Chapter 2: Dining with Aristocrats
Spring came with beautiful rain, my favourite weather, especially when the sky is gray, and gorgeous flowers, bursting with colour along the boulevards and cafes. It brought more warmth than winter to Paris and it seemed my joy increased. Luviate had been coming to visit me more often and it seemed we had been growing closer as friends than ever before. I continued to have dinner with the family but still leaved my normal life, not abiding by aristocratic etiquette or becoming part of their world. It had all seemed to alien to me to even imagine living my life going to balls, operas, and theatres; having everything most people would die for. What I would have died for then, was my normal life and my little meetings with Luviate. And that was exactly what I got.
Later, in early May, Luviate was kind enough to take me to one of his favourite operas which was playing at an old opera house. It was quite something, him buying me a brilliant red opera gown, opera glasses, white gloves, and kindly asking a man to do my hair for the evening. Luviate's, one of many, I am sure, carriages took me to the opera house and we were seated in the balcony, where we could see the whole stage.
Luviate turned to me and said, " Soon, hopefully, I will become one of those genius actors acting upon that stage." He had laughed a little after his own statement. Well, that's exactly what happened.
June came with a wrath for autumn, winter, and spring. Proving itself better than any other season, it brought gorgeous sun and little rain to Paris, of which, no one thought possible. I awoke early in the morning to find Nicolas at my door telling me Luviate had disappeared and joined a troupe of Spanish actors. He was quite frantic about the whole deal, as was I, and soon set out to find him.
Monday, June 12th, we headed out to find him. We learned he had returned to Paris but no one knew where he was. It turned out Luviate did not run after a Spanish troupe but he just stayed with a few actors talking about performing and trying to get involved in the business. Tuesday, June 13th, we found him nearly banging down the front door to my "house", telling Nicki and I we were to see him perform that night in a Parisian play down at his favourite opera house. He was playing a penniless, heartbroken boy of eighteen who was out to find love. Of course, he paid for both my ticket as well as Nicolas's, which he refused upon letting him several times, insisting he had the money.
Reluctantly, he accepted the ticket and that night we went to see him perform, as a real actor. The white paint for his face was not needed, for he was as beautiful as an angel without it. The opera was amazing as it came to a marvelous close with him finding love with a young Spanish girl.
Afterwards, we all went out to celebrate at a local restaurant. With the wine poured and the appetizers served, we three began our long talk that lasted until we were thrown out of the restaurant and were forced to go back to the inn Nicolas and his father owned, for if we went to his house, we would be to obnoxious for any decent person to handle.