Page 83 of Love In Provence
Maria’s phone is beeping again.
And I know Ed is torn. If he could find a way of staying with Maria, of not hurting his parents …
Maria looks at him. ‘There’s nothing I want to get back to Australia for right now,’ she says aloud. She’s talking to Ed. She types a message and puts down her phone. It rattles with replies but she ignores them and smiles. She has her wings and she’s using them. ‘I don’t know where I come from, but I do know that I’ve found myself here. And I like that. So this is where I’m going to stay.’
We give a little cheer, and Ed is wide-eyed.
Then Zacharie gives a little cough.
‘Well, it’ll be a while before l’expérience is open again, so perhaps if you need a chef, I could join the team …’
‘It’s up to the team,’ I say.
‘The more the merrier,’ says Jen.
‘Of course!’ say the others.
I can’t help but beam. These people who never even met Henri feel part of his world.
Everyone is smiling, except Ed, who is checking his phone. His flight is booked for tomorrow and I know he’s working out just how long he has left here.
‘Talking of weddings. There’s one wedding that needsto take place here …’ Fabien says quietly to me. ‘What’s it to be?’
I nod, with no hesitation, then kiss him. He stands and wipes tears from his eyes.
‘I know one event I’d like you all to cater for,’ he says. ‘Del and I are getting married. And we have a baby on the way. I couldn’t be more excited about our future. So, we need you all here for that.’
Stephanie and Carine jump up to hug me, and Tomas joins in, as does little Louis, who hasn’t a clue as to what’s going on but doesn’t want to be left out.
JB is shaking Fabien’s hand and slapping him on the back.
Our family.
And then I hear a ringtone on a FaceTime call.
‘There, it’s easy. Nothing to be scared of,’ says Maria, standing by Graham.
‘I always email. I haven’t done this before.’
‘It’s simple,’ she says. ‘And you’ll be able to see him.’
‘I don’t think he’ll answer,’ says Graham.
‘Don’t worry, we’ll try him again tomorrow,’ Keith reassures him. ‘He might be busy, seeing friends.’
Suddenly the ringtone changes.
‘Dad! Dad?’
‘Hello, son,’ says Graham, his face full of love. ‘Are we interrupting?’
‘Not at all. I’ve just never known you to FaceTime before! You always email. Is everything okay?’
‘A friend, Maria, showed me how to do it,’ says Graham. ‘Everything’s fine.’
‘That’s brilliant! You two look amazing!’
‘We feel it!’ says Keith. ‘We’ve got some news. We’re going to stay on a bit in France. Find a house to rent.’
