Fragment #64 - On the way to the airport.

The phone rings. Steve stretches his arm across the bed and gets the phone. I can hear the receptionist saying that it’s our morning clock, and that it’s 9 o’clock and that she wishes us a very nice day. I can’t believe we’re already going home. I cuddle up against Steve’s body.
“Would you promise me something, honey?”
“Hum?”
“One lay in per week, Steve, please. With you in my bed.”
“Hum, sounds good to me, love, I promise! On the condition that you are in my bed too.”

César stops the car in the street. He gets out and knocks at the door. I check quickly the time on my watch. A couple of minutes later, Louis is standing on the pavement, amazed by the car, a suitcase in his hand. He jumps in the limo and I welcome him inside. César closes the door and starts the engine.
“Eh beh, t'y vas pas de main morte, miss Collomb.”
I shrug my shoulders; I don’t want to seem bragging.
“C'était compris dans le prix du séjour.” I introduce everybody to everybody. “notre chauffeur s'appelle César, et voici mon ami, Steve. Steve, this is Mr Louis Malvo.” I feel uneasy at the idea of only speaking French. We had a wee chat with Steve about it last night, and I know he feels a bit more comfortable now, but still, I can’t help feeling a little awkward. The two men shake hands.
“Enchanté, Steve.”
“Hi, Mr Malvo. Je suis désolé, je ne parle pas le français...” Steve says with his deep voice. I’m so proud of him!
“Héhé, Charlie, tu veux bien dire à ton ami que je me risquerai pas à prononcer le moindre mot dans sa langue, de peur de mourir de honte ?” I smile and translate to Steve. As I expected it, he starts laughing, and says to Louis: “No worries. It took me three weeks to learn that sentence! She's the language expert.” At the end of his sentence, he kisses my left temple. I blush a little and translate for Louis.
“Il dit qu'il comprend sans problème, ça lui a pris trois semaines pour arriver à mémoriser et prononcer cette phrase.”
“Je l'aime bien ce petit gars. En fait, je vous aime bien tous les deux. Content de vous avoir rencontré les enfants. Vous êtes fiancés?”
I blush even more. Are we? Will we ever be? I translate for Steve and answer quickly, not being eager to know Steve’s point of view.
“Non, heum, pas encore, on n'en a pas encore vraiment parlé à vrai dire.” I look sideways at Steve and I can see his growing smile. Ok, another point to talk about back home. Apparently, my uneasiness is obvious, because Louis says: “Sois pas gênée, Charlie, t'as de la chance de l'avoir, ton Steve, et il a de la chance de t'avoir aussi. C'est drôlement beau, de s'aimer.”
“Je sais... mais c'est tellement nouveau...” Matthew’s face strikes my memory. With him too, it was happiness. We were going to get married. I’m sorry Matthew. I don’t want to forget you but I have to move on…
“Et vous, un amour, à part Dijon?” I ask, to change of subject.
“Oh que non, j'ai passé l'âge, malheureusement.”
I hear myself answering: “Mais il n'y a pas d'âge en amour…”
Before any of the two men could add anything, César parks the car and says through the window : “Mademoiselle, Messieurs, nous sommes arrivés.”