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Elodie approaches us with her long hair floating in the wind and her elegant arms stretched wide, reminding me of a swan or a ballet dancer.
Knight meets her half-way and gives her a kiss on the cheek. “Bonjour, Mom.”
“Bonjour, I’m so thrilled you could join us.” She hugs Knight first, then me when I reach them.
“It’s nice to see you again,” I say, hoping she didn’t see me in my drunken state. I still can’t remember one iota of what happened. It’s like I blacked out of existence for that entire time.
“And you, my love.” She cups my face with awe. “You look so stunning, even better than on your wedding day.”
“Thank you.”Please, God, please don’t let her see that’s probably because of all the sex I’ve been having with her son.I’ve been in permanent afterglow all morning. “You look great too.”
“I do my best. Come on in. Lunch is just about ready.”
“Can't wait to eat your delicious food,” Knight says with a relaxed chuckle, his entire composure softer for seeing his mother. I noticed he was like that at the wedding too.
“I made all your favorites.” A proud-mom smile spreads across her face, then she glances at me and hope sparks in her eyes. “Stuff I hope you like too, Aurora, as I’m told I’m a good cook.”
I smile back at her. “I’m sure you are, but I’ll eat anything.” I’ve always been grateful that I’ve never been a fussy eater. I’ve felt that being that way makes you miss out on all sorts of great food, especially when you’re in another country.
“Perfect, come on.”
Elodie leads us into the house, where I’m impressed even more by the interior décor.
Everything is the kind of breathtaking that would make you want to move house and country straightaway to have something like this.
Muted colors blend together with toil fabrics, extravagant lighting, and tapestries hanging on the wall. There are touches of gold here and there with the rustic touch of an artist.
It's obvious an artist lives here, but also that the artist is a woman who loves the finer things of life.
My mother would have loved all of this.
Maurice walks out from the kitchen to join us with a bright smile on his face.
“Hey, everyone,” he greets us, and we acknowledge him. “Right this way.” He motions toward the dining room, and we follow.
Once inside, we’re greeted with a table covered in a delicious spread of excellence. There are all sorts of meats, from chicken to beef, pork and fish. Fried, baked, and roasted. The platters of vegetables and savory dishes of the same assortment. It’s like I’m looking at the feasts from the Harry Potter films.
Moments later, we're seated and eating, then we eat and talk for eons.
The atmosphere is more relaxed than at the wedding because we know each other. I also figured that Elodie and Maurice must not have seen me in my drunken state, but if they did, they're doing a good job of not bringing it up.
Our conversation feels like an extension of the one we had at the wedding where it felt like we talked about every and anything, except now we’re including traveling to life in France.
When we’re finished eating, Knight heads to the vineyard with Maurice, and Elodie takes me to her beloved workshop I’ve heard so much about.
The moment we walk in, I love it. The space is as spacious and endless as a warehouse and seems to go down on a slope.
On one side are her artistry tools and a workspace like Knight’s with tables, shelves, and a row of cupboards.
The other side holds several large pieces of sculptures and paintings covered in white cloth and plastic bubble wrap, so I can’t really see what they are.
“Those are for the show,” she explains, pointing at the display. “They've been prepped for transportation to the gallery in Marseille. Over here is still my work in progress.” She gestures ahead to the area sectioned off by a wooden sliding door.
It’s not completely closed, so I can just about see the edge of one of the sculptures.
“What I see looks great.” I smile back at her and try to get a better look.
“Wait until you see everything. I’m very proud of what I’ve done this year.” She nods. “That’s also where I'd love to paint you later in the week if we get the chance.”
