AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Just then, the doorbell rings. Angélique?
“Are you expecting someone?” she asks me.
I shake my head no.
When Louisette comes back, Yannick is close behind.
“Ah, Madame Micki. So good to see you.” Of course, it’s too early for the showdown with Angélique.
I realize Yannick has brought me the new phone as he hands me the Apple box. “Here you are. I’ve been told everything should be set up but to wait until you check it over. It’s already charged.”
Louisette looks at the box curiously. “A new phone? Don’t you already have one?”
“It was stolen,” I say quickly as I take everything out of the box. The screen comes to life asking for my passcode. When I put in the numbers, the home screen appears. After checking out a couple of things, I put everything back in the box. “Perfect. Thank you, Yannick.”
Angélique walks into the kitchen and gives Yannick an appreciative look. I realize she must have a key to the house.
“You should have had your parents stop in, Angélique,” Louisette reproaches.
“They are taking the boys out to breakfast and the zoo.” She pours coffee and slips onto an empty chair. “Who is this?”
“Yannick Moreau. I’m one of JL’s colleagues.” Yannick shakes her hand but doesn’t kiss it.
“I remember you,” she says. “You were that school friend who was almost in the Olympics.”
She flaunts a sparkly ring she wasn’t wearing yesterday. Maybe it’s one of her two wedding rings. Noticing my look, she smirks at me with satisfaction, turning her hand back and forth so the light bounces in rainbows.
Louisette gasps. “Angélique.” She doesn’t seem to know how to go on.
With a gush, Angélique says, “JL told me this was your maman’s ring when he gave it to me last night.”
Louisette stammers, “But, I, he… Why didn’t he tell me last night?”
“He wanted me to tell you. The boys are so thrilled he will be their father. They liked him right away.”
Louisette’s eyes soften. This is the happy ending, however they got there. She throws her arms around her daughter-in-law to-be, tears of joy running down her cheeks. They suck the air out of the room as the enormity of the betrayal makes me sway. I put my hand on the top of a chair rail, closing my eyes against the now dancing wallpaper flowers..
On the one hand, I can’t believe this is happening. On the other, maybe this is for the best. I don’t have time for a relationship, or the emotional wherewithal to cope. I have to save my reserves for the confrontation I know will come with the partners over the promotion.
Flight is uppermost in my mind. I can almost hear my footsteps pounding down the walk to the SUV sitting at the curb. A little voice tells me,Take your chance, Micki. JL will have a happy family and forget all about you.
Yannick looks bemused as I steer him out of the kitchen, where Louisette can’t hear us.
“Yannick, I have an emergency and I need to go back to Chicago. Could you wait by the car, and I’ll throw my stuff together so you can take me to the airport?”
“What about JL? Does he know?”
“He got in very late last night and he’s still asleep. I’ll text him from the airport.”
A dubious expression washes over Yannick’s face. “Fine. Jean-Claude and I will wait for you outside.”
I stand on my tiptoes and peck at his cheek. “I’ll be out before you know it.”
He saunters out, yelling, “Bye, Tante Louisette. Tell JL I’m sorry I missed him.”
I run back into the guest room, throw my pajamas, toiletries, and e-reader into the case, zip it up, and slip out of the house with my jacket over my arm before Louisette sees me. Once I settle in the back seat, I use my new phone to find a flight home. I mark a couple. Just hope I can get a seat.
Jean-Claude drops us off at check-in with my suitcase.
