“And look, Mom! We found this great privacy screen at a vide-grenier last weekend.”
“It’s perfect,” Nora said. “I want to go to some of those flea markets while I’m here.”
“Oh, we will, no doubt about that! And look…” Chloe added. “Jezebel is already settled on your futon to welcome you.”
They laughed as Nora curtsied to the fluffy feline and sat down beside her, giving her a scratch on the head. Jezebel immediately climbed on her lap and began to purr.
“Of course, she believes you have come specifically to see her,” said Chloe.
Nora settled back into some overstuffed cushions. She looked around with a satisfied smile at the rustic exposed wooden beams and stone walls. “You did a fabulous job stripping those beams. I love the effect. I’m quite happy to snuggle with Jez for a while if you two have work to do.”
“We’re good for now, and if you aren’t tired, Mom,” Chloe said, “we thought we would dash over to Le Moulin for your first lunch. After all, it’s kind of a tradition when you arrive. N’est-ce pas?”
Olivier chimed in his support for the suggestion. “On y va!”
“Oh, you two are adorable. Of course, it’s a tradition. I slept most of the way over, so I’m in good shape and I am hungry. Breakfast on the plane was not edible. Can you believe they had no croissants? On Air France? Allez zou!”
ChapterFive
Le Moulin de la Galettewas a short walk down the street. The weather was mild and the sun shone brightly on the busy sidewalk. It was the kind of day that brought people out for the simple pleasure of enjoying the outdoors.
“This would be a spring day at home. It’s hard to believe Christmas will soon be here,” Nora commented as they strolled along.
“It’s turned into a perfect day to welcome you, Mom,” Chloe said. “But don’t get your hopes up. We had very cold temperatures last week and they’re predicting more to come. Maybe you’ll get snow here too … to give you a sense of home.”
Nora laughed. “I would love to see snow in Paris. But there’s no way anything would ever make me feel totally at home here. I always want to be excited about Paris vibes in every way.”
“A true Paris romantic,” Olivier said. “Pourquoi pas?”
The entrance to the bistro was topped by one of the two remaining original windmills in Montmartre. Nora insisted on taking a few photos of them in front of the landmark. “Get used to it!” she warned, her eyes dancing..
Chloe nodded with a shrug. “C’est la vie avec Maman.” She had grown up the subject of endless photos.
Built in the early 1700s and one time a mill which ground flour, the iconic structure had also been a guinguette or tavern for drinking and dancing, a music-hall, and open-air café. For the last few decades, it had been a popular bistro with two terraces where celebrity watching was part of the fun.
“Mmmm, they’ve not lost their touch in the kitchen,” Nora exclaimed as she swirled a plump escargot in garlic butter before popping it in her mouth. The baguette that came with her meal soaked up the butter in a way that made it…
“Orgasmic,” Chloe murmured. They all nodded and conversation paused for a moment, except for satisfying sighs and hums as they enjoyed the food. Nora followed that course with traditional coq au vin and, when she finished, sat back with a satisfied smile while they all shared a selection of cheeses.
“Ah, I am back in France. I can’t tell you how good this feels.”
The café’s cosy atmosphere was festive as some of the staff hung garlands of evergreen boughs over the bar and others brought out boxes of decorations. Chloe told Nora they were beginning a competition that very day with some of the other bistros and bars.
Nora laughed. “You know what it’s like at home. Christmas decorations have been up since Halloween in all the shops.”
“They wait until December first to get started in France. Much more civilized,” said Chloe.
“La Fête de Noël is serious in Paris!” Olivier said as they all raised their glasses. “We can’t wait until you see how the city lights up for the season.”
Conversation was lively as the two young artists spoke about their latest work. For the past months, they had been collaborating on pieces about Paris life for an exhibit in the gallery in Nice owned by Olivier’s father, Pierre.
Chloe described the work like this. “We feel the collection reflects a contrast of energy and vision—bold color palettes, impulsive textures as we captured cityscapes, and the energy of different arrondisements.”
Olivier added, “For this exhibit, we tried to straddle abstraction and emotional realism. In other words, we hope we balance abstract with real, honest emotions.”
Nora hoped she would understand the meaning of their work once she saw it. It sounded complex.
But when they showed her photos of a few paintings, she was overwhelmed. Their work looked real and honest. She felt pulled in by the light and texture seen even in the photos. Her heart filled with pride for both of them.
