“Life as it should be,” Joy commented, while a relieved Philippe admitted he had wondered for a while in the previous month if that would ever happen.
The aromas floating down the hall from the kitchen had most of the group salivating by the time the dinner bell was rung, and Le Réveillon started at 1:00 p.m. The atmosphere in the house livened immediately.
The feast began with smoked salmon, followed by oysters, assorted filets of fish in a variety of sauces, baked fish, and—brought in with great fanfare and majestically presented—lobster, crab legs, shrimp, and the family’s favorite scallop dish, Coquilles Saint-Jacques.
“You warned me this was a decadent, luxurious meal, and you were right,” Kat whispered to Adorée.
Turkey stuffed with chestnuts and beef tournedos topped with foie gras were the main courses, accompanied by classic Lyonnaise potatoes and roasted root vegetables.
Katherine soon realized that the extended meal was a splendid example of the art of having a meaningful conversation while savoring fine food. Whether it was simply a fresh baguette and cheese or a feast, food in France was always savored and discussed, not simply eaten.
After the dishes were cleared and small dessert plates passed around, a fresh fruit platter arrived along with trays of the cheeses that Philippe had brought. There were exclamations of appreciation around the table, and more than one person rose to toast the entire meal.
In due course, Henri sounded a trumpet-like fanfare while the others stood and rhythmically clapped. Hélène and Antoine appeared with beaming smiles, carrying between them a long board with what looked to Katherine like a large chocolate-covered cake roll.
The children squealed, “La bûche de Noël!”
“The Christmas yule log,” Philippe explained. “The lightest, most delicious vanilla Genoise sponge cake with the richest homemade chocolate buttercream glaçage. I have never tasted one better than the one baked in this kitchen.”
Adorée leaned in and added, “You can’t possibly resist this, Kat. See how the children have decorated it with holly and mushrooms. The mushrooms aren’t real, although they look it. They’re made from meringue. Only the holly is real. I was in the kitchen helping with it.”
Not one serving was refused.
Later in the afternoon, tired and happy, people began leaving for home. Adorée had asked if they could get back to Antibes that evening so that she could spend the next day with friends before returning to London on December 27.
“This has been wonderful,” Kat said to Joy as they hugged. “I am always so happy to have a chance to really hug someone when I am with you. Thank goodness you did not give up that part of your English heritage.”
Joy laughed. “It’s one of the many reasons I am always thrilled to see you too. Thank you for sharing this holiday with us and making it even more special.”
“It was an incredible experience, Joy. I thank you—and all the family—for making me so welcome. I loved the traditions and the camaraderie—and the food. Oh, the food!”
They hugged again and Joy whispered into her ear, “Philippe has assured me the problems have all been resolved. I am so happy for you both.”
Kat’s smile lit up her face. “It is such a relief. Everything seemed to happen very quickly, and now we can get on with our plans for the future.”
François was next in line. He kissed her hand and held it between his while he told her what pleasure it had given him to have her there. “And your bridge playing is magnifique!”
When she protested, he shushed her and made her promise to return soon so he could arrange another game.
Philippe and Adorée took just as long to say their good-byes, but finally they all settled into the car and headed south.
23
Adorée returned to London on the 27th. Their good-byes were quite emotional.
“This was the best Christmas since Maman passed away,” she said, her voice almost steady. “It felt like I truly was home again.”
Philippe stumbled in his response, and his daughter put her arms around him.
“Papa, you forget I am all grown up now. Time has passed, and it makes me happy to see you finally move on with your life.”
Turning to Kat, she held her hand with both of hers. “Kat, you are just the woman I hoped Papa would find.”
Kat would have liked to hug her, but restrained herself to a bise and thanked her for making the holiday complete. “Come home again soon.”
Later, as they sat reading in the salon, Kat looked up from her book. “The apartment feels empty without her. It was so lovely to have her with us.”
“C’est vrai.” Philippe said. “It felt right, and thanks in no small part to you.”
“It was a happy time,” Kat agreed, then she sneezed loudly. “After all the rich food we ate this week, shall I make us poached eggs on toast for dinner?”
“Yes, please. I feel the need for comfort food too—with no wine!” Philippe said. “And an early bedtime. I have a big order arriving before dawn tomorrow.”
Kat woke early the next morning, with cold shivers, a fever, and stuffed sinuses.
“I thought you were Superwoman,” Philippe teased. “I will pick up some medicines on my way home, and you are to stay in bed. It’s very early, so try to go back to sleep.”
It turned out to be a nasty flu bug, and by the next day Philippe had fallen victim to it as well. For the first time in a long while, he took two days away from the market because of illness.
“It’s been years,” he told her. “Thank goodness for Gilles.”
For that time they stayed buried under their duvet, reading, sleeping, and talking excitedly about their new pup.
“I can’t wait until the end of the month,” Kat pretended to moan. “Can’t we get him now?” Philippe proposed they each make a list of names to see if they included a match.
“But, you know, Minou, we won’t be able to decide until we see him. He will let us know which of these names should be his.”
“It sounds like we’ve decided it will be a male. Like our Pico. I’m going to circle a date on our calendar right now and begin a countdown!”
Between conversations and naps, they took turns making lemon tea with honey. On La Saint-Sylvestre, New Year’s Eve Day, they started to feel close to normal again. Philippe returned to the stall, and Kat joined him in the afternoon to help set up the market hall for the traditional feast and soirée dansante. Space was cleared for dancing and dining, heaters were set up and le gui—mistletoe—was hung.
“At least we don’t have to get up too early tomorrow for the bain du jour de l’an at the beach in Salis.”
“A New Year’s Day swim? In the Med? Are you serious?”
“Oui. Don’t worry, we don’t take the plunge until eleven thirty. It’s a tradition for all of us to have this dip in La Grande Bleue on the first day of the new year.”
Kat looked at him in shock until she caught the twinkle in his eye.
“Ha! Let’s just try to make the fireworks tomorrow evening at the beach in Juan-les-Pins,” she said, and they agreed that might well be something they could manage.
Late in the afternoon, they decided to take a nap before heading out to the festivities, and Philippe wakened to his cell phone ringing at 11:15 p.m. André was calling to see why they had not shown up yet.
Philippe looked over at Kat, who was snoring lightly in a way he found quite sweet, and thought about waking her. Then he reconsidered and told André they would be staying home. He soon fell back to sleep himself.
When they woke up early the next morning, they shared a laugh at how their first New Year’s Eve had not turned out as planned.
“C’est la vie, mon amour. I’m glad you didn’t wake me up.” Kat said as they wished each other bon jour de l’an with a long list of good things they hoped for, each item foll
owed by a kiss.
“Let’s take our time this morning and then go watch the crazy nageurs at the beach. I told André we would meet them there.”
They spent much of the day hanging out with friends, first at Salis beach, then at lunch at a nearby bistro known for its delicious croque monsieurs. Kat had developed a serious liking for the toasted ham sandwich with Emmental cheese grilled on top.
In the afternoon, they phoned Andrea and Terrence to give them their best wishes for the new year.
“Happy New Year to you too, darling Kat and Philippe. We’re sorry the kids are all out doing their own thing, but we will pass along your good wishes. We miss you.”
Next they called Molly, who sounded very happy and not alone, although she admitted nothing. “We hope this is a wonderful year for you, Moll, in every way. A new beginning.”
“And for you two lovebirds as well,” Molly said. “I miss you, Katski. We have to make some plans. Bring Philippe to Toronto for a visit.”
“You never know,” Philippe said. “I would like to do that.”
When they hung up, Kat and Philippe commented at the same time that Molly had not dropped one f-bomb during the conversation.
“That counseling is really working.”
“Maybe she made it a New Year’s resolution too.”
After dark that evening they met Annette and her husband, along with Gilles and his cousins who were visiting, and a few other friends on the beach in Juan-les-Pin for the fireworks display.
“Every time we watch fireworks, I think I will never see a more spectacular display, and the next time they simply outdo the show,” Kat remarked as they climbed into bed.
Philippe agreed and held Kat tightly. “Thank you for making the holidays so much fun and full of meaning again. You even made getting the flu feel special.”
Kat missed seeing Simone. They had last talked on La Saint-Sylvestre, when Kat called to wish her well and explain that she would come to see her when she was over the flu.
“The last thing I want to do is expose you to this nasty germ, Simone. You would not thank me for that.”
Simone’s response was quick and sure. “Getting sick last month was all the illness I needed for a very long time.”
Then she surprised Katherine by saying she would be having some company for a few days.
“Every year at the first of January, an art dealer from Paris and his wife come to visit and do business. They are old friends of Jean-Luc’s and getting on themselves, but he is well established and still very active. I will tell you all about it when I see you next. They will stay until Epiphany, so come after that, chérie.”
24
January 6 was the celebration of Epiphany.
“I should have known this would involve eating in some way,” Kat laughed as Philippe presented her with a galette des rois after dinner, a lightly sugared brioche topped with a paper crown. He cut it into three slices and Kat bit into one. Then she winced and sputtered, and spat out a porcelain bean into a tissue.
“What is it?” Kat asked. “It almost broke my tooth!”
Philippe was apologetic. “Oh là là—I forgot to warn you. Sorry! You got la fève. There’s only one in the cake, and finding it brings you good luck.”
Kat shot him a look as she rinsed the charm at the sink.
Philippe placed the paper crown on her head. “You are now king for the day, and your first wish will be granted.”
“My wish has already been granted,” Kat said. “The Idelle situation has been resolved. Nothing stands in the way of our plans for the property on the Cap now. I am so excited. This project and our new pup are going to make this a banner year.”
Each day was again bringing Kat affirmation that this was the life and the love she was meant to have.
The day before, Philippe had brought home his architect’s plans for the renovations to the villa on the Cap. They had spread them on the dining table that night and pored over every detail, making notes about changes they wanted to see. Philippe went out of his way to let Kat know this was a joint project and that her opinions and ideas were as important as his.
Now they took the drawings out again and talked some more about their hopes and dreams. Laughing as they considered—not too seriously—what they might name the inn, they decided to go to the property the next day and walk through, plans in hand.
“The new life we’re building together begins once again with these plans. That is a promise, Minou.”
Kat ran her hands lightly over the blueprints. She thought she might never have felt happier than this moment. “This is our future.”
“The work is going to begin the week after next if we want it to,” Philippe continued. “When I spoke to the contractor, Didier, last October, he had scheduled the job to begin around the first week of January. After all the trouble began with Idelle, I never canceled it. I just didn’t think of it. So we have not lost any time. What do you think, Kat? Shall we go ahead with it?”
Nodding her head and grinning, no words were necessary.
“It’s amazing how things work out because, when I met with him yesterday, Didier told me that if we could not begin right away, he would have to put it off for a year. He has been offered a big job in Juan-les-Pins, but he said he would honor his commitment to us first.”
“We have a year, at least, to think about it before we welcome our first guest. You know the way it goes with contractors and restoration work. It may take even longer.”
Kat looked at Philippe, her heart full. “We have such an exciting future ahead of us, I don’t care how long it takes. The important thing is that we are doing what you promised me months ago. How could the start of this new year be any better?”
The galette des rois sat forgotten on the table.
Her cell phone rang just after ten thirty that night. Katherine assumed it was either Andrea or Molly preparing to Skype.
“Hey there. Bonne soirée here. Bon après-midi to you,” she answered.
“Kat? It’s Terrence. Oh God, Kat . . . there’s been a terrible accident.”
“Is Andrea all right?” she gasped. “The kids? What happened?”
“It’s Molly, and the news is not good.”
“No!”
Her shout brought Philippe to her side, and he put his arm around her shoulder.
“The roads are very icy from a storm last night,” Terrence said. “Instead of coming for lunch, Molly decided to change her plans and meet Andrea at an auction and then join us for dinner. They were on their way here, in their own cars, when hers was hit head on. She’s in a coma. Andrea is okay. She was just ahead of Molly and heard the crash. She’s at the hospital with her now.”
Katherine wiped away tears, her voice catching as she asked questions, some that could not be answered.
“It happened a few miles from here—you know that sharp corner by the old sawmill.”
“What can I do? I’ll come right away. This is terrible . . .” and with that she broke down and passed the phone to Philippe.
He and Terrence spoke for a few more minutes before hanging up.
Philippe held her close and stroked her hair, trying his best to comfort her as she sobbed uncontrollably.
“She can’t . . . She can’t . . . die. She just can’t . . .”
“Don’t give up hope. Terrence says they have few details, but Andrea stressed Molly is not on life support and is holding her own. He will call later, or Andrea will, as soon as they have more to tell us.”
Kat sat in a daze for a long time, unable to go to bed. Then she got up and started pacing, focusing every positive thought on Molly, willing her to recover. Philippe went online to look into flights to Toronto and texted to let Gilles know he would not be at the market the next day. Gilles texted back not to worry, as the market would be quiet, with everyone still recov
ering from the holidays.
Kat was beside herself, muttering repeatedly, “I can’t believe this! How could this happen to Molly? After all she’s been through in her life. How is it possible?”
Around midnight, Andrea called to report that Molly was being kept in a medically induced coma to help reduce the pressure in her brain.
“I’m so sorry, Kat. I know how terrible you must be feeling. We all are . . .” Her voice faltered and she stopped speaking for a moment. “Father DeCarlo is here and bringing us all what comfort he can.”
Hearing that he was there reassured Katherine. “No one knows Molly better,” she told Philippe.
Andrea continued. “He told me that when he was in Vancouver with Molly after Shawn died, he helped her draw up a living will and a power of attorney for both property and personal care. The person she named is you.”
“Oh my gosh, that’s right. I remember her asking me if that was all right.”
“It means it would be best if you could be here, as soon as you can manage. There are papers that require your signature. There will be decisions to make. The hospital will scan and e-mail some forms to you immediately, but they say you really should be here. I’m sure you want to be. I don’t know what else to say. I can’t think clearly.”
Fear for her friend clouded Kat’s mind, and she passed the phone to Philippe once more so he could listen to the instructions.
After he hung up, Kat looked at him, her eyes filled with pain. “I have to go, no question.”
“We will both go. I will make the reservations now.”
Kat sat, stunned, before her thoughts began to unjumble.
“It doesn’t make any sense for you to come right now. We don’t know how long Molly will be like this. I’ll get an open ticket. Besides, you have to be here to get work started on the villa. And for the market.”
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