“Yes, if you want. It’s-”
“I know where it is. I’ll meet you there.” It’s all the warning James gets before the door’s slammed shut and he finds himself alone in the room. He sighs.
For a moment his eyes linger on Gabriel’s bed. The distance between the two beds speaks volumes, without ever even needing to.The city of love. James laughs humorlessly. And he’s here with someone who’s more of a roommate than a friend.
After he ticks off the first items on his list – arrive in Paris, find hotel – he leaves his things at the hotel and makes his way into the city. He takes the wrong Metro twice, gets caught in the lunch rush, but an hour later he finds himself staring upward in awe as The Eiffel Tower looms over him, looking ominous in the low light of the foggy winter day. If he squints, he can see the lift going up and down, bringing people up to the second level of the iron structure. From his place outside of the glass security walls he wonders about the mechanics of it all.
As much as he would love to go up, the thought alone leaves him drenched in cold sweat. Not even the promise of a view like that could get him up there. He ticks another box in his little notepad. It’s one of the easier things to check off,since all he ever really wanted was to see it in person.
He’s feeling more excited for where he’s headed anyway. When he planned the trip, this felt like a perfect starting point for his walk to Musée d’Orsay. Walking over the scenic sidewalks gives him the perfect opportunity to let it settle in that he’s really bitten the bullet and taken himself onThe Evergreen Adventurer.
The Evergreen Adventurer, the only train that connects most of the major cities in Western Europe. It’s aptly named for the trip it provides every year; a multicultural journey across Europe during the winter months, giving the passengers the chance to experience and immerse themselves in different cultures, traditions and holiday celebrations.
For years, James talked about taking the opportunity to go on said trip, but year after year his now ex-partner made sure to stuff the whole of December full of activities and family outings. After what happened last holiday season James decided he not only wanted to take the opportunity this year, hedeservedit as well.
Every few steps he stops, taking in the scenery and the peaceful streets. There are trees lining the pavement, now just merely twigs and empty branches, and the calm water of the Seine guides the way. He can only imagine what it all looked like in the spring, when everything is in full bloom and giving the city a completely different feeling.
History and culture, it all blends together on the streets as he walks. Buildings - four or five stories high - flank the river on both sides. Hundreds of years old, and still standing. There are people living behind each of the windows, all with their own lives and stories to tell. It’s magnificent and leaves him wondering what they think of the city. He imagines that they feel quite the same as he does when he thinks of London. The city is impressive, but the glamour of it dwindles each time he finds himself in the hub of its center.
Paris feels alight with Christmas feeling, even this early on in December. From outside he can see lights twinkle from further inside windows and living rooms, glowing warm and soft. It’s magical and leaves James feeling childlike in his wonder. How different the festive season can feel in another city.
When he steps onto the stairs leading up to Musee d’Orsay, he pauses. The building is impressive, something you expect a museum of this standing to look like. The grand statues outside promise more grandeur inside of those doors. It’s something he’s been looking forward to ever since he started putting together the itinerary for each city.
He’d done research, and most people recommended going to Musee d’Orsay instead of The Louvre. It’s a less overwhelming place to start on this journey. Besides the crowds and the limited time in the city, there was one otherthing leading him to this museum. And that is Van Gogh’sStarry Night Over the Rhône. One of the great paintings on his bucket list.
Entering the museum is overwhelming, but in the same way stepping off the train earlier was. It feels new, right and like he needs to be there. For hours, he wanders the exhibits on the bottom two floors. The audio tour guides him where he needs to go, telling him which details to focus on and the supposed meaning of each item.
Before making his way to the exhibit he wants to go to, he lets himself sit down in the café and soak it all in. The chocolate tartlet and latte are savored in all their richness and decadent flavoring.
With his anticipation high, he steps off the escalator on the fifth floor, where he’s greeted by the gallery he’s been waiting for. His eyes glide over the colors and the variety of golden frames. The low lighting casts a warm atmosphere over the rooms, and he feels his breath catch as his eyes finally fall onStarry Night. His audio tour starts talking, but he’s not listening to it. Something about the romantic nature of the painting, the two lovers on their walk along the river, has always captivated him. The way the blues and yellows paint such a vivid picture.
For a few minutes, he gets lost in it. The moment, ultimately, gets broken when someone shoves past him totake a photo. With a twinge of embarrassment he realizes he might’ve taken a little too long admiring the painting, noticing the crowd that gathered around him has doubled in size.
With a mumbled, rushed apology he steps away and resumes his way around the exhibit. As his eyes fall on Monet’sBlue Water Lilieshe reminds himself not to linger this time. Even if he wants to sit down in front of it and take the time to soak it all in. It wouldn’t do good to take up more time and space than he should.
Like a sign from the universe, his watch beeps. Just one short alert as a reminder of the dinner reservations in an hour. He rushes through the last rooms and allows himself a moment to dawdle in the gift shop. He leaves with a magnet and bookmark with the museum’s name and logo.
*
Even if the Metro system is similar to the one they have in London, it doesn’t take away from the fact that it’s daunting to navigate it. The journey to the restaurant should’ve taken fifteen minutes, but it takes him almost forty-five. Not only was he not able to get on the Metro twice, with it being too crowded and cramped, he also missed the stop he needed, and the ten-minute walk turned into a hurried shuffle of twenty.
He arrives at the restaurant sweaty and out of breath. But still with five minutes to spare. There’s a notification on his phone that Gabriel is already inside. The restaurant istastefully decorated, classy in its French style and timeless in its elegance. It’s one of the pricey things he wanted to indulge in when he planned his trip, having dinner in good restaurants whenever his schedule allowed it. Which, looking at the plans, isn’t often, so he will take every chance he gets.
When Gabriel spots him entering the restaurant he waves him over and sits back with a smile.Today must have been a good day for him as well,James muses. “’Sorry, if I kept you waiting.”
“You know you didn’t.” Gabriel smiles at him when James sits down. “I just got here myself.”
A sharply dressed waiter steps up to their table, putting down two glass flutes. “Your champagne, gentleman. Have you decided on your entrées yet?”
Gabriel’s smile transforms into a soft smirk, leaning back in his chair. Tilting his chin toward James, he jokes, “He probably has. I’ll have whatever he’s decided on.”
2 [James] Paris, France
December 2nd
The shower’s already running when his alarm goes off on their second day in Paris. Between them, Gabriel tends to be the early riser with a need for caffeine and something to eat in the morning. James likes to sleep in as late as his anxious mind allows him, before rushing through his morning routine and usually dashing out the door just in time to avoid being late for work.
His notebook reminds him of the check-in deadline forThe Evergreenat noon. There’s an outfit waiting for him on the armchair next to the window, folded and ready to take with him into the bathroom.
