Du Nord: The Believing heart lost years (EN)

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Tuesday 8th July 2008, Loperèc, France

"Daniella and I split up, kind of so that we could each go our separate ways with our driving licences, which would only be a quick getaway, but it was good for us to get a feel for what it was like to be away from each other for a period of time, which until then we'd only been away like that when we were on holiday before, but now we weren't even like that, since I'd been at Parker's side all the time since practically September of the previous year, so it was a lot more sticky than expected, which must have been quite tense for my girlfriend to deal with as she was quite clingy at times."

We're arriving, we even stopped off in Glastonbury to rest, now in the early afternoon we're just arriving in the city, this brings me some feelings of nostalgia, I didn't think I'd see it again, after 13 years, I'm back in this place, how nothing has changed in all these years, it's exactly as I remembered it, Mum's already pulling the car over and I'm getting out of it looking around, people looking, they even see us.

"It seems like nothing has changed around here, Chariot, it's been so long since we've been here" said my mum.

"I'm starting to remember this place, it was a very different place, when you picked me up, I was so happy" I say, seeing the city and some people looking at us they are recognizing me.

"Let's go to your paternal grandparents' house, we have to talk and I'll also give the deed to Du Nord's house to the people who deserve it" Mum said and I nodded, I'm gonna have my home then.

I follow her around the city, we look around and wow, I feel like I'm going back to my childhood, it's all so nostalgic, the atmosphere, the blue sky, the place, I pass the square where there was a statue and wow, I'm much taller than the statue of the woman who used to stand here, Victoria McLaren, even Mum is a bit taller than her, then we arrive at the front of a bakery.
As we enter, we sit down at a table, I don't understand, but okay, I guess we'll have to order a cake, that's not so bad, it's been a while since I've eaten anything around here

"Good morning, can I help you?" My mum signalled to me and I didn't understand a word.

"What are we doing here, Mum?" I ask her since my mom is with her mouth closed.

"Girl, just ask her where your grandparents are" said Mum and now I remember she can't speak french.

"Wait a minute, that reddish hair... Are you Chariot? The girl who was born here? The granddaughter of the owners?" I nod my head I'm being recognized even more.

"It's me, can I speak to my grandparents?" She leaves straight away.

I'm not rusty at speaking the local language, so I can talk to them more clearly, I hope they're missing me and that my father isn't around either, because I don't know what I'd do if I saw that bastard, he's already destroyed my life so much that I've been wanting to avoid looking at his face for years.
I soon see my grandparents arriving and when they see me they make a surprised face, at the same time they hug me and kiss me on the cheek, blurting out my name everywhere, thrilled to death by my presence, it's been a long time since they've seen me.

"Oh my Chariot is back, you've grown up a lot, girl" said my grandmother.

"You really are a big girl, I'm proud that your mother took such good care of you, those women who picked you up were a marvel in your life, we only realised the loss when you had already left, what was it like having to live with those women?" It was marvellous.

"They looked after me very well, they were the best mums in the world, I love them very much, I had the most wonderful upbringing with them, unfortunately I couldn't stay long... Didn't you know that my father came to pick me up?" They both nod.