The Queen & I (GxG)

Chapter 71 : C'est Si Bon

Paris, November.

The warm, slightly yeasty aroma of the freshly-baked artisanal breads tickled Amanda's nose like a homey fleece in a cold autumn morning. She hugged the paper bag of baguettes, croissants, and chouquettes while snacking on a piece of pain au chocolat she got from a nearby viennoiserie.

This morning, Rabiya had the urge to sleep longer after a long first day in city of love, combined with a terrible jet lag which made the Filipina suffer from a nagging migraine last evening.

Amanda passed by a brasserie called Les Deux Magots and got her a fix of espresso and salmon salad. The Thai sat on one of the classic woven chairs outside and sipped the strong arabica drink little by little, observing the Parisians stroll along the iconic Saint-Germain-des-Prés.

It was autumn in Paris and the city's enchanted by the beautiful foliage and its colorful tints of red, gold and yellow. The wind was also cool, making Amanda's cheeks turn pinkish. The Thai had a couple more minutes to spare before she goes back to the apartment she booked for a week — a bit of people watching won't hurt, she thought.

There's something about Paris and its people that makes it so attractive and charming at the same time. Most of the men and women in the city, regardless of age, look stylish. Even the most sloppy ones look somehow effortlessly relaxed and it made the former beauty queen amused — perhaps it's the confidence of the people that's making them, especially the women, tres chic.

Amanda finished the last drop of her espresso and salad before leaving a few Euros on the able. Picking up her Hermès Ocre Suede Constance bag and breads, she wore her dark brown oversized sunglasses and sashayed away en route back to their apartment — making sure she revels in the surroundings and stand out just like a true Parisian.

Her brown leather boots click on the cemented pavement with each step. Slightly hurrying up when she saw that it was almost ten in the morning. Rabiya could be awake by now — good thing she left a written note on the nightstand, just in case.

After several minutes, she arrived at the hotel's entrance and went straight up to their apartment room - making sure she opened and closed door slowly. She was greeted by an amazing view of the city courtyard and placed the breads on a brown table before coming in to check the bedroom where she saw her girlfriend, still curled up comfortably in a cocoon of soft white cotton sheets. Amanda smiled and went near the bed, removing her brown leather-strap watch and placing it on the nightstand.

The Thai stroked her girlfriend's hair tenderly and placed a soft kiss on Rabiya's forehead — the younger woman stirred, but didn't awaken. Instead, she just turned to the other side and pulled the blanket, hugging it tight.

Amanda loved looking at her lover in slumber. It gives her a chance to observe the Filipina quietly, admiring her body and beautiful features in stillness which the Thai imperatively memorizes. She adored every single inch of Rabiya like details of a painting and want nothing more than for the woman to feel at her most comfortable whenever the younger woman's with her.

"What the.."

Her phone buzzed.

And buzzed.

"....crap!" Amanda cursed quietly and ran outside the room into the living area. She opened her phone and was surprised to see an unusual number of messages that arrived. Her heartbeat pumped hard. Was it an emergency? Did something happen to her mom or dad? Her brain went spinning for the worst.

She saw Veena's message and opened it immediately.

Check the news!!! Oh my God 😭🙏🏻

The Thai furrowed her brows and grabbed the remote control, turning the hotel television and turning down volume — scanning for an international news channel like CNN or BBC.