Freedom Fries and Cafe Creme (3 page)

‘First, I came across some new tonic drinks from Africa made of hibiscus and baobab. They are supposed to be full of vitamin C.'

‘Oooooh!' Rick and Carla said in unison.

‘And here is a Brazilian rainforest superberry drink full of natural antioxidants, and Tepee Tea prepared by Native Americans, plus two tickets for the Salad Fashion Show, which will be held at Grand Central Terminal in April …'

Rick and Carla examined the various items with keen interest, carefully reading through the exhaustive lists of ingredients.

Armand drew their attention. ‘Now, it is New Year's resolutions time. You asked me to help you with your list, didn't you?'

‘Indeed we did, Armand.'

Rick and Carla each took a pen and a slip of paper, as eager as two students that had returned to school after a long summer off. They began writing while Armand went to the kitchen to put the kettle on for their comforting evening drink: mint and liquorice herbal tea imported from France.

Tired but still in a positive mood, Rick and Carla had gone to bed early since they both had to be at work the following morning. Armand cleared the table, put everything into the dishwasher and finished tidying the kitchen, which he liked to be spotless every night before he himself retired.

He checked to see if Juliette was asleep. She was. She seemed to be at peace in her dreams, her new doll, Armande, at her side.

Armand went into his room and looked at the empty bed, just as he did every night. The sight of the lonely bed set him thinking.

What kind of life do I really have here? Am I only a
servant, after all?
That was what his mother had once told him he was.

‘Not a servant, a mentor. You're a new version of Jeeves for the new millennium; you're totally indispensable to Rick and Carla. That's rather chic, you know,' his friend Tom had told him, to make up for Armand's mother's mean comments.

It was true that Armand lived in a lovely home, in a good neighbourhood, in a great city. His little Juliette had a beautiful room and she lived contentedly. They both ate superbly every day. Carla and Rick were good for them.

When Han had shared his bed, there had been no peace and not much fun. They'd argued most of the time. The unwanted pregnancy only worsened the situation. Han had left the hospital the day after Juliette was born. Armand had heard she'd gone back to Taiwan, leaving him here, a father all by himself. He hadn't even tried to find Han in her own country. How could he trust her – or anyone else – after what she'd done to him?

Armand's mobile phone was ringing:
Unknown caller
.

‘Hello, Armand? Hi, it's Liana. We met at Brenda's …'

Women nowadays do take the initiative, don't they?

The sweet memory of their evening together was coming back to him.

‘Yes, I remember. Brenda told me you asked for my number. How are you?'

‘Fine, thank you. And you?'

As they started to chat they resumed the subtle flirtation they'd begun at Brenda's dinner party, even if there was no food and champagne to savour along with it.

‘Tell me more about your job. I don't think I've ever heard of such a thing.'

‘Neither had I before Tom, the friend I was staying with at the time, told me about this new trend of having a good-and-healthy-life coach. He said that a job like that could get me out of my difficult situation.'

‘And with your knowledge of
savoir-vivre
, your logic and your cooking you could be very good at it,' Tom had encouraged.

‘I was talked into it, even though I wasn't overly convinced it would work. But then what did I have to lose?'

‘So you're a good-and-healthy-life coach! I hope you'll cook something for me one of these days. Actually, I like to cook as well …'

They began talking about their favourite dishes.

‘I find that sharing a meal with someone you, er, appreciate can be very comforting, very sensual,' Liana revealed.

Armand agreed, remembering the New Year's Eve dinner. He also thought how well sharing an interest in food had worked out for Rick and Carla.

Then Armand told Liana about Rick and Carla's luxury trip.

‘Well, I've never heard of luxury culinary tourism before,' commented Liana. ‘Of course, I couldn't possibly afford them on my salary. With such a high standard of living, being able to afford a live-in genius like you, exclusive culinary trips, I suppose that Rick and Carla are loaded?'

‘Pretty much. Great careers – and no kids.'

‘Who would want kids with a lifestyle like that? Kids cost so much these days, and they're so annoying!' Liana laughed in a way that Armand didn't appreciate.

Getting no reply, she continued, ‘You mentioned that you were in a difficult situation before you met Rick and Carla.'

The conversation had definitely lost its carefree tone.

Armand then told her about Han.

‘That's awful! I'm so sorry to hear that.'

‘I'm fine now,' Armand said, more confidently than he expected.

Liana supposed that he must have a poor opinion of women after what had happened to him, but she tried to put that from her mind.

‘So, you have a child!' she declared.

Silence.

‘Why didn't you tell me at the dinner party?'

‘Would you have called me then? Especially now that I know what you think of kids.'

When Liana hesitated, Armand left her no more time to answer.

‘My daughter wasn't planned, but I really love her and I have to be responsible for her. It's not her fault if she has brainless parents. I want to be the best father I can for her. People aren't able to imagine how wonderful a child can be until they have one themselves.'

‘Possibly …' Liana said without much conviction.

‘Oh, it wasn't easy at all being on my own, with no money. Anyway, Juliette is here now, and I like my situation with Rick and Carla.'

‘I don't blame you.'

Armand had a feeling that Liana was probably less interested in him now.

‘Well, listen, I'll see how busy my week ends up being and I'll call you,' she announced, confirming this.

Armand could sense the disappointment in her voice and he was annoyed, not because Liana might not be interested in him any more but because she didn't have the courage to tell him straight out it was because he was a father.

‘If the fact that I've got a child bothers you, you should tell me right away,' he said coldly.

‘I don't know, Armand. Up to now I've never even thought of dating someone who has a child. It's too bad because I really like you even if I don't know you very well. We appeared to be on the same wavelength over so much. The moments we shared at Brenda's were delicious.'

‘I feel the same. But things seem to be a little different now, don't they?'

‘My sister has been so indifferent to everyone since she thinks she created the Eighth Wonders of the World. And my nephews are such brats that I don't really have a very good experience of kids, you know.'

‘But my Juliette is pretty well behaved.'

‘I'm sure she is, and with such a beautiful name … er, she can only be a good girl, can't she? And, er, with such a nice father …'

After a little pause, Liana continued, ‘I may call you again, Armand. I just don't know right now.'

‘Fine, I understand.'

‘Have a good night, Armand.'

‘Good night, Liana.'

They hung up, each disappointed, not knowing what would happen next. But the special evening they'd spent together would remain engraved on their memories.

Armand looked at the gifts Rick and Carla had brought him. Then he went to the window. The sky had cleared and there was a striking full moon. He opened the blue flask of Eau de Lune, which was bottled under a full moon in the Alps, and was supposed to make your wishes come true if drunk on a moonlit night. After his conversation with Liana, Armand suddenly felt thirsty. He drank a glass of Eau de Lune and made a wish; he could be superstitious at times, after all, like his mother.

Afterwards he opened the bottle of cognac, for a last little treat before going to bed, and thought about what he had wished for. Armand's New Year's resolution was definitely going to be to make sure he and Juliette continued along their paths to happiness.

This pie is usually made with the leftovers of Thanksgiving dinner.