Page 64 of The Little Provence Book Shop

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‘Stand still!’ Adeline told wriggling Lili as she tried to tie the ribbon on her dress into a bow. She stood back and Lili twirled gleefully.

‘Ah, but you are beautiful!’ Monique said, smiling.

It was eight o’clock, and after work, Monique had made Adeline and Lili dinner in the flat – a boeuf bourguignon that she’d had in the slow cooker for most of the day – and was now helping Adeline prepare Lili’s costume for the upcomingspectacleat the school. Lili’s only instructions had been to be as colourful as possible, so the brief was an open one. Adeline had brought over one of Lili’s dresses and Monique had helped her fasten ribbons and bows to the costume until it glowed with the colours of the rainbow. Lili walked over to the mirror they’d propped against a wall for the purpose and admired herself, her face glowing.

It was probably time to ask, Adeline thought.

She looked at Monique, who’d seemed to come back into herself over the last few days. Michel had come to see her a couple of times; clearly talking it through with him had helpedMonique to come to terms with everything. Adeline still hadn’t felt able to bring the subject up again though, and because of that had also been reluctant to mention her own potential reunion. But it was time.

‘I’m going to need a day off on Monday, if that’s possible?’ she asked.

Monique looked up from where she was winding ribbons around her fingers to store back in the empty biscuit tin she kept odds and ends in, a question in her face. ‘Of course. I hope everything is OK?’

‘Yes. Actually, I’m going to Toulouse. On Sunday, and staying over.’ She paused. ‘I’ve arranged to see Sophia, my – well – my birth mother.’ Her hands felt hot and she found herself fidgeting uncomfortably.

Monique turned quickly to look at her, her eyes unreadable. ‘Well, that is wonderful! Why didn’t you mention this before?’

‘It just didn’t seem the right time,’ she admitted, looking down.

Monique nodded, taking it in. ‘Well of course you can have all the time you need.’

‘Thank you.’

There was a silence. ‘I will come with you, if you want? The shop does not open on Mondays in any case,’ said Monique abruptly.

‘Oh, no. It’s fine. I’ll be – we’ll be fine.’

‘But I think it would be helpful. I can mind Lili while you speak to your mother. And perhaps help you in the evenings with her. And besides, I have a feeling… I think it might be important that I come with you.’

Adeline considered. ‘You’re sure you wouldn’t mind?’

Monique smiled. ‘It is about time I left St Vianne for a holiday. And Toulouse is a nice place. Why not?’

‘Well, that’s really kind of you!’

Monique shrugged. ‘C’est normal. Friends support each other,non?’

‘Yes. Yes, they do,’ Adeline smiled. The question bubbled up in her before she had time to overthink it. ‘And you?’

‘Me?’

‘Have you thought any more about your… well, your baby?’

Monique gave a single nod. ‘Oui, it is constant.’

‘And?’

‘And I have some feelings about it. But I cannot share them yet. Not until I am sure.’

‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.’

‘Not at all. It is nice to have someone who cares enough to ask.’

Adeline nodded, her attention drawn to the window as a bird swooped past.

Outside, it was bright and light; the day still had all the trappings of early summer – warmth, birdsong, people calling to each other or walking by. There was an energy in the air – as if the world had been paused on its axis for a time but had now started to move once more. Everything was changing, but the change was positive.

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