The Good Sister: Part One (13 page)

“Tell me your name, my petit,” the woman asked.

“Trinity.”

“Beautiful name for such a beautiful young woman.”

“Thank you. And you? May I ask your name?” I managed to ask, and for some reason I felt myself move into a formality.

The woman extended out her hand in an almost regal manner. “I am Jacqueline Claudette Rousseau.”

I took her hand. It was petal soft and the smell of Jasmine wafted from my skin. “It’s nice to meet you….”

“Please, call me Jacqueline.”

“Jacqueline.”

“Now, show me this photograph you have. Perhaps, I may be of some assistance in your quest.”

I reached inside of my purse and with a shaky hand pulled out the picture of the chateau. I handed it to Jacqueline. A smile crossed over Jacqueline’s face. She handed back the photograph. I wondered if she even really focused on the picture since she didn’t seem to actually look at it.

“I know of this place.”

“You do?”

“Oui. It is the château le rêve. I am the owner.”

I imagined my face turned chalky white. I was going to have a full-blown panic attack. This was the JCR I was looking for, and there was no way in Hades I could compete with this woman for Reid’s affections. Not even if Hades froze over.

“You…” I lost my breath, clutching at my stomach.

“My petit. What is wrong?”

I managed to squeak, “Panic attack.”

Jacqueline turned in her chair and called, “J'ai besoin d'un sac!” Then turned back around to face me. “Breathe, Trinity.”

The lady from behind the counter came running up to the table with a white sack in hand and immediately placed it over my nose and mouth, holding it there. Memories of something being placed over my mouth with the feeling of being unable to breathe came flooding back. I closed my eyes as flashes of memory played out in a quick burst.
Blood, smoke, floating.
I balled up my fist, sucked in the air that was eluding me then blew it back out into the bag.

Moments passed. I continued to breathe into the bag. I was beginning to feel my breath return. I was also embarrassed, able to hold on to the bag myself.

“Good, my petit. Just relax and breathe,” Jacqueline encouraged.

I shook my head. Removed the bag. “I am fine now. I’m sorry.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for. Why do you say you are sorry?”

“I haven’t had a panic attack in a while. More than likely because I wasn’t living until now.” I paused to look down at the table. The lady from behind the counter tapped my shoulder. I glanced up at her. The lady smiled, and her long black braid fell over one shoulder as she leaned in toward me. Jacqueline waived her off. “I should not have come here,” I continued.

Jacqueline’s expression looked intrigued. “What do you mean you were not living until now?”

“Fear. I fear almost everything. I was a ghost.”

“Tell me. I wish to hear this story, my petit.”

I looked up to see the autumn colored eyes of Jacqueline. They were filled with curiosity, but also filled with a haunting kindness, and a deep perhaps hidden pain of her own. It was strange, but something inside said
tell her.
S
o I did. I started at the beginning, how I almost died when the TwinTowers fell in New York City, how my life and my family’s lives were never the same. I told Jacqueline of all the time I spent in hospitals, the nuthouse, the weeks which turned into months of counseling, and my self-imposed seclusion from the world.

“You know what’s funny? Well, maybe funny is not the right word. Perhaps strange would be the better sentiment.”

“No, tell me,” Jacqueline said.

“Without much of an effort it’s easy to talk to people without a voice, travel anywhere without moving, learn anything without stepping foot into a higher learning institution, and buy anything without ever leaving your room. I completed high school, made purchases, and spoke to people I never really met. I only spoke to them through email or chat rooms. I researched any topic, read books, listened to music, booked a flight to France, but never left the confines of my room. With the Internet I could do anything without any actual face to face interaction. Heck, if I ever did decide to get my own place I could pay all my bills online, even have my groceries delivered without stepping foot from my home, without stepping foot into the real world. So I guess in a strange way, what most people see as modern technology or convenience became a crutch to lean on. It helped me become the ghost and kept me boxed in, allowing the outside world to only be within reach of my fingertips. It helped me do what was necessary, but until this moment I never truly lived a life.”
I told Jacqueline how we moved to California to be closer to my father’s family, my Aunt Jane and how I, my sister Bentley, and my mother moved into the guest house of the Addison estate. I spoke of the long drawn out legal battle my mother has been waging with the life insurance company. I talked about Reid. I explained how I met Reid two years ago, how I watched him, even loved him, and needed to do something to make him take notice of me. I spoke of the night under the moon, and when Reid left for France I started reinventing myself, the eye surgery, the working out, the jogging, the yoga. I spoke of the postcards, the photograph of the chateau that led me here. I knew it was a gamble, but I took that gamble. I spoke of regret, the inability to live with what ifs, so I took a flight from California to Paris, France with the hope of finding him, with the dream of making Reid take notice.

Jacqueline waived off the owner of the sweets shop more than once, even ignoring her cell phone when it rang. Once I was done talking, I felt lighter. Like I’d taken nine long years of pain and somehow purged it in two short hours.

Jacqueline reached out and took ahold of my hand. I did not stiffen and I did not try to pull away. There was something about Jacqueline.

“What if I told you I could help you, Trinity?”

“What do you mean, Jacqueline?”

“What if I told you I could make you into the kind of woman who would turn the head of every man who gazes upon you? What if I told you this man you are in love with will not only burn for you, but will pine for you? What if I told you I could teach you, guide you, and show you everything I know? What if I told you it is not impossible to be the woman whom you dream of? What if I could teach you the art of love, the instruction of using your sensuality and grace which will in turn give you everything you have wished to become?”

“I would say it sounds impossible.”

Jacqueline patted my hand. “No, nothing is impossible.”

“But, how?”

“You come, stay with me, and we will begin our transformation.”

“Stay with you at the chateau?”

“Oui.”

“But I don’t have a lot of money and I—”

“You do not need money.”

“And you will help me with Reid?”

“Oui, he will be like putty in your hands.”

I was afraid to ask, but I mustered up the courage. I tried to tell myself I wanted, needed to hear the answer. I had to know.

“Is Reid staying with you at the chateau?”

“No.” The answer pounded through my heart. “But he does come to visit with his companion John Paul. We have an arrangement of sorts.”

“Arrangement? What do you mean?”

“All will be revealed, including your Reid and his arrangements.”

“Then he will see me before I am ready to see him?”

“No, my petit. Reid will only see you when he needs to see you. You shall not reveal who you are until he is falling at your feet, begging you to love him.”

“Begging?”

“Oui,” Jacqueline assured. “Your Reid will grovel, burn, and pine for you, Trinity. This,” she said, lifting her chin to show off the perfect smile that was stretching across her face, “I can promise you.”

I looked down at my hand held inside of Jacqueline’s as I thought over the promises. The idea of being the woman who would make Reid burn appealed to me more than Jacqueline could ever know. This had always been my wish, my desire. To imagine such a thing was almost incomprehensible.

I glanced up at Jacqueline. “Yes, Jacqueline,” I whispered. “I accept your offer.”

Jacqueline picked up her cell phone. Her long elegant finger punched out a number.

“Alec,” she said as she placed the phone to her ear, “come for me at the hotel de fere.” I watched. There was a pause, a sly smile, and a nod of her head. “Ring Lilli Anna. Make sure the guest room is acceptable.” Jacqueline gazed over toward me. “Yes, my dearest Alec. We are having a guest at the chateau.”

When Jacqueline flipped her phone closed I had to ask. “How did you know I was staying at the hotel de fere?”

“It is the only hotel in town, my petit. Now come, let us gather up your things, we have much work to do and little time.”

“Didn’t you have something to do today? Were you meeting someone?”

“I came to place an order. I am having a dinner party tonight and needed a special cake.”

“Oh,” I muttered.

“Now, you will be the talk of the party and no one will even notice the cake,” Jacqueline said. She rose from her chair in a graceful movement that seemed to be from another more regal era.

“I don’t do well with people, strangers, crowds,” I admitted.

“My petit, you came thousands of miles to find the man you love. You will do fine tonight. More to the point, not everyone will be a stranger once we arrive at the chateau.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean you are now family, and your new sisters will be happy to welcome you.”

Jacqueline and I made our way back to the hotel. Jacqueline stayed behind to speak with the man at the counter and wait for Alec to arrive while I packed up my things. I pondered calling Reid. I paced back and forth, glancing at the phone on every pass before I finally gave in and sat down. I drummed my fingers across the desk then stood. I bit my lip then sat back down. I grabbed up the receiver then slammed it down. Again, my fingers wreaked havoc on the desk before finally making the call.

The first ring vibrated over my ear, the second … then I thought about hanging up until I heard…

“Hello.”

It wasn’t Reid’s voice. This man had a deep French accent.

“Um, hi, I’m trying to get ahold of Reid Addison.”

“Reid, the phone is for you!” It sounded like the man dropped the phone. I heard cussing in the background and what sounded like a scuffle.

“Hey, this is Reid.”

“Reid,” I said, quietly.

“Trinity, is that you?”

“Yes. How are you?”

“I’m fine, how are you? I wasn’t expecting you to call.”

“I know. I can’t talk long. I may not be able to call you again for a while but I just wanted to say hi.”

Reid let out a low laugh. “Hi,” he said. “I’m glad you called. It makes me smile when I talk with you.”

“It does? Are you smiling now?”

“It does, and yes, I am smiling, baby bird.”

“So do you have any plans tonight?”

There was a pregnant pause.

“John Paul and I were invited to a party, but I’m not sure we’re going. We may crash it later and skip the dinner, we haven’t decided yet.”

“Oh,” I replied, wondering if it was the same party Jacqueline was throwing. If so, how was I going to stay hidden from him?

“And you, any hot plans for tonight?” Reid inquired.

“I am going to a party too. You know my life is one continuous party. Places to go, people to see, you know that, Reid.”

Reid gave a breathy laugh. “I know, baby bird.”

“Listen, Reid, I have to go. It was good talking to you. Will you try to keep yourself out of trouble?”

“I’ll try, but trouble sort of follows me.” Reid chuckled wickedly. “Or maybe I’m the trouble.”

“Maybe?”

“So you agree, you think I’m trouble?” Reid asked.

I twisted my fingers through the loops on the phone cord. “It could be.”

“So, do you love me or hate me?”

“Both.”

“At least you’re honest.”

“Reid, I would love to continue our banter, but I really do have to go.”

“Okay, thanks for calling, Trinity. It was a nice surprise. Call me again sometime.”

“I will. Talk with you soon.”

“That’s the way,” Reid approved, “never say goodbye.”

“Never,” I ended.

I placed the phone onto the receiver, stood up from the desk, gave one last look in the mirror, gathered up my bags, and headed down to the lobby in what the hotel staff called, a lift. I struggled for a moment to open the lift doors, but finally managed the task only to see Jacqueline waiting. Jacqueline was the picture of elegance with her long gloves clutched inside of one hand and a smile stretched across her perfectly angular face.

“Are you ready, my petit?” Jacqueline asked.

“Yes, I just need to settle my bill with the—”

“Everything has been settled.”