Twenty-eight
I t was very early and Arielle was sitting up in bed, rereading the text she had just written to Thierry Grandier. It wasn’t a big house or the latest car or designer clothes that made Ludo truly happy but sharing joyful moments in places like this with us, in a city he loved. This is what I can give our children, this is how he can always be with them. In memory of Ludo, consider . She attached a photo, of the twins sailing toy yachts yesterday across the Grand Bassin in the Luxembourg Garden, and hit send. Now the die was cast, and she’d deal with whatever came from it. For she was no longer afraid. Not of them, not of Vella, not even of her own doubts.
It had been the confrontation with Vella that had triggered her new resolve. His act of bastardry had actually been absurd self-sabotage, and now he was worse off than before. And she could see that could also be said of the Grandiers. If they’d wanted to build a closer relationship with the twins, all they had to do was speak with Arielle, discuss it like normal people. Instead, they’d gone in for all-out assault in an attempt to seize control. How could they be so deluded? They’d made things so much harder for themselves. ‘In a court, you would absolutely win against them,’ Daniel had told her, as he accompanied her back to the Luxembourg Garden, after they’d left a relieved Romaine back in charge of the stand. ‘Just as you would against that bastard Vella, if you wanted to.’
She didn’t want to take Vella to court, she just wanted him gone from her life. Daniel said he wouldn’t be surprised if the man put up his stand for sale—there was a lot of feeling against him in the market now—and certainly he’d closed his stand hours early today. She didn’t want to take the Grandiers to court either. But she couldn’t wish them away. Despite everything, they were still the children’s grandparents, and she had to give them one last chance.
Picking up her phone again, she tapped out another message. To Daniel this time.
I don’t expect you to answer this as you are probably still sleeping, but I am so looking forward to this evening . That had been another result of the events at the flower market. She had known then that the time for hesitation was over.
His answer came almost immediately. Me too. I don’t know how I’ll get through the next however many hours it is till we meet .
She sent him a heart emoji and sank back on the pillow, closing her eyes, happiness filling her. She hadn’t even realised she’d fallen asleep again till the children knocked on the door. As they came in, Louis was very carefully holding a cup of coffee while Alice carried a plate with a fresh croissant on it. ‘What’s this?’ Arielle said, sitting up and smiling at them. ‘It’s not Mother’s Day or my birthday, is it?’
‘Of course not,’ said Alice, in a somewhat scornful tone.
‘Tati Pauline said she wasn’t sure if you’d wake up in time to have a proper breakfast, so we thought we’d help.’ Louis placed the coffee on the bedside table.
Arielle picked up her phone and checked the time. It was indeed later than her usual waking-up time, and if she didn’t get a move on, she’d miss her train. But she said, ‘Come, sit with me while I have your delicious breakfast. You’ve had yours, haven’t you?’
‘Ages ago,’ said Alice, but she looked longingly at the croissant. Arielle smiled and broke it into three pieces. She gave two to the twins, who took them with alacrity. ‘Now, my darlings, you are going to be okay tonight, aren’t you?’ she asked, gulping down her coffee, which, fortunately, was only just warm.
‘We’re going to have a lot of fun,’ said Louis. ‘After Tati Pauline picks us up from school, she’s going to take us to see the ducks in that park we go to sometimes.’
‘And she’s going to buy us an ice cream,’ said ever-hungry Alice.
‘So you must not worry about us, Maman,’ Louis added seriously.
Arielle hugged them both tightly. ‘I’m not worried, sweetheart,’ she said. ‘I know you will have the loveliest time with Tati Pauline. You can tell me all about it tomorrow, and I’ll tell you all about the bee farm where I’m going.’
Carrying her overnight bag, she made her train with seconds to spare and got to the stand in good time to open up. There was no sign of Vella at all, and his stand stayed closed throughout the day. Maybe Daniel’s prediction would come true sooner rather than later. The morning passed quickly, with quite a crowd of tourists, and she was kept so busy she barely had time to think. Then, not long after lunch, Charlotte came by, and they had a brief chat. She seemed very interested in the bee farm and asked Arielle to send her photos, which she happily agreed to.
As the afternoon wore on and the crowds began to thin, Arielle’s impatience to be gone turned into nervousness and when the time crept towards 5 pm, she was almost jittery with anticipation.
Daniel arrived as she was locking up the stand. Carrying a backpack, he was dressed in jeans and a rather unexpected flower-patterned short-sleeved shirt. He looked fresh and happy. ‘Hello,’ he said, smiling, ‘are you ready?’
She smiled back at him, the jitters vanishing at once. ‘I certainly am. Shall we go?’