It was magical.
Incredible, really.
The twinkle of the lights strung above the deck reflected onto the tables, casting little pools of shadow as the boat bobbed gently in the river.
Sitting opposite Joe brushed his hand across her knuckles. 'So, the idea is that we eat now and then relax and enjoy the view on the way back down the river', he explained as a waiter appeared from behind her.
She smiled at the figure, his face lost in the darkness but he beamed back at her.
'Dr. Biden, lovely to see you again', he said and Joe watched closely as she nibbled her lip for a moment, a memory caught way back in her mind beginning to blossom.
'Phillipe!' she exclaimed.
'I'm right, aren't I?' she asked, her voice an octave higher reflecting both her surprise and delight.
The waiter bowed a little.
'Madam, I am truly honored that you would remember me', he said, obviously a little taken aback that she did actually recall their previous meeting.
'How could I forget? The dinner you served us that night was wonderful but the next morning, the time you spent with Joe and me, well that was really special', she recalled, her thumb grazing Joe's hand still resting atop her own.
'How is business? Are you still at the Le Train Bleu?' she enquired.
Joe smiled.
Noting the look on the man's face, he sank back into his seat and let the moment wash over him.
The guy was captivated by Jill.
It was reflected clearly on his face; his surprise that she had remembered him, her willingness to take time to chat, to ask about him and his life. It may have been years since they'd last met but Joe knew she'd remember. After that congressional trip in '93 they spoke often and fondly about the restaurant. Jill teased him because the space was an architectural masterpiece located within a train station, ticking off two of his favorite hobbies. He kidded her that the waiters were all smitten by her while he was forced to eat French cuisine and not his favorite pasta and red sauce.
'I have watched your rise with pride, sir. I've always felt a connection with you after those wonderful few hours we spent together', Philippe said now, turning to Joe whose eyes twinkled in the reflection of the hundreds of tiny bulbs.
'I mean, Gare de Lyon is an incredible structure anyway, but the fact that the restaurant was the station buffet was the icing on the cake for me', Joe laughed. 'Then to see that vintage train that you kindly showed us, and get to see inside the locomotive, well, that was really something', he continued with a sparkle in his eye, his mind back in that moment when Philippe encouraged him to sit in the driver's seat and he got to toot the horn used by countless drivers before him.
Jill looked from one man to the other.
'How did this come about though?' she asked when they were done reminiscing, the curiosity evident in her voice.
Joe looked from her to Phillipe. 'I was speaking about the station recently with a friend of ours. We went back in time a little and landed on the subject of the Belle Epoch; Europe's Golden Age. We charted the many structures of the Great Exhibition, or Exhibition's I should say. That's when I thought to ask you to do this for us', he explained, his eyes were on Philippe but he knew that Jill understood he was referring to Louis and the time he and Joe had spent chatting the previous afternoon.
Following Dr. Arnault's advice Joe had attempted to expand Louis' memory and they'd become engaged in their conversation so quickly that Jill had taken the time to catch up on reading through Shawn's thesis chapter. The project may initially have been established as a facade but in reality Jill found his insights fascinating and his writing style fluid and engaging.
