Midnight in Brussels (28 page)

“When did you say you’re going back up there?”

“It was to be in August, but that’s been changed. Now it’ll be when Amanda lets me know the new wedding date. I plan to go about a week before to help her.”

“Why don’t we go to the café to talk about all this? Is that a possibility, ladies?”

“Bobbie Boy must be hungry,” Janet teased.

“Bobbie Boy
is
hungry,” he replied.

Chapter 53

“What should I do, Rachel?” Amanda sat at her desk sipping coffee with a deep frown on her face. This was the third time that week she’d phoned Rachel in Paris. “I feel like Darys fell off the horse on purpose so Richard would cancel the dang wedding. I sure wouldn’t put it past her.”

“But he’s saying she’s getting better, right?”

“Yes, that’s what he’s saying. But how can he leave her when she’s in the rehab center? She can’t even walk. I just don’t know. Sometimes I think it’s not meant to be, you know? I didn’t think I loved him this much, but now I know I do. I really miss him, Rachel. I think of him all the time—” she choked up. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to cry.”

“Mandy, it’s okay to cry. It’s how you feel. You can’t help that.”

“I know, but my mama always told me that weak people cry, strong ones don’t.”

“Not true, honey. I can attest to that. I’m a very strong woman, and I do my share of crying. So get that out of your head. It’s good to show your emotions anyway. It’s healthy.”

“Well, I just don’t like to cry.”

Rachel laughed. “You’re so funny. I really miss you. You know what I think would be good for you?”

“What?” She wiped her nose with a tissue.

“Come to Paris.”

Amanda blinked in surprise. “Me, come to Paris? I ain’t never been to Paris.”

“All the more reason,” Rachel shifted the phone to her other ear and began pacing. “Look, you can leave Iona in charge of the shop. She can handle it. She’s the best girl you got and she’d love the responsibility. You need to be able to get away periodically anyway, so this will give her the experience. Come stay a week or two. She can call you if she has questions. Take the train so you can see some countryside along the way; it’s about a two-hour trip. I’ll email you a Metro map so you can get to Montmartre once you’re here.”

“You think I should?”

“Yes, I do. It’ll get your mind off Richard and give you a chance to clear your head. Honey, you’ve been working hard for weeks. You’re on burnout.”

Amanda thought about it. “Well … I guess I could do that. I mean, I can do anything I want, right? I’m not married yet. I ain’t got no boss. I’m my own boss, dammit! Okay, I’ll do it. I’ll call you later tonight, okay?”

“Terrific! You’re making the right decision, Amanda.”

“Oh my goodness, I’m going to Paris! Paula will never believe this. She won’t.” Amanda’s spirit soared.

Chapter 54

When the train from Brussels arrived at Paris Nord, Amanda couldn’t believe it had only taken a little over an hour and a half to get there. Paris was only ninety minutes from where she lived. How could that be? She couldn’t wait to tell Paula.

From Paris Nord she took the Metro to the base of the funicular in Montmartre and then followed Rachel’s easy directions.

She was loving Paris already. It wasn’t like Brussels at all. It was something special she couldn’t put her finger on. The atmosphere, maybe? The people? The buildings? The buildings in Paris didn’t seem as dark as the ones in Brussels. Maybe it was the difference in stone. And the iron gates, fence railings, and the artistic iron filigree on the windows and balconies. The balconies themselves. The trees and flowers. So different, so beautiful. She fell in love with Paris.

After she got off the funicular and was walking the rest of the way up the hill to the Place du Tertre, she was thinking how glad she was that she’d packed light. One cloth bag was all she brought. A sachel, actually, made from Belgian tapestry.

When she came to the famous Place du Tertre in Montmartre which was
high on the only hill overlooking Paris, she stared at the beautiful square that was completely covered with tables and bright umbrellas. Artists were doing portraits and others were selling landscapes of Paris and floral paintings.
The perimeter of the Place was lined with all sorts of quaint French cafés – each spilling out onto the square. She immediately saw Rachel’s building with the red door and the brass number eleven on it.

It was a tall, narrow building that extended back quite a ways on the property. She looked up and saw that each floor had a large bay window that opened onto the square. Several types of climbing vines were covering nearly the entire exterior of the stone house and blue painted window boxes filled with geraniums and daffodils added a homey quality that took Amanda’s breath away.

The smell of bread from the café next door to Number Eleven made her mouth water as she walked past it. Patrons were at the small round tables outside drinking wine and eating bread and cheese. She remembered she hadn’t eaten in all the rush.

The doorbell had a chiming sound.

Chapter 55

It was late in the evening and Rachel and Amanda were sitting in front of the café next door. Earlier they’d been to the Eiffel Tower and the Musee de Louvre and they were both happy just to be sitting outside and imbibing and having conversations about life.

“Well, honey—” Rachel started, and then stopped herself. “Darn! You know I’ve picked up this habit of saying
honey
and I don’t know where I got it.”

They giggled.

“I don’t usually say that, at least I don’t think I do. Do I?”

“There’s nothing wrong with saying it, Rachel. It’s a nice word. It’s kind and sweet, you know?” Amanda’s smile was sincere.

Rachel looked at Amanda and couldn’t for the life of her think of anyone else who was as pure and good as this girl. She definitely had something very special going on.

“My mama used to call me that all the time. You want some more?” She reached for the bottle of wine.

“Yes, I think I will have one more.”

“Me, too.” She poured for both of them. “Now what were you going to say?”

“Well, about your feelings for Richard … you said you don’t know how you feel now that he’s gone.”

“I don’t. I miss him and I think I love him, but, you know, I sort of like not having to answer to anybody but myself. I was thinking about that on the train coming here. That’s all going to stop when we get married. It did with Arlie. Actually, it never even got started before Arlie, so I can’t compare that with what it would be like with Richard, can I?”

“In my opinion, for what it’s worth, I don’t feel he will do what Arlie did to you, Amanda.”

“You don’t?”

Rachel shook her head. “No. For two reasons. One, you’re a different person than you used to be. You’re a business woman, a designer. You’re independent. Two, Richard isn’t that kind of man, isn’t controlling. At least, I don’t see it. Seems to me he wants you to see the world, to experience it. He’s thinking of you, not himself. He wants you to have everything you’ve never had. He won’t be holding you back. All you have to do is tell him what you want. After you’re married and you want to come to Paris by yourself, just tell him. I don’t think you have a worry in the world with Richard.”

They both sat quietly for a few moments, sipping their drinks, watching the people milling about. A violinist strolled by with a guitarist. They stopped and serenaded a couple at the café across from them.

Rachel turned toward Amanda. “You know, I’ve had the chance, twice, to be with someone who loved me. Two times. And I believe I loved them, in my own strange, reluctant way. And I held off because of my career, for one, and two, not wanting to answer to anybody, just like you, and now they’re both gone. Poof! You know, you don’t have all that many chances at
 
true love in one lifetime. I wish I would have—” She covered her mouth and turned away to hide the emotion that was building.

“Oh, Rachel, I’m so sorry.” Amanda reached out for her. “I don’t mean to be reminding you of your heartbreak. Will you please forgive me? I won’t talk about my pity-poor-me situation anymore. We need to have us some music, that’s what we need. I’ll get that violin man over here. ”

Rachel held up a hand. “Hold on. I just want to say this while I’m thinking about it. And, sweetheart, don’t stop telling me about your feelings, don’t ever hold back. You have to talk to someone. I only mentioned my situation to maybe show you how we can sometimes let a good thing slip through our fingers, and then we lose them forever.”

Remembering all the time she had wasted not telling Pete how she felt about him because she was afraid it would frighten him away, Rachel thought back over their brief life together. Usually they were off in different directions with their work, sometimes apart from each other for months at a time. Why didn’t she go with him to Brazil when he asked her? Why hadn’t she been more available to him? She could have written her novels anywhere. She could have gone with him. Regrets.

And Ethan. Why couldn’t she be what he’d wanted her to be? All he wanted was a helpmate, a lover, a wife. But no, she had to have her freedom. She wished she could have been different. If only she could be a submissive housewife and cook and clean and greet the hubby at the door stark naked and make love to him at his beck and call. That’s all a man wanted.

Amanda reached over and touched Rachel’s arm. “Are you all right, Rachel?”

“Wha—? Oh. I’m sorry. I was off somewhere. Did you say something?”

“I just said that I appreciate having you as my friend. I ain’t never had no friends besides my sister Paula, my whole life.”

Rachel leaned across the table and clasped Amanda’s hands. “Friends are hard to come by, honey. Most people will only have as many as they can count on one hand. So you’re doing pretty well these days, if you ask me. And tomorrow I’m going to introduce you to Janet. She’s dying to meet you.”

Amanda smiled. “I’m looking forward to that. So, let’s have one more glass of wine. We only have to crawl over to your door to get home. I think we can get there without anything too terrible happening to us. What do you think?”

“I think that’s a damn good idea!” Rachel laughed.

Amanda poured, they clinked their glasses and said “To friends!” in unison, just as the violinist and his sidekick arrived at their table.

Chapter 56