Blue with Black Dots (The Caprice Trilogy Book 2) (45 page)

Cedric appeared behind Simone, who was wearing her signature navy coat and Chignon.  She matched her signature style with high-heels and a black blouse with leopard print scarf.

“
May I take your coat, Madame
?” asked Cedric.  Simone took her coat off and handed it to Cedric, without acknowledging him.  Cedric took the coat and disappeared into the entrance hallway.  Simone didn’t sit down.  While standing, she sprayed soda into the empty glass and drank half the glass worth.  There was a knife laying next to the cheese.  Simone spread some cheese onto a crepe, folded it and stuffed it in her mouth.  Cedric came back into the room with a curious look.

“
Would Madame like anything else
?” asked Cedric.

              “
I’m fine for the moment
,” said Simone, “
How’s our girl
?”

              “
Making friends
,” said Cedric, “
With our other guest
.”

              “
School yard friends or bed feather friends
?” asked Simone.

“
Vineyard friends
,” said Cedric, “
She’s been getting him to exercise
.”

“
Good
,” said Simone, “
I haven’t thought of a use for him yet but when I do, at least he’ll be in shape for it
.”

“
Should I prepare something for the lot or leave it be
?” asked Cedric.

“
Actually I need another favor from you
,” said Simone, “
Could you go to the infirmary room and tidy it up?  I don’t think our Russian friend will be needing it anymore
.”  Cedric nodded his head and left Simone to fill her stomach with cheese crepes.  Simone went upstairs to her room to change.  Her room was in the opposite direction as Georgia’s but she went toward Georgia’s door and knocked.  It didn’t take Georgia long to come to the door. 

“Busy?” asked Simone.

              “No,” said Georgia, “Not really.”

              “How about girl talk downstairs?” said Simone, “Our usual spot.”

              “We’re overdue,” said Georgia.

              “You hungry?” asked Simone.

              “No,” said Georgia.

              “Coffee?” said Simone.

              “I’ll do it,” said Georgia, “Cappuccino or espresso?”

              “Cappuccino,” said Simone, “You can use the machine?”

              “I’ve had enough practice by now,” said Georgia.

“Ok,” said Simone walking toward the opposite end of the hall.  Simone changed from the look of
Le Poq
to the look of Simone.  She wore a champagne colored turtleneck sweater and khaki pants with espadrilles.  She went down stairs, hearing and smelling the cappuccinos in the kitchen.  She went outside to the veranda and sat in her usual spot at the table.  She could see the vineyard off to the side.  The grapes would have to be picked soon.  It was seasonal work but Cedric, Guillame and Marc helped her do it.  She used to do it with her family as a kid.  She liked doing it with her surrogate family now.  She thought to teach Georgia how the wine making process was handled in the Loire Valley.  It was one of the many things she had in mind to teach Georgia.

“I couldn’t find cinnamon,” said Georgia, walking toward Simone holding a cappuccino in each hand by the saucer.

“I can never find it either,” said Simone.

              “Now I’m frustrated,” said Georgia.

              “Why is that?” asked Simone.

              “Because if I had found it, I would feel ahead of you at something,” said Georgia.

“You’ll no doubt be ahead of me at my age,” said Simone taking a sip, “Patience is something we’re good at.”

“You mean us women,” said Georgia.

              “Think about it,” said Simone, “Men are always premature, they never last as long as you need them to.  What is that, if not a lack of patience?  We on the other hand have the luxury of getting pregnant.  It takes nine months to undo that.  That’s a long time to wait.”

“Not exactly my strong suit,” said Georgia, taking her first sip.

“Find another,” said Simone, “My advice would be to get ridiculously good at something.  Any whining little girl with legs to spread can get pregnant.  Having children is desirable, sure, but it’s nothing exceptional.  Have you ever dared to think of yourself as an exception?”

“All the time,” said Georgia, “It’s hard to qualify exceptionalism as good or bad.  A circus freak is exceptional.”

“Well you are certainly not that,” said Simone.

              “Not so sure,” said Georgia, “This game we play, it’s circus-like.”

“That, My Dear, is a clear observation,” said Simone, “Then the objective is to be the ringmaster.”

“I like that idea,” said Georgia, “The ringmaster has a whip. I don’t mind whipping creatures that need taming, especially when they are male.”

              “They always are,” said Simone.  Simone took some time without talking to enjoy her cappuccino.  She held the coffee on her tongue a little long and then let it run gently down the back of her tongue to her throat.  It was a childish habit but it stuck like glue.  It wasn’t going anywhere.

“Are you frustrated with me, Agent Georgia Standing?” asked Simone, sounding unlike
Le Poq
.

              “No,” said Georgia.

              “You’re sure?” said Simone.

              “Another woman, a veteran of this game once told me to find the bright spot,” said Georgia.

“The bright spot in what?” asked Simone.

              “Whatever,” said Georgia, “But would you say she’s right?”

              “Yes,” said Simone, “Of course.  This game teaches more to us than it does to the boys.  If a woman is old in this game and she’s in a mood to open her mouth, listen.”

“I did,” said Georgia, “And I realized how much I’ve learned from you, in play and out.  I’ve had a gun pulled on me the first time this week, not in a controlled environment.  You just learn so much more when it’s real.  And then I’ve come back here and everything’s nice and even the weather is not so hot anymore.  And we’re just here having cappuccinos.  How much complaining would I do?  It wouldn’t be like this at the Agency.  I’d get debriefed somewhere with fluorescent lights.  If anything, I should thank you because honestly, this…this’ll do.”

“Well,” said Simone, “If you want to thank me you can go make me another cappuccino and redeem yourself because I thought better of your cappuccino skills than this.”

              “Ok,” said Georgia, “Well the bright spot is at least it was hot, I figured out that much on the machine.”

              “No points for second place in the game we play,” said Simone, “Make me a first place cappuccino this time.”

“Top of the podium?” said Georgia.

“Top of the podium,” said Simone.  Georgia grabbed Simone’s cup, as well as her own partially finished cup and walked back inside through the den door leading out to the patio.  She found Gavril standing in the kitchen snacking on bread and cheese.

“I knew I’d find you here,” said Georgia.

“How did you know that?” asked Gavril.

“You do have a tracker under your arm,” said Georgia.

“It doesn’t matter where I go or where they’re from,” said Gavril, “Women are never funny.”

“Come off it,” said Georgia, “You’re pampered here with Simone.  And the Soviets won’t come for you here.  You’re safe.  Look for the bright spot, they didn’t put the tracker in your brain.  You’d have a headache as big as your ego.”

“Or as big as your chest,” said Gavril.

“You’d need two brains for that,” said Georgia, “Just work on developing the one.  Let me get to the cappuccino machine.”

“Only if you make one for me, as well,” said Gavril.

“Only because I still classify you as a sick person,” said Georgia.

“Fair enough,” said Gavril, “You know I was thinking of something before but I didn’t know really what I wanted to say in English.”

“What about?” asked Georgia.

“The conversation we had before about the Soviet system and corruption,” said Gavril.

“I’m listening,” said Georgia, “Talk over the machine.”

“Well,” said Gavril, “The reason why communism and capitalism both breed corruption is that they are both trying to do the same thing.”

“What?” asked Georgia.

“Define what means enough,” said Gavril, “The point of capitalism is that enough doesn’t exist.  Good enough doesn’t exist.  You make something and it’s good but it can never be good enough.  As soon as you reach good, you go for better.  It’s dynamisim.”

“What does that have to do with corruption?” asked Georgia.

“Despite the fact that you Americans always say that communism doesn’t work because people get greedy, you misunderstand.  People get greedy when they don’t have enough.  It’s the feeling of needing more.  That’s when they get corrupt.  Capitalism is not about needing more.  It’s about getting more.  That’s where greed is defined.  When I was with the
MVD
I took bribes but it was because my pay from the
MVD
wasn’t really enough to live.  I’m not talking about indulgence.  I just needed more.  Like you and me.  I’m stronger than you but you’ve shown you’re quicker than me.  You have more in one category.  I have more in another.  But the American system, it isn’t as strong as you think.  Neither are you,” said Gavril.

“My strength is not measured by my nationality,” said Georgia.  Gavril turned to her and smiled.

“I’ve proved my point,” said Gavril, “I’ve upset your Western sensibilities.  A Moskovite woman would have let that comment go.  You didn’t need to respond to it.  But you had to.  It wasn’t enough to let time escort it off to death.  You come with an immediate comeback.”  Gavril took the time to pause and stare at Georgia.  Georgia met his stare and held it.

“So jumpy you Western women always are,” said Gavril, “It’s not your fault though.  It’s your system.”

              “Any system that keeps me from sitting on my ass is acceptable,” said Georgia, “If it makes me jumpy.  I’m all the better for it.”

              “So you are,” said Gavril.

              “Well, you’re not with a Moskovite woman now,” said Georgia.

              “I’ve said communist system is about defining enough,” said Gavril, “When it comes to Moskovite women, I’ve had enough.”

              “And Capitalism is dynamism,” said Georgia, “At least you say it is.”

              “It’s one of the side effects,” said Gavril.

              “And what would be the main effect?” asked Georgia.

              “Inequality,” said Gavril, “That’s what the Soviet system seeks to eradicate.”

              “Wasteful,” said Georgia taking a sip to test her improved cappuccino.

“What does that mean?” asked Gavril.

“Your system,” said Georgia, “And you were right about what you said earlier.”