Freedom Fries and Cafe Creme. Jocelyne Rapinac

insisted.

      The door opened on a pair of smiling, artificially tanned faces. Tony, the apartment block concierge, was behind them, pushing their abundant luggage on a trolley.

      ‘Hello, Rick and Carla. Welcome home! You look great,’ Armand greeted them.

      ‘Yeah,’ Juliette confirmed, animated, jumping up and clapping her hands.

      ‘Bonjour, tous les deux, so good to see you! And to be home!’ Carla and Rick said almost in unison.

      They skipped into the living room, took their coats off, sat down on the big white sofa and sighed with pleasure. Juliette immediately seated herself between the new arrivals. The three of them giggled with delight. Rick and Carla admired the picture Juliette had drawn for them. It would be added to their significant collection, as they were the lucky recipients of most of Juliette’s artwork.

      Armand told Tony where to leave the luggage. Then the concierge departed with a contented smile, showing Armand the bottle of Armagnac that Rick and Carla had given him.

      Carla sought out the presents she and Rick had brought for Juliette: a beautiful vintage doll and a French book.

      ‘I’ll call her Armande, after Papa.’

      Rick, Carla and Armand smiled because that’s what the little girl called all her dolls.

      ‘We had a nice, peaceful time with my parents over Christmas,’ Rick said. ‘They send their regards. The Paris trip was—’

      ‘We had a blast!’ Carla burst out.

      ‘Yes, what a wonderful trip!’

      ‘Too much food and drink, though! You’ll need to get us back on the straight and narrow. Anyway, it’s good to be back.’

      They both looked sincerely at Armand and his daughter.

      ‘And you? How are you doing, Armand, and little princess Juliette?’ Carla asked.

      Armand told them that everything was fine.

      ‘Any exciting news? How is your family?’

      ‘Just give me a few moments to fix you some drinks and I’ll tell you,’ Armand replied, getting up and going to the kitchen.

      Even if the kitchen still felt a little too clinical to him – more like a laboratory than a place to prepare food, owing to its cutting-edge designer style – Armand was more comfortable there since he’d humanised it with antique culinary equipment and jars of aromatic herbs. The first time he’d seen the kitchen in which he was to do much of his work he’d felt as out of place as poor Monsieur Hulot experimenting with the ultra-modern appliances in his sister’s kitchen in Mon Oncle. But, since Armand had brought his influence to bear, the kitchen looked and functioned much better, with a rather eclectic mix of styles that Rick and Carla found so chic.

      Armand returned with a vegetable cocktail and a tray of mini blinis, and gave a brief account of his holiday. His mother and sister had come for a visit, which was a big event for them, since neither travelled frequently as they didn’t have much money and were continually busy with their small strawberry farm in Quebec. They’d really enjoyed New York – it was only their second visit – but who wouldn’t like this wonderful city, especially when they could stay with Armand in this huge, fabulous apartment on the Upper West Side?

      ‘How was Brenda’s dinner party? Did you meet anyone, er, interesting?’ Rick enquired.

      Armand was perfectly aware that Rick and Carla wanted him to meet someone, but he also knew they would be devastated if he left them.

      ‘I’m saving that news for later,’ he told them. ‘I’d rather hear about your trip first.’

      ‘Yes, me too!’ Juliette added enthusiastically.

      Rick and Carla loved it when Armand and Juliette showed an interest in their lives, which they themselves believed to be so exciting, though Armand actually found their lifestyle a bit too tiring for his taste, and Juliette, a young girl, was still easily impressed.

      The couple didn’t really know where to start, and their story was a little jumbled and confused, but Armand and his daughter listened patiently.

      How very relaxed and re-energised Rick and Carla look, Armand thought, gazing at the couple chatting effervescently, even if they’ve just spent seven hours on a plane. Since they flew business class on Hexagone Air it certainly ought to have been relaxing.

      Suddenly Rick got up and turned to his wife.

      ‘Carla, why don’t we go have a quick shower? Then we’ll be ready for dinner.’

      ‘Sounds good to me!’ Looking at herself in the big mirror above the sofa, she added, ‘Oh, yes, I definitely need to freshen up.’

      They disappeared to their gigantic, immaculate, elegantly tiled bathroom, giggling like teenagers.

      Armand admired how happy the couple were. Even though he was only thirty-one, he was convinced he’d never be in such a beautiful relationship.

      Armand had a high regard for the integrity of Rick and Carla’s affection. He had never seen anything like it, except in romantic films. Was it because they had met when they were in their early forties, and already knew a good deal about life? Did the fact that they didn’t have any children have something to do with it?

      Love always looks more glamorous when you live in a big, beautiful apartment, and when you never have to think about money and trivial chores, reflected Armand cynically, while going back to the kitchen to prepare a delicious but healthy welcome-home dinner.

      ‘… And happy New Year!’

      Exceptionally, Armand and Juliette were to have dinner with Rick and Carla in the dining room to celebrate their return. Armand laid the table with Carla’s best tableware, the dishes were inlaid with tricolour pearls and the cutlery was encrusted with semi-precious stones. It was a little too rococo for his taste, but Carla liked it.

      Armand and Juliette usually had their dinner in the kitchen before Rick and Carla ate theirs after they’d come home from work.

      Since they hadn’t seen each other for a couple of weeks, the evening’s discussion was to consist of:

      l. More details about Rick and Carla’s exclusive luxury culinary and cultural tour, staying in an exclusive world-class hotel in Paris

      2. All the new healthy food and drink Armand had discovered while they were away

      3. Rick and Carla’s resolutions for this New Year

      4. The week’s to-do list, starting tomorrow morning at six fifteen sharp – the toughest transition for Armand after two weeks of morning laziness

      Rick and Carla sat down at the dining-room table, refreshed by their shower, still in a festive mood.

      The dining room’s imposing baroque clock struck twice: it was only 4.30 p.m., but in view of Rick and Carla’s jet lag it seemed wise to have an early dinner.

      ‘Home sweet home,’ crooned Rick, kissing Juliette on her forehead.

      The little girl sat in her place with the new Armande doll on a chair to her right. The happy couple were clearly ready for dinner as well. Armand went over to put on some music, which Rick and Carla always insisted on while they were eating. Armand was still in the mood for Suzanne Ciani’s relaxing piano notes.

      ‘Dinner smells divine!’ Carla enthused. ‘I’m starved!’

      ‘After everything we ate on the plane!’

      ‘It was very good, actually …’ she admitted.

      Well, I hope so, since you were in business class, Armand thought but didn’t say.

      ‘… and I don’t know why, but I always