A Jewel in the Sun (8 page)

A  limo
u
sine
waited outside and the gentleman who was a
chauffer
collected the luggage, handed them in and pulled into the traffic.

Aldin
was once the family chauffer, but worked solely for
Gastron
.
Gastron
didn’t know it but her mother had despaired about him falling in love and producing grandchildren for her to
enjoyed
.
Aldin
sneaked a view of
Gastron
in the rear view mirror. A few weeks had made such a drastic difference.
Gastron
was not the same man that had left.

In his place was a man in love with life, the world and this startling beautiful woman beside him. There was no doubt about it, she was beautiful, an exotic creature. The Publishing world was in an uproar because
Gastron
had taken a vacation and had extended it! They all suspected that it involved some investments. Investment alright, a beautiful one too! He could wait to call Madame. Something about the young lady seemed familiar but it will come to him. He took them to
Gastron’s
Chatteau
  in
the countryside. It was nestled beside
a lake with mountains behind. Another first,
Gastron
is taking her to his hideout, his
get away
. 

CHAPTER
TWELVE

As they got out of the car, the barking of a dog met them. The dog ran in a defined arch and s
n
iffed until it found
Gastron
and wagged its tail furiously. It was the strangest dog, she had ever seen. It was a muddy grey-brown with ragged floppy ears and patches over the eyes. It was blind. Her heart softened. She knelt. As if sensing her, the dog walked hesitantly toward her and rested its left front paw in hers and licked her face. She threw her arms around it and the huge beast growled contentedly.

Another test was to be given. There was the sound of a roar as a child with wild, uncombed hair came around the bend in a motor powered wheel chair. She had a stump where another leg should have been and her face was scarred. 
Azolee
looked up, saw the child and felt a connection that transcended time, geography, culture and language. She knew that this connection was vital for healing – for herself and the child.

Wordlessly she reached out her hand.
Aldin
didn
’t want to watch the conflict, so
he step forward......but
Gastron
held up a hand and waylaid him. The young child removed the braces that bound her to the chair and hobbled unashamedly over to
Azolee
. It was a moth being drawn to the sun. The child touched her curls, her skin, her mouth and
Azolee
smiled. At first, it looked like the child would pull away. Then her mouth, rusty at smiling mimicked
Azolees
own.
Azzolee
reached down and hugged the child to her unaffectedly. The young scrawny arms crawled around her neck and clung as if to a life line. How long they stood there, no one can rightly say. It was indeed a day for miracles. There was not a dry eye in the room.
Gastron
wasn’t there because he had strolled out quickly.

Later in his study,
gastron
reflected on the events that occurred in his life. He did something unusual. He called his mother. For no reason, he just wanted to share this fullness with someone. In the end, he still didn’t.

He went looking for
Azolee
. She was not in her room. The butler motioned to the living room. She was sitting on the on the settee with Adele on her lap and Brutus at her feet watch cartoons. What a cozy picture they made.
His woman.
His family.

He tried to take the sleeping Adele from her arms, but he couldn’t. Adele had found her a
‘
Nana
’
and Brutus had found his mistress. It was the talk for days in the servants’ quarters.

He knew he had to share her. She cared for the servants when they were ill. She basically adopted Adele and Brutus. He needed attention too. It had been a full week since they were back.
She was using her knowledge of
holistic medicine on them. And it worked. Some of the servants knew of it because four of them were from French Guiana, The Caribbean.

Gastron
fingered the invitation from his mother. She was known for her elaborate fundraisers. This particular one was in aid of orphans in Romania and in some other mid-eastern war torn countries
. It was a week from now and
all and sundry will be there. They were popular events and they were instrumental in assisting where governments are reluctant and in many cases, unable to go. Although
Gastron
hated
these social event
, he understood their value. He knew it was going to be more than well attended due to the amount of curiosity being expressed about his
time in The Bahamas via email, texts and phone calls. He responded to none.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Two days before the event, he expressed his desire to attend the fundraiser and take
Azolee
with him. She consented. He handed her a credit card and instructed
Gastron
where to take her. She was met as if they expected her, not knowing that
Gastron
had called ahead. In the end, she chose
a white
attire that had to be accessorized. She also purchased shoes.
If you could call them that.

On the day before, she was given a facial and a body massage. T
he next day,
Aldin
took her to
one of the top stylists.
Gastron’s
only command was not to cut her hair. The stylist exclaimed over the golden curls and went to work.
Gastron
had not arrived when she reached home. She soaked in her special oils and gels.
Adele was with the housekeeper’s brood
at
her
home.
Adele was reluctant to leave
Azolee
.

Azolee
step
ped
from the bath tub and dried herself. She recalled the lessons that Nana had ensure that she receive. Using the tan and brown eye shadow and applying lightly, she gave her eyes a flashy golden hue. They were made to look slanted and sultry at the corners. Her eye brows had been tapered in a natural arc. Her lashes were darkened and made to look fuller and longer. Her luscious
heart – shaped
mouth was glossed and looked even sexier, as if possible. She took out a pair of
long slinky
droplet
earrings, given to her by Nana. T
hen she
unwrapped
her hair. It had the same luscious array of
krinky
curls, but they arranged from gold to dark gold and
light brown. It had a translucent shine that was the rave in France but it was
au
naturelle
on
Azolee
. Her hair unbound, reached to her lower back and the gold specks in her eyes were reflected.

  
Azole
next pulled on the white formal wear. It was designed for her. The bodice
followed her narrow waist
. It was below the knees, but the split extended from mid thigh. The front dipped to an entic
ing view while the back was …..
just
not there
. On her feet were transparent strapped stilettos that took on the color of her golden tanned skin.
Azolee
felt beautiful.
She knew
she had found herself
anew
. And she knew that her heart had assembled wings and flew away. It belong lock, stock and barrel to
Gastron
, Adele and Brutus. She also knew that soon it was time to meet her
Nana’s
family.

She heard the knock
and the door was pushed open. She didn’t turn, she could see him from the mirror, She watched his mouth form the words,
“Mon
Dieu
!
Tu
est
une
belle mademoiselle!!
”
He came up behind her, touching
her, h
is woman. He opened a small velvet box and pulled out a bracelet, a diamond bracelet.
“Pour
tu
, Ma
chere
.”
Gastron
had
not
yet realize
d
that he was speaking French.
He kissed her on both
cheeks,
her neck and then he risked her mouth. He just couldn’t resist. After a full minute, he released her.
He was so happy he was humming, “
Sou
les Vent
by
Garou
and Celine.

He was madly in love with this woman.
His woman.
He saw
Al
din’s
eyes admired her. He looked
furiously to the sixty-five year old, but
Aldin
held up his hands in surrender and hung his head comically.

It was a short drive to the
Chatteau
Florence. He handed her from the car and said, “
Je
e
sperar
tu
arrange
votre
bouche
par
ce
que
Je
va
embrasse
r
tu
”.
It didn’t penetrate that she understood him even as she lifted her head
for his kiss.
His body betrayed him once again. She
turned away from startled onlookers and tried to cool his passion. She restored her gloss. After a few minutes, they continued into the hall.

There were a lot of
ooohs
and
aaaahs
as they passed.
Gastron
was stopped many times by business associates.
He hated it because he knew they wanted to flirt with her. He spotted his

mother
and made to go to
her. He was holding his
Azolee’s
hand.

  
“Mere, ca
va
. Je manqué
tu
.”
He kissed her bejeweled hand.

She kissed both of his cheeks.
“
J’taime
ma petit.
Qui
moun
c’est
?
Je
ave
tande
avec
elle
”

  “
Mere. Quite nous
parler
nan
anglais
pour
elle
comprendre
,
sil
vous
plait?”  

Azolee
, this is ma mer
e
, Mere, this is
Azolee
. Madame took
Azolee’s
face into her hands, her shrewd eyes looked into
Azolee’s
for an intense moment, then she broke into a lovely smile, her eyes tearing up. She leaned closer kissed both cheeks i
n flourish and whispered, “
Votre
lanmou
po
u
r
il
est
vu,
il
est
bon garcon.
Bien venue ma
chere
.”

  
Azolee
break out into sweet laughter. This woman was
shrewed
indeed. She had deciphered what others hadn’t.
Gastron
had watched the exchange and wanted to know.
Azolee
winked at his mother in conspiracy. She winked in response but nodded discreetly to
Gastron
.