Later when dinner is over and Clarisse, Mia, and Joseph all leave the room and the rest of the guests head towards the exits, Clarisse leans towards Joseph and says, "Can we talk in my suite the three of us?"
"The three of us?" Joseph looks at Clarisse with a confused look on his face.
"I want to talk to Mia as well. She has a right to ask us certain questions, but we can also reserve the right to not tell her certain things." Clarisse says looking over at her granddaughter who she can tell has been dying to ask questions for a long time.
Joseph looks relieved. "That's fine. We will have some time to ourselves just the two of us after that, won't we?"
"Of course. I wouldn't have it any other way." Clarisse says sweetly.
"You two are just so sweet together. I'm surprised I didn't notice before just how close the two of you are." Mia says knowing she's eavesdropping. It's the habit her grandmother hates the most, except for biting her fingernails.
"Many of the things we did could have been interpreted as just two close friends who have known each other for a long time as well, you know." Joseph says firmly.
"Sure, Joe. I believe you about as far as I can spit, which isn't very far." Mia says smiling at her future grandfather.
"Oh, you're a brat. What am I going to do with you?" Joseph says smiling at Mia.
"I don't know but you're going to be able to speak your opinion about me a lot more freely since I'll be becoming your granddaughter." Mia says throwing Joseph for a loop.
"My God, I didn't even think about that. I'll be gaining a whole big family. Clarisse, should you call Pierre tonight and let him know about all this before he reads this or hears it on the television?" Joseph's face is suddenly full of worry.
"I'm sorry Joe. I didn't mean to make you more nervous." Mia says as she pouts her bottom lip out a little.
"You didn't. You just gave me more to think about. I will be thrilled to have you as a granddaughter. Don't worry about me. Your grandmother and I will get through all this." Joseph says as they enter the suite.