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‘I don’t think I can go home yet,’ said Edith.
Jenny pressed her mother to bring her to meet Mireille, but Edith put her off. She’d agreed to give Mireille time to explain everything to the policeman nephew who looked after her. It wouldn’t be fair to barge in on the woman’s life with no warning.
‘I wouldn’t mind taking a trip to Dijon, though,’ Edith said. ‘I’d like to see the place where I might have grown up.’
‘Tell you what.’ Harry leaned forwards enthusiastically. ‘How about we three take a road trip? I can drive you. Heck, I’d love to.’
He waited expectantly as the women exchanged first questioning glances, then nods of approval.
‘I can’t think of any reason why we shouldn’t,’ said Edith, smiling.
‘I bet I could find us a really cool car to hire. What d’ya feel like, Harry?’
He sat forwards, energised by her enthusiasm. ‘Ah, it has to be a Citroën DS. Can you get me a Citroën DS, Jenny?’
‘Give me five minutes,’ said Jenny, tapping her phone.
‘When should we go?’ asked Edith.
‘How about tomorrow?’
* * *
The spontaneity of the moment got a grip on all three of them and the plan was made.
‘You two will have to excuse me,’ said Edith, when the details had, amid mounting merriment, been ironed out. She gathered her things and rose to leave.
Harry stood and kissed her on each cheek. ‘You have been great company, Edith. Thank you.’
‘The pleasure, I assure you, Harry, was entirely mine.’
She made a see-you-later signal to Jenny and left.
‘I should go, too,’ Harry said. He beckoned a waiter and asked for a car.
‘That was cute,’ said Jenny, when the waiter left.
‘What?’
‘You two – acting all French.’
‘It’s your mom. She has that air about her, you know, like she demands respect.’ He was thoughtful for a moment. Then he looked her in the eye. ‘You do that, too, you know?’
‘What?’
‘You bring out the best in me.’
She patted his arm, smirking. ‘Like I keep telling you, Harry, you pay me well for it.’
He laughed. ‘Can I ask you something, Jenny?’
‘Shoot,’ she said, and drained her glass.
‘Why don’t you have a man?’
She bit her lip before she spoke. ‘Because I have a woman.’
Harry sat back in his seat. ‘Huh. I didn’t see that coming.’
