One Summer in Paris

“Okay. Coffee. Whatever.” She grabbed Grace’s hand as they walked to the small coffee shop on the ground floor of the hospital.

Ron found a table and then went to buy drinks.

Audrey felt sicker than she did when she waited for exam results. “This is it, then. He’s going to tell me he’s leaving.”

Grace frowned. “I don’t think so, honey.”

“Why did he bring me here, then?”

“I’m guessing it’s because he wants to tell you more about your mom before you see her.”

There was no time to reply because Ron returned with a tray, three coffees and two prewrapped slices of brownie.

The coffee was murky and looked like nothing anyone would want to drink unless they were desperate.

“Okay, so I thought I could tell you a few things so we don’t have to talk in front of your mum.” He ripped open three mini packets of sugar and tipped them into his coffee. “Don’t judge. It’s the only way I can keep this stuff down. Oh, and I got you these because I know you like them.” He stuck his hand into his pocket and pulled out two of her favorite chocolate bars.

Audrey was touched. She didn’t want to hurt his feelings by admitting she was already full of chocolate, so she ate one and thought that if there was a way of curing her chocolate habit it might be eating it in bulk.

Her hands shook under the table. “You’re leaving, aren’t you?”

Ron blinked. “No, although I’ve been here since midnight and I could probably use a shower, but it can wait.”

“I meant, you’re leaving my mum.” Audrey’s throat thickened and she felt a flash of horror. Before Paris she’d never cried. Never. Now she seemed to have turned into a water feature.

Ron looked bemused. “Why would I leave her? I just married her.”

Audrey thought about Grace and David. “Marriage doesn’t mean anything.”

“Yes, it does. It means I wanted to be with her. I didn’t marry her on a whim, Aud.” Ron stirred his coffee, took a sip and pulled a face. “Shit, that’s bad.” He glanced at Grace. “Excuse my language.”

Grace smiled. “No problem.”

Audrey would have gaped if her jaws hadn’t been welded together by chocolate. Why was Ron allowed to swear when she would have been lectured? Grace obviously liked him enough to give him a free pass.

She swallowed the last of the chocolate. “What happened to my mum?”

“I don’t exactly know. She stayed late for drinks at work. Sometimes she does that, as you know.” His gaze skidded to Grace, and Audrey shook her head.

“Grace is my friend. She knows everything.”

“Right.” Ron gave Grace a quick nod. “Well, like I was saying, she stayed for drinks. Then I got a call from the police. Must have been around midnight. I’d been calling her phone and I was worried. They told me she’d been hit by a car and was in hospital.”

“Was the driver drunk?” Was it crazy that she was almost hoping that was the case?

“No, love.” Ron’s voice was gentle. “It was your mum who was drunk. The driver was in shock. He said she just stepped out with no warning. He didn’t even have time to swerve.”

Audrey could picture it, and the picture was shocking.

“She could have been killed.”

“Yes.” Ron took another sip of coffee. “So we have to talk about what happens next.”

“B-but you’re not leaving? I thought, maybe if you knew—I mean, she does drink too much—” Audrey couldn’t get the words to come out properly, and Ron patted her hand awkwardly.

“I know what she is, Audie. I know she drinks. I’ve always known. I love her anyway. I had a few issues myself in that direction. I’m ten years sober. Still go to meetings.”

The noise around her faded. She forgot Grace was sitting there. She forgot everything.