Chapter 27
That evening,Clara and Naisha”s suggestion of a café meetup comes at the right time. The idea of an evening with friends, shared laughter, and moments of camaraderie comforts me after the recent turmoil with my father. A week has passed since the confrontation, a week of doubts and cautious steps toward inner healing. I”ve taken a crucial step by deciding to consult a psychologist again, a step tinged with both apprehension and hope. It”s time for me to take care of my mental health. The journey ahead is long, but I am ready to face it and prioritize my well-being. Each step I take is a personal victory, an act of resistance against the past seeking to dictate my future. The encouragement from my friends and Corentin motivates me to continue this path of healing.
However, a challenging ordeal remains, discussing with my mother what happened with my father. The shadow of this conversation looms over me, and I still hesitate to confront it. It”s a complex story, a pain shared between her and me, but the opportune moment has not yet arrived.
Sitting in this café, amidst bursts of laughter and lively conversations, I feel a weight lifting from my chest. The joyous laughter of my friends dispels the darkness taking residence in my soul. Manille”s jokes, Charlotte”s sincere smiles, the reassuring presence of Corentin—all act as a balm for my heart, a living proof I am not alone in my quest for personal redemption. I cling to these precious moments like pearls of hope, glimpses of happiness reminding me the path to healing can be paved alongside those around us.
Amidst the bustle of the café, I let my gaze wander to Corentin. His presence by my side, his sincere smile, and his gaze filled with kindness are silent comforts. I feel privileged to have him in my life, a friend who understands without the need for words, offering unconditional support. Thanks to souls like his, I find the strength to persevere, to hope, and to believe in a brighter future.
Naturally, Corentin interlaces his fingers with mine. We exchange a knowing glance, interrupted by Clara”s cheerful shout at the café”s entrance. Everyone”s eyes turn to her and Naisha, who seem to be the shining stars of their own universe.
“Hi, loves. Oh, a new face,” exclaims the blonde.
She approaches Charlotte with light steps, embracing her within seconds. They laugh together as if they”ve been friends for a long time. I notice Clara”s ease in creating connections with everyone she meets, without any prejudice. One might think she acts this way to please everyone, but no, she possesses this natural spark, and Naisha is like the hidden moon shining in her own way.
“Well, my family left for Martinique. It”s been a week already, but it”s strange to think I won”t be able to drop by my sisters on a whim.”
“Not your whole family,” Manille starts. “Hey, we”re here.”
“I”m here too,” Clara intervenes. “Well, we recently met Charlotte, but still. Don”t forget me.”
A general chuckle fills the air, with the exception of Corentin. He doesn”t readily partake in these moments, and while I hope to witness him rekindle his enthusiasm as before, I anticipate it will convey much when the moment arrives. We opt to prolong the evening and have a meal at the bar.
“What are you going to have?” I ask Corentin, browsing through the menu.
“You know we have the same one?”
“I know, but I”m not so hungry tonight. Can I steal a bit from your dish?”
He nods and pulls me slightly toward him so we can choose together. His arm wraps around my shoulders, and his fingers brush my neck, sending a shiver through me. We opt for a dish with fries, which suits me perfectly. As long as there are fries, count me in.
“When is your appointment with the psychologist?” Corentin asks.
“Two days after Clara”s ceremony. I don”t have time to deal with it now.”
“Do you want me to come?”
A silence settles in, laden with reflection. I hadn”t anticipated this question. His presence could be of great support, but on the other hand, I need this moment of intimacy for myself. There are things I haven”t shared with Corentin, either out of shame or fear of awakening traumas. So, for once, I”ll face this alone.
“No, I think I”ll be fine. It”s time for me to take care of myself, step by step,” I murmur in his ear.
Our attention shifts upward as Clara”s voice interrupts us. “You two are too cute. You seem like an old couple who have been together for fifty years.”
Before Corentin could respond, Manille stumbles over her words, “It”s because they slept together. They”ve been inseparable since.”
I remain frozen, incredulous at what she said. Silence abruptly takes over our table. Manille covers her mouth with her hands, her eyes expressing genuine dismay. My face drains of color, mirroring Corentin”s pallor. He shoots a dark glance at my friend, his expression betraying his discontent.
All eyes converge on us. Manille bites her lips. “Excuse me, it slipped out unintentionally.”
A muteness now reigns. A bomb has been dropped right in the middle of our table. Clara is the one who finally breaks the silence, “Now I understand why you seemed so happy last week, even after losing your case. Did you two have a good time?”
I”m ready to collapse. I dare not glance at Corentin, who appears as uncomfortable as I am. Naisha is the only one laughing at the situation, accentuating my embarrassment. I couldn”t have imagined a worse situation.
“I can”t believe you didn”t tell me anything, Corentin. You should be ashamed.” Clara slightly opens her mouth, seemingly offended, before seeking refuge in the arms of her future wife, who rolls her eyes at her exaggeration.
“Clara, can we avoid talking about my sex life?”
“Why not? It doesn”t bother me. For example, Naisha and I?—”
“No, that”s enough,” he pleads, covering his ears with his hands to avoid hearing.
Meanwhile, I”m still trying to digest this news. Naisha and Manille are twisting with laughter at this absurd situation. All of this is far too surreal for me. I hide my face in my hands, inflamed with shame. Even if I shared this moment with Manille, it was only in broad strokes. I wanted this moment to remain intimate between my neighbor and me. Beyond my imagination, the revelation would be made to everyone.
I turn my gaze to Manille, finding her eyes filled with an unspoken plea, silently asking for my forgiveness. I don”t know where to put myself. I take a sip of my drink when Charlotte”s voice comes out of nowhere. “So, no one told me, and it doesn”t shock anyone. Why wasn”t I in the loop?”
“You weren”t here.”
“So what? You could have waited for my return and told me later. I feel rejected,” she dramatizes.
“I”m sorry, Charlotte,” I say, lifting my head from my hands. “Especially since thankfully I saw Manille because she accompanied me to take the morning-after pill.”
All heads turn to me. Now I”m the one who messed up. It came out unintentionally, as an excuse for not telling Manille earlier what happened. It”s possible to say silly things without meaning to. Corentin sighs, and I burst into laughter under the stress. Of course, my friends exclaim in surprise. On my side, I hide my face in my hands to avoid seeing them. Corentin rubs my back, assuring me it will be okay, and they will eventually shut up.
“I almost became an aunt. Can you imagine, darling?”
“For the love of God, Clara, shut up.”
“I wouldn”t have liked it,” Manille jokes as she laughs with Naisha. “He told you to ”shut up.”
“Shut up, Manille.”
“Damn, it must have been painful for you to finally call me by my name,” she throws back, recalling our UNO night.
“So you played mom and dad, as Manille said. You predicted it,” Charlotte teases.
“I mostly thought they had done it long before. Turns out, I predict the future, but in a wobbly way.”
“Anyway, I understand better why you didn”t need the other guy. Corentin is more than enough for you,” Naisha remarks.
“Our Flo is not polygamous.”
I feel a ball of stress forming in the pit of my stomach. All of this is so shameful. My sex life exposed to everyone, especially in front of Corentin”s sister and sister-in-law. Okay, they react well and find it amusing, but they shouldn”t let their tongues, especially Clara”s, slip at an even more delicate moment.
“So, are you planning to do it again?” Clara asks, and I”m sure a smile is stretching across her lips.
“No, but seriously, can we stop talking about it?” I plead, slowly emerging from my hiding place.
“Okay, we”ll stop,” Naisha says with a broad smile.
Clara tries to start again, but her future wife signals silently, closing the subject.
“All right, but this was so satisfying,” Clara delights.
“Clara, find yourself another hobby. You surely have more interesting things to say besides focusing on my life,” Corentin states dryly.
She smiles. “Of course. Naisha and I are officially married in the eyes of the town hall.”
This news drops like a bomb. With furrowed brows, I watch as Clara shows us all the documents attesting to her marriage.
“But did you do it on your own?” I ask.
“I wanted to surprise Naisha. Sorry for not inviting you, but I wanted us to share this moment just between the two us.”
“I hope you don”t hold it against us?” Naisha”s voice trembles slightly as she asks, her eyes downcast, betraying her sadness.
In response, I rise to embrace them. During our initial meeting, they hadn”t expressed a desire to mark their union formally. They aimed for a secular ceremony surrounded by their loved ones. It brings me joy they share this intention, even if I would have cherished being there for the occasion. In contrast, Corentin appears unfazed and unbothered by the choice made by the two women.
“Congratulations to the brides!” Manille exclaims.
“Welcome to the family, Naisha. And good luck to you for marrying this crazy one.”
That”s when the waiter chooses to bring our dishes. Dinner goes wonderfully, and when the couple decides to have dessert, Corentin opts for coffee. My roommates take my arm to take me to the bathroom.
“Why do we have to be three here if only Charlotte needs to pee?”
“Because we needed to talk to you,” she responds, entering one of the stalls.
With furrowed brows, my eyes land on Manille, mischievous.
“What have you and Corentin decided?”
Oh! That”s what they wanted to talk to me about. I remain static for a few seconds, not knowing what to say. Finally, she beats me to it by asking if we are considering getting into a relationship.
“No.”
“No?” Charlotte exclaims, coming out of the bathroom.
She washes her hands, asking me why.
“Aren”t you ready to be in a relationship with Corentin?” Manille questions when I don”t respond.
“It”s not just with Corentin, it”s in general. Right now, I prefer not to be in a relationship and focus on my work. Besides, him and I, we”re friends.”
“You don”t sleep with your friend, Florence.”
I”m about to respond to Charlotte when Manille”s voice kicks in.
“You two have not established a friendship. You”re already a couple.”
I turn to her, lost. “What are you talking about?”
“Come on, Florence. You”re the only one who”s blind to this story. You literally live at Corentin”s place. It reeks of love when you”re together. Your eyes light up whenever you see him or talk about him. It”s obvious. You even slept together, and you clearly wanted to repeat the moment. Has it not occurred to your pretty little head you were more than friends? It was evident to everyone; even Clara mentioned it to me.”
I listen, still not believing it. Is she right? Yet, everything she said sounds strangely logical, even if the truth is still hard to accept. Anyway, Manille doesn”t give me time to recover and continues.
“Well, now let”s talk about serious matters. You better not leave the apartment now you”re a couple. Okay, you can crash at his place from time to time, but you stay at the apartment. I”ve decided to watch tons of horror movies, and being alone in the room will petrify me. With you around, I”ll feel better.”
“I wasn”t planning on leaving,” I reply in a laconic tone, still lost in my friends” remarks.
“Well, I”m relieved. It”s the same for you, Charlotte. You tell your boyfriend he better not ask you to live with him. By the way, it reminds me, are we making crepes tonight? I need?—”
I no longer listen to what they”re saying and don”t even register Charlotte being in a relationship. No, all of this passes over me because one thought is swirling in my mind: are they right?