Trouble finding Blondie (4 page)

“I will get the picnic and the wine.”

“Wait, let me give you my number just in case I am not able to find you.”

“I will always find you, Blondie.”

Their eyes locked, they both smiled, and it was an awkward moment of intimacy from which they both chickened out.

“Let’s get a cab. It will be easier and faster.”

❖ ❖ ❖

He saw her entering the alley, pushing the stroller. She wore a cute hat, a scarf, a Lacoste beige collared shirt, and jeans with some stylish but comfortable walking shoes with a little heel.
 

She looked like she was born in Paris.

“Paris suits you. You look chic.”

“Well, if that was a compliment, thank you!”

Andre already had a blanket spread out and basket full of food and wine. Luckily, Stephan and Aurelie had all the necessities for a picnic, like everybody in Paris.
 

“Voilà, je vous en prie Mademoiselle.”

“Wow, I’m impressed. But I brought these, just in case,” she smiled.

She pulled out cloth napkins and paper towels. They both started to laugh. It was like the good old times. He walked over and gave her a hug. She got scared but didn’t pull away. He wanted to tell her. He wanted to kiss her. He was afraid to.

Baby steps. Remember, baby steps. It’s going well. Don’t screw this up! She is scared. Don’t freak her out. She would leave.

He was hugging her, and was going to hold her until she pulled away. She didn’t.

Oh, my God. How much I missed you! I miss holding you. I miss your smell. You are so tiny. I want to just keep hugging you. I want to keep my arms around you, to protect you. I want to be with you. Blondie, I know you can feel it. Please, just surrender. Let’s end this torture, please.

The baby started to mumble. They both turned to the stroller. The hug was over.

“Can I hold him?” Andre noticed her hesitation, but that didn’t stop him.

“Rene, come on. I’m Andre. Oh my God, how cute are you?”

“Andre, he gets freaked out by strangers, and he is really tired.”

She was ready to take him, but something amazing happened. The baby grabbed Andre’s face, looked at him, freakishly eye to eye, then tapped his face with his tiny hands, and put his head down on his shoulder. They both looked at each other. Andre was in a happy go lucky mood, and Simona was shaking.

“Did you see that? He likes me. Did you see that? We are buddies now.”

“Where is the opener? I will open the wine.”

While Andre was enjoying the baby, Simona was setting up the picnic, drinking wine to settle her nerves. The baby was falling asleep. Andre sat down, still holding the baby. Simona was going to grab him and put him into the stroller, but he made a protesting noise.
 
Andre laughed, holding him even tighter.

The phone rang, and Simona looked at the number.

“Shit! I forgot to call Jacques. Sorry, I have to take this.”

She took the phone and walked away. Andre was still holding Rene. He took him off his shoulder
 
and put him into a swaddle position, looking at the peaceful sleeping baby in his cute pajamas. Simona finished the phone call in few minutes, apologizing to Jacques and rushed back. When she came close to the blanket, she was struck by the scene. She kneeled down and looked at Andre. He had tears in his eyes. There was nothing she could say. They both knew… He handed her the baby. When she sat down, the silence was heavy.

“Who is Jacques?”

“Hmmm?” That was not a question Simona was expecting. But ok, it was a much easier subject.

“We are not going to play a game, who, where, what.....right? The orange Aston Martin ride from earlier today.”
 

“Alright, alright FBI. It’s a friend of a friend. We spent some weekends together in a group setting. He is very nice, and he likes cars. That’s all.”

“Group setting? Elaborate, please.”

“A group of people getting together for a weekend in the country side.”

“You mean a ‘summer camp’ for adults?”
 

“That’s it. You are unbelievable and terrible.” She was laughing out loud.

It lightened the mood, and they finally enjoyed the food, making bites for each other. It felt like years ago, on the floor in Haiku, on Maui. They both thought about the same thing and the mood started to feel melancholic.

“You owe me an answer.”

“I’m not sure if I have one. You didn’t like the one I gave you before. I needed a fresh start.”

“We had plans for the future. We were talking babies. We were in love. What the hell happened?”

“You said you met somebody.”

“Hmmm?? What? What are you talking about?”

“That’s what you told me. That was our last conversation if I recall correctly.”

“Are you crazy? I was pissed off. You were being weird, and I wanted...”

“You wanted what? To hurt me? Piss me off? Make me jealous? Are YOU crazy? You made that up?”

“No, not completely. But you were distant. I didn’t know what was going on. I met this girl. We spent some good times together. That’s all. But, that’s more than a year and a half ago.”

“You met this woman 18 months ago?”

“I have known her from before. What does that have to do with anything?”

“You tell me.”

“Not much to tell. You were all over the place, closing your old life...”

“So, because I was struggling, that didn’t make me lovable? I didn’t deserve your compassion and kindness?”

“I said it over and over. I fucked up, and I’m really sorry.”

“Me too. I didn’t need a bigger load, I already had enough. I walked through the finalization of my divorce without you.”

“What? What are you saying? You were going through the divorce already then? Have you lost your mind?”

“Yes, I almost did lose my mind. I have been divorced for years, Andre.”

“You mean separated?”
“Separated for four, officially divorced for over two.”

“What are you saying?”

“It’s late. We missed the show, arguing. Now I have to go home.”

“That’s it? This is how we are going to finish this conversation?”

“When are you going to Maui?”

“What? Why? Soon.”

“I’m leaving in two days. If you would like to come, we can talk about it on the 25 hour journey over.”

“You are leaving for Maui in two days? Ok, yes... I’m in.”

“Fine, I will get your ticket. I’ll let you know how much it was. Good night.”

She took the stroller, kissed him on the cheek, and walked away at lightning speed. Before he realized what was happening, she was gone. She managed to get around the corner before tears started running down her face uncontrollably.
 

Back in the park, Andre was left with the picnic set up. He laid down on the blanket, trying to look for stars. No Haiku stars in Paris…

Are you kidding me? She was already divorced more than two years ago??! We took a trip in March together...., it’s June, that’s only 16 months ago. She was already single on that trip? Why did she not tell me? What the hell is wrong with this woman?! Why does everything have to be so complicated? Because she is so God damn complicated!!!

❖ ❖ ❖

Simona arrived at the airport. Andre was late as usual. She called him, and he said 2 minutes. She said too bad, I will check in without you. She didn’t, but got irritated. Some things just don’t change. She handed the counter person her reservation confirmation at the exact minute he showed up with all his luggage, bike, golf bag, another bag, backpack, another camera bag... Yes, right again. Some things don’t ever change.

“How many bags are you checking in?”

“I have one, and Monsieur has fifteen.”

“Excusez moi?” The counter lady was raising her eye brows.

“She was joking. I’m checking two, plus the bike. Thank you.” Andre was explaining, producing one of his charming killer smiles.

“Oh, you are a first class passengers…”

“Hmm? Did you do this?” Simona looked surprised.

“No.”
But I should have! What an idiot, I should have thought about it! Wait a minute. If I didn’t do it, and she didn’t do it, who did?

In the first class lounge, the desk hostess greeted them by name as if they were expecting them. She walked them to the back, into a private corner. A small Jewish man in a dark suit showed up with a suitcase.

“Excusez moi, Mademoiselle Simona?”

“Oui.”

“Je vous attendais. J’ai un cadeau pour vous, de la part de Monsieur Bouchard.”

“Parlez-vous anglais, s’il vous plait?”

“Yes, madam.”

“Thank you. A present from Monsieur Bouchard, you said?”

He opened his suitcase and took a box out, with a magnificent Philippe Patek diamond watch in it. It was over the top beautiful, and the diamonds were very impressive.
 

Simona laughed and took the watch out. She put it on her wrist, moved her hand away to have a better view. Andre grabbed her wrist, looked at the watch, and rolled his eyes. She was waiting for him to say something, but he didn’t. She finally stopped admiring the watch and looked down at the little man who looked like a person from an accounting department.

“Thank you, sir. But I guess Monsieur Bouchard doesn’t know me at all. This watch is magnificent, but it’s not ME at all. I’m not a bling bling kind of a woman. Sorry.”

“Yes, Madam, that is exactly what he said. This is the present he actually picked out for you.”

He handed her a beautifully wrapped square box and started carefully packing away his bling bling.

“Just out of curiosity, how much is that watch?”

“Retail about 250 thousand dollars, Madam.”

“Hmm? Come again?” She started laughing. Andre was still silent, watching the whole scene. The man packed up, greeted them both, and left.

“Well, are you going to open it, or what?”

“Should I?”

“You can’t return it anymore, so you may as well. Let’s see it.”

Simona took the bow off, carefully opened the handcrafted wrapping paper, and opened the box. There it was, a Philip Stein watch. The card said, ‘To keep track of time and your heart, on both sides of the planet.’
 

She got up and walked over to the counter, ordering Perrier and a glass of wine.

“Would you like something to drink?”

“What is wrong with the watch, Blondie?”

She almost told him not to call her that, just because it gave her anxiety. But she just looked at him and asked again about the drink.

“Oh, I get it. This is THE watch. The watch from your dream.”

“What? How do you know about that?”

“You told me that, years ago.”

“I did? Oh my God, I really did tell you everything.”

They were comfortably seated in the first class seats. Andre was sipping champagne, and Simona was on her third glass of wine. She finally decided to call Monsieur Bouchard.

“Way to go, calling me from the runway?”

“Almost.... Well, what did you expect? I had a few heart attacks on the way, and I’m on my third recovery I.V. of Pinot Noir!”

“Are you finally going to admit that I know you well?”

“What if I wouldn’t have called you on your bluff? You would be writing a 250 thousand dollar check right now.”

“Haha, it would have been worth it. You are worth it.”

“Philippe, you are crazy. Thank you for that watch. I wouldn’t normally accept it, but it does have a significant meaning for me. I will tell you the story when I get back.

And..., thank you for the upgrade. It was very nice of you.”

“Upgrade? What are you talking about?”

“Yes, that was nice of you to do it for both of us, even Andre. Merci.”

“Oh, you can’t talk. He is there. I get it. Well, have a safe flight. Call me when you land.”

Andre made a gesture that he wanted to talk to him. Simona made a surprise face and decided to ask Philippe first. After he agreed, she handed the phone to Andre. He started speaking French, fast as hell, trying to throw Simona off. She understood most of it. He was asking to come to see him next time in Paris and wanted his phone number. He said that she wouldn’t give it to him, for sure. He asked the stewardess for a pen, and wrote Philippe’s private number down. He finished with polite formalities and handed the phone back to Simona.

“Tout va bien?”

“Oui, bon voyage.”
 

“So, it’s actually not Monsieur Bouchard, it’s Philippe?”

“He is a friend, and we have a working relationship, as well. And… Mr. FBI, it’s off limits.”

“No way.”

“This conversation is over. Behave yourself. Otherwise I will send your ass back to economy.”

“Fine, but you are not off the hook. We will continue this discussion.”