‘No wonder our children had this crazy idea, look at us! Just cruising into Paris without notice.’ Summer exclaimed as Rosalie rounds that crazy roundabout at the Arc de Triomphe with expertise. ‘Jesus woman! You are going to get us killed.’
‘Not quite yet.’ Rosalie says, steely look on her face. ‘I dug the graves of the Duchamp family when my daughter came home to tell us that story, and I would be damned if this pissant ruins her happiness. Did you see them at the rehearsal dinner?’
‘Everybody saw them.’ Summer says, holding on for her dear life.
After Sawyer showed them the texts she received from Marcel, Summer and Rosalie decided they would be the ones to take matters into their own hands this time. No more pussyfooting around Marcel’s feelings they were going to the neck of the family, the most powerful woman in that family. Delphine. She never wanted to see that despondent look on her daughter’s face, ever again. She’d encouraged Sawyer to go back to enjoying the party her fiancé lovingly threw for the rehearsal dinner whilst she and Summer mentally agreed on a course of action. It involved getting on a plane to Paris and gunning down the Champ Elysees to the home of the unsuspecting Duchamp family.
Rosalie expertly put the car in park when they arrived at their destination in the 16th arrondissement, outside a Haussmann building.
‘Phew!’ Summer breathed a sigh of relief. ‘I should tell Sebastian you’d give him a run for his money.’
‘Sebastian Rose-Jones the formula 1 driver?’
‘Yes, his family and mine are close friends.’
‘He is the only man in the world I have thought about leaving my husband for and he’s so talented.’
‘He is all of that. I shall tell him you’re a fan.’
‘A huge fan. Do you know why he walked away?’
‘One of life’s mysteries. Anyway, back to the issue at hand. We’re here, we’re safe, let’s not get all gangbusters about this.’
‘You mean I shouldn’t shoot for the hip?’
‘Precisely my friend. From what I know about Delphine she’s a level-headed woman, reasonable, kind and does not do dramas.’
‘I know. But at the same time her son is fucking with my daughter’s happiness, and I will not stand for any of it.’
‘Nor will I so let’s play this one easy my friend.’
Rosalie counts to ten and then snaps to. ‘Let’s go.’
‘Before we do, what’s the plan?’
‘I say we lay our cards on the table.’
‘All of it?’
‘All of it.’
‘And if she doesn’t believe us?’
‘I will bury her myself.’
Summer gets out of the car saying a little prayer for sanity to prevail but there is nothing more dangerous than a riled-up mother going to bat for her bullied child.
They are shown through to the lifts, the doorman familiar with Rosalie having seen her on several occasions, he even chatted to her briefly about the upcoming nuptials.
Rosalie, trying to maintain her level head, knocks the door tightly, and Summer has to place a hand on her shoulder to calm her down; now she sees where Sawyer gets the buzzing from, this woman is blasting around like an Indian rubber ball.
‘Deep breaths.’
‘Huh?’ Rosalie turns to look at Summer.
‘Take a deep breath now.’
Rosalie does as she told.
‘And another.’
She complies and is honest enough to admit it feels good.
‘Bonjour madam.’ A well-dressed man answers the door, a ready smile on his face for the woman who is soon to be one of the family.
‘Bonjour Laurent. Ça va bien.’
‘Oui merci Madam. Et vous?’
‘Bien Merci.’ Rosalie introduces Summer and they are shown into the Delphine’s parlour since Victor is out of town. They are not kept waiting for long.
‘Bonjour Cherie!’ Delphine, in all her French glory, weeps into the room dressed to the nines per usual in Dior. She looks good as always, but someone should tell her she should stop with the fillers, one more round and she will start to look like a blowfish. For now, she looks perfect.
‘Bonjour Delphine. Bon de te voir.’
‘Ah Oui vous aussi.’
Rosalie introduces Summer and the ebullience of Delphine is dialled up tenfold at having a fashion icon in her home. They gabber about fashion, their shared passion, stories about the shows and the latest fashion gossip. Rosalie will admit that Delphine is really a lovely woman and did not deserve this ambush, she isn’t even aware of what her son her done.
‘So my friend, to what do I owe such pleasure?’ Delphine takes a sit on the armchair near the window that opens out to the iconic view of the Eiffel Tower unaware of the grenade about to be lobbed at her by these two wonderful women. ‘I have been trying to reach Sawyer, but she is always busy, busy, busy. Children of today always busy.’
‘She’s well but it’s a busy time for her at work.’ Rosalie starts, warming herself to the subject at hand. ‘Delphine, have you spoken to Marcel recently?’
‘Yes, he was here two days ago now he is in Hong Kong or something like that. Why do you ask?’
‘Well I don’t know how to say this so I will just say it.’
‘Has something happened Rosalie. You are scaring me. Sawyer va bien?’
‘She’s fine but she will not be marrying Marcel.’
‘What do you mean? What happened?’
‘We are going to show you two videos and then we’ll talk.’
Summer takes that as her cue.’