Nora endedthe call and wondered what on earth had gotten into her. She hadn’t seriously considered renting the van Gogh apartment until the minute she’d mentioned it to Cynthia. But now that she’d said it out loud, it didn’t sound like a bad idea.
Never mind, she told herself. I will simply carry on writing the memoir and other projects and see how I feel mid-February when Giselle comes back. I may very well feel it is time to go home.
She worked on more of her recordings until noon, figuring out where they fit into the notes she had already taken and concentrating on getting all the dates and the timeline right. She knew when she felt herself being drawn into the pain and darkness of those days again, it was absolutely necessary. It had to be done to tell the story the right way.
When she was pleased with her progress, she put the work away for the day. With any luck, she might even get started on the final draft before the end of January. She’d already decided at that point she’d contact her editor in Canada to see if she would take a look at it. Nora was determined to give Marie-Louise a memoir she could be proud of.
She left Atticus at home after lunch and hopped on the Metro and then the RER to visit the Musée d’Orsay. Nora had read about a photography exhibit of Celine Laguarde—a retrospective showcasing her early twentieth century work—and noticed it was only on for a short while longer.
She’d first learned of Laguarde’s work in an art course during her university program, many years ago. The article on the museum’s website looked interesting, and Nora thought it would be a good break from all the writing she’d been doing.
Strolling the spacious exhibit halls of this former train station, relatively empty of tourists this time of year, Nora let her thoughts entertain the possibility of staying longer in Paris and enjoying more experiences like this one.
She stopped mid-afternoon for a coffee in the Café Campana. The setting was dramatic thanks to the massive ornate clock, preserved from the original Gare d’Orsay.
Before she left to go back downstairs, Nora went out to the terrace and took a few photos. She had plenty of sunny shots of this panoramic view of the Right Bank, but perhaps inspired by Laguarde’s stunning black and white photography, she wanted to try to capture the special allure of Paris in the rain.
As she returned on the Metro, she thought more about renting the van Gogh apartment and remaining in Paris for a few more months. If she did, would she overstay her welcome? Perhaps when Giselle returned, it would be time to give Chloe and Oli some space.They’ve made me feel so welcome, but maybe I should go home and come back next year like I usually do. I still have five weeks to think about it.
When she checked her phone on the way home, Luc had texted.
Luc: May I collect you early to go for sushi before we go dancing? There’s a special place I would love to show you. 7:30?
Nora: I would never say no to sushi. Bonne idée!
ChapterForty-Four
Luc waspunctual as usual when he knocked on Nora’s door. He presented a small basket to her containing two splits of chilled Vintage Brut champagne, a jar of fine foie gras, and a paquet of crostini.
“What do you think? Should we have a belated New Year’s toast before we go out?”
Nora smiled at his suggestion. “Dear Luc, you are the perfect one-man party, complete with all the best ingredients.”
He uncorked one split, and they toasted each other with warm wishes for the New Year. Nora asked about his special night with Dominique and Mathilde. His voice dropped as he described the lovely evening they had shared. Nora held his hand and said, “It sounds divine. I have so much respect for the time you spend with your family.”
Luc nodded and kissed her cheek. “Thank you. It is so important to the three of us.”
A quiet moment passed between them as they sipped their champagne. Then Luc said, “You hinted at some excitement during your festivities that night. What happened?”
Nora gave him the details of the skating party, embellishing the scenario and reminding herself it really had been an enjoyable outing, with the exception of Pierre’s unfortunate accident.
“I feel badly because he was protecting me. I’m sorry he has such an inconvenient injury, especially regarding his plans to drive back to the coast with Chloe and Olivier’s art.”
Luc was sympathetic to Pierre’s bad luck. “We never know when something like that is going to happen. As the saying goes, le malheur n’arrive jamais seul. I think you English say, trouble comes knocking when we least expect it. I hope it all works out for him.”
Now Nora had a sudden flash of bumping into Pierre unexpectedly while with Luc. It would be just her luck. If it did happen, she hoped he wouldn’t react as he had that first time.
The sushi restaurant was the most refined Nora had ever seen, an artful fusion of Japanese tradition and Parisian elegance. The minimalist interior consisted of pale, untreated wood walls, which provided a quiet background for tables of hand-finished wood or stone, and chairs of leather or wood. Each dish was a work of art and a gustatorial experience.
“I’m almost afraid to speak in here,” Nora said, drawing a soft chuckle from Luc.
“It is rather like a religious experience, you are right,” Luc said. “But isn’t the fish outstanding? Next time I will take you to my other favorite sushi place. It is more like a Tokyo backstreet bar—loud and colorful and also delicious. We can make all the noise we want there.”
They talked more about some of their favorite restaurants, feeling grateful to have so many options.
Their friends at the dance club welcomed Nora and Luc back after their holiday break, and Nora was happy to return to the congenial, relaxed atmosphere. The music carried her away, and she quickly lost her nervousness as Luc swept her into his embrace.
Tonight, employees of the club offered some instruction from time to time, helping the patrons weave some of the more complicated steps into the dances. The subtle footwork, elegant turns, and timing cues were fun to try and sometimes ended in entertaining chaos for everyone and the applause of friends appreciating each other’s effort.
