Young Americans in Paris Part IIX

I had the cab driver circle Café’ deFlore once to see if Stephan and Carol were sitting outside. They were not. There looked to be only one way in which was the front door. This too meant there was only one way out. I had the driver park a bit up the street from the Café’ and I got out and walked the rest of the way. I was keenly aware that I was a tall statuesque young women with long flowing blond hair. And a bit of a rarity that young roaming Paris unattended.

There were performance artists in the street breathing fire and doing acrobatics. It was a bit of a circus outside the Café’. That would make for a good distraction if I had to get away. But somehow I suspected that it was a regular paying gig for those performance artists and they might not be recruit able to my cause no matter how much cash I threw at them. Actually I had been rather lucky up to this point not to become a target with the amount of cash I had been paying out, But that would all be over tonight. This one would be on Stephan. But I had more then enough cash if it wasn’t and the objective was to get Carol back.

Heads turned as I walked into Café’ de Flore. I was dressed very sexy and fashionable with my couture outfit. The host met me and took me directly to Stephan and Carol’s table. Stephan rose as I approached the table. Perhaps it was the ambiance or perhaps it was the lighting but Stephan actually looked quite handsome. He was tall with dark hair, bright blue eyes and a very square jaw. A jaw I might add that had been on the floor since I walked in. Carol looked dirty, disheveled and was in the same clothes she wore on the flight. And well quite frankly she didn’t smell particularly pleasant. She was so angry she was speechless.

Stephan greeted me warmly with kisses on both cheeks. I was rather charmed by him or atleast we had come to a mutual understanding or perhaps we were in a very exclusive club of two.

He was a bit mesmerized by the outfit. He ordered a aperitif which I believe was pink champagne but a bit lighter. He told the waiter in French not to bring Carol a glass as she was not drink alcohol tonight. Of course Carol couldn’t understand him and I wasn’t about to tell.

Stephan stared at me without saying a word and then I had to interrupt his silence. “Is something wrong?”. The best wars are ones which are not clear.

Stephan smiled. “No, actually things are quite perfect.”.

Carol was in tears she was completely humiliated and felt very invisible at the table. Finally Carol did manage to open her mouth and utter. “Where is my champagne?”.

Stephan looked at her and said, “The service here is terrible. I’ll ask.”. Stephan never asked. He had no intention of serving Carol anything but the basics that evening. He had already spent three days with the women anyone could have, he now wanted to focus his attention on the women no one could have.

Stephan ordered dinner. It was a lovely meal. We had wine, laughed and flirted. Carol could barely eat her meal. And she only had water to drink. Stephan finally excused himself to make a telephone call.

And Carol just lost her mind. “You left me.”

I dismissed her immediately, “I am not going to argue with you. You want to stay with him? He seems like a perfectly enchanting fellow. I am certain no one will miss you back in the states.”

Carol had tears streaming down her face. “You would leave me?”

I smiled at her. “Carol, you would leave yourself when you drink. You are completely out of control. Do you realize what could have happened to you with someone else?”

“I swear I will get you for this.” Carol said with her teeth clenched.

I simply laughed, “Oh Carol you are too busy getting yourself to ever have time to get me. Besides we came out ahead on this one.”

“Ahead? How could you say that?”, she was really upset.

I could see Stephan making his way back to the table. “Shut up Carol. I’ll explain later.

Stephan came back and he touched my hand. I managed not to recoil. I could see he had genuine feelings for me. And he was after all a fellow American. That means something in foreign countries.

I asked him in French with a smile, “So you are American?”.

Stephan withdrew his hand as he was surprised I knew. “My Father is a US Ambassador.”.

“But not to Saudi Arabia.” I answered.

He was a bit embarrassed to be caught in a lie. “No but one of the more wealthy countries in the Middle East.”.

“A little one?” I added.

He smiled, “Yes, a very little one.” But then quickly changed his posturing. "But my Mother is French.”

“And you?” he asked. “Carol has told me so much.”

And I gave a wicked smile and responded, “I am certain she will tell tales about you as well. You should have learned by now not to listen to that one.”

Stephan was delighted with my wicked wit “So that is it? You will not tell me anything about you? You show up in this gorgeous dress. I don’t think I can stand not knowing anything you.”

Carol interrupted Stephan and asked him where the bathroom was. She was sobbing at that point.

“Life can be so cruel.” I answered him as we watched Carol storm off.

Stephan laughed a bit, “Yes it can.”

As we finished out meal I started to try and leave but Stephan would not hear of it. He insisted we go out for drinks after dinner and experience a little of the Parisian nightlife at least the more wholesome aspects. He even told Carol he would buy her drinks. I wished he hadn’t gone that far but he did.

So we went for drinks at this after hours club which was not private but classy. And the place had interesting architecture. The circumference of the second floor was less then that of the first floor and there were literally no guard rails. We were seated in booths on the second floor which was specifically for people having after dinner drinks or desserts while the bottom people were eating dinner. Carol had had a few drinks and flopped down in the booth.

I was in a dress that was I was pinned into so I didn’t move quickly at all. And I was also in very high heels. So I graceful sat in the booth. Stephan went to sit by me but I wasn’tbudging. So he asked Carol to slide over. As Carol slid so did her purse. And Stephan made her slid all the way over to the end and when she did so her purse fell off the second floor. I remember it as if it were in slow motion. Down below a cook was preparing something in a pan which he added alcohol to and set it on fire. And Stephan, Carol and I watched the purse fall until it landed right into that flaming skillet. The people at the table were splashed with whatever liquid was in the pan and the chef was utterly shocked. I slid away from the perimeter so I couldn’t be seem but Stephan told me they looked up as if a bird had just defecated on them. I got up and walked over to another table. Stephan quickly joined me. And Carol just leaned over yelling to the first floor in English that she would be down to collect her purse.

I was laughing at this point and so was Stephan. “Damn purse is Tartar at this point.” I said. Stephan just jiggled from suppressing laughter so hard. And he was really rather astonished, “Is she coming back with her burnt purse?”

“I guess so Stephan but remember it was your idea to let her drink.” I said.

Stephan was defensive. “Oh that probably happens three times a week here. “

“Really? Did they look like they were expecting it?” I giggled.

Stephan giggled as well. “No, not at all. She’s not coming back here? Is she?”

“I am afraid so Stephan. I think we better end the evening here. And go down stairs before they call the police on Carol.”

Stephan and I went down stairs to watch Carol being yelled out by the chef, the host, the manager and the customers in French. It was a scene. And the things they were saying to Carol about Americans were not particularly kind to which Carol answered, “Oui, Oui.”. Stephan explained that Carol was intellectually challenged Canadian and offered to pay for everything. And he did. I would have but Carol was costly and most may cash was at the Euro-rail station.

We walked out into the streets of Paris one last time. I could once again see the Eiffel tower from where we were. Stephan hailed a cab and put Carol in it first. He said, “You stay out of trouble.” to Carol as if he were an older brother.

He took both my arms and took one long lost look at me from head to toe. “You are a beautiful woman. Will I see you again?”

I smiled and responded, “You can always give me your number.”.

Stephan handed me his card and then leaned in for a kiss. I stopped him mid stream. Referring to the kiss I said, “That will be for when we meet again. So until then….”. Stephan gave the cab driver a bunch of money and told him to take us where ever we wanted. And we drove off into the Paris night which was quickly becoming the dawn.

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