Felix and Blanchevelle took a horse-drawn carriage to Favourite's house. Felix checked his pocketwatch again, out of habit. He hoped this lunch would go by quickly so that he could go do something productive, like work.
"Relax, my friend," Blanchevelle said. "If you would stop being so uptight, maybe you'll actually enjoy this experience."
"That's a likely possibility," Felix said sarcastically.
"We'll see," Blanchevelle said with a crooked grin. "Look, Felix, I've met this girl before, this friend of Favourite, and she is actually not bad. Her hair is quite beautiful."
"I don't care how her hair looks," said Felix impatiently. "I just want to get this date over with so I can get back to work."
"All you ever do is work!" Blanchevelle said. "Learn to have a little fun once in a while."
Felix ignored him the rest of the way to Favourite's house. He was angry at him for setting him up on this date. Finally, the carriage pulled up to the house.
"All right, let's get this over with," he grumbled, hopping out of the carriage.
"Felix, my friend," Blanchevelle said, "Do you mind paying the driver? I don't seem to have enough money with me."
Felix let out an exasperated sigh and handed the driver a few francs. "You know, Blanchevelle, sometimes I think you're only my friend in order to exploit my riches."
"Nonsense!" Blanchevelle laughed. "I exploit your riches only because you're my friend."
"Isn't that the same thing?"
"Not at all!" Blanchevelle exclaimed. "Oh, look. Our ladies our waiting for us in the garden."
Felix looked over to where Blanchevelle was pointing and saw two young women sitting on a bench in a beautiful garden full of blooming flowers and leafy plants. The first woman was obviously Favourite; she matched all of Blanchevelle's descriptions of her. She had raven black hair pulled into a tight bun, a pleasant face, and a mysterious smile. She was tall and slender, and she wore a tight pink dress that displayed her feminine figure. Felix wondered why this beautiful woman would stay with a greasy scoundrel like Blanchevelle. Then, he noticed a shiny new necklace around her throat, and he understood. Favourite stayed with Blanchevelle only because he bought her nice presents.
And then his eyes fell upon the other girl, and his world changed.
She wasn't excessively beautiful, at least not in a secular sense. Her face was quite plain, and she was obviously not very wealthy. However, she had a certain aura about her that intrigued and attracted Felix. Her innocence and purity emanated more beauty than any girl Felix had ever met. Her smile was genuine, and her teeth shone like pearls. Her hair appeared to be woven with golden sunlight. She was like an angel: pure, confident, innocent, and, to Felix, beautiful.
He was suddenly looking forward to this lunch date.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fantine nervously smoothed her hair back as she and Favourite waited in the garden for the men to arrive. "How do I look?" she asked.
"You look fine, dear, but remember not to take this date too seriously. No man ever truly loves a woman, especially not a man who is a friend of Blanchevelle."
"I still don't understand why you stay with Blanchevelle if you despise him so."
In response, Favourite tapped a shimmering diamond necklace around her throat, her lips curling up into a greedy smile. Fantine sighed. "When will I get you to understand that presents mean nothing without true love?"
"When will I get you to understand that 'true love' is an unattainable fantasy?" Favourite countered.
As usual, Fantine ignored her friend's pessimistic comment. She nervously shifted her weight and twirled her hair in her fingers, anticipating her upcoming date. She hoped she would make a good impression on Blanchevelle's friend. She wondered what he would be like. Tall? Muscular? Kind? Brave? Favourite had warned her not to expect much of this man, but Fantine had always been stubbornly optimistic. She hoped he would have all the characteristics of the man of her dreams.
"Oh, good, they've arrived," Favourite announced, smoothing out her dress. Fantine followed her friend's lead and made sure her outfit looked presentable. She looked up and saw Blanchevelle heading in their direction. His greasy hair was slicked back, and he was wearing a wrinkled suit. Fantine waved at him, and then her eyes fell upon the man standing next to Blanchevelle. Her breath caught and her heart skipped a beat.
He was the most handsome man she had ever laid eyes on. He had chestnut colored hair that lay neatly on his head, warm brown eyes, and chiseled features. He was tall and very well-built. He wore a fine suit, complete with a gold pocketwatch. Fantine couldn't help but notice that he bore a striking resemblance to the man of her dreams. As she gazed at him, his eyes met hers, and Fantine's heart began to soar. It was only a small gaze, but in that moment, she felt a strong connection to this man, as if their very destinies were entwined together. His eyes drew her in, making her knees grow weak.
The two men finally reached the spot where Fantine and Favourite were awaiting them. Blanchevelle bowed to Fantine. "Lovely to see you again, Mademoiselle Fantine," he said politely, smiling at her with his crooked grin.
"And you as well, Monsieur," Fantine replied. Blanchevelle turned his attention to Favourite. He drew a small black box from his pocket and pressed it into her hand. Favourite opened the box to reveal a silver bracelet encrusted with red rubies. Favourite gasped with delight.
"It's beautiful," she cried out, and pulled Blanchevelle into a long, passionate kiss.
Fantine looked awkwardly at Blanchevelle's friend, trying to ignore the Blanchevelle and Favourite's excessive displays of affection. The man bowed to her. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Mademoiselle..."
"Fantine," she said.
"And what is your surname, Mademoiselle Fantine?" he inquired.
"Nothing, just Fantine," she said quickly, feeling the blood rise to her cheeks. She hated talking about her surname. Thankfully, the man did not press for information.
"Enchante, Mademoiselle Fantine," he said. "I am Tholomyes. Felix Tholomyes."
"It's a pleasure," Fantine said.
"On the contrary, Mademoiselle Fantine," Felix replied, taking her hand in his. "The pleasure is all mine." Slowly, he brought her hand to his lips and kissed it gently. As his lips made contact with her skin, her heart began to race, and a warm feeling spread throughout her body.
This man was not merely similar to the man of her dreams. He was the man of her dreams.
YOU ARE READING
There Was a Time
Hayran Kurgu"He took my childhood in his stride, but he was gone when autumn came," she said. But who is "he"? And why did he leave? There was a time when Fantine was just a plain, ordinary girl who dreamed of romance and love. There was a time when Felix Tholo...
