“Emmie.”
“Yes?”
“Be careful. Life moves fast when you think you’re standing still.”
I laughed, threw him another kiss, and hurried out.
I was proud of how well I could navigate Paris streets now. I had spent time studying a street map. I walked quickly and tried not to pay attention to the whistles and comments I heard men shout out at me. Would Roxy be proud of me or upset? Was I going too far too quickly, flying too high? My heart sank a little when I arrived at the restaurant and didn’t see Vincent there. I knew I was attracting attention standing outside the front entrance and hovering near the patio outside, almost filled by now. Had something prevented him from coming? Just as I started to consider going home, I heard him call my name and saw him pull up on a scooter. He was in the same clothes he had worn at lunch, but he had on a dark brown leather pilot’s jacket. He removed his helmet and settled his scooter.
“Sorry I’m late,” he said. “My father always has one more thing for me to do. Hungry? They have great pizza here.”
“Yes, my uncle told me.”
He smiled, took my hand, and led me to the hostess, who, like the one at the lunch café, obviously knew him. From the way he greeted this one, I thought he knew her a little better. Where did Denise get the idea that Vincent was like a monk? People see and believe what they want, no matter what, I thought. The hostess led us out to a free table on the patio. Vincent ordered some wine immediately and sat back.
“May I get something out of the way immediately?” he asked.
“Sure.”
“You are a very beautiful young woman.”
I nearly laughed, having expected him to say something like that he had a girlfriend but just wanted to be more of a host and a friend, or that he was doing this to keep me befriending Denise, who obviously needed a friend.
“Merci. Is that it?”
“For now,” he said. “I’m starving.”
We ordered salads and a large pizza with chicken. The wine came, and he proposed another toast.
“To discoveries,” he said.
“What kind of discoveries?”
“Good discoveries about each other,” he replied.
My mind raced. He wasn’t that much older than most senior boys in high school in America, but to me, he seemed more like one of the young men Roxy might have escorted, suave, confident, and dazzling. How would she handle him? I wondered. More and more, I was finding myself thinking, What would Roxy do? How would Roxy act? What would Roxy say?
I have to be myself, I thought.
“Well, discoveries are made by explorers,” I said, and he looked as if he had just heard he won the lottery. He laughed, tapped my glass again, and began asking me more questions about New York. Naturally, he wanted to know more details about my life and what really had brought me to Paris. If there was one thing I didn’t want to do, however, it was to put any heavy darkness on our date. He seemed to understand and shifted the topic to more suggestions about how I should enjoy Paris, what I should expect. He sounded very brotherly at times, and I found myself resenting it. If there was one thing I didn’t want to be, it was some young girl who needed more guidance.
After our pizza, he asked me if I would like to hear some of the new French jazz.
“Where?” I asked.
“I have a friend who plays in a band, but we won’t go to his club. It’s too far. He has great recordings in his apartment, which is very nearby. We share a lot of things—music, clothes. He’s my best friend,” he continued when I just stared. “He won’t mind.”
My silence made him a little uncomfortable. Maybe the wine had gotten to me, but I felt as if I was floating above it all, the conversations around us, the sounds of the street and the restaurant, even him.
“Okay? Should we go there?”
“Sure,” I said, and he paid our bill and led me out to his scooter. He handed me his helmet.
“I must take care of my precious cargo,” he said.
I got on behind him, wrapped my arms around him, and screamed with delight when we started away quickly. I was in Paris, and I was flying high. If only Roxy could see me now, I thought. She would lose her fear of my wallowing in self-pity.
Rainbows and Promises