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"Oh my God! Not another museum!" Gail moans into the crisp white linen sheets and mountain of pillows on our bed in the suite of the B&B where we are staying in Paris.
I have to laugh she looks so adorable.
"Come on Gail!" I say throwing a robe at her, "Breakfast will be here any minute now, and you should be getting up anyway."
She groans and rolls over trying to burry herself even deeper under the covers.
"Ok, so I did make you suffer through the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle on Monday and the Louvre yesterday. But I didn't hear you complaining when we ended up at Le Fumoir for cocktails and snacks later." I smirk at her.
"Can't we just relax and enjoy the city?" She whines
It is beginning to become apparent that her idea of relaxing and enjoying the city and mine might be different.
"Well, you know, we could go to Le Musée du Vin Paris, instead of another art museum today." I smile, lifting my eyebrows at her.
"Really Holly, the wine museum?" She rolls back over and tilts her head at me. Why does she have to be so cute?
"It's the only museum in the city where you get to drink wine at the end of the tour." I wink at her.
"Well, why didn't you say so?" She sits up slipping on the robe, as she swings her feet to the floor.
"I was thinking we might also have lunch in their restaurant if you would like. And then perhaps, we could wonder up the Seine and over to the Eiffel Tower." I say. She comes around the bed, robe hanging loose and untied, to press her still naked body up against my back.
"Or we could come back here and take a nap after lunch." She breathes into my ear, as her hands find their way under the shirt I'm wearing. They trace gentle intoxicating patterns onto the skin of my stomach.
I lean into her warmth, my head tipping back, my eyes falling shut as she explores my throat with her lips.
"Or we could come back here and take a nap after lunch," I exhale with a smile
There is a sharp knock on our door to indicate our breakfast has arrived. She scoots into the bathroom wearing a somewhat smug look.
As I sit on our balcony overlooking the city, drinking my café au Lait, I can't help but think what a magical trip this has been especially for Gail! I am so proud of her! At the conference in London we, Yuri, Tatiana, Gail and I, were practically treated like royalty, and Gail like the conquering hero having finally home. It was wonderful to see her given respect and recognition, from well-respected law enforcement professionals from all over the world – some of whom have never even heard of Elaine Peck. While it is always difficult for Gail to accept praise, I was thrilled to watch her begin to replace some of her bluster and swagger with real confidence.
Gail has some decisions to make about her future, as much as she hates to even think about it. I know the International Commission on Human Trafficking offered her a position in their London office, but I doubt she will do it. Or at least not right now. I don't want to be another person in her life putting pressure on her about her career trajectory, but I am hoping that someday she understands, success does not equal caving in to Elaine's wishes. And that her success can be hers alone. If moving to London would do that for her, I could find another position either with a crime lab or a university there too. I could even take some time off to just write and lecture. I know both my literary agent and my publisher would be thrilled!
Gail slides into the seat across from me wearing skinny black chinos and a loose fitting knit jersey. Her hair is slicked back and her skin practically glowing from the heat of the shower. She sighs contentedly as she rummages in our covered breadbasket for a pains au chocolat. She takes a bite and moans ecstatically
"I could live here, Holly!" Stretching out languidly until her bare feet end up in my lap.
"Oh really?" I muse back at her.
"Uh huh. Coffee in a bowl and chocolate for breakfast, with you, what could be better?" She smiles a half lidded content smile that makes my heart sing.
"You know, I could and would go anywhere in the world with you." I smile back.
"You would, huh?" She opens her eyes, stretches out further and closes them as she tips her head all the way back to rest on the back of her chair.
"Yeah, I mean it. I would." I say firmly.
"You're serious, aren't you?" she peeks at me through half open eyes.
"Yeah, I am." I say, smiling at her.
She drops her feet from my lap to the floor and sits up to lean over the table, suddenly alert.
"But I couldn't do that to you… you know… take you away from your work… your friends… your home…"
"If you haven't noticed, I just happen to be a highly sought after member of the forensic sciences community. I could get a job anywhere, and frankly, my publisher would be thrilled if I took some time off to finish my latest book project." I say trying not to sound too smug, and failing.
"Really?" She asks reaching across the table to take my hand.
"Really." I nod. "Gail, my home is where ever you are. As for my family and friends, they will always love me and plus there's always Skype. So don't let me stop you from considering that offer from London."
She contemplates me with clear blue eyes for a moment without saying anything. Her expression gives nothing away, but I can tell her mind is spinning behind those eyes.
"You would do that for me, Holly?" she finally says, quietly.
"I would." I give her hand a little squeeze. "I know that you are afraid of being like your mother, having ambition for ambition's sake. But being successful doesn't have to be that way. What if you could do something that you are good at that would make a huge difference in the world, knowing that it was all you; your brain, your hard work that got you recognition and respect. You just had a little taste of that last week. What if you were finally able to get out from under your mother's thumb and do this on your own?"
Gail took a deep breath and looked out at the city, "I have never known anyone like you, Holly." She began "That would be so… so amazing… so terrifying… and I don't know, like nothing I ever imagined my life could be…"
We sit quietly for a while, looking out at the back of the Eiffel Tower over the rooftops of Paris. If I could only capture this moment in time, this and the past week, no matter what the future holds I could live on just this for years. I watch her pick mindlessly at her croissant, feeling serge of pure, raw, tender love toward her.
"You know Gail," I finally say, "No matter what you do, no matter what you decide, I won't be disappointed."
"No?" She turns to face me, eyes wide and trusting.
"No." And as I say it I know it is the truth, "I am so lucky that I get to have a job that I am not only good at, but that I love! I would love the same for you! I don't care if you become an international crime-fighting superstar, or choose to remain a Toronto beat cop for the rest of your life… Or if you finish that application to join the ETF you were trying to hide under our bed…" I wink at her, "You don't need to decide now. As long as we are together I will support whatever decisions you make. I want you to do whatever will make you fulfilled and happy. I don't care what your mother wants, I am here for you!"
She picks up my hand and presses it to her lips.
"What did I ever do to deserve you?" She smiles at me again, holding my hand to her face.
"I don't know." I smirk, "But we should get going if we want to get to our time slot at Le Musée du Vin Paris."
"I guess it's never too late to learn about the wine we will be drinking…" Gail swills the rest of her coffee, and gets up taking her croissant with her.