A Tale of Two Cities : Part III
Grace knew that something was going on the moment that she heard Cooper on the phone to reception, trying to surreptitiously organise an early alarm call for the following day as she was in the bathroom freshening up before they headed out for dinner, but she decided to pretend she had heard nothing. She had anticipated that he would organise some kind of treat for her, as he had already told her how guilty he felt that he had brought her to England and had then effectively dumped her on her own for three days. She had not objected to it, but he had still felt that guilt. She thought that he might have obtained tickets to the opera or the ballet, both things that they had discussed on the run up to their trip; but it could not be either of those, as why would they need to be up early for an evening show? So, she assumed, it had to be an excursion. As they went to head out, Cooper realised he had left his wallet upstairs, and dashed back up, leaving her in the lobby. As she waited, she overheard the concierge telling an elderly couple that the day trip to Stonehenge left at 8am. Well, if that was what he had planned, then its was perfectly okay by her…
Dinner that night was enjoyable, although the restaurant was busier with it being a Friday night. In the past, they might both have been tempted to join the crowds on their way to the latest hip club, but both admitted that they would rather head back to the hotel for an early night, tired by the activities of the day. After all, it would be a long day tomorrow…
Grace could quite easily have stayed in bed the next morning when the alarm call came. For once Cooper was the one that was out of bed and moving about first, heading into the shower and preparing himself for the day. When he came out, he gently prodded her and told her she needed to go and get showered, as they had a busy day ahead. She nodded sleepily, then headed in. When she emerged it was to find Cooper sitting there, fully dressed, grinning like a mad thing next to a tray laden with a continental breakfast on the side table. This was a shock, as they both enjoyed heading down and having a leisurely breakfast in the dining room. Before she could open her mouth to speak, she suddenly saw that there was an envelope propped up against her handbag, with her name written on it. "Open it…" said Cooper, in a low voice, and she immediately did. When she read what was inside, her mouth dropped open, and then she was pulling her fiancé into a hug…
Just over an hour later, the two of them were presenting their passports to the border guard in St Pancras station, one overnight bag between them as luggage, as they headed for Paris. Admittedly, once Grace had got over her initial shock and then joy, she had begun to panic. Cooper had laughed, and had gone over to grab a croissant. "Gracie, my sweet, just relax. We are going to be staying overnight with François and the girls - and before you ask, yes, Santana does know that we are coming and has no issue with it at all. We are therefore not going to some high class hotel, so you do not need to pack a case; all you will need to do is put on your most comfortable shoes, as we will be doing a whistlestop tour of all of the main sights. I already have a wallet full of Euros, so you don't need to worry about spending money. Finally, believe it or not, I am actually all packed and ready. So no thinking, just doing my love!"
Grace had made haste through her usual morning routine, and grabbed some breakfast. She had then packed lightly for herself, and had decided that his toothbrush, a razor and a pair of sleep shorts were not sufficient packing for him, and had added a change of clothes. It still seemed like no time at all as they headed up the moving walkway to board the sleek train that they had viewed from the outside on Thursday night.
They had been booked into the highest class of seat on the train, which meant that as they glided effortlessly out of the station and into the first of many tunnels, they were at once given a menu for another breakfast. This explained to Grace why Cooper had forgone his usual large breakfast earlier. The food was exquisite, and was served with a glass of Bucks Fizz, which seemed rather decadent. The speed at which the train was moving made her journey of the previous day seem slow, and made the normal train to Washington from New York seem like a stopping local. Eventually they found themselves heading into the Channel Tunnel, a period of 25 minutes or so when there was nothing but darkness outside, and the thought of the sea above them. Then they suddenly emerged back into the light; the change in the landscape made it obvious at once that they were no longer in England, but in France, a country that seemed far less urban than the UK. True, they ran beside a motorway for a while, but it was almost out of place in the largely bucolic landscape. It was not until they neared their destination that they began to see the kind of urban landscape that they were both used to.
That morning in Paris, Santana had told Brittany over breakfast that they would be getting visitors for the first time. She had put off telling her as she did not want to find out that she hated the idea before it was, as François said, a fait accompli. To her relief, Brittany had reacted with excitement and insisted that they had to go and meet them at the station. That had been the plan all along; a quick hello and welcome, and then a quick lunch - well as quick a lunch as you could have in a country where the lunch hour lasted for two… They would then separate, and meet up again at a carefully chosen restaurant for a late dinner. Brittany however decided that did not make sense, particularly when she heard they were heading to Notre-Dame cathedral and the Pompidou Centre, two places they had still to go themselves; it made far more sense to go together. Before Santana could point out that it was hardly romantic for either couple, François intervened, and agreed with Brittany. If they did as she suggested, then they could eat earlier, allowing the two new arrivals to head out after dinner to the Eiffel Tower, and what could be more romantic than that in the moonlight on a warm summer evening in Paris?
'Very little,' thought Santana, and so she agreed with Brittany's plan.
Once she got to the Gare du Nord, however, her doubts began to resurface, but by then it was too late. The train had pulled in, and they now saw two very familiar faces approaching the platform exit. François stepped forward first, and greeted the couple warmly, welcoming them to his home town, and then jokingly, he informed Cooper that he did not have to dress up as his brother Luc… Once the laughter had stopped, the honeymooners made their greetings, and if Brittany's eagerness to accompany then around annoyed either of them, they did not show it. In fact, if anything, Cooper seemed happy about it…
A quick metro ride from the station, after they had eaten lunch at a café nearby, brought them to within walking distance of the city's ancient cathedral. As they walked across the square in front of it, Grace looked at Cooper with something akin to dread. She was just waiting for the moment that someone in all innocence brought up the word Quasimodo, and she knew he would immediately hunch himself over and say those words; "The bells, Esmeralda! The bells!" She was fearful that François would be the most likely person to do so. However, when they had reached the door, and he hadn't. she decided they were safe. It was at that moment that a passing tourist said the word, and suddenly Cooper was hunched over, had grabbed Brittany's hand, and was saying those words in a horrific accent.
As the blonde girl laughed, Santana turned to Grace. "What do you say to running off now and pretending that we aren't with them? I know the way to the department stores…"
"It is very tempting, but we'd best not," said Grace with a sigh, observing how her fiancé and Santana's wife were now the centre of attention. "They might upset someone and need a lawyer…" At their side, François was trying very hard not to laugh at the antics of the other two…
Eventually they managed to stop them, and headed into the building. The dark inside the church was comforting, not scary as it might have been, the interior illuminated by the dozens of candles that had been lit in prayer. They stood and watched as François crossed himself, bowed, then went forward to light one. He returned to their side, then whispered, "Whenever I happen to go into a church, I light a candle for my late grandmother. Guillaume used to come with me some days when he lived here, and he would just stand and watch as I prayed. He used to say that I was lucky that I had something to believe in, whereas he had lost all his faith in the world a long time before. I think that he has some of it back now, though; he has faith in Dave, his brother, his friends. He has his maman back again. Guillaume will always be a lapsed Catholic, but then again, so many of us are…"
Santana nodded, and then to everyone's surprise, she copied François' actions, and lit a candle herself. Brittany and Cooper followed her, lighting a candle and leaving a donation in the box. "I lit mine for Wes, God bless him," said Santana, "but also for Finn, that great lumbering lummox."
"Mine is for Kurt, and I am guessing that you lit one for your brother?" Brittany asked Cooper, who just nodded in response. They then proceeded to walk around the church, in awe of the silence that there was inside, given that it was surrounded by the hustle and bustle of the city. Eventually though they took their leave and headed off for their next destination.
The contrast between the cathedral and the Pompidou Centre could not have been greater, they all agreed. The vibrant space was busy with young people, all enjoying the warmth of a Saturday in early summer, listening to music, or talking animatedly about some aspect of culture that they loved or loathed. In the end they stopped there only briefly, as time was marching on and they had deadlines. As Brittany asked again if they had forgotten to put the plumbing in and had added it on the outside later to save money, they headed across the city in the direction of the Louvre, and once again, François did his magic. Brittany and Santana remained outside in the gardens, sitting by the incongruous glass pyramid that rose from the middle of them, whilst he escorted Cooper and Grace to stand in front of what was probably the most famous painting in the world.
Grace was entranced by the enigmatic smile the moment that she saw it, and even Cooper had to admit that he felt a certain frisson from the fact that he was actually in front of it… "It is a classic, I'll give it that… However, if I am being totally honest, then I much prefer The Judging Angel…" he said, causing Grace to stifle a laugh, and resist the temptation to say out loud that she was in full agreement. It was still impressive, and at least they could now say that they had seen it. They returned to the street, and then headed back along the banks of the Seine, all the time seeing the most famous structure in the city getting closer on the opposite bank. Eventually though they turned off, and headed through the wide boulevards to arrive at the Girard residence.
Dinner that evening was prepared with great care by François, beginning with the old family recipe for Bouillabaisse, then proceeding with a boeuf bourguignon, which he had left to simmer away slowly in the oven since the change of plans that morning, leaving the meat tender and the sauce rich and thick. All four of his guests agreed that it was exquisite, and Cooper went so far as to suggest that François should choose a career in cuisine. He smiled sadly, and told them that he would have no choice other than to go into the family firm, much as the idea of being tied into a small construction business appalled him. Before anyone could speak, he continued by pointing out that Sebastian had already told him to rebel; but he had been brought up to respect the wishes of his parents, and they had never treated him harshly, despite his misadventures, so he owed them to follow in his father's footsteps. Grace nodded in understanding, as she recalled a teenage girl who had dreamed of being a vet, or a teacher, but never a lawyer…
After dinner, with directions from François in his hand, Cooper guided Grace to the Eiffel Tower, lit up now as the skies began to darken as the sun set. They took the elevator right to the top, and found it surprisingly quiet for such a nice night. Below them the myriad lights of the city shone, and in the distance they could see, floodlit from below, one of the buildings they would visit the next day - the Sacré-Cœur. "I am so glad that I decided to bring you here," Cooper said quietly as he wrapped his arms around Grace. "Romance is not the strong suit amongst the men in my family, but I trust that I am doing ok?"
"You are, my darling CJ. After all, what girl could possibly resist the thrill of being whisked off to Paris for the weekend? This is the best surprise that anyone has ever given me." She hugged Cooper close, and he could only smile as his heart felt as if it was about to burst with all of the love he felt for the beautiful woman in his arms.
Sunday in Paris dawned bright and sunny. Grace found herself waking early, and after a quick wash, she dressed and headed to the kitchen. She arrived there just as Santana was walking out, and nearly bumped into her. It transpired that she was heading out to the bakery to buy bread and croissants, and on a whim, Grace asked her if she would mind some company. Five minutes later the two of them were at the door of the bakery, inhaling the scent of the freshly baked goods that were on display behind the counter. As they walked back to the Girard's apartment with two baguettes, several croissants and some pain au chocolat that were fresh from the oven, Santana mentioned the gift she had received from Sebastian; she was slightly surprised to discover that Grace knew nothing about his kind gesture. They quickly made plans to meet up for dinner on Tuesday, the day that the two girls would arrive, and then meet up again at the Tower of London the following day; it was on Grace's to do list in any case. She gave the younger woman instructions to meet her and Cooper outside Charing Cross station. She knew that the Number 15 heritage bus ran from just across from the station, and what better way to travel through London than on its iconic red bus? It would also take them past St Paul's Cathedral en route.
By the time that they got back, the other three people in the apartment were awake, and all of them were more than ready to dive into the fresh goods that they had brought. It was a leisurely meal, which gave them all time to chat about their plans for the day. They arranged that they would meet up at one of the large department stores later in the afternoon; it gave Cooper and Grace a chance for a whistlestop tour of the sights before they had to head back to the station for the Eurostar. François was more than happy to hold on to the overnight bag whilst they did so, promising to bring it with him when they met up later.
By the time that they met up in the Galleries Lafayette, grace was more tired than she cared to admit, but it had been well worth it. She had a whole list of sights to tick off her list; the Arc de Triomphe, the Sacré-Cœur, the Moulin Rouge. They had enjoyed a quick lunch in a little bistro in Montmartre, enjoying sharing a croque monsieur and a dish of escargots as a dare. To their surprise, they both found that they actually liked the latter. "Does that make us sophisticated gourmands?" Cooper asked as they walked back out onto the street.
"Maybe - but I still refuse point blank to even consider eating Steak Tartare," Grace replied, as Cooper pulled a face and nodded in agreement.
They had strolled the boulevards and the narrow streets hand in hand, and they could see for themselves why people saw this as one of the most romantic cities in the world. They had bought a box of macron in a small pâtisserie for later, and had enjoyed a couple of ice creams as they sat on a bench, looking out over the city. As they approached their meeting point, Cooper turned to Grace and said "I will bring you back here one day, and that is a promise. Maybe not soon, but once you are Mrs Hummel-Warbler, we will spend a week here, just exploring the city."
"I will hold you to that, CJ. Once we are married, but before we have kids, ok…" Grace replied, and once again Cooper felt a glow at the idea of being a dad. He always did. He had moved on from the self obsessed man that he used to be, and now thought that nothing in the world could be better than having his own children to look up to him; kids to play with in the park, to watch as they grew into strong adults. It gave him a warm feeling inside, and he liked that…
Cooper was not so keen on the department store though, but thankfully for him, because of their limited time, it was more of a dash than an all day affair. They also managed to spend most of the time in the food hall, rather than in the clothing departments. He did manage however to find his way, with François' guidance, to the jewellery counter, and he picked out a pendant that he knew would suit Grace whilst the three women were looking at the displays of dresses. If there was one thing he loved about Grace it was the fact that she did not need to spend thousands of dollars on clothes to look beautiful; instead she carefully considered the practicalities of every item that she bought, and went for quality over quantity every time. In the food hall, they purchased some boxes of chocolates and sweets to hand out when they arrived back in the States, including a box of marrons glacés for Sebastian. François had informed them that he liked one particular brand, but none of the others - and the brand in question was not available outside of Paris. It would be a suitable reward for ensuring that Mason and Roderick were behaving themselves.
This done, it was time to head back to the station. There was no time for dinner before they departed, but as they were once again travelling in the top class coach, they would be served a meal whilst en route back to England. Grace said a quiet "See you on Tuesday" to Santana, and then with hugs all round, they parted once again. It had been a brief trip, but both Cooper and Grace had found their weekend in Paris highly enjoyable, and it had whetted their appetite to see more of Europe, when they had time available. As the French countryside flew by, they ate the three course meal that was provided, accompanied by champagne, and afterwards, just relaxed back in their seats, thinking about the remaining week of holiday that they still had to look forward to…
Cooper and Grace slept later on Monday, having arrived back at the hotel fairly late the night before. They headed down for breakfast, but somehow the selection of pastries for the continental breakfast which had looked so appetising before no longer had the same appeal. They all now seemed a poor imitation of those that they had eaten the day before. Their plan for the day was art galleries; Grace was surprised to discover that Cooper was now keen to come with her to the National Gallery to have a proper look, and then he would also join her on an expedition to Tate Britain. She had quirked an eyebrow when he had said he would happily come, and he had responded simply that he had realised that it was time for him to learn to appreciate art; the only reason he hated the whole gallery concept was the memory of childhood excursions when such visits had been dire.
Once he was in the National, Cooper took time to look properly, and soon found that he was enthralled by what he saw. He could admire the different styles and methods that the talking guide Grace had got him pointed out, and also the vivacity of the colour on a painting that was in some cases centuries old, recording a person or a scene for posterity. True, he found the mythological paintings more of a struggle than the simple portraits and landscapes, but he could still admire the skill and the effort that had been used to create them.
Then it was on by bus to the Tate in Pimlico, passing the Houses of Parliament after a long drive down the length of Whitehall. The Tate was not as busy as the National Gallery, being less central. Before they entered, Grace pointed out the modern MI6 building on the opposite bank of the river. The mixture of art here was more eclectic, and Cooper found that he did not like the modern art that he saw in one exhibition space. Like Nick before him, he fell in love with the Turner paintings; he could almost feel the wind and the waves from the seascapes thanks to the way that the artist had worked.
"They have a few of his works in the Met, you know," Grace said quietly, knowing that he had never set foot across the threshold of that illustrious institution in all the time that he had lived in New York.
"Really? Well, maybe on one of our Mondays, you can take me up there and show me them," Cooper replied. The fact that in the gift shop on the way out he picked up a book on Turner, and bought it so that he could 'lend it to Jeff' made Grace smile inwardly.
That evening, after an early dinner, they found themselves once more in a theatre, but this time not one they had any connection to through Cooper's work. They had asked the concierge that morning if he could book them four seats for The Mousetrap on Wednesday. Grace had told Cooper that she knew the honeymooners would be in town, and he agreed with her suggestion that they should go and see a show; and if they were going to do that, then what better play than the world's longest running one? On a whim, they had then asked him to get them two seats to a show that evening, preferably a comedy. So it was that they found themselves in theatre seats which, like most of those in London, where by no means as comfortable as those back home, waiting for the curtain up on The Play that Goes Wrong.
The whole premise of the show had sounded interesting to Cooper, but he did have doubts about it. They were dispelled after the first few minutes, when he and Grace burst out laughing simultaneously as the show began to turn into a total disaster zone. They were both used by now to the slick production standards of Broadway; to a world where if something did go wrong, you covered it up and chances were, no-one in the audience would be any the wiser. Here, every conceivable disaster possible occurred, and as the cast valiantly attempted to keep going with the show, Cooper found himself on the verge of hysterics at times.
They had both noticed a draught as the curtain rose; they hadn't been sure if it was the familiar one until the first of the mishaps occurred, and then they had heard the familiar sound of Blaine's laughter echoing amongst the others in the auditorium. It was joined by that of Wes, Finn, and eventually Kurt. For Wes, a lover of all British comedy, this slapstick farce was sheer perfection; Blaine was in full agreement and Finn hadn't been able to help himself at the sheer absurdity. Kurt had resisted at first, but then as part of the set collapsed on the cast, he couldn't help himself.
At the interval, Grace headed to the powder room to sort out her make up, having laughed so much her mascara had run with her tears. Blaine came to sit beside his brother, his face red with laughing. "Well, I will say this; if this show ever makes it to Broadway, then I will buy everyone I know a ticket," Cooper whispered to Blaine, as there were other people around.
"You should," his brother replied. "I am certain that the Warblers will all howl at this, and I am sure that Sam, Artie, Mike and Puck would too. I guess Quinn would too, and Santana for sure. Mercedes might. Brittany would be concerned about people being hurt. Tina would probably be hyper critical. As for Kitty, she would laugh, but be bitchy at the same time…"
"I wouldn't bother buying a ticket for Rachel though," said Kurt from behind them. "She just would not get what it is that they are doing…" No-one raised a voice to disagree with his point.
The second half of the show had them all howling again, Wes laughing so hard that he got a stitch in his side. When it was all over, Cooper and Grace said goodbye to the angelic members of the audience, and headed out into the streets, to join the crowds of theatregoers heading home. "I have to admit it, my sides are aching. I haven't laughed as much in years," said Grace. "I am very tempted to tell people that they need to jump on a plane and come and see it!"
"I have a strong suspicion that they will not need to do that Gracie. I checked a few things out, and it seems that this show has been running for about three years now, is usually sold out, and has had some very famous faces in the audience. I have a strong suspicion that it will eventually make it to Broadway, and maybe sooner than people expect." Cooper smiled, then carried on. "The question is, will a typical audience member in a Broadway crowd get it, or is it just too British to be funny for the usual theatre lovers in New York? Only time will tell…"