Chapter Four The View
The door clicked open. Camille opened it slowly and stepped inside.
For a moment she didn’t say anything. Simone followed behind, quietly closing the door.The suite opened into a large sitting area.
Camille took a few steps forward, turning slowly as she looked around.
“Simone”Simone leaned lightly against the door, watching her.
“What?”Camille shook her head, still taking it all in.
“This room is nicer than my house.”A couch sat near the center of the room, a small table beside it with fresh flowers arranged neatly in a vase.
The space felt bright and calm, the kind of room that made you want to stay for hours.
“WOW.”Simone smiled.“You keep saying that.”Camille walked farther into the room, she noticed the large glass doors at the far end.
“Wait.”She moved toward them slowly. Simone already knew what she saw.
Camille pushed the balcony doors open. Fresh spring air drifted inside. Then she stepped out and stopped.
Simone walked over, leaning lightly against the doorway behind her.Camille stared.“Oh my God.”
Simone smiled quietly.“Yeah.”Camille turned toward her, still stunned.
“You got a room with a view of the Eiffel Tower.”Simone nodded and smiled.
“I thought you might like it.”Camille laughed again.
“I don’t even know what to say.”Simone stepped onto the balcony beside her.
“You don’t have to say anything.”They stood there for a moment, looking out over the city.
Paris stretched below them.“This is amazing Simone.”Simone looked at her.Worth it.
Camille stepped back inside slowly, still shaking her head. “I’m not over this view.” “You’ve been here thirty seconds.” “And it’s already life-changing,” Camille said.
She walked farther into the suite, glancing around again.
“Okay wait.”She pointed toward another doorway.
“There’s more.”Simone followed as Camille pushed the door open.
Camille froze again.“You got us a whole apartment.”Simone leaned against the doorway.
“It’s not an apartment, it’s a suite.”Camille turned toward her.
“This is absolutely an apartment.” Simone laughed.
Camille walked over to the bed and sat on the mattress.
“Simone.”Simone raised an eyebrow.“Comfortable?”Camille looked at her.
“I might never leave.”Simone smiled.Camille laughed again and moved toward another door.
“Hold up, there’s more.”The bathroom was just as big, marble counters and a deep soaking tub near the window.
Camille looked around slowly.“Simone.”Simone stepped in behind her.
“What?”Camille turned toward her.“I still can’t believe you planned this.
”Simone smiled.“Well, I did.”Camille shook her head, still amused.
She leaned back against the counter, looking at Simone for a moment.
“You really did all this for me.”Simone stood up straight.
“Yes, I did, well for us.”Camille stared at her.
Then she smiled. “Well,” she said, pushing herself off the counter, “We officially have the best week of our lives ahead of us.”Simone smiled back.
“Yeah, I think we do.”Camille stepped back into the living area just as she heard a soft knock at the door.
She looked at Simone.“Did we order room service already?”Simone laughed.
“No.”She walked over and opened the door.
A bellman stood in the hallway with their suitcases on a luggage cart.
“Ms. Bennet,” he said politely. “Your luggage.”Simone stepped aside to let him in.
“Thank you.”He rolled the bags into the suite and set them neatly near the bedroom doorway before giving a polite nod.The door closed behind him as he left.
Camille looked down at the suitcases and then back at Simone.
“I guess this makes it official.”Simone laughed.
“Pretty sure it was official when we landed.”They carried the bags into the bedroom.
Camille sat on the edge of the bed and unzipped her suitcase.
Everything inside was folded neatly. She pulled out a dress and held it up.
“You think this works?”Simone was hanging one of her shirts in the closet.
“Yes.” Camille squinted at her.“You didn’t even look.
”Simone turned.“Let me see it.”Camille held the dress up again.
Simone nodded.“That’ll work.”Camille smiled a little and set it aside before digging through the rest of her suitcase.
Across the room, Simone was going through her own bag, hanging a couple more things in the closet.Camille looked over again.
“Tell me you didn’t pack like you were moving here.
”Simone paused.“Define moving.”Camille laughed.
“How many outfits did you bring?”“A few.”Camille shook her head, as she folded a shirt onto the dresser.
She looked out the window and let out a slow breath.
“This is actually happening.”Simone looked over at her.
“Yeah.”For a minute, the room went quiet, except for the sound of hangers sliding along the closet rod.
Then Camille clapped her hands once.“Okay.” Simone looked up.
“What?”Camille smiled.“Unpack faster.”Simone raised an eyebrow.
“Why?”Camille gestured toward the balcony.
“Because we didn’t come all the way to Paris to sit in a hotel room.
”Camille folded the last shirt onto the dresser and looked over at Simone.
“Okay,” she said, stretching her arms slightly.
“Before you surprise me with something else, I definitely need a shower.”Simone laughed.
“Okay.”Camille pointed at her.“Question, did you plan the next twelve hours already?”Simone smiled but didn’t answer that.
They both laughed. Then Simone nodded toward the bathroom.
“You first, hurry up.”Camille grabbed a smaller bag from her suitcase.
“Here we go.”She headed toward the bathroom, pausing in the doorway.
“Ok” she added, glancing back at Simone, “I’ll be back. ”Simone looked over.
“I’ll be here.” Camille nodded and went into the bathroom. The bathroom door closed and a moment later the shower started running.
Simone stood in the bedroom for a second, listening to the sound of water behind the door.Then she stepped out into the living room.
The suite was quiet now, afternoon light pouring in through the tall windows near the balcony.She walked over and pushed the glass doors open.
Cool spring air drifted inside as she stepped out.Simone rested her hands lightly on the railing.
For a moment she stood there, enjoying. Everything felt still.
In the distance, she heard the bathroom open.
Simone stayed there, she knew Camille would come over.Inside the bedroom, Camille stepped out of the shower, drying the ends of her braids with a towel as she walked into the living room.
The balcony doors were open.She could see Simone standing outside.
Camille smiled and stepped toward the doorway.
“Okay, that was the best shower I’ve ever taken?
”Simone turned, leaning lightly against the railing.
“Oh really?”Camille nodded.“Oh my God, yes!”Simone laughed.
“Good to know.”Camille stepped back inside the suite.
“You should go before the hot water runs out.”Simone walked toward the bedroom.
“I already got my stuff ready.”Camille waved her hand dismissively.
“I’ll be dressed by the time you get out.
” Simone stopped in the doorway and looked back at her.
“No, you won’t.”Camille laughed.“Don’t judge.
”Simone shook her head, smiling as she disappeared into the bedroom.
A moment later the bathroom door closed.Simone is so extra.She smiled.Always.That was the thing about Simone.
When she cared about something, or someone, she shows it.And somehow, she made it look effortless.
How does she do that?After everything Camille had been through the past year, she expected this trip to feel strange.
Complicated.But it didn’t. It felt easy.Maybe that’s the whole point.A week away from everything.A week where she didn’t have to think about lawyers, paperwork, or the life she’d just walked away from.She walked over to the dresser where she had laid a few things earlier and grabbed a pair of jeans.Okay, get dressed before Simone comes out and starts rushing you.She laughed to herself.Because you know she will.
Camille slipped into the jeans, then pulled on a shirt she’d hung in the closet earlier.
She stepped into her sandals and walked over to the mirror near the dresser, smoothing the shirt as she looked at herself.She fixed her hair and put on some earrings and a little perfume.
The shower shut off in the bedroom. Camille looked toward the door. Perfect timing.
She sat on the bed, waiting for Simone to come out.
Camille lay stretched across the bed as she scrolled through her phone.The bathroom door opened.Steam came out first, then Simone stepped out of the bedroom, already dressed, drying her hands with a towel.Camille looked up from her phone.
Simone raised an eyebrow.“What?”“Told you” Camille said.
“I’m dressed.”“Oh, you actually are.”Camille sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed.
“You doubted me?”“Of course I did, you’re never ready on time.
”Camille laughed.“Rude.”Simone smiled and walked over and sat down next to Camille.
She put her shoes on. Then Camille sat up.
“Okay, so I was looking at some places to eat,”Simone cut her off.
“We actually have brunch reservations downstairs.”Camille paused.
“Really, Simone?”“Yes, really.”Camille stared at her for a second.
“That’s,”“That’s what?” Simone said. Camille smiled.
“You really thought about everything.”Simone smiled.
“Even though I was about to suggest that place anyway.”Simone grabbed a pillow off the bed and tossed it back at her.
“Shut up. No, you weren’t.”Camille barely dodged it, laughing.
“I was!”Simone shook her head, laughing now.
“Whatever.” She grabbed her bag.“Let’s go.
”Camille hopped off the bed, still smiling.
“Okay, planner.”Simone pointed toward the door.
“Move.”Simone opened the door and stepped into the hallway.
Camille followed behind her. The floor was quiet.
Simone pressed the button for the elevator.While they waited, she looked over and noticed Camille watching her.
“What?” Simone asked.“What else do you have planned?”Simone smiled.
“Just a few things.”Camille smiled.“And by a few things I’m guessing you mean the entire week.
”Simone didn’t answer that.“Simone.”Simone looked at her.
“Why do you keep saying my name?”Camille crossed her arms.“Why didn’t you tell me about all of this?
We could’ve planned it together.”Simone looked down at her phone for a second before answering.
“I wanted to do this for you.”The words came out before she really thought about them.
Camille tilted her head.“You mean us?”Simone paused for a moment.
Then she nodded.“Yeah.”Camille couldn’t help but look at Simone.
Something about this felt different, and she didn’t really know why.
The elevator doors slid open. They both stepped inside.
As the doors closed, Camille found herself replaying what Simone had said.I wanted to do this for you.What did she mean by that?
Camille thought for a second, then shook the thought away.After what seemed like forever in the elevator, the doors opened.
And the two of them stepped out together. Camille looked over at her again.
Simone looked completely normal, already focused on where they were heading next. Camille followed her toward the restaurant. Something about that moment lingered. And she wasn’t quite sure why. What she did know was this trip may be a little more than she expected.