There's hardly anything Thierry Fauber doesn't know about food. When an opportunity presents itself, the talented chef risks it all by leaving Paris and moving overseas to open his restaurant.
A series of fateful events and encounters accompany him...
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The car headlights cast a yellow light on the snow-covered road. We'd been driving for a couple of hours before the officer stopped us. Now, as my eyes focused on the frustrated expression on Thierry's face, it became clear that we wouldn't be able to continue the journey.
"We will have to spend the night at a hotel nearby," Thierry said, opening the car door and getting inside. "They closed the road, and nobody will remove the snow tonight."
My uncle groaned, shoving his phone in his coat pocket. "Maybe we could use a different road."
Thierry turned the key in the ignition, frowning as he said, "It's dangerous to drive in such conditions. I'd rather wait until tomorrow."
Without waiting for my uncle's reply, he called Aiden, who answered immediately.
"Aiden, I don't know if you've seen what's going on outside," said Thierry.
"We were watching a movie. What's up?" answered the boy.
"The snowfall is too heavy," Thierry went on to explain, "The traffic police closed the road; they don't let anyone pass. They expect to open it early in the morning after the snow has been removed."
"What are you going to do?" asked Aiden.
Thierry glanced at me. "The officer here told us there's a hotel nearby. We'll spend the night there, hope they have food because we're starving. We've been stuck here for over an hour, hoping they'd let us drive. Long story short, don't wait for us. We'll be there in the morning."
"That's what he wants," my uncle muttered. I was convinced he wasn't listening in. I was wrong.
"It's not Aiden's fault that the weather doesn't let us drive," I snapped.
"They could have been here with us if you didn't choose to be a friend instead of being a parent."
My uncle's words made me clench my jaw as I looked out of the window. He never got tired of reminding me how big of a failure I was when raising Ellie. Maybe he was right, and I did want to be my daughter's friend, but what was so awful about that?
I remembered my teenage years and lying to my uncle about my whereabouts and my friends. I was grateful for the family uncle Steve gave me when I had nobody, but gratitude was different from trust. I wasn't able to open up to him about my problems or my feelings, fearing being judged. I didn't want Ellie to feel the same way. She had been through too much heartbreak to have a judgemental mother.
"Mom, Thierry, uncle Steve, get some rest. We're fine. See you tomorrow," said my daughter, drawing a smile on my lips.
"Love you, honey. Sleep well," I replied before Thierry disconnected the call and cast a sympathetic glance at me.
"The hotel is a mile away," Thierry said, looking at my uncle this time. "We are tired, so having a good rest is the best we can do. Ellie and Aiden will be okay on their own."
