AWAKENING, CHAPTER 29: LE RACONTUER (The Storyteller)

Louis and Peter prepared a simple Sunday night dinner at home for the ladies—Peter's sisters as well as Danielle, who arrived after 5 o'clock. After a round of Louis's tastiest hors d'oeuvres, the main course was roast chicken and potatoes, tomates provençales, and haricots verts. Both vegetable dishes prepared by Peter. His sisters oohed, ahhed, and devoured every bite and smothered their brother in praise, though it had an incredulous undertone.

Mavis, sitting on Peter's right, was enjoying the green beans. "You made this delicious dish? You, Peter? You never ate anything green in your life," she teased, then smiled at the man seated opposite her at the dining room table. "Louis, if you can get him to cook like this, you are a miracle worker."

"Exposure to fine cuisine can tame even a Barbarian," Louis replied with shrug and a twinkle in his eye. "Peter's a living testament to that."

Mavis turned to Peter with genuine curiosity. "How did you make it, love?" she asked.

He beamed as he explained, and Louis beamed with him. "I bl-blanched the haricots verts first to soften them, then I s-sautéed them in olive oil with a touch of garlic and red p-pepper. It was my idea to add the cr-crumbled goat cheese and sliced radishes for a little sp-spicy kick." Peter turned to Nora, who was on his left. "Did you like them?"

"Do you see any on my plate, you great twit?" Nora said, suppressing a smile and rolling her eyes dramatically.

"No, but I wouldn't put it past you to put them in your lap," Peter replied playfully.

"That was you, if I'm not mistaken," Mavis said. She turned to Louis and Danielle, who was seated to his right directly opposite Nora. "Stuffed his pockets with Brussels sprouts, this lad," Mavis said, tipping her head toward Peter. "As if no one would suss it. As if the sudden disappearance of all green vegetables from his plate would ever go unnoticed!" She shook her head in amusement.

Louis and Danielle laughed at the image as Peter vehemently denied it.

"It happened one time, Mave. Once."

"One time?" Mavis guffawed. "Try five times! Or maybe six. I'm the one who washed the clothes. I'm the one who peeled tiny green leaves out of your pockets!" She gave her brother a playful push.

"And the cauliflower…" Nora added with a shudder. "What a mess, with all that cheese sauce in your pockets! And that's not even green, so what was your objection, Peter?"

"Oh, this is very nice," Peter said, faking a sulk. "I invite you here and you repay me with character assassination."

"How is this character assassination? You've always regarded vegetables as the enemy. It's a known fact about you!" Nora clearly had a talent for sly provocation.

"No, Pierre has a point." Louis joined in, speaking with the sobriety of a judge. "You are a legumier, Pierre. There are serious charges against a man in your position."

"Crimes against vegetables," Nora intoned in a low, deep voice with a somber expression. "What's your defense, young man?"

"I was green," Peter replied with his hands clasped together. "But I've turned over a new leaf, Your Honor."

Mavis and Nora groaned in harmony while Louis and Danielle worked out the puns.

Peter rolled his eyes, speared the last green bean on Mavis's plate with a fork, and bit into it with obvious satisfaction. "Right then, d-don't eat the vegetables that I so lovingly prepared for you. There's more for me that way," he grinned.

XXX

Pierre was rayonnant. What was the English word? Glowing. Basking, Louis told himself. He paused on the threshold of his salle de séjour, his living room, for just a moment as the room pealed with laughter. Pierre was telling a very lively and no doubt outrageous story, making his sisters and Danielle double over with laughter, and cracking himself up in the process.

"… So the ball goes out of play over the goal line and we've just finished our corner kick when a ball of white fur blazes across the field and seizes possession! He's dribbling it about the pitch like a pro when suddenly he decides to mount it…"

"Peter! Must you?" Mavis called out, scandalized but laughing.

"Not like that! I mean, he gets on top of the ball and starts prancing about on it. Perfect balance, like a little furry ballerina. Turns out this little poodle was not only a brilliant footballer. He was a circus dog before the war!"

Nora broke in. "You know, if you can get him on your roster, you could go all the way to the World Pup!'

"That was my punchline, you sneak!" Peter tossed a balled-up sock at his sister, who promptly lobbed it back at him. Then she yawned and smiled and waved at Louis.

"Pierre," Louis said as he entered the room, "Your sisters have had a long day. Have you shown them their room?"

"Yes, Louis," Mavis interrupted. "It's very nice. Nora, Louis is right. We really need to get a proper night's sleep."

"Nora, I want you to rest," Peter added.

"Blah, blah, blah," Nora taunted. "I'm not a delicate flower, Peter. What are we doing tomorrow?"

"Sacre Coeur and later Notre Dame, I think," Peter replied. "The view from Sacre Coeur is one of the best in Paris, and there's a beautiful old carousel… and I think you'll like Montmartre."

"And there's the windmill, and all the little cafés," Louis said. "I'll come with you, if you'd like. And if you're not worn out after that, we can take a taxi to Notre Dame."

Peter's eyes lit up, and so did Mavis's and Nora's. That would be grand, they all agreed.

Nora got to her feet and stretched, clearly ready to call it a night. "Are we going to meet some of your friends, Peter? You've talked about them in your letters."

"Oh yes," Peter replied. "We'll see Julien and Josette tomorrow, and you'll meet Suzanne and Gaston in the next few days."

"What about the other one? Tom?" Nora asked.

"Oh, well," Peter replied. "Ahm, ah, ahm, I'm n-not so sure."

"He'll be working long hours," Louis interjected. "At the restaurant."

"Oh! Maybe we can meet him there!" Nora said. "I'll recognize him after you sent me that picture of the two of you. Mavis, Peter plays football and goes swimming with him."

"I know," Mavis said. "He sounds very nice. From Poland, you said?"

"Yes," Peter said. "But, well, I've joined a different crowd for football. Julien and Gaston…"

"Great! We'll meet all of them, then!" Nora said cheerfully. "Good night, Peter," she said, pecking her brother on the cheek. Mavis followed suit, and then both of Peter's sisters said a warm goodnight to Louis and Danielle. Peter followed them into the hall for a longer, more private hug.

A moment later he was back. The living room was quiet, with Peter, Louis and Danielle staring at one another.

"I c-can't tell them," Peter said. "I'm n-not ready to tell them. They can meet Suzanne and, and, and my other friends. Not Tomasz."

"If they do meet Tomasz at the restaurant, is he likely to say anything?" Danielle asked quietly.

"I, I don't know," Peter said. "He's busy with Dimitris, but …"

"But what, Pierre?" Louis wanted to know.

Peter looked down and ground his bare toes into the carpet. "He says he mmmmisses me. It's only been five days."

"Hmm," Louis said. "Well, you're not working this week. And I will make sure he is not in the restaurant when your sisters come to visit."

Peter looked up at Louis. "Are you sure, Louis?" LeBeau nodded briskly. "Thank you, mate. That should help," Peter said.

Louis patted Peter on the arm, then left the room, leaving Danielle and Peter together. They could hear him padding down the hallway after Peter's sisters. He was in host mode, determined to make sure they were completely comfortable.

"Are you over him, Pierre?" Danielle asked softly.

"I'm trying to be. I do like Suzanne. I just miss… what we had."

Danielle leaned into Peter, and laid her hand on his arm. "Intimacy," she said very quietly. "With a man. Is it what you prefer?"

Peter shrugged and looked away. "I'm trying not to miss it."

Danielle pursed her lips. "What does Suzanne know, Pierre?" she asked.

Peter had seen her on Saturday. He was very interested in Suzanne, and wanted to be closer to her. He also knew there was a risk she would hear about his relationship with Tomasz, and he wanted her to hear about it from him. So he'd begun to broach the topic. While he didn't want to spell the details of his affair with Tomasz, he didn't want to lie to her, either. But he hadn't gotten very far.

"She knows that, that, that he was interested in me," Peter replied.

"That he was interested in you," Danielle said. "But not that you were attracted to him?"

"I couldn't br-bring myself. I'll tell her somehow. I was thinking she might read between the lines. We, we had fun together yesterday. She taught me some tennis, and then we took a long walk. And, and we kissed." He bit his lip and looked pensive as he said it.

"Was it nice?" Danielle asked. She slid her hand down his arm to take his hand in her own.

He looked up and smiled a genuine smile. "Yes, of course it was."

"Mm," Danielle said. She believed him, but she also knew from her own brother's experience that some men spent years denying their nature. "Give it time with Suzanne, Pierre. But follow your heart. And don't break hers."

"I don't want to hurt her," Peter said. "I j-j-just want to be normal." He wrapped his arms around Danielle in a hug just as Louis re-entered the room, carrying Danielle's cardigan.

"Break it up, you two," Louis joked. "Pierre, your sisters are settling in nicely. And bad news: Cosette has claimed Nora as her best friend. I'm walking Danielle home, and should be back in an hour."

"Or two," Danielle said with a wink.

"Or two," Louis said as he helped Danielle into her sweater. That sounded promising, he thought as a small smile formed on his lips. He didn't have to work the next day, but Danielle did, so he wouldn't be spending the night. If he did, God only knew how long they'd at it; they were really enjoying one another these days. Anyway, he needed to be home for his house guests.

Peter saw them to the door and kissed Danielle good night. Oh, he loved her so much and was so happy she was in Louis's life.

He sighed as he walked down the hall to his temporary bedroom at the back of the flat. He was done with Tomasz; he was sure of that. He missed his embrace, the feel of Tom's stubble against his cheek, but he could change. He was sure of that, too. He would think about Suzanne and Anja tonight. Nobody else.

He poked his head into his bedroom, the one he'd given up to his sisters for the week.

"Good night, Mavis. Good night, Nora," he said softly. There was no reply. They were untroubled and sleeping soundly.