Page 93 of The Leaves In Autumn
“Did you know I’m going on a bicycle tour of the changing leaves?”
“I did not. In France?”
“In Paris. By myself! I mapped out a cool route. It starts at the Canaan Saint-Martin and it ends at the Fontainebleau.”
“I’ve never been to the Fontainebleau. Hopefully someday.”
“All the times you’ve been? I’m surprised.”
“You’re going to thrive there. I see it already.”
“Maybe someday you can visit, and we’ll have an adventure together. We could go to all the places we’ve always wanted to see.”
There is a beat before the response.
“That would be great.”
“Think it will happen?”
“Maybe. You might board a steamer to China, though. With you, everything is possible.”
I take a sip of champagne and think about what he said.
“I want to keep looking till I find it all.”
“The way you’ve thought this through is inspiring.”
“It’s what I want for my life. The great adventure of consciously choosing. You know what I mean?”
“I understand. Think we’d all like to be able to say that. But life makes some decisionsforus. I say go for it, before random shit happens, and your options are fewer.”
“I’ll keep looking till I find it all. Then I’ll plant myself there and grow some roots. I won’t settle though. I’d rather be alone and searching.”
“You’re about the freest spirit I know. What if you find the place before the person shows up?”
“Well, one of them is going to come first. I’m not rigid about how it will happen. I just want an extraordinary second half of life. The first half was a littleordinaryfor my tastes. Except for my sister and her new family.”
“Glad I’m a part of the exception. And there’s nothing ordinary about you. I admire you enormously, Barbra.”
How beautiful. I don’t think I have felt so touched. My hand reaches for his. Fingers braid.
“I admire you too. For looking for the peace of mind you know is there. So many people live with quiet pain, their whole lives. You figured out you’d had enough and walked through fire to prove it. Courageous. That’s how I see you.”
There’s a ping on his cell, but he doesn’t check who it is. A warm smile appears on his face.
“We have a train to catch. You ready?”
“Where are we going?”
“Italy, of course.”
CHAPTER 29
Aargon
“Oh no. Something happened to the train.”
I make myself laugh. We walk up to the old toy train set, assembled and displayed, on the plant edged walkway leading to the backyard. The few pieces that remained of Teddy’s favorite toy, placed like the train went off track into the dirt.
