Was this what false happiness was?
Jeanne was sitting in a beautiful dinner with Francis sitting across from her. He regarded her with such an adoring gaze, while she… She felt broken. Francis wasn’t in love with her, he was in love with Rosa. While he may have held affections for Jeanne D’Arc at some point, it was clear to Jeanne that his affections for her past life were likely gone.
Francis noticed that Jeanne looked upset and was worried. “Rosa, are you alright?” Quickly, Jeanne snapped out of her melancholy state and smiled brightly. “Yes, I’m just fine! The food's really good. How did you find this place? This is nowhere close to the studio.”
Francis smiled at her warmly. “I come here all the time. Really, this diner isn't that far. It’s about 20 minutes away from the cafe we met at.” Jeanne tilted her head. “Weird. My manager said that this side of the city was an hour away. Oh, well.”
Jeanne breathed deeply and calmly, looking around at all of the scenery. Unlike the quaint and simple cafe they had met at, this was a very large and beautiful dinner, and it seemed to be doing well. She began to think about how the world had… Changed since she had last left it. She had grown used to it all through the years, but now she was taking it in. It was beautiful…and scary.
Jeanne decided to give Francis a clue as to who she was. But it was a very hard decision. Because ‘clue’ could mean many different things. A hint as to who she was, or it could just be a straight give away. Jeanne didn't know which one to choose. She made good decisions sometimes, but sometimes bad decisions got her in danger.
She was glad God made one decision for her, that she was reborn in this era. She could read now, at least.
Jeanne looked out into the large city of Paris. “How have you been, Francis?”
Francis sighed, finishing his plate. “I've been...alright. I feel very tired these days. Not anything serious going on, but… Life has been draining.” Jeanne thought for a moment before smiling, dropping the first bombshell.
“It’s draining to me as well, especially when I have two-show days in a hectic concert month. But I always say; ‘Get up tomorrow early in the morning, earlier than you did today, and do the best you can’. That usually motivates me.”
Francis’s breath hitched and he nearly choked on his coffee. He had heard that somewhere before… he had heard it… From...
“Oh, did you find that in a book of quotes, or…?” He asks, regaining his composure. Jeanne D’Arc had said that in a less casual sense at least, but she was a widely known figure. It was possible Rosa had just… Found that quote, and it had spoken to her, right?
Something about that didn’t sit right with Francis, but he pushed that thought away and nodded contentedly.
She had surprised him by saying one thing. “No.” She smiled and reminisced. “My father always said that. He’s very philosophical, but he isn't Plato. But everyone in the town I’m from loves to speak to him, to get his insight on their situations. I think he really came up with it and I just put it in my own words.” She was glad she was a quick thinker. Those years of fighting against the English had paid off.
Confusion filled Francis' features. Had he only remembered it wrong then? If he recalled correctly, Rosa repeated Jeanne's sentence word for word. How, then, did she know, if she never read the quote? It didn't make sense to him, even with her explanation…
Francis had paid for the lunch, even though Jeanne insisted on paying. She found it sweet that he offered to pay for the meal, even though Jeanne made enough to be well off. Now that she thought about it, it was a nice contrast from her past life. He offered his arm, which she took, and the two exited the diner. “I can walk you home if you like.” He offered kindly.
