Gemini Rain (13 page)

Legally she was obliged to produce proof that she could afford to pay the rent and Jacques actually sounded surprised when he told David of her financial history and investments. David knew his friend was lowering his guard and showing his chauvinistic side – as if a woman could be so successful! Asshole, Jacques was so certain his pretty wife was sitting at home waiting for him, David smirked now knowing better of that presumption
, the gossips were only discreet
in
not allowing the spouse to know
.

Arriving at the door as everybody entered
Gabrielle introduced her two sons
but showed her disapproval to them as she entered. We must be on our best behaviour, both brothers signed to each other as everybody passed by.

Once installed in the dining
room Pastis de Marseille,
Pineau des Charentes
and whiskey were served for the adults with lemonade for
Emma
and Keith. Nearly every region in France has it
s
own specialty drink, wine
, cham
pagne
and brandy of course being
one of
the most famous, and Lauren loved
Pineau
from the
Poitou
-
Charente region on the Southwest coast; the combination of wine
must
and brandy was soothing for a very nervous stomach. Jean-Pierre joked with her because she admitted her dislike for Pastis the local pride of Provence, but she was never a lover of either aniseed or
liquorice
. Noticing Veronique was drinking water Lauren wondered was the woman was still on her guard, she actually looked a little uncomfortable.

With some of the conversations discussed she got help from her children if she couldn’t understand and soon the compa
ny moved into the dining room.
Then came the first of many courses to be served throughout the evening, Keith looked disappointingly at Lauren, ‘it not chips Mammy,’ whispering in English so no one would hear or understand.

Winking at him, ‘Later I promise,’ reassuringly taking his hand, secretly hoping Gabrielle would remember. As each course was brought out from the kitchen, it was explained to the visitors what food it contained and if it was a national or local dish. Every serving was small so as not to fill you before the next one arrived with each having a different wine to compliment the taste of the food. Lauren didn’t think she would eat everything but with the fifteen
sometimes twenty
minutes gap between each course and the flowing conversations she didn’t even need to open the top button of her trousers, a constant habit of hers when eating out.

There was a mixture of every culinary delight Lauren thought there would be – Crab Cakes with Pasilla Chili Aioli – which was a traditional mayonnaise type sauce with freshly crushed garlic. Aubergines, Courgettes and of course the most renowned dish of Marseille – Bouillabaisse, a fantastic combination of more than three types of fresh fish with onions, tomatoes,
saffron
, various herbs including laurel, sage and thyme. Soup, Lauren felt, was too simple a word for the wonderful taste tickling her tongue and senses.

Devouring everything that was happening
around
and appearing on the table
Lauren thought
how different it was to Ireland or rather to her own family. The long gaps between each course, the use of the
various
wine
s with each course
, the enjoyment of the display as well as the taste, the cheers of delight each time a new course arrived from the kitchen. She and Peter often got a takeaway and the kids always ate with
Debbie
and Pat, Sunday dinner was at a restaurant or local hotel.

‘
Okay so I can’t cook,
’
embarrassingly admitting to herself then laughing as she recalled the memory of her
phone
call of desperation to
Debbie
after their first week in France, ‘what the hell do my children eat and how on earth do you cook it?’ 

The conversation was thriving but slow to make her feel at ease. Sometimes she got embarrassed if she pronounced her words wrong or didn’t know how to say something, but she got reassurance from everybody that it was okay; they understood and appreciated her attempts
and the children just giggled each time she got something wrong
. Lauren did notice however that David was quiet joining in only when requested, it was as if he was in another world, she also noticed the others were trying their damnest to include him. 

After dessert and champagne was served, the children decided they had enough of sitting at the table taking advantage of Jean-Pierre’s hint to them when he said he was going to lock up the yard animals for the night. Keith was delighted because he got chips with his main course and
Emma
felt the same when the ice cream gateau was served for dessert. Lauren wanted to have a cigarette with her coffee but opted for a mint when nobody else lit up. It’s time I tried to give up again, she decided even tho
ugh she was going crazy
for one. 
Noticing the time on the old hand-car
ved clock on the wall, it was 9
.45pm
she eased back into her chair taking in all the delights placed around the room, there were beautiful paintings and wooden carvings everywhere and although the room was of average size, it gave it a cramped but homely atmosphere.
‘
Who was so gifted,
’
she wondered. Was it a member of the family or just a hobby for collecting such beautiful items?

‘You like our furniture and paintings?’ David spoke to her in English.

Lauren jumped, staring at him in amazement, ‘You speak
fluent
English!’ she couldn’t believe he let her struggle all night, without even helping her when she or the kids were lost for
French words. Claude guffawed and
Lauren blushed once more.

‘Yes, but if you wish to learn French it is best you practice, do you not think so?’ David was now find
ing it amusing at how easily Lauren became embarrassed.  Hoping he could judge her better
when she spoke English to her children, he watched her on several occasions throughout the evening but a realisation of her wanting a true friendship with his parents and family was pretty obvious. There was something about her and he couldn’t quite grasp what it was. Loving a curiosity he decided he wanted to know more about this crazy Irish woman who just ups and leave her home, job and family for the South of France, normally people wait until they retire to do such a thing.

‘And I am practicing, your parents and the rest of your family have been very helpful and understanding of my difficulties,’ she responded sternly letting him know her feelings she gave him one of her classic dirty looks, in work she was renowned for them
aiming them toward those few bitchy office girls,
she had the technique to perfection. Turning to Veronique and Joel, she hoped to talk to them but they were too deep in their own conversation to notice her discomfort.

‘
What was the spoilt brat hoping to gain by hiding that little secret?
’ Lauren felt uneasy
she could feel his eyes still staring at her and as Gabrielle came in from the kitchen sitting down beside her to have coffee Lauren
felt a little relieved.  
Immediately jumping at the chance to start a conversation about the furniture and paintings in the room, she soon found out that the whole family was gifted. Gabrielle pointed around the room informing her with great pride who
in the family
crea
ted each piece
. Claude joined in
thoroughly
enjoying correcting his mother if she
put the wrong family member
to an item
.

They didn’t notice David was gone but Jean-Pierre
immediately
did when he arrived back with the children, looking at Gabrielle questionably as
Emma
and Keith both excitingly screamed to Lauren about the foal due to be born soon. Gabrielle just shrugged in response as mystified as Claude when they realised he was gone.

‘Jean-Pierre said we could see it being born, if you let us Mammy. Oh please can we, can we please?’
Emma
couldn’t believe her luck, wait until I write to everybody back home and tell them this.

‘Please Mammy,’ Keith decided a flutter of the soft brown eyes was urgently required on this occasion.

Claude burst out laughing and everybody giggled, Lauren looked around to see what the joke was but didn’t notice anything new
except that
they were all staring at her, quickly turning to Gabrielle for guidance she noticed the children had suddenly fallen silent.

‘They call you Mammy?’ Gabrielle asked still chuckling
,
the familiar happy tears now forming in her eyes.

‘Yes, it’s an Irish expression what’s wrong with that? It’s another word for mother,’ Lauren got embarrassed again.

‘Do you know that in France ‘
Mammie
’ is the grandmother not the mother, don’t let them call you that in the streets you’ll get very strange looks from people.’

Lauren turned to her children; they both had their hands up to their mouths to hide their giggles, ‘We forgot!’ they chorused.

‘You forgot to tell me, you mean,’ realisation now dawning on her, so that’s why they called her
Maman
outside their home and she felt so proud thinking they were adapting to the French way of addressing their parents.

Once everybody got over the laugher it was agreed that if the children were not in school and it was a reasonable hour that they could watch the birth when the time came. But only on the condition Lauren could be there too, admitting to all that she never experienced the pleasure herself, ‘its city life,’ she informed them, ‘you only get to see these things on the television.’ Wondering what her children’s reaction would be she softly smiled,
‘
Christ am I going to get a lot of curious questions then.
’

So the night ended as it started with kisses and handshakes, Keith was a bit awkward when everybody kissed
him. ‘Only aunties an’ uncles an’ nannies an’ granddads
do that in Ireland
, so
why does everybody
do it here?’
he
asked Lauren later as walked back to their house
exaggerating the
everybody
bit
.

Smiling and dreamily thinking how that tradition couldn’t be more welcoming, ‘It’s their way of saying hello and goodbye,’ looking down to her young son she added, ‘just accept it as part of your new life here. These people haven’t turned their backs on express
ing themselves with actions. It
s tradition and wonderful, don’t you think?’

But Keith
didn’t reply and
was silent
for the rest of the short walk home
.
As she tucked him into bed a little while later he hugged her, ‘Mammy,’ he grinned pointing his small finger at her and winking, ‘you really say big words sometimes
and
,’ he prolonged the word as he thought of a big word to impress her, ‘very long s
en…ten…ces but I’m sure
I know what you’re trying to tell
me.’

As Lauren prepared for bed, reliving the evening she couldn’t wipe the grin from her face, helped on of course by the Pineau and varying wine
s, h
ow well behaved her children were she was so proud of them.
‘
I better remember to phone
Debbie
tomorrow to tell her and to
say a big and very grateful thank you
,
’
Lauren would never forget that a large part of her children’s upbringing was down to
Debbie
and Pat.

As for the Corvasieur family Lauren
was delighted to know they hadn’t turned their backs on their
family
roots, she co
uld see and feel a strong
bond
between them all
and their loyalty to each other was prominent. Regretfully wishing it existed with
in her own family and
with
her own brothers and parents. 

Although they all looked the same, with their strong dark hair and brown eyes, each son was very different in personality.

Joel was like Jean-Pierre, a farm worker who took pride in his work and traditions of the family, surprisingly he let Veronique work but Lauren felt that financial circumstances may play a part because of the increasing uncertainty of farming life throughout Europe. He was definitely the eldest, his weather-beaten skin makin
g him look older than his forty
odd years. Wondering why they never had children you could see the love he had for Veronique as throughout the night
and between each course
they held each other’s hand. Watching her every move and showing genuine interest when she spoke, he was definitely not a chauvinist in that sense.