Let Them Have Cake (23 page)

             
“Anna, that’s impossible. I’m sorry, honey. You weren’t there.”

Anna was beginning to question herself again. Maybe that was the explanation. Maybe it was just a coincidence that the man looked like Jeff and the woman looked like her. The thought wasn’t reassuring, however, but rather, returned her to her prior feelings of despair and loss.

             
“How about I take you to the
Louvre
tomorrow? I think you’re strong enough for that. We can go through it slowly and
we can look for the original painting of
The Engagement.”

             
Anna nodded her agreement, all the while thinking that she’d already seen the original. After all, she had been in the original painting.

Chapter 21

             
“Don’t be so closed-minded, Jeff. Think about it before you say it isn’t possible.”

             
Anna and Jeff were sitting at a table outside the Louvre, sipping espresso and nibbling on bread and cheese. The day was especially warm and they had checked their coats inside the museum. They’d already seen the Van Gogh exhibit,
Liberty Leads the People
by
Eugene Delacroix,
and
Mona Lisa.
Anna had grown tired, so they’d decided to break for lunch before once more going in search of
The Engagement.

             
“I’m not closed-minded,” Jeff responded. “It’s just that it’s really a stretch to think that memories are passed on from generation to generation.”

             
“Why not? How do animals automatically know what to do? For example, how about Golden Retrievers? Have you ever known someone that had one?” Anna asked.

             
“Not that I remember. What about them?” Jeff sat back in his chair and waited for a response from Anna.

             
“I have three friends at the hospital that have Goldens and all of the dogs do the same things. As soon as someone enters the house, the dog looks around for something to retrieve and bring to the visitor. They also come over to you when you’re sitting down and offer you their paw to hold. The owners all say they didn’t teach their dogs to do that, they just naturally do it.”

             
“Anna, that doesn’t mean it’s a memory passed down from their ancestors. It’s been bred into them. Retrievers are bred to retrieve.”

             
“Yes, but what about the paw thing?”

             
“I don’t know that much about dogs. Let’s go back to people.”

             
“Okay. Have you ever had the feeling that you’ve been somewhere before when you know you haven’t?”

             
“Of course. That’s déjà vu. Everyone’s had that happen.”

             
“Yes, but why? Why does it happen? Couldn’t it possibly be because one of your ancestors had been there and the memory has been passed on through the cells?”

             
“Only physical characteristics are passed on, and maybe some personality traits.”

             
“And...what about memory? Why is that such a stretch? If all of these other characteristics are passed down from generation to generation, and our brains are so complicated that
science hasn’t yet learned all there is to know, why couldn’t memories be passed on?”

             
Jeff sat quietly listening to Anna’s argument. His left brain was telling him this wasn’t logical, but his right brain was beginning to think that Anna might be on to something.

             
Anna continued, “See, you are a descendant of Geoffroi, and I am a descendant of Anne-Marie. They were lovers and planned to marry. You and I have fallen in love. I feel like I’ve loved you forever. How about you?”

             
“I hadn’t thought about that. I guess the way I love you does feel like it’s always been there, that I’ve loved you before even meeting you. I just thought you were my soul mate.”

             
“See? And we feel like soul mates because we are soul mates, and have been for centuries. Our love started with Anne-Marie and Geoffroi.”

             
“This is crazy, but I’m beginning to see your logic,” Jeff said. “Are you ready to go back inside and see the rest of the Louvre?”

             
“I’m ready, but maybe we should ask where
The Engagement
is in case I get tired again. We can go right to it and then leave when we’re ready.”

             
“Good idea. You have to ask, though.”

             
“Why is that?” Anna asked.

             
“Oh, you know how we men are. We never ask for directions.”

             
Anna laughed and playfully swatted Jeff on the arm. “You’re not like all the other men out there.”

             
Jeff smiled and said, “I hope that’s not a bad thing.”

             
“It’s a very good thing, Jeff. You’re really special.”

             
He took her arm and escorted her back inside the Louvre. He stopped the first museum employee he saw and asked for directions to
The Engagement.
It was down a wing they had yet to explore, in a room with other lesser known French artists. They were soon standing in front of it, lost in their own thoughts. Anna was the first to speak.

             
“The green dress I’m wearing in this painting was given to me by the Queen. I had finished sewing one for her to wear to a ball she was giving, and she was so happy with it that she gave me this one. I guess I should say she gave Anne-Marie the dress. That’s who she thought I was.”

             
Anna reached towards the painting with her right hand. She looked around for museum security, saw none, and delicately touched the painting with her fingertip.

             
Without looking at Jeff she said, “I guess I thought the paint would still be pliable. It feels like it was yesterday when I sat for this painting.”

             
Jeff had turned from the painting and found a bench to sit on. He returned his gaze to the painting, and was deep in thought when Anna finally caught his eye.

             
“Is something wrong?” Anna asked. “You’re pale. Don’t tell me you’re getting sick.”

             
Anna hurried to the bench and sat down next to Jeff. She touched her hand to his forehead as though to check for a fever.

             
“I’m fine, Anna. I’m just a little overwhelmed by this painting. This woman does look exactly like you, and the man looks like me. I had a sudden flash of having been there posing for the painting.”

             
“Was that you? Were you Geoffroi?”

             
“How could that be? I was here the whole time you were sick. What am I saying? We were both here the whole time. At least I think we were.”

             
“What do you mean?” Anna asked.

             
“I didn’t tell you, and I didn’t let the others know, but I was sick at the same time you were. I had a much milder case of viral meningitis, but I had some pretty wild dreams at times.”

             
“Why didn’t you let anyone know?”

             
“I wanted to take care of you, that’s why. When I felt really bad, I would ask someone to sit with you while I took a nap. That’s when I would dream.”

             
“What did you dream about?”

             
“I couldn’t remember the dreams, but looking at this painting, I’m remembering a little bit. This doesn’t make sense, but I think one of the dreams had to do with a barn with cows
and chickens in it.”

             
Anna blushed at the memory of the barn, the hayloft, and Geoffroi.

             
“Do you remember anything else? Like, what you were doing in the barn?” Anna asked.

             
Jeff was gazing off into the distance, his eyes moving as if searching for something.

             
“No...not really. Just the sweet smell of hay. Of course that makes sense. Most barns do have hay in them.”

             
Disappointed, Anna turned her attentions back to
The Engagement.
The more she looked at it, the more certain she was that the couple was she and Jeff. She needed to think of more ways to remind him of the hamlet and the time she now believed they had spent together there.

             
“Jeff, I’m getting pretty tired. I’ve seen all I want to see of the
Louvre
. Shall we go back to the hotel?”

             
She took his arm and leaned against him. He turned his attention back to her.

             
“Of course. We’ll go back and have a relaxing evening in the room.”

             
Jeff helped her to her feet. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her softly on the lips.

             
“I love you, Anna Mulligan. More than I ever thought possible.”

             
“And I love you, Jeff Andrews. From the beginning of time until the end of time.”

             
He smiled, took her by the arm and guided her to the coat check room. They retrieved their coats and exited the museum. The weather was still unseasonably warm, and they folded their coats over their arms instead of putting them on. There were several empty taxis waiting at the taxi stand, so they entered the first one and directed the driver to the Hotel Champlain.

             
“Shall we order room service tonight?” Anna asked.

             
Jeff put his arm around her shoulder and drew her close.

             
“Anything you want. We can order escargot in garlic and cheval, and some nice French champagne.”

             
Anna laughed and said, “Let’s skip the escargot, garlic, and the cheval, but I’ll take the champagne.”

             
“The doctor says you need some food to go along with the champagne. You can pick something besides snails and horsemeat if you like.”

             
Anna touched her hand to his cheek and softly caressed it.

“I’m sure the doctor knows what’s best for me.”

             
The cab pulled to the curb outside the Hotel Champlain.

             
“Yes, the doctor does know. What you need right now is a nap.”

***

             
Jeff helped Anna undress and get into bed. He carefully
hung her clothing on hangers in the closet, and then removed his own shoes, belt and shirt. He folded and placed them on the desk chair. Anna remembered Geoffroi doing the same the first day she’d arrived at the hamlet and he thought she was Anne-Marie. He’d taken such care with her clothing, and with her. He’d helped her into bed and covered her with quilts to make sure she was warm.

             
“Are you going to rest awhile?” Anna asked.

             
“I am.”

             
Jeff removed his pants and slid into bed next to her. He reached for her and drew her to him. He cradled her to his chest and she felt safe and secure in his arms.

             
“This is where I want to be, always,” said Anna.

             
Jeff stroked her hair and spread it out over the pillow. Anna remembered Geoffroi had done this as well. Jeff rolled her gently on her back, spread her thighs open with his knee and entered her just as Geoffroi had done in the hamlet. Anna closed her eyes and inhaled his scent. There was no doubt in her mind that the two men were one and the same. She didn’t know how it had happened, but it had.

             
Their lovemaking intensified and Anna found herself moaning loudly in pleasure. This excited Jeff and it was just a few short moments before they both reached their climax and collapsed in a sweaty heap of limbs and bedclothes.