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“Did I wake you? I’m sorry.”
“What’s wrong, darling?”
“Did Jean-Pierre try to contact you?” I ask. “Is Ava okay?”
“Of course, she’s okay. She’s asleep. I checked on her just before coming to bed. What’s this about Jean-Pierre?”
I try to calm enough to explain to Maria about the phone call I just got from Jean-Pierre.
“He said he’ll show me we’re meant to be together, that Ava and I both need him. I’m worried he might do something. You know how he can get.”
“It’s been a year, Raven. He hasn’t shown his face in your life for months now.”
“I know, but he’s serious. I’m scared he’s going to come to Ava and make life hell for her.”
“Darling, I know you’re worried because you’re far away and it’s out of your hands. But he’s not crazy. He’s not the right guy for you, absolutely, but he won’t do anything to Ava.”
“How do you know that for sure?” I ask, and my voice trembles with fear.
“Just breathe, Raven. It will be alright. I’ll keep an eye out and let you know if anything happens. But you know I’ll never let him come close to Ava. There’s nothing to worry about.”
I let out a shuddering breath.
“He’s worked you up, but that’s what he does best,” Maria says. “Remember, if you give in to it, he wins.”
“You’re right,” I say. Jean-Pierre has a way of playing on my emotions to the point of getting me to give in because the alternative scares me. I’m not going to let him do that to me.
I’m still worried he might try to reach out to Ava, but I have to trust that Maria will take care of my daughter. She’s always been there for us, and she was as glad to see Jean-Pierre leave as we were.
She doesn’t know everything; I didn’t tell her some of the things he did and said. I didn’t want her to judge me for not walking out but waiting for him to do it. But it’s been a year, and I know Maria has our best interest at heart.
I allow myself to trust her. I force myself to calm down.
“I’m sorry I woke you,” I say. “Go back to bed. We’ll talk tomorrow.”
“You’re going to be just fine, darling,” Maria says. “You’re a star.”
I smile. She told me that often when I just moved to Paris. Lately, the more I believed it, the less she said it. But it still warms my heart.
“Thank you for being there,” I say.
“Always, Raven,” she says seriously. “Go do what you do best.”
We end the call and I take a few deep breaths, letting them out slowly to calm myself. I can’t let Jean-Pierre work me up like this. Maria is right; it’s what he does best. He turns me into my own enemy, and I can’t let him do that.
I get up from my seat and walk back to where Michelle is working on an outfit that tore with a model trying to hurry into it. She’s got pins between her lips, and her eyes are sharp when she studies the way she mended the rip.
“Oh, good, you’re back,” she says. “Look at this—what’s wrong?” She frowns, studying my face.
“Nothing,” I say.
She narrows her eyes at me. She knows I’m lying, but right now, she doesn’t press me for an answer. We don’t have time for it. I won’t tell her about Jean-Pierre right now. He doesn’t deserve me fussing about it for so much as a minute longer, and Maria has it under control.
Besides, we have bigger things to focus on. We’re on soon.
“Does this look right to you? I know it’s far away from the crowd when it’s out there, but the lights are so damn bright, I’m worried it’s all they’ll see.”
“Here,” I say and switch on my phone flashlight, shining on it from all different angles while Michelle studies her handiwork. Finally, she nods, satisfied.
