘Eliosa here?’

  ‘Who wants to know?’

  ‘Her brother.’

  ‘Control freak Giovani?’ I couldn’t stop myself saying.

  I received an icy stare before he said, ‘I am Giovani yes. She is here?’

  I nodded. ‘Yes, but I’m not sure she will want to see you…’

  ‘I come in,’ Giovani interrupted, and before I could stop him he pushed past me and was inside.

  ‘Hey, this is my apartment and you’re not invited.’

  ‘Problem?’ Jamie asked, appearing in the sitting room and effectively barring the way through to the terrace.

  ‘Eliosa’s brother wants to see her, but I’m not sure it’s mutual,’ I said.

  ‘Wait here and I’ll see if she feels the same about you,’ Jamie ordered.

  ‘It is OK,’ Eliosa said quietly behind him.

  Jamie moved aside and she walked up to her brother. ‘Hello Giovani. I have been expecting you.’

  10th July.

  It’s been a funny few days since my supper party. After Giovani arrived, Eliosa made her apologies and left, taking him back to her apartment. The rest of us carried on until around midnight when everyone started to drift away. Jamie was the last to leave -– apparently on his way home he was picking up Matthew, his son, who was arriving on one of the last flights of the day at Nice airport.

  ‘Thanks for this evening. Join me and Matthew for lunch in Antibes on Tuesday? I’d like you two to meet. Twelve o’clock at The Blue Lady?’

  ‘Great. See you then.’

  I was making a start on the clearing up the next morning when Eliosa rang the bell.

  ‘You ok?’ I asked.

  ‘Si. I come to tell you Giovani has taken Brucie out for his walk today.’

  ‘Is he staying with you for a bit?’

  Eliosa nodded. ‘Two days. He’s hoping Nino will be around before he leaves.’

  ‘Are you going with him when he leaves?’

  ‘Non. I’m sorry his arrival interrupted your party. I was so cross with him. I’ve told him he has to apologise for causing a scene.’

  ‘No apology necessary, Eliosa – it was only a tiny scene.’ I said, trying to make a joke of it. No way did I want to see Giovani again. ‘So long as you’re all right.’

  When Nino rang to say he’d be back in town on the fourteenth, and he had tickets for the jazz festival on the sixteenth, without thinking I said, ‘Giovani’s been here for a couple of days.’

  ‘I know. He keeps texting me to tell me he’s hoping I’ll be back before
he leaves – which isn’t going to happen. Eliosa going with him?’

  ‘No. Her cast is coming off soon and she says there’s no need.’

  ‘Gotta go. Pick you up seven o’clock on the sixteenth. We’ll have supper somewhere first. Ciao.’ The line died.

  12th July.

  For the last few days, the heat has been so draining all I want to do really is sit on the terrace with a cold drink and the fan going. I dragged the column fan to the doorway, faced it outwards and now sit on the terrace practically on top of it. Honestly! Sounds stupid – outdoors with a fan on – but it’s the only way I can keep cool. The ceiling fan in the sitting room hasn’t been switched off for weeks. And August is forecast to be even hotter!

  Am trying to write a few features in advance for next month because, apart from the heat stopping me working, I shall have visitors. Katie and Bella are coming – Katie first for a fortnight and then Bella for about ten days. I’m hoping Katie and I will be able to really talk while she’s here. Her text messages are still short and infrequent.

  Bella says she saw Ben and Samantha the other day in town. Samantha is huge and Ben was looking tired. That’s before the sleepless nights start. Not that I remember Ben getting up much for Katie – maybe Samantha will have him better trained.

  14th July.

  Enjoyed lunch with Jamie and Matthew. Matthew didn’t hang around for long though. Once he’d eaten his lunch, he made his apologies and disappeared in the direction of the marina to meet some friends.

  ‘How’s Eliosa?’ Jamie asked as the waiter brought the bill.

  ‘Still a bit doddery, but better now that Giovani has left. She’s looking forward to the cast coming off at the end of the month.’

  ‘Is she walking Brucie yet?’

  I shook my head. ‘No. I’m back on dog walking duty three times a day, but I’ve at least managed to persuade her to come with me once a day – only as far as Jacques’ bar, but it gets her out.’