Lara

Chapter 17

The rose is fairest when 't is budding new, And hope is brightest when it dawns from fears; The rose is sweetest washed with morning dew. And love is loveliest when embalmed in tears.

Slamming the book shut, I stare unhappily at the old volume, the rain incessantly drumming on the cafe window.

What did Sir Walter Scott know anyway? I think back to my date with Colin, and our Arthurian connection, me with Lady of the Lake, him with the movie he's starring in. Such an interesting coincidence. And running into each other twice in a foreign country. Fate. That's what he had said. He believed it was fate that brought us together again.

But then I think of Jake. With a sigh, I push the thoughts of yesterday out of my head. I've replayed what happened between Jake and me over and over - all last night into this morning, leaving me sleep-deprived and anxious. Jake probably hates me now, and I can't blame him.

My thoughts are interrupted by a familiar figure entering the cafe. Chloé smiles when she sees me in my corner spot before taking off her dripping coat and leaving her umbrella by the door.

"Pardon Lara! Désolé...er sorry to keep you."

"That's ok, thank you for meeting me despite the weather. I really appreciate it."

She takes a seat as a waiter comes over and takes Chloé's order and I order another espresso.

"You leave for America soon?" She asks once he's gone.

"Yes, tomorrow morning. So, I'm especially glad you could meet with me today."

Chloé nods and then gets right to the point. "Je suis familier..er I am familiar with my grand-mère's story. I need to ask ...er, detail from ma mère. She...uh, pleased to know about you Lara."

I'm happy to hear this. "She could have come as well; it would be nice to meet her."

shakes her head sadly. "Ma mère has difficulty to speak of ma grand-mère. She died when she was young."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. So, you never knew Adelaide?"

"No," she says simply. She reaches into her purse and brings out a wrapped package tied with twine. "She wants you to have these. They are letters from Elise."

I excitedly take the parcel from her. "I had no idea there were more letters! This is wonderful, please tell your mother thank you for me." I've only had a snippet of what Adelaide felt in that one letter, so to now have multiple letters from Mémé to her is more than I expected.

"They are in Française, you read...?"

"I can't read French no, but I have a friend that can translate for me. Tell your mother thank you. This means so very much to me."

Chloé smiles with a nod, "I am pleased."

Our coffee arrives and I take a sip of my espresso. "So, Chloé do you know something of the relationship between our grandmothers? You said you had heard the story? "

"Ah oui... they were friends at school in Paris. They were...inseparable." She places both hands over her heart for emphasis. "Adelaide did not finish school. She must return home. Her father, he died and there is no money uh...after. Her mother, she need help in pottery shop."

I nod my head not wanting to break the narrative of her story.

"Adelaide still meet with Elise after she leave school. She did not speak of her life before the war...but she speak of Elise, and this makes her happy."

"And they were just friends? I thought they might have been more than friends from the letter I found?"

"Ah, when you read.." She gestures towards the parcel. "The letters they say, yes more than friends."