Page 123 of One Week in Paris
Epilogue
Seven months later…
WE GATHER AT OUR USUAL TABLE. The place is packed and hopping. Corrie is early today, surprising all of us. She’s dressed to the nines again in one of her vintage furs. Maeve is wearing a gorgeous shearling jacket, and her long dark hair escapes from a pretty pink toque. And Gabbie is dressed in a long classic black jacket, stroller in tow.
We all peel off our jackets, full of smiles and excitement. We’ve all got our hot mugs of tea and coffee, a cappuccino for me. Ginger cookies for Gabbie, and a muffin for Maeve.
Charlotte is gurgling, kicking up her little legs. Gabbie tends to her, unwraps her from her little winter onesie. Charlotte smiles up at her mother — the sight is precious, and it tugs at my heart. Charlotte’s cheeks are flushed and she’s inherited her mother’s dark eyes and hair. She’s adorable as can be.
“Can I hold her,” Maeve begs. “I’m dying to.”
Gabbie smiles. “For sure.”
Maeve sits up straighter, excited. She pushes her hot latte out of harm’s way, and grabs Charlotte eagerly from Gabbie’s arms. Charlotte doesn’t fuss and stares up at the ceiling with wide eyes.
“The ceiling is pretty cool, isn’t it?” I ask her, looking up at the exposed pipes running the length of it. It reminds me of that cool restaurant Oscar took me to in Paris. Yes, this place is definitely cool; brick walls, distressed wood accents, bistro chairs (Paris style) and comfy sofas. We’ve got the best seats in the house; a table for four right in front of the gas fireplace. It pays when you’re engaged to the owner.
The girls are busy chatting as I contemplate the ring on my finger; the beautiful sapphire Oscar gave me not so long ago. I stare at it for a beat, and then I glance up. Oscar is busy behind the counter, flanked by two of his employees. Every now and then, he shoots me a sexy smile, and I melt a little. The place has been running smoothly, and with the changes Oscar implemented and the social media and marketing efforts we’ve both worked very hard on, it’s the new ‘it’ place, the spot everyone wants to be. We’ve been lucky to have Gabbie’s help — she used to be a big deal in Marketing back in the day, and still knows what she’s doing. She says she loves helping us because it’s a nice change of pace from mommy-ing. And she does it all for free. She’s also provided art for the walls, courtesy of her and her hubby, Eli. Corrie has helped us with painting and decorating, and her soon-to-be-ex has helped us with legal matters. And Maeve, despite being two hours away, has sourced affordable uniforms for us. You really know who your true friends are when you start off a new venture, and they all happily pitch in.
It feels strange to be in a different spot, butCoffee at Oscar’sis officially our new meeting place, and we like it even more than our last location. And the food and drinks are on the house, which is a big plus. I love the place, save for that horrible framed picture of me on the wall; the one the gypsy drew in Paris. Of course, Oscar being Oscar, as incorrigible as he is, insisted on hanging it just to grind my gears. But it makes my friends laugh every time they see it, so it’s a keeper.
“She’s so adorable,” Corrie says. They’re all still cooing over Charlotte.
“She’s a lot of work,” Gabbie tells us. “But thankfully, Eli is a great dad. He helps out a lot.”
Maeve runs her fingers through Charlotte’s curls. “How are Emma and Theo dealing with having a new little sister?”
Gabbie lights up. “They’re great. They love her. I was a bit worried before she came along.”
“And how have you been?” Maeve turns to me. “How is it shacking up with Oscar?” she asks, a huge smile plastered on her face.
Yep, Oscar and I have moved in together into my apartment — it’s a lot cheaper in rent, and we need all the extra income we can get to pour into the coffee shop. And we’ll be officially married soon anyway. I already have my dress; a beautiful embroidered bohemian gown, but I’ve left most of the planning up to Oscar. He’s busy making calls, and won’t let me in on any of it. He wants it to be a big surprise, and I know I can trust him to do it right. That’s the wonderful thing about Oscar — he always surprises me, and I know he always will.
“So when’s the big day?” Corrie asks, the same question she asks every time she sees me.
I laugh. “We haven’t set a date yet, but Oscar’s on it. We’ve just been so crazy busy with the shop.”
The truth is, I’m excited to live my life with Oscar, but I’ve never been one of those girls who dreams about her wedding day. Oscar would marry me tomorrow if he could, but we’re taking it one day at a time.
“I’ve bought my dress,” I tell them, excited.
Corrie perks up. “What does it look like?”
“I bought it at a vintage dress shop,” I tell her. “It’s circa 1960s, with pretty embroidery, long sheer fabric sleeves, and a form fitting corset. And there’s a long classic veil to match.”
“I can’t wait to see it,” Maeve says. “This is so exciting.”
“So about you, Maeve,” I ask. “How’s your shop going?”
She blows out a huge breath. “Busy. Trust me, I know exactly how you feel right now… overwhelmed, right?”
I smile. “Yeah, a bit.”
“No babies in the near future?” Gabbie chimes in, her words directed at Maeve.
Maeve shakes her head. “No… too busy.”
“How are the cats getting along?” Gabbie asks me.
