Let Them Have Cake (3 page)

“Not one that can’t be corrected.” Anna twined her long hair in her fingers, then thought of the girls he’d left back at the hotel. “But, what about your two friends that are traveling with you?”

Before Jeff could answer, Lurline announced, “Okay, group. The bus is ready to take us back to the hotel. I’d like to present some options to those of you who aren’t ready to go to bed yet. There are some pleasant hotels and bars with plenty of nightlife in
Paris
. One of my favorites is the Hotel Concorde. It has a lovely bar with live music and a nice area for dancing. We’ll make a stop there and drop off those of you who want to stay.”

             
“I’d like to go but I’m just too exhausted,” Jeff explained. “I didn’t nap before dinner so I’m really tired now.
I shouldn’t leave the girls alone too long, anyway.”

             
She must have been wrong. He wasn’t interested in her after all.
             
“That’s fine with me. I’m sure the girls would worry about you. I’m wide awake and I’m not going to miss anything that
Paris
has to offer me.”

             
Anna turned away and left a confused Jeff standing on the sidewalk.

***

             
“Is anyone sitting here?” Anna asked Mark as she got on the bus.

             
“No one but you. Please, be my guest.” Mark picked up his muffler and hat so Anna would have more room.

             
Anna settled next to him.

             
“I’m Mark Stewart. We got a late start on our tour, but I can see it isn’t going to matter too much. And you are?”

             
“Anna Mulligan. I’m from
Long Beach
,
California
. Have you heard of it?”

             
Jeff walked by on his way to his seat, a look of bewilderment on his face.

             
“Yes. I have some relatives that moved there from
Iowa
years ago. Have you ever been to the
Iowa
picnic?” Mark asked.

             
Anna smiled. “No, I’ve managed to avoid it. I’m not sure they even have it anymore.”

             
“Is this your first trip to
Europe
?” asked Mark.

             
“It is. I’ve wanted to travel to
Paris
for a long time but I’ve been so busy with school and work, and I cared for my Great-Aunt Tillie until she died this past year.” Anna sighed. “She left me the money for this trip.”

             
“I know how that is. I just graduated from law school and am due to take the Bar Exam in
California
in February.”

“Why in
California
? Don’t you live in
Missouri
?” asked Anna.

“My Uncle is an attorney in
Los Angeles
and has offered me a job with his firm, O’Malley and Moyer. I decided to jump at the chance to leave the snow and cold of
St. Louis
behind and move to sunny
Southern California
.”

“It’s a great place to live,” said Anna.

“
Los Angeles
isn’t too far from
Long Beach
, is it?” asked Mark. “I don’t know where I’m going to live yet but I’m sure it won’t be in LA proper.”

             
“It isn’t far from
Long Beach
at all. Lots of people live in
Long Beach
and take the Blue Line train into LA daily.”

Anna considered all the possibilities. Mark was attractive and was going to be successful as well. He had plans for the future. He was pleasant to be with. He wasn’t Jeff, but Jeff wasn’t available to her.

The bus pulled to a stop in front of the Hotel Concorde.

“Let’s stop off for a little
Paris
night life,” Mark said
with enthusiasm. “I’m not ready to go to sleep. We can sleep at home and we’re only here for a few short weeks.”

“You’re right, who needs sleep?” answered Anna. “I’ve heard about the Concorde. It was completely renovated in the 1980’s and is decorated in art deco.”

Anna and Mark got off the bus along with three other couples. As they entered the hotel lobby they could hear soft music coming from the lounge just inside the entrance. Several Frenchmen were sitting at the bar sipping brandy and smoking as they talked. The Americans chose couches and chairs grouped around a low cocktail table. The music was coming from a pianist who sang as he played. As soon as the group entered, he started singing in English. His choices ranged from Oldies but Goodies to some Billy Joel numbers. The little group was flattered that the pianist was welcoming them in that way and got up to dance to a slow tune.

Anna closed her eyes for a moment and imagined herself in Jeff’s arms rather than Mark’s. The sound of Mark’s voice soon jolted her back to reality.

“This is better than I ever dreamed it would be. Paris, music, and a beautiful woman in my arms. Life couldn’t be any sweeter,” Mark murmured into Anna’s ear, holding her tightly.

The rest of the evening passed all too quickly. Soon the bar was closing and it was time for the walk back to the Hotel
Champlain. They arrived to find the front door locked and had to knock for a few minutes before the desk clerk awakened to let them in. Mark walked Anna to her room. They lingered outside the door, reluctant for the night to end.

“Thanks, Anna. It’s been a very special first night in
Paris
. I’m looking forward to many more like it,” Mark said as he took her in his arms and bent to kiss her.

His lips were soft and gentle, the kiss expert. His embrace was strong and masculine. Anna reluctantly pulled away.

“Goodnight, Mark. We really should get some sleep now.”

“You’re right. We have an early day scheduled. See you in

the morning.”

***

Closing the door behind her, Anna turned the light on in her room. As she readied herself for bed, her thoughts turned to Jeff.
Long Beach
seemed so far away. So did Jeff, even though he was here in
Paris
. She needed to just forget about him and concentrate on Mark. Jeff wasn’t interested and Mark clearly was. With that last thought, she turned out the lights and fell into bed.

She stared at a crack in the curtain where a streetlight was sending a thread of light through. She tried to think about the next day and the trip to Notre Dame Cathedral but her thoughts kept returning to Jeff. She’d been fantasizing about
him since he had begun working at
Memorial
Hospital
as a young resident. He was always kind and pleasant to the staff, patients, and their family members. She knew him only to work with but had fallen hard for him. She’d been too afraid of rejection to even hint to him about how she felt. Obviously, it was a one-sided infatuation.

Sunlight streaming through the curtains woke Anna from the sound sleep she had finally fallen into. She was irritated at having her sleep disturbed until she remembered where she was. She prepared for the day, and then rushed down the stairs to breakfast.

Chapter Three

             
“Good morning, Sunshine. I saved you some of these wonderful rolls and croissants,” said Mark as he pulled out a chair for her.

             
“Thanks. You’re really thoughtful.” Anna smiled as she sat next to Mark. “I’m glad our last names are on the same half of the alphabet so we can have breakfast at the same time.”

“I’m glad I decided to come on this trip,” said Mark. “What’s in this pitcher?” asked Anna.

             
“It’s hot milk. Europeans put hot milk instead of cold in their tea and coffee. It makes more sense, don’t you think? The waitress should be bringing some more coffee shortly. There’s only one waitress, so she’s really running this morning.”

             
Anna helped herself to a roll, broke it open and spread it with fruit jam from a pot on the table. The roll was hard and crusty and fell apart as she bit into it. A piece of the crust with jam on it stuck to her chin.

             
Mark reached over and gently wiped the bit away with his
napkin. “Messy, aren’t they? They’re not very filling, either. I’d really like some bacon and eggs.”

             
The waitress brought hot, steaming coffee and poured a cup for each of them. They sipped the hearty brew and nibbled at croissants. Mark reached over and gave Anna’s free hand a tender squeeze.

             
“Do you have a special interest in
Paris
?” asked Mark.

             
“I’m more interested in
Versailles
. I have an ancestor from that area.”

             
“Mulligan isn’t a French name, is it?” asked Mark.

             
“No. It was on my Mother’s side. A great-great-great grandmother, I think. It was around the time of the Revolution. She disappeared and no one knew where she went.”

             
“How do you know that much?”

             
“She had taken her children to live with a farmer and his wife. They raised them after their mother disappeared, and the children took on the name of the farmer. They’re history was passed down, but not hers. I don’t know what her name was. I wish I could find out somehow.”

             
“Maybe you will when we go to
Versailles
,” Mark offered.

             
“I hope so. What are we going to see today besides Notre Dame?”

             
“We’ll be taking a driving tour of the city and stopping at Notre Dame and the
Eiffel
Tower
. Then they’re dropping us off on
the
Champs Elysees
for lunch. We have the afternoon free and Lurline is planning something special for tonight. We better get to the lobby. Our bus will be here in a few minutes.” Mark stood up and waited to help Anna on with her coat.

             
They chose a seat in the rear of the bus where they could privately take in the city. It was chilly and Anna removed her warmly lined coat so they could use it as a lap robe. She moved closer to Mark just as Jeff entered the bus with the brunettes. He looked into Anna’s eyes questioningly, and then slid into a seat next to an older gentleman who was alone on the tour. The brunettes sat together in a seat across from Jeff.

             
“I was reading about Notre Dame in our tour information,” Anna began. “Building started on it in 1163 but wasn’t completed until 1250. During the Revolution a lot of destruction took place.”

“Really? Why did that happen?” asked Mark.

Anna continued, “Much of the façade was hacked away because the mobs thought that the statues represented the royal line of
France
. By the early 19
th
century it was fully restored and fulfilling its religious functions again.”

             
The bus pulled to a stop on the street next to the cathedral for the group to exit.

             
They simultaneously approached the entrance to Notre Dame.

             
“Vicky, did you and Mary notice all the souvenir shops
across the street? I hope we have time to do a little shopping. My souvenir money is starting to burn a hole in my pocket,” said Anna.

             
“You have to be really careful in those places,” interrupted Mark. “Some of that stuff is just junk, and they charge way too much for it.”

             
Anna felt a twinge of annoyance at the unsolicited advice, but brushed it aside as they entered the cathedral. The interior of Notre Dame was cold and dark, while at the same time being impressively beautiful. Sunlight filtering through the multicolored Rose window reminded Anna of looking through a kaleidoscope. The window was every bit as beautiful as she had expected it to be. She thought of the myth she had heard that you would be granted two wishes each time you entered a new church. Her first wish was that she and Jeff would somehow end up together. Her second was that she would find out the truth about the disappearance of her ancestor so many years ago. She crossed herself and said a silent prayer after making her wishes.