I stayed at Arthur's room where there were award pins and trophies as well as books lining neatly on the shelves. While Lucie (Madame Bourret) cooked in the kitchen, Zoe and I fervently conversed. Even though her daughter teased her of that strange accent while speaking English, Lucie's occasional English utterance amused us and tickled us with laughters. This cute mother and daughter merrily and humorously taunted each other and filled the kitchen with immense feel of joy. When Aurther walked into the kitchen, Zoe introduced us and then whispered in my ears, telling me that her brother is a shy dude.
It was dinner time. Yves (Mr. Bourret) walked up from the basement garage and shook hands with me. Zoe noticed my dual-chronometer watch and was thrilled, tingly asking everyone to see my watch and the complimentary gifts we brought along to the family. Aurther and Zoe studied my watch while Chia dehydrated the salad. Zoe told me that currently she goes to a Music special school and she learns cello and synchronized swimming whereas Arthur stays at the boarding school most of the time and returns home for holidays and vacation; and the older sister just gave birth to a baby girl named Maya. Yves said Arthur loves sports and Zoe helped him build the living room. Besides English, both kids learn Spanish, like most Europeans. Although for Zoe, the acquisition of foreign languages was blooming at an early stage of budding, she managed to pull effort in looking up the dictionaries and her limited English vocabulary bank to communicate with me. As a strong contrast to Zoe's lighthearted temperament, Chia appeared to be pretty quiet; that was definitely very unlike her, who always sounds off and talks out of her lungs. But thanks to Chia, Lucie got a little help in the kitchen.
When I told Lucie that in Taiwan, nurse is nicknamed "Angel in white dresses," both mother and daughter seemed to be very amused. (Very possibly with my incorrect pronunciation of the word "blanc" as well...)Zoe further asked me to translate her name into Chinese and the characters thrilled her for a second; then she contemplated on the character writing and started to learn to write her own name in Chinese.
Drooling over colorful dishes laid on the table, I wondered whether the Bourret has these gourmet, including the wine, for everyday supper. Yves's reply was negative, then I realized that we were the reason for the feast. I was very grateful.
On my right hand, I had a glass of Rose, and in front of me, I grasped a cube of cheese and a very special cold dish as an appetizer: cantaloupe and smoked turkey. Lucie detected Chia's reserved attitude toward the latter, and a considerate hostess as she was, she took two extra plates and reminded us to feel free to discard the food if we did not like it. Chia said the totally contrary taste of food disturbed the balance in her mouth. Though she did not have second bite of the dish, this sweet girl eventually swallowed her bite. I giggled. As for me, the experience was quite the contrary: instead of separating two on each side of the molars, I chewed and mixed both. It was balanced, the salty flavor and the sweet melon dew. Exquisite and unique kind of taste.
As far as communication was concerned, it was like a mixing pot on the table. It was as if English-French/French-English dictionaries were part of the cuisine. I spoke to the Bourret with my very poor French, Chia talked to me in Chinese, and Zoe and I exchanged languages. Chaotic talks but completely adorable and fun all through the dinner. When it got really late, Lucie showed us to the room and the bathroom and asked us to take a rest.
The alfresco concert took place the very next evening. We left for the concert without Arthur and we all returned before the chill got into our bones. The whole night, Lucie sat right next to me, she felt my temp to make sure I had enough clothing on. The way back to the Bourret house, she asked me to sit beside Yves in the front. Sitting in the passenger seat, I observed the closeness between Lucie and Zoe. I found myself listening to their laughters and Yves's story about the construction of the hammock right above the living room ceiling, which he proudly presented it to me as a cooperative work done by his lovely Zoe and himself. I was amazed when Yves told me that the hammock was powerfully built so as to have the strength of holding up to 5 adults. Later that night, Zoe tiptoed into my room and we chatted a bit about the music we like. We exchanged songs in our ipods and she was so delighted and kind that she offered me a hand-made bracelet by her.
I didn't sleep much the night. As always, I was insomniac before every journey. Sitting by the window, I smelled French countryside evening dewiness; I closed my eyes to embrace the chilling breeze. As Zoe and Lucie's laughters echoed in my mind and Yves's gentle temperament reminded me of you, I smiled.
For the first time in this swamped tour, I found myself breathing in freely and calmly. For the first time in these 70 days without you, my dear, I smiled because I thought of this beautiful family and I thought of you.
Only then was I aware of the fact that it's finally come to an end. This trip. This disastrous life of mine for a thousand days. What I had been through in France went quite the opposite of those reminders and prompters that have been forewarning me of a fashion capital with indifferent people and of a country totally goes the reverse of romantic and pleasant image as presented in the cinema. I came and I went. The most fortunate and pleasant thing happened to me in this journey that had me find myself actually laid in that aromatic dinner, the ambience of this sweet family and the summer afternoon pool-dip in my new swimsuit.
Only then I recalled: there you would be, awaiting for my return just as I am awaiting for the flight that eventually will fly me to you, to a full moon and to this desperado's sweet home.