| Subject: À la Vie! – Chapter 15 |
Author:
Diane
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Date Posted: Tuesday, October 26, 09:29:20pm
In reply to:
Diane
's message, "À la Vie!" on Tuesday, October 19, 01:16:54am
Madeline Frayne, Nikita’s new manager at l'Éclat, was adamant. Nikita would have to go to Marseilles for the kick-off of the fall eyewear campaign. The dark-eyed, auburn beauty was a firm taskmaster, and wasn’t buying any excuses. Nikita didn’t know which she feared more, losing her mother or running into Michael. She smiled sardonically. Roberta was here to stay, as long as the purse strings were open. Nikita had figured that one out almost at once. She picked up almost immediately that her “long-lost” mother saw her as a meal-ticket; nothing more. She was hurt, but she bounced back. She always did.
Michael was another story. She had checked out the owner of Samuelle’s and found that he was an extremely successful businessman—and married with a young son. She knew that the little girl in the Beach Scene pictures was herself—but she wondered if Michael even remembered her name. Apparently, he had gotten over her far more easily than she had gotten over him. What a joke. He had been twelve. She was just seven. What was there to get over?
She would go to Marseilles this September. She might even go to Samuelle’s. Just for a laugh. It might be fun to see if Michael had any idea who she was, or if he remembered that summer in Australia all those years ago.
* * *
He never thought it would happen to him, but Michael Samuelle had fallen in love. He was head-over-heels ga-ga about his son, Adam. At four months old, Adam Samuelle was the most handsome, brightest, engaging infant to be found on the planet. Michael found he could just stare at him for hours. Elena had suffered a mild bout of post-partum depression, and most of Adam’s care had fallen to Michael. He loved it. He took him everywhere—to the office, the market, the park—anywhere he could show him off. He bought him one of every toy made for children under the age of two. His studio was filled with photos and sketches of Adam in different positions and moods. Nothing was too insignificant to capture on canvas.
Elena was jealous. It was to Michael that Adam responded. It was to his voice that Adam turned—his face that he smiled. She knew part of her mood stemmed from her depression, but she was tempted on more than one occasion to remind Michael that he was not Adam’s “real” father. Then she would see the two of them together and she couldn’t do it. Elena wasn’t a petty woman, just a tired one. As soon as she felt better, she would take a more central role in Adam’s life. As soon as she felt better.
* * *
The l'Éclat party was to be held at the American embassy, and hosted by the American ambassador, Paul Wolfe. Nikita requested that Ambassador Fanning and his wife be invited, as they were the closest thing to real family that she had. She did not mention the party to her mother. Salla Vacek, with his wife Estrella, would be in attendance, as the East Indian ambassador to France. The Vaceks had requested, and been granted, the transfer a month ago, and Elena was thrilled to be reunited with her parents. Michael had been told only that it was an embassy party—Elena was sure that he would never have agreed to come if he had known it was for the launching of the new season of a line of cosmetics.
Paul Wolfe was a charming host, and Nikita was delighted to meet him. She noticed that the distinguished looking man with grey hair and ice-blue eyes was more that delighted to meet Madeline, and wondered if Madeline felt the same way about him. Nikita sought out and quickly found the Fannings, and they celebrated their own mini-reunion in the middle of the banquet hall. Nikita oohed and aahed over pictures of the twins, now thirteen and away at boarding school. She had been very fond of the children, and often wondered if she would ever have any of her own some day. In her mind, they had always had dark chestnut curls and grey-green eyes. She knew she would have to give up that fantasy once and for all.
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