Chapter 4:
The Sun Hotel
~Risa~
"This is where we're staying?"
With one glance about the lobby of the incredible L'hôtel du Soleil, Risa decides she better get used to being in awe, because the wonders aren't ceasing anytime soon.
"Damn..." Connor exchanges an amazed glance with Risa, and they look back to a grand spiraling staircase that ascends into the ceiling. A massive crystal chandelier sends fractals of light against the walls and across the smooth marble flooring, and huge glass windows reveal the gardens outside. The immense lobby is filled with the chatter of people in suits and traveling gowns, and Risa thinks she hears a trickling fountain somewhere nearby.
They approach a reception desk, and Lucas snickers a little as his father struggles to understand the woman's heavily accented English. Connor jabs his brother's arm, and recieves the infamous you're not the boss of me sneer. Risa can tell it almost turns into an argument.
"Here, I'll do it." Connor's mother steps in, seems to understand the receptionist perfectly, and recieves directions and their room keys.
Her husband stares. "How-?"
She shrugs. "I had a French aunt. You get used to it."
They make their way to the room on the seventh floor, and it's just as impressive as the lobby, as far as hotel rooms go. There's an ornate kitchen stocked with utensils and appliances, and beside it, a little round dining table decorated with a vase of flowers. They step into a living area with a cream colored couch and a flatscreen, and beyond that, two four-poster beds displaying golden-embellished pillows. Risa spots a set of glass double doors leading out onto a balcony at the far end of the room, and notices that the sun is already high in the sky.
"But that's not all of it," pipes Connor's mom, opening another door off to the side. "We needed another bed for you two to sleep in, so we sprang for the extra room."
Connor and Risa follow her into the smaller space, occupied by a single four-poster, similar to the others with silky sheer curtains tied to its posts and a pristine white coverlet.
"Your bathroom is over there." She indicates a door on the far wall, and then disappears to unpack with the others.
Connor toys with Risa's hair as they step into the bathroom, and she nearly stifles a gasp at what they see. Along with all of the regular bathroom amenities, which of course, are incredibly stylish and include a large glass shower, the ceiling is arched and tiled with multicolored marble. It's lovely.
"A room all to ourselves, hm?" says Risa, turning to face Connor and leaning against a wall.
"Don't get too far ahead of yourself, Risa Ward," he chides, but within the moment has his hand pressed against the wall beside her head.
She gives him a look that might just be a little sultry, and hooks her index finger under his collar, right behind the first button. "I think I reserve every right to get ahead of myself."
And she leaves him at that to go and unpack.
III
When the Lassiter family and Risa have finally settled in, they immediately head out for a corner café down the street. Risa orders a latte that comes with a feathery design on its surface, and she tries to sip it calmly as Connor and his brother practically inhale a platter of sandwiches. Her boyfriend eats them so quickly it doesn't even seem like he's chewing. She finds herself thankful that the sandwiches are quite small anyway.
As it begins to turn into a competition, Lucas shoots him a deathly glare from across the table.
"What the hell, Connor?"
Their mother pipes up. "Lucas, no cursing at the table, please-"
"Problem Lukey?"
"You left me all the shitty tuna salad ones!"
"Lucas-"
"Not my problem, squirt."
"You fucker-"
"Lucas Lassiter, if you don't shut that mouth I'll shut it for you-"
Risa looks to the street beyond the neat flower-strung fence of the café's patio to avoid seeing any food thrown across the table.
She looks down the sidewalks, trying to focus on the people and what they're doing or where they're going. Some walking dogs, others chatting amongst themselves.
Within a split second she sees a dirty, busted-up kid race out of a bagel shop, a bag in his hands. He makes eye contact with her before disappearing down an alleyway. Risa sets her cup down so hard it makes a clatter on the plate, and she nearly stands up.
She knows exactly who that kid is.
Or rather, what happened to him.
An unwind.
The look in his eyes was so recognizable- distrust, fear, a shadow of betrayal. For two years she saw that same expression every time she looked in the mirror.
It's a moment before Risa realizes the whole table is staring at her. She looks down, and notices her drink splashed onto the tablecloth when she set it down.
"Risa?" It's Connor.
"It's nothing, I-" she fakes a look of reassurance at his family. "I just... saw something. That's all."
They turn away from her, and the chatter returns, but Connor reaches under the table and sets a hand on her knee. A question, a worried need for explanation.
Risa reaches down and laces her fingers with his.
A promise to explain.
III
"There's something Claire and I have discussed that I think we need to do," begins Connor's father, setting a hand on the back of the chair of his wife.
There's a pause, and Connor's mother takes a deep breath. "We're signing Lucas up for school in Marseille, and we think it's safest if we change our last name."
Connor speaks up. "To what?"
"That's the problem," his dad says, "We can't decide."
As the discussion begins, Risa pulls out a pen and scribbles letters on a napkin. Within a moment, she abrubtly ends a spew of suggestions from the brothers.
"What about 'Saltries'?"
"Saltries?" repeats Connor's dad.
"It's an anagram," Risa explains. "If you rearrange the letters of 'Lassiter,' you can make 'Saltries.'"
"Cool!" Lucas remarks, and Risa is a little bit surprised that he doesn't sound sarcastic.
"That's a good idea..." Connor's mother says, and by the time they're finished at the café, Risa knows it's decided.
"We're leaving tonight to register Lucas at the American School of Marseille down by the Mediterranean," Connor's dad says after they've paid the check. "Unfortunately, they said we couldn't do it by phone or we'd miss the mandatory orientation tonight... which is ridiculous, of course. Anyway, we're going to bring Lucas and we're taking the train, so we probably won't be back until late tonight." He looks to Connor. "We still want a vacation, though, so we're leaving the luggage at the hotel and reasoned that it just made more sense to let you and Risa stay here."
Connor shrugs. "We'll take care of everything, but- why Marseille?"
His dad grins. "Don't you think it's safer to stay mobile? We're getting a boat after we're through with Paris, and then we'll live on the sea."