Chapter 26
26
I give Gabriel and Lorelei some space to talk. They walk down the long drive to where she has a car parked. I watch as she leaves.
When he gets back to me, he says, ‘Please come inside, Clara. Let’s talk about this in my workshop.’
‘I can’t come to the workshop, Gabriel. We’ll both get thrown out if I do,’ I tell him. ‘I can’t let that happen to you. You need to finish the box and deliver it. You have to do it without me.’
‘But it’s just one chocolate. One last one,’ he says. ‘We each have just one chocolate left to go.’
‘And now Jacques knows you’ve lost your sense of taste. You have to go back in there and get the chocolate finished. I can’t ruin things for you any more. I’ve interfered too much. If I hadn’t told Lorelei to come, if Madame Pichon hadn’t found me in your workshop, and if Jacques hadn’t heard us in the pantry … This is my fault! I can’t bear for you not to finish this.’ I turn from him and hurry back into the building to get my belongings. I gather as much as I can and, with my chef’s whites half out of my rucksack, I head for the front door where Gabriel is waiting for me. ‘Madame Pichon will throw us both out! Go back!’
‘Clara, wait!’ This time it’s Gabriel chasing me out of the building.
‘No, I have to go! It was the one thing that wasn’t supposed to happen!’
He grabs my elbow and we slip, then steady ourselves, looking at the spot where I fell when I chased Gabriel down the road.
‘I’m so sorry. This is all my fault! Jacques knows. They all do! I should never have tried to help. Where’s your daughter now?’
‘She’s going to my cousin at the farm. She’s furious I didn’t tell her what’s been going on. She plans to leave tomorrow.’
‘Before Christmas?’
He nods.
‘I’m sorry, Gabriel. I shouldn’t have interfered. This is all my fault.’
‘It was bound to happen one way or another.’
‘I feel terrible. I’ve ruined everything. I have to go. Daniel is expecting me.’ Although I’m not sure that’s what I want.
My eyes are full of tears.
‘Where are you going?’
‘To see Daniel. It’s our final date tonight. Remember?’
‘What about tomorrow? Will you be back?’
I look down. ‘I don’t think so. My chocolate story has come to an end.’
I stare into his face, which shows how wretched and broken he feels, then turn away and hurry back to the chalet where I start to stuff my belongings into my case.
‘Wait,’ says Fleur, following me into the chalet, out of breath. ‘What are you doing?’
‘I’m leaving. I can’t stay. I’ve ruined everything.’ I try to close the case.
‘But it’s the showcase tomorrow evening. You can’t not finish the course! You only have the one last chocolate to make to finish.’
‘Believe you me, I won’t be welcome there. I can’t finish the course.’
I think about Gabriel’s face, realizing his world had come crashing down around his ears.
I text Daniel to tell him I’m on my way.
Great, so you’ll be at the office party?
Yes, on my way. And tell your boss I’m keen to meet him, talk about the new job.
I thought you were going to decide after our twelfth date. ’
I’ve thought about it . I quickly text back.
That’s fabulous! You’ll love it here! He adds a smiley emoji, making me feel like the old Clara, the one who sat in an office all day, whose life was comfortable and safe. Why didn’t I just stay there?
Thank you.
Great you’ve got that chocolate school out of the way and we can get back to how we were. He adds another smiley face.
Back to how we were? Surely the point of the twelve dates was to move on, find out more about each other, ourselves, not go back to how we were.
I shake it off. A slip of the tongue, as it were. We’re just anxious for it to work this time, I guess. Show people our leap of faith paid off.