AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I swipe to answer. ‘Hello…Belle, darling, are you OK? What’s happening? We’ve been worried sick.’
Belle’s sweet laugh comes down the line. ‘Oh, Mummy…’ she says, making my heart miss a beat.
‘Whereareyou?’ I know I sound panicked. I can’t help it.
‘I’msooosorry, Mum. I sent you a message last night, but I’ve just seen it didn’t go through, and—’
‘We’ve been at the airport waiting for you. Where are you?’
A sigh. ‘Mummy, I’m still in Lyon. I’m fi-ine.’
I look up at Rob, who’s watching my face expectantly. ‘Why the hell are you still in France?’
Rob groans.
A pause. ‘Long story, but I’ll be on tomorrow’s flight, I promise.’ She giggles.
I tip back my head and take a breath. I don’t know whether to cry, scream or burst out laughing.
Another giggle and then Belle says something, but I can’t make out what. It sounds as though she has her hand over the mouthpiece.
‘Belle, listen. Don’t wait until tomorrow,’ I say, not wanting to tell her about the party. ‘There must be another flight this evening. Or if not, can you get a train to a different city and fly from there?’
‘Mummy, I’m already booked on tomorrow’s flight and—’
‘You mean youplannedthis?’
‘Not exactly, but—’
‘Belle, I don’t believe it. What’s going on? This really isn’t like you.’
‘I’ve got to go, Mum, but please don’t worry. My flight gets in at the same time tomorrow. We’ll get the train home, so no need to come to the airport again. Love you, bye.’
Then the line goes dead.
‘What the hell…?’ I say, staring at my phone. What she said doesn’t register at first, but I know I’m unsettled by something, rattled as I try to work out my daughter’s totally out-of-character behaviour.
‘What’s happened?’ Rob asks. ‘What did she say?’
‘She’s coming back tomorrow now,’ I tell him, staring at the table, numb. Then I look up at Rob, realising what’s irked me. ‘She said “we”. Belle said “Wewill get the train home”.’
And Rob stares back, looking just as baffled as me.
CHAPTER THREE
BELLE – NOW
Belle lights a cigarette. She sits outside Café la Fontaine in a pretty little square, an untouched glass of red wine on the table in front of her. She sucks in deeply, holding the smoke in her lungs before slowly blowing out, her head tilted back. The sun angles down across the square, warming her skin, making her tingle from the inside out. Though she was already tingling long before she sat down.
She lifts a finger, touching her phone lying next to her glass. She felt bad for her mum when they spoke just now; she sounded so disappointed. Then she lifts the wine to her lips and takes a sip. Just a small one. She wants it to last. Wants to enjoy these final hours in Lyon, having extended the trip by a day to squeeze every last ounce of fun from her adventure. And tomorrow, anewadventure begins.
‘Voici, mademoiselle,’ a waiter says, placing a small dish of olives on her table. He’s young and handsome, and he hesitates before leaving. There’s an expectant look on his face. Belle’s become quite used to the attention these last couple of months in France.
But it’s the attention she gotbeforeshe left England that excites her the most.
‘Merci,’ she says, looking up at him and blowing out another plume of smoke.
Belle crosses her long, tanned legs – the hem of her floral cotton playsuit rising further up her thighs. Several passers-by – young men – slow down and stare at her. More smiles, more appreciative looks. Belle likes it.Lovesit. Though she pretends she hasn’t noticed as she holds her cigarette between long fingers, her nails painted a jade green.
