Disclaimer: Highlander belongs to Davis/Panzer. They are being borrowed and returned hopefully in about the same shape they were taken in. Jeff, Emmy, and just about everyone else, belong to me. You can use them if you like, just return them please.

Chapter 32

"I'm actually kind of shocked that you have a full suit," Amanda said as she dug through Jeff's closet. "And that all of your clothes, except those you've worn in the last three days, are clean. Most single men living on their own aren't that good at taking care of themselves."

Jeff responded slightly sheepishly, "I wasn't raised the way most people were. My mother, if she even was my mother, I don't even know, was a drunk and a crack addict. I spent most of my time with my friends, and like I said at dinner, they were all pretty much Hispanic or Haitian. I speak both pretty well. Anyway, I was taught by the mothers of many of these friends how to take care of myself. They'd often come over with me to my house in the afternoons. My mother would be passed out in the house somewhere, and we'd just grab the laundry and take it out and clean it. I was able to do my own laundry by the time I finished kindergarten."

Amanda had stopped as she listened and was looking over her shoulder at him, eyes dark and solemn. "Wow, sounds like you had a great childhood."

He shrugged. "No worse than a lot of kids in that part of Miami. It's just the way things are in big cities. Rick grew up about the same way. That's probably why we're such good friends. Although Rick says that I'm the stronger person, because I made a better person of myself without anyone's help. I don't agree with him, though. I think I was made a better person by the twenty or so Hispanic women that I still refer to as Madre. They took in this little white boy and called him son. It was the best."

Amanda dug back into the closest, then popped out, grinning as she held up a pair of pants and a shirt. "You want stuff like this."

Jeff gave her a weird look, "You're kidding right?"

She shook her head, "Nope, this is really close to what most of them wear."

"Amanda, I wear that for my league golf group with the Watchers..."

She shrugged at him. "Hey, you asked. Besides, you really don't have anything else that doesn't scream 'I'm a rich American brat trying to seem cool in Europe.'"

Emmy, who had been leaning in the doorframe listening to the them as they talked, announced cheerfully, "I say we just go shopping when we get to Paris."

Jeff rolled his eyes, uncomfortable with the idea. "With what money? Rick is buying my way over, remember."

Amanda grinned evilly. "We don't need money. You forget I have major ties in the fashion world. I can get you everything you need." She loved playing dress up with just about anyone.

The days to prepare to leave for Paris passed too quickly for Jeff. He was excited to travel, but he was also nervous. He was uncertain why he felt that way. He was not the one telling someone he had not seen for fourteen years that he was still alive. He was just going so he could record it in the chronicles of Immortal history. This was not even his first trip to Paris. He had gone there once before to talk to Joe, and get his help and sanction to create the Servants.

This would be his first trip going as a photographer though, and it was probably this that made a difference. He had taken some shots of historical sites the last time he visited, but they were not professional ones; they were personal ones. Now he was going with the eye of someone trying to sell the photos he would take.

The last three days had afforded him tremendous publicity, as he received the Grand Prize on one of the photos he had submitted to a photography contest. Another two had placed in different divisions. Jeff thought of himself as not like most people. He did not just take certain types of pictures; such as landscapes or animals. He took all kinds of pictures, and he enjoyed looking at all kinds of pictures. His artwork was as eclectic as his lifestyle.

Now that he was leaving for Paris, his thousand-dollar camera in hand, with tons of people waiting for him to bring back photos, he was scared that this might not go quite as well as he hoped. Nevertheless, he was bound to see it through. He had wanted to be a photographer for years, and now he had the opportunity to really shine. He looked through his list one more time and realized that he had everything he needed. Just as he finished this, he heard a knock at the door. That would be Rick coming to pick him up for their drive to the airport. It was time for a new chapter to unfold in their lives.