Chapter 26
I was so wiped out from the intense emotional roller coaster that I’d been on that as soon as I put on my sleep mask I crashed. I did not wake up until the plane was landing. I had to shake Jack awake. I hoped he’d gotten some good sleep.
At the hospital we hurried through the entrance to the front desk. There was a charming elderly volunteer on duty who helpfully gave us Lily’s floor and room number. It was lucky that it was not the person I’d spoken with on the phone. I would have throat punched her.
In the elevator Jack grasped my hand tightly. We didn’t know what we’d find in Grandmère’s room, but he was letting me know he was here for me. I soaked up strength from him and took deep breaths. Together we could do this.
The door to her room was shut and I tapped lightly then pushed it open. Grandmère was sitting up in bed, wearing an apricot, satin, quilted bed jacket. Bernard was sitting in the chair next to the bed, and apparently, we’d interrupted a game of cards.
Grandmère’s eyes widened with shock. “Cherie! What are you doing here?”
Tears threatened again as I dropped my bags and hurried to hug her. “Grandmère, a better question is what are you doing here? You missed our Sunday call, and I couldn’t reach you or Bernard. And then the hospital left me a message saying you’d been admitted. I’ve been so worried! What happened?”
Grandmère’s face crumpled. “Oh, Eve, I am so sorry! I am all right, truly. I just had a bit of a fall on the ice when Bernard and I were out walking. He insisted I come in to get checked out. And I’m so sorry, I forgot all about our call.
I’ve been stuck in here. The doctor keeps thinking of new tests he needs to run, but I think he’s finally run out and I am supposed to go home this afternoon. ”
“You fell? Did you break anything?”
“Non, cherie, it is just bruises that look spectacular. I am truly all right, though.”
She peered past me and a smile spread across her lovely face. “And is this your young man?”
Right. Jack. Who was my…friend? More than friend? Knight in shining armor?
And I realized we’d been speaking in French and Jack had no idea what was going on, other than my grandmother was OK.
Switching to English, I made introductions. “Grandmère, this is Jack Garcia. Jack, this is my grandmother, Lily Lambert. She slipped and fell on the ice, but she’s going to be fine. She’s getting discharged this afternoon.”
Jack had put his bag down next to mine and walked forward with a big smile on his face, holding out his hand.
Grandmère swatted away his hand and pulled him in for a hug. “I am so pleased to meet you, Jack. Eve has told me many wonderful things about you.”
“Well, I’m sure it’s nothing compared to how she speaks of you, ma’am. She’s been frantic with worry about you.”
Her face clouded with sadness. “I am so sorry, Eve. I would never want you to worry. At first, I did not call because it truly was nothing. And then, since we’ve been trapped here in this medical gulag, they do not allow us to use the cell phones.
They say it interferes with their machines.
I say it’s because they do not want us to be able to call for help.
” She said this last with a little wink that made Jack laugh.
“And Jack, please, none of this ‘ma’am’ business. Call me Lily. And this is my good friend and neighbor, Bernard. Who is a total sweetheart, but do not ever play poker with him.”
Bernard took Jack’s proffered hand, and they shook. Then Bernard drew me in for a big hug. He smelled just the same. Coffee, cigars, and the butterscotch candies he loved to suck on. I clung tightly to him. I had missed him and Grandmère so much, and I hadn’t even known it.
“Oh, ma petite chou, it is so good to see you. It has been far too long. You are always so busy with work that we never have time for a nice, long visit,” Bernard said in his rumbly voice.
Work! Merde. I had totally forgotten about work.
I hastily dug into my bag for my phone, which was still on airplane mode. I was about to dial when Grandmère reminded me that cell phones were not to be used in the rooms.
“Bernard, could you please show Eve to the courtyard where cell phones are allowed? And Jack and I can get to know each other.” I shot Jack a questioning glance and he gave me a smile and a nod to let me know he’d be fine and made shooing motions with his hand.
Bernard walked me down a different corridor where we took a different elevator and walked out into a small, sheltered courtyard with benches and garden beds.
It must have been lovely in the summer, but in the late fall it was chilly and barren.
Bernard told me he’d go get us coffees, then left to give me some privacy.
Or maybe he just wanted an excuse to get back inside where it was warmer.
I turned my phone on and called the office. Diane answered on the second ring. “Duvier International. You’ve reached the office of Eve Lambert. How may I help you.”
“Diane, this is Eve.”
“Oh my God, Eve, where are you? What’s going on?”
“I’m so sorry, Diane. There was an emergency with my grandmother and so I flew out last night. I’m in Paris right now. I was so upset about her that I forgot to call and let you know. I’m so sorry! How are things there?”
“Oh, Eve, I’m so sorry! Is your grandma OK? What happened?”
“She took a spill on the ice, and they admitted her to the hospital for testing. She’s all right.
She says it’s just bruising and no big deal, so she didn’t think to call me, but the hospital called to say she’d been admitted.
When I couldn’t reach her, I panicked, so Jack and I flew out last night. ”
Oops.
“Jack? Jack went with you? Who what when where?? Back up the party bus, Eve, and tell me how he happened to be there last night.”
I should have known Diane would latch on to that bit of information as the most pertinent part of the narrative. Oh boy, how to tell this without her blowing it out of proportion.
“I was freaking out about not knowing what was going on, so…I called him.”
“And…?” she prompted.
“And he made plane reservations and came and picked me up. He’s a friend, Eve. Friends do nice things for each other and support each other.”
“I’ve never had a ‘friend’ fly me to Paris,” she said, and I could just picture her raised eyebrow.
I’d also never had a friend hold my hand across the Atlantic and hold me tightly in the back seat of a taxi. But he was just helping me with my anxiety, right? Like a friend? Sigh. With all the lines that had been crossed, I had no idea what we were anymore.
“Anyway, Diane, I’m calling to let you know I’ll be out of the office for the next couple of days. I’ll try to keep in contact, but I need to be here for at least a few days to make sure Grandmère is OK and to help out however she needs it. Do you think you can handle things?”
“Eve, I’ve got it under control. The Spain people called, and they’re satisfied with the latest agreement you drafted for them, so that pot can be moved to the back burner.
There’s nothing else that’s immediately requiring your attention.
We’ll be fine. You just take care of your grandma and let me know when you’re coming back. ”
“Thank you so much, Diane. You are the best!”
“You know it, Eve. Don’t forget it at Christmas bonus time!”
“Absolutely, Diane. You’ve earned a big one.”
“And Eve…”
“Yes?”
“Have fun in Paris with Jack.” I heard her laughing as she ended the call.
That thought momentarily froze me. Jack and I were together in Paris.
The crisis with Grandmère was taken care of.
What now? Where did we stand? More specifically, where would we stay?
I knew I could stay with Grandmère, but she didn’t have an extra room to put up Jack as well.
Sharing a bed was out of the question in my old twin bed.
And the last time we’d “slept together” it had been before we’d kissed.
I don’t know that I could be in the same bed as Jack now, not without a fire extinguisher between us.
Bernard came out of the door carrying a small tray with four coffees. “Are you finished?” he asked, as I put my phone back in my bag.
“Yes,” I said, gratefully accepting a cup. Coffee was good, but I was going to need to get some food before my stomach imploded.
“I was thinking,” he said as he sipped his beverage, “perhaps Jack could stay with me in my spare room. That way we could all be close. Easier than you going to a hotel.”
“That would be lovely, Bernard. Thank you.” It was a good solution. Cancel that order for a fire extinguisher.
“And I was thinking we could have a little celebration dinner tonight. My famous grilled ham and brie sandwiches?”
“That would be perfect, Bernard! I love those sandwiches!”
As we walked into the hospital room, Jack pulled out of a hug with Grandmère. She seemed to be a bit misty-eyed. They certainly had bonded quickly. But Jack had that effect on people. No period of awkwardness or shyness, just, boom, straight to friends.
“Bernard has offered to have you stay with him, Jack. Does that sound good to you?”
He straightened up and said, “That sounds great, Eve. Perfect.” Hmm, he seemed a bit misty-eyed, too. What had they been bonding over?
My stomach growled loudly, reminding me of my lack of food. “Jack, I’m about to pass out from hunger. Would you like to go find something to eat?”
“Now that you mention it, yeah, my stomach is trying to stage a revolt and go in search of a bakery to conquer.” he chuckled.
“OK. Oh, wait, what should we do with our bags?”
“Oh, just leave them here,” Bernard offered. “We’ll take them home with us and you can grab a cab home when you are finished. And you can show Jack a little of Paris. Stretch the legs after your long flight.”
“Are you sure it’s not too much trouble?” I asked.
“For you, ma petite chou? Nothing is too much trouble.” And he gave me another big hug and kissed the top of my head.
I gave Grandmère a swift kiss on the cheek and she hugged me tightly. “Thank you for coming, cherie. I love you. Always.” And she looked a bit teary again.