Take Me To Paris

Chapter Two

I woke up around eight fifteen and smelled Aunt CC cooking. I got out of bed and walked into the kitchen.

"What's for breakfast?" I asked.

"Egg sandwiches. That OK?" Aunt CC said.

"Definitely." I said.

I had slept in a T-shirt and a pair of silky black short shorts.

"Excited to start baking today?" Aunt CC asked.

"Oh yes. Of course." I said, sitting down at the island.

Aunt CC set a plate in front of me. It contained eggs and two pieces of bread. She handed me a napkin and a glass of water.

"The grand opening is three days away. You excited?" Aunt CC asked.

"Obviously!" I said as she sat beside me.

We ate our breakfast discussing what we would do first. We agreed that we should go to the printing place and print flyers and post them around. Then we would spend the rest of the day and all of tomorrow cleaning up, and maybe bake a little. The next day we would bake.

"I've set up French classes for you on Saturdays." Aunt CC said.

"But I'm already so busy." I said.

"If your customers are French, you'll need to know the language, I expect." Said Aunt CC, taking up our empty plates.

"I mean, yeah, but I can't be fluent in French overnight." I said.

"Of course not, but today, tomorrow, and the next, you will have the classes from three forty five to five. That way you will at least know some." Aunt CC said.

"Ok, ok, I give in." I said.

"Good," she said,"because you never had a choice"

I smiled.

"And who knows," she continued, "you might just find yourself a boyfriend."

We walked down the street to the printing press. We made about two hundred copies of the flyers to post around the county.

We hailed a taxi and drove around posting flyers everywhere. Luckily, the driver was a friend of Aunt CC's, so we didn't have to pay.

When we were finished, we drove back to the bakery. Aunt CC had put some brroms and mops and cleaners inside, so we were ready to start.

First, I swept the floors while Aunt CC cleaned the windows, counter, and display case with glass cleaner.

Next, I moped while Aunt CC hung the sign up out front and put the posters in the window.

Lastly, I wiped down the chairs while Aunt CC cleaned the tables and shook out the tableclothes.

We finished up around two tgirty in the afternoon, and Aunt CC took me to this little cafe called Café Eiffel. It was good. I got a croissant with cream cheese in it and strawberry syrup over it. It was amazing. I was beginning to think moving away from my friends to Paris wasn't such a bad idea.

Aunt CC and I walked to the building where my French class was. By then it was three forty five. We walked in the old Paris style Building where a short, overweight woman was.

"Welcome! I am Madame Sherré." She said with a heavy French accent. I was the only one in the class.

"Hi, I'm-" I started.

"Piper. I know, darling. Your aunt told me." Madame Sherré.

"I'll see you at five." Aunt CC said and then left.

"First thing's first. What do you already know?" Madame said.

"Well, I know bonjour, merci, oui, and that's about it." I replied.

"Well, you will need to know how to dreet your customers. You will need to say, Welcome! How may I help you? Or, Bienvenue! Comment puis-je vous aider?" She said.

"Um, what?" I said.

"I will break it down. First, say welcome. Bienvenue!" Madame Sherré said.

"Bee-ya-vennoo?" I said.

"Um, exactly! Just, you know, more like a word." Madame said.

"Beeyavenue." I said.

"Kind of... " Madame replied. "Beinvenue."

"Beinvenue." I said. "I said it!"

"You sure did! You catch on quickly!" Madame said. "Now, you just have to remember it."

"Could you tell me how to spell them? Then I can write the French terms down and the English translation." I said. "Also, do you have any paper?"

Madame Sherré handed me paper and a glitter purple pen. I wrote down what she had just taught me.

"Ok , now Comment puis-je, or 'How may I?' " Madame said.

"Comment pwudje?" I said. "Common peej? Comment puis-je. Comment puis-je!!" I grinned.

Madame clapped."Oui oui! Yes yes! Now, say Help you. T'aider."

"Today? Tay-day. Te day." I said. "T'aider. Yes! I mean, Oui!"

"Madame nodded and as I wrote all of this down, she said,"Now, say it together. Bienvenue! Comment puis-je vous aider?"

"Ok. Easy. Bienvenue! Comment puis-je vous aider? I did it!" I said and smiled.

It was almost four thirty now. Soon, my aunt walked in.

I turned toward her. "Bienvenue! Comment puis-je vous aider?"

"Je n'ai pas besoin d'aide maintenant, mais merci pour l'offre." Aunt CC said.

"Huh?" I said.

"I don't need help now, but thanks for the offer." Aunt CC said. "But I am still very proud. Très fier."

I smiled. "I even took notes!" I held up the paper.

"Her idea, not mine. I usually don't require students to take notes." Madame said.

Aunt CC smiled. "You ready to go?"

"Yep." I nodded.

On the way home I told her about my class. I was excited to be learning French. When we got home dinner was on the table. Spaghetti. And it was delish.

I went into my room, changed into my pajamas, and crawled under the soft blanets that were on my bed.

Again, the French doors leading out to the balcony were open. I turned to face them and studied the Parisian night sky.

It wasn't black with some dim stars dotted here and there like in New York. It was a deep purple, with bright stars everywhere. The waxing moon was brightly lit too. The lights of Paris and the cool breeze that softly made my curtains dance was getting more and more relaxing. And it was a good feeling. I closed my eyes and let the breeze blow on my face as I fell asleep, just knowing that when I grew up, I wasn't going anywhere.