Chapter Twenty-One – Je Vous Aime, Le Cheri; Je Vous Aime, Tres Cher

Maggie and Joe got off the plane the next day. All around them, foreign words were cast out in conversation. Maggie held Joe's hand tightly, and whispered, "I can't believe we're in Paris!"

"Only the best for my Maggie," Joe smiled as he pressed his lips against hers. Her index finger traced his wedding ring as their kiss intensified in the airport. Joe broke apart suddenly, as if he were surprised he had let the passion reach that point. "Not here, Maggie."

Maggie smiled devilishly as she grabbed her suitcase. "How do we get a taxi?" she queried.

"Well, I would guess you would have to call one in," Joe said mockingly. She punched him on his shoulder, and he exclaimed, "Ow! That hurt!"

"Good," Maggie sniffed. As their eyes met again, they both broke out into laughter. "How long do we have here in this romantic haven?"

"Nine days," Joe said as he walked rapidly toward a pay phone.

"Only nine days?" Maggie asked as she tried to keep up with him.

Joe stopped suddenly and turned around quickly. "How long would you like to stay, Maggie?" he inquired. "It's only our honeymoon; we're not moving to Paris."

"Why not?" Maggie asked blissfully.

"For starters," Joe said as he once again started walking, "neither of us knows how to speak French."

"We could learn," Maggie pressed.

"We're not going to live in the city of romance, Maggie, so stop nagging me," he said as he picked up the phone, dialed a number, and reached for his dictionary, "Um, Oui, j'aimerais un taxi pour nous prendre de l'aéroport, s'il vous plait . . . Oument l'Aéroport . . . Oui, Le Métropolitain . . . Um, demi-heure?" Joe flipped through the dictionary as he found the meaning for the foreign word. "Pouvoir pas vous obtenez n'importe qui ici plus rapide? . . . Bien, merci." Joe hung up the phone, and turning to Maggie, said, "No taxi cab's gonna come by for a half an hour."

"Why not?" Maggie asked.

"They're all on call," Joe explained, "We just have to sit here."

"No, we don't!" Maggie exclaimed. "Joe, we can go anywhere we want! We can explore!"

"I'd be happy to do that with you after we get to our hotel room," Joe said tiredly.

Maggie folded her arms. "Joe, we've been in Paris ten minutes, and already you're a stick in the mud," Maggie pouted.

"You knew who I was before you married me," Joe said, wrapping his arms around her.

Maggie's expression softened, and she leaned her head on his shoulder. "Oh, I do love you," she said, "It's just that sometimes you don't seem as adventurous as me – like you have to keep up."

"Mm-hmm," Joe said, kissing her reddish-brown hair that she had permed right before they boarded the plane. Joe wasn't sure if he liked it; the curls made her facial features seem softer, and her cheeks were chubby as it was. But he knew Maggie could be pretty with any hairstyle. He still remembered when she dyed her hair blond; it may not have been the most flattering hairstyle, but Maggie could carry anything. "Why don't we sit down and talk until the cab driver gets here?"

"Okay," Maggie said softly.

The taxi eventually came, and they loaded their suitcases into the trunk before piling into the backseat. With a French accent, the driver said, "You two on your honeymoon?"

Maggie nodded enthusiastically, while Joe said, "Yes, sir."

"What's your hotel?" the man asked.

"Le Metropolitain," Joe replied.

"Oh," the man said knowingly, "I suppose you two are going to see the sights of Paris?"

"Yes," Maggie said forcefully, "I can't wait to sight-see. My first husband took me to Lurgan – nothing but greenery."

"Where's Lurgan?" the driver asked.

"Ireland," Maggie responded.

Joe laid a hand over Maggie's as the taxi drove up to the hotel.

"Room 791," Maggie said as the couple looked at their door. Joe pulled out the hotel room key, and swung the door opened. What was contained inside was a beautiful, huge newlywed suite. Maggie entered the room in awe, saying, "Honey, can we afford this?"

"This is Antwan's wedding present," Joe said sheepishly.

"And you let him pay for all this?" Maggie exclaimed.

"Sweetheart, I didn't want him to be offended," Joe said as he shut the door, "Besides, you're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Yes, but-."

"Maggie, come on," Joe said as he held his wife tightly to him, "This is the last time you'll be in a luxury matrimonial suite; don't waste it by talking about pride." He kissed his wife on the lips passionately. Maggie pushed him back to the feather-soft bed in the corner of the room where the pale sunlight shone on the happy bodies.