Reverie. Candace Gold

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СКАЧАТЬ one wall stood a wood makeup stand with a garish gold mirror. Chubby, half-naked cherubs had been carved into the top. The makeup stand may have been considered beautiful in its day, but its gaudiness made Nikki giggle. She walked over to the window and parted the heavy brocade drapes and the thin, lacy silk ones beneath. The view of the park would be spectacular during daylight, she thought, lingering a moment before walking into the next bedroom.

      This room, half the size of the previous one, had only one large window. It possessed a day-bed covered with an embroidered white spread and a small white dresser with matching night table. A small ornate mirror hung on the wall above the dresser. She had the impression that this room once belonged to a young girl.

      The bathroom, completely tiled in black and white, was large and something out of the late 1800s. It was definitely a sight to behold, with its ancient-looking fixtures. The bathtub was a huge elliptical porcelain structure sitting on gold claw feet. Two people could easily stretch out and bathe together. The sink sat on a fancy pedestal and had a dainty pink floral design etched into its porcelain. Tubular-handled, porcelain and gold faucets turned the water on and off.

      An ancient-looking, gold-framed mirror hung on the wall over the sink. Parts of it had dark smudges making it no longer usable. A wooden medicine chest had been placed on the wall to the right of the mirror. Curious, Nikki opened it and found an ancient lather brush in a small porcelain cup. Next to it was a folded, straight razor.

      Nikki’s eyes moved next to the toilet tank. It had a fancy inlaid porcelain design similar to the one in the sink, something she’d never seen before. The floor tiles were small black and white hexagons, reminding Nikki of the wire used to make pigeon coops. It was most likely the original floor, as well. She didn’t care about any of that. As long as she had running hot water and the toilet flushed, she’d be a happy camper.

      Why shouldn’t she? She was in Paris! The magical city of her dreams since she was a child. She hugged her shoulders and went back into the sitting room. The stars shimmered in the dark sky above the beautiful jeweled city, beckoning to her like the enchanting music of a Siren. She’d unpack later. Grabbing her purse and the apartment key, she headed toward the door.

      Nikki had prepared competently for this trip, arming herself with maps and directions to all the major sights. She’d even downloaded a map of the Metro, Paris’ subway system. However, tonight she felt like splurging and hailed a taxi. How better to see the beautiful City of Lights at night than from the top of the Eiffel Tower? She intended to have dinner at the restaurant located on the second floor, nestled inside the giant landmark which overlooked the magnificent city like a sentinel.

      The restaurant was crowded, but because she was alone, the maitre d’ found her a small table by a window. She ordered Potage d’oignon, Steak Frites, Coq au Vin, and for dessert, Tart au Citron. She knew she’d be overeating by ordering the French fries and lemon tart, but this was her first meal in Paris and she wanted to remember it. The waiter brought her some red wine, which she sipped while gazing down on the glory that was Paris. The lights illuminated the Seine, and she saw a covered party boat gliding along, filled with tourists enjoying the sights. In the distance stood the mighty Arc de Triomphe. So much history and beauty lay before her. She hardly knew where to begin.

      When the waiter brought Nikki her salad and a large basket of assorted rolls, she ordered another glass of wine. Browsing through her Paris tourist guide, she hardly felt self-conscious sitting alone in a city known for its romance. Though there were couples huddled close together drinking in each other’s presence with their eyes, Nikki was too busy making an itinerary for the following day to notice.

      The waiter brought out her main course. Hungry, she began to eat with relish, stopping only momentarily to wipe off the dollop of sauce which had dripped on the page of her guide book. By the time her dessert and coffee arrived, she was winding down. Her body had begun to run out of steam.

      Nikki paid her check and took another taxi back to the apartment. Once inside, she locked the door and went straight into the bedroom. She sat down on the goose-down bed and removed her shoes. Exhausted, she quickly stripped off her clothes and put on an oversized t-shirt.

      She rummaged through her carry-on for her toiletry case and brought it into the bathroom to prepare for bed. Back once more in the bedroom, Nikki drew down the bedspread and blanket from the inviting bed and slipped between the crisp linen sheets. Sleeping in a strange bed had always been difficult for her, but tonight her exhaustion overcame all opposition and she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the overstuffed down pillows.

      * * * *

      When Nikki had failed to call Jonathan to let him know she’d arrived in Paris safely, he grew concerned. Her plane would have touched down around eight o’clock Paris time. He’d hoped it hadn’t become a case of “out of sight; out of mind.” As silly as it might seem, he feared she’d fall in love with Paris and want to remain there. Then she’d meet a Frenchman and forget him. Eating leftover Chinese food for dinner over the sink, he pictured himself doing this on a permanent basis if he lost Nikki. Sitting down and eating food like a human being at the kitchen table wasn’t the only thing Nikki had improved on, he thought and smiled. However, the warm moment passed just as quickly as it had come. Why hadn’t she called?

      No longer hungry, Jonathan put the white carton aside and reached for his cellphone. There was a six-hour time difference making it around 2:30 AM in France. He would send a text message, asking her to call to let him know she was okay and that tomorrow he’d call at a more decent hour.

      * * * *

      Nikki dreamed in French, as if starring in a foreign film without subtitles. In the dream, she was strolling along a beach with the same bearded man from the cafe. He wore a straw hat with a red band over his dark hair. He had a large forehead and a full, well-trimmed beard. His three-piece, summer weight worsted suit was open and he sported a black, wooden walking stick. From time-to-time, he’d pull out his watch attached to a gold chain and check the time. She held a brightly-colored silk parasol over her head to block out the strong sunlight. High above them she heard the cacophonous squawking of sea gulls circling the shimmering, cloudless blue sky. Every so often, one would boldly swoop down to grab some morsel of food it had spotted on the ground. The boardwalk was so hot she could feel the heat radiating through the thin soles of her high-laced leather boots.

      She spied the gabled roof of the Grand Hotel in the distance. As they walked along, the man held her arm affectionately, patting it now and then, stopping often to kiss her, his full beard gently caressing her face like silken fingertips. Those tender kisses sent delicious sensations throughout her body and spoke of the promise of what was yet to come. They were returning to their room at the hotel to make love. He whispered how he wanted to lie with her as the afternoon sun streamed through the window, turning her hair to flame.

      Small red and white striped cabanas stood like silent sentries on the sand facing the entrance of the building. Men attired in suits and straw hats or bowlers sat reading newspapers along the stone wall overlooking the water. Boats signaled one another with a sharp toot of their horns as they passed. Women sat on benches doing needlework while their children frolicked in the sand. Many of them, like Nikki, wore long skirts or dresses that came down to the tops of their shoes and feathered hats to shield their heads from the strong rays of the sun.

      Nikki and her lover stopped at the front desk. The clerk handed the man a letter along with the room key. He glanced briefly at the envelope before slipping it into a breast pocket of his suit jacket.

      “I’ll read this later, my darling,” he said. “Right now, I have more important business to tend to.”

      Nikki lowered her eyes to the obvious bulge in his wool suit pants. This further increased the rate СКАЧАТЬ