Plot Twist

21. l'amour

According to the weather app on my phone, it was going to rain today. Which is very unsurprising, considering it's London, and it's November. However, as I looked out the window after waking up this morning, I saw nothing but a bright blue sky and the sun rays tearing through the small white clouds that looked like cotton balls in the midst of blue. Nonetheless, the temperatures were still as low as 5ºC, and if I had any doubts, the condensation drops on the window pane would surely put that uncertainty away.

"No puddles today?" Lexi's voice was still sleepy.

"No, baby." I rubbed her back before bending down to kiss her forehead. "No puddles. But it's sunny, you can play outside today at school."

I helped her with the school uniform and served her breakfast while I got dressed myself, choosing an oversized, beige wool sweater, and a pair of jeans. Lexi was brushing her teeth when I found some time to braid my blonde hair into a side, french braid that fell lazily over my shoulder.

Today was like any other day, except for the fact that after dropping Lexi off at school, I would be driving to the restaurant to meet my boss and talk to him about leaving my position as a waitress, and handing in my resignation letter in person.

And after returning to Hampstead, I would be meeting Sébastien at L'Amour so I could sign all the documentation he needed and so we could discuss the menu and brainstorm some ideas for the bakery.

The first errand went okay, with some surprise and shock from my boss, but without showing any unpleasantness. The only thing a little bit more unexpected from him might really be when he said "We'll miss you around here.", while he pressed his palm onto my back and walked me outside.

The second and last item in the order of business today, well... I was about to find out how it'd go.

"Melanie, how are you?"

"Good." I replied after he closed the door behind me. "What about you?"

"Better than ever." Sébastien sounded excited, and not only to see me. He sounded like he was on the verge of jumping into something, something he felt good about. Like he had just discovered the secret cure to some fatal disease, and that cure laid on french pastries.

"Why don't you take a seat?" He gestured towards the seats. "I'll be back with the contract."

I did as told and took a seat on one of the booths, removing my bag and placing it on the empty space next to me. I took my chance to look around the room and take it in - my new workplace, where I would be reinventing myself professionally -, and see what he'd done with the place so far. It looked beautiful, very vintage-looking but still modern enough.

Shortly after, Sébastien came back with some papers and a pen and took a seat across from me, flashing me a smile while doing so.

"Take your time and read the contract if you'd like, but these are basically just a formality of everything we've discussed before." With his hand facing the document, he dragged it across the table in my direction.

I skimmed through the pages, confirming his words. The pay was correct, the position was correct, everything else was just plain bureaucracy. I grabbed the pen he'd brought with him (that looked like it was more valuable than my car), and signed on every dotted line that had a Sign Here sticker on it. Lastly, I handed the document back to him.

"Bienvenue à L'Amour!" Seb said, flashing me one of those million dollar smiles, as they say. Those where his lips are tugged up so high that his white pearls are in full display, in a graceful grin. One of those smiles that made my heart do backflips without even trying.