Chapter 67: Chapter 67

It’s been two years since I left the States and move here to Europe, specifically France. It wasn’t easy but after the scandal, I decided to flee from that place.

All’s well, except for the fact that K, my bestfriend, blocked me from all her social media account. So, however absurd it may sound, my ex-boyfriend Seid keeps me posted on K’s life.

Stating the obvious, she’s still mad at me for leaving her just like that without any word. I had no choice, her boyfriend is Dmitri’s brother-in-law, I know, somehow, Nikolai, will get the word out of her. It is best she knows nothing.

So, here I am, still building a new life. I’ve been studying again some short courses about Art History. Well, I’ve ditched writing after the scandal, so at least, I have to find a new hobby, and here it is arts.

Apart from writing and coordinating events, I enjoyed planning for Jodie’s exhibit the most, and since I realized I have eyes for precious potential talents, I’ve decided to apply as a curator in a small art museum here in France.

Since I don’t have any experience yet, they gave me the position of museum personnel and promised to make me a curator once I got the certificate. That’s why I’ve been studying lately.

But right now I am taking a break here in this coffee shop while looking at the buskers in the streets.

After a few minutes of peace, a pair of warm hands cover my eyes, and a minty breath whispers to my ears, “Hi, beautiful, care if I join you?”

My whole body feels the chills from hearing his voice. My boyfriend is really good at this, surprising me.

So I hold his hands and pull him from the back. Then I turn my head to him and kiss him on the lips.

He kisses me back and I love it. Then he sits across from me, “So, how’s your day today? Any luck of convincing your boss about that kid painter?”

I sigh and remember my disappointment when my boss turned down my proposal a while ago. A frown is all over my face, so my boyfriend laughs at me, “You’re cute when you do that, lemme guess, he declined?”

“Yes, Jeff, he declined. Stupid boss! He doesn’t have a good eye in art, that kid has great potential,” I blurt out in frustration.

His giggles continue causing me more irritation, so I throw him the napkin, “Stop it, will you?”

He puts his arms in surrender, and holds my hand, “Okay, okay, chill! How about we just relax for tonight, huh? What do you say?”

I roll my eyes at him, “Fine! What shall we do?”

“How about we go on a night market?” he suggests.

“Sounds like a good plan. Pick me up at 7?” I ask him.

“Alright, babe. So, I guess I need to go back to work now. My uncle boss is going to kill me for chatting with a beautiful customer again,” he winks at me and stands up.

“Go now, before Uncle Vaughn bans me here,” I send him back and spank and squeeze his butt before he goes.

He’s quite shocked and looks at me, “You naughty, girl. I’ll punish you later, tonight,” he leads me on.

“Well, that’s a compliment. One thing I learned in Italy,” then pouts my lips.

I go back admiring those street performers when Jeff goes back to tending to the customers.

His uncle, his dad’s brother-in-law, is the owner of this coffee shop just a few blocks away from my workplace. A year ago he offered us a place to stay, and Jeff a job to sustain our simple life.

Now, we’ve been here for almost a year. We traveled together all over Europe, London, Italy, and a lot more.

He’s been with me all along. That night when he fetches me to the airport, he never leaves my side, and he’s shown me love and made me feel loved, more than I ask for.

Because of that, I answered his courting, six months after we were together. He waited patiently for me until I became ready for another relationship.

He’s not hard to love, plus, he’s handsome and totally my type. I giggle as I remember answering him.

A lot has happened in my life, but I can say I am happy with him and my current status. It may not be as fancy as before, or as challenging as it used to be, but I feel contented.

He makes me feel whole, and he suffices me. So yes, I think, I’m in love with him, big time.

***

I go back to the museum after my lunch break. As usual, only a few people go to the museum nowadays. So I have all the time to study all the things I need.

As I go deeply into reading one of the best painter’s biography, a lady walked inside our museum, so I hurriedly walk towards her to welcome her.

I can only see her backside. Her hair is brown and she has a petite body type. She’s shorter than I am. I start talking while approaching her, “Bonjour, mademoiselle, how may I help you?”

My greeting surprises her, so she clumsily turns around and her things fall off, so I help her out picking things before I could even see her face.

And I can tell that she’s a painter from her tools.

“Oh, sorry, hi, good afternoon, too,” her voice sounds like a young lady, but her voice sounds so familiar.

When I give her back her things and look at her, I am flabbergasted. What are the odds!

That’s why she’s familiar, that’s because I know her.

But she is more surprised than I am, but she immediately hugs me and giggles,

“Ms. Avery, oh my God, I can’t believe it,” her eyes are wide open and she covers her mouth with one hand, while the other is on her cheek.

“Wow, I can’t believe seeing you here. It’s been a while, how have you been? I’ve never seen you again,” her queries make me a little bit uneasy, but most of all, nervous.

Still, I try not to show her.

So I pretend to be happy and answer some of her questions, “Oh, hi, Jodie. I am thrilled to see you here, too,” I say with a little shaking in my voice.

“I’m doing great, thanks. So what brings you here, in France?” I chuckle awkwardly.

And her next answer stops me from moving. She says,

“Oh, I am here for my next exhibit, in fact, my sponsors never stop helping me and they want me to study more so I can be better. That’s why I am here since I am looking for some inspiration and they lead me here.”

At that point, there’s only one thing in my mind, “Uh-oh, this sounds trouble,” I don’t like what I’m hearing. So I gulp and continuously fake a smile as she goes on blabbing about her next exhibit.

___

Bonjour, mademoiselle - Good afternoon, miss.