You're the One: a Contemporary Romance Novella Set in Paris (Bistro La Bohème) by Alix Nichols Page B
Authors: Alix Nichols
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The local
organizers greeted them warmly and offered refreshments. Adrien stole a glance
at Gustavo who radiated good mood, now that there were people around to take
care of the practical side of life.
It takes this kind of single-minded
dedication to be the world’s top chess player. And I don’t have it.
Worse, he
didn’t even want to have it. Life was about more than chess. He wanted to save
a good chunk of it for his family, friends, a girlfriend, and the new family
they’d create someday.
Which meant
that even though he had enough talent, he’d never be the world’s top chess
player.
***
THREE
The Clandestine
Book Club embarked on its third day. The first two days, Natalie had been
excited and anxious in equal measure, her perception heightened by a sense of
transgression. But today was different. Today, she didn’t worry about being
caught. She knew she could do this. As it happened, she was beginning to turn
their act of civil disobedience into a reassuring routine—exactly what
little children needed and loved. Even the rebellious nap-skipping ones.
As soon as the
dormitory went quiet—barring a snore or two—Natalie made a sign,
and four pajama-clad munchkins tiptoed into the adjacent room.
“Mademoiselle
Legrand, can I go pee?” Téo whispered.
“Of course,”
she whispered and helped him into his little sneakers. “Go. Just don’t run, OK?
We mustn’t wake the other children.”
Unlike this
batch, most of the kids in her group needed and enjoyed their afternoon nap.
Five minutes
later Téo joined his little friends on the floor cushions. In spite of their
tender age, the children were remarkably disciplined—they knew what was
at stake. If madam director caught them, she’d make them nap again and she’d
tell their teacher off.
So they sat
quietly, eyes brimming with excitement, while Natalie distributed the books. A
hardback about princesses for Samira, a coloring pad and crayons for Adèle, a
sticker book for Téo, and a book about cars and trains for Thomas. A few
minutes later, the club was in full swing.
It had all
started on Monday when Madame Blanc begged Natalie to allow her daughter to
skip the mandatory nap.
At first,
Natalie tried the party line. “I’m sorry, but it’s the policy of the Lafayette
School that all children in the Small Section should nap.”
“But the nap
is more than an hour long!” Madame Blanc exclaimed. “My daughter stopped
napping when she turned three in May. She’s lost the habit over the past five
months.”
“I understand.
And, believe me, I sympathize with her. I’ve got three more like her in my
group. They can’t sleep no matter how hard they try. They get so bored during
nap time.”
Madame Blanc
gave her a beseeching look. “Can’t you do something?”
“How about I
talk to madam director?” she suggested.
“I already
tried that. And got a long lecture on how it’s for my child’s good, how she
knows better than I do, and how this nursery school is the best in Paris. In
short, the answer was no.”
Natalie
concentrated on not sneering at the spot-on summary of the director’s pedagogic
philosophy.
Madame Blanc
let out a deep sigh. “Adèle hates the nap time, and she dreads school because
of it. Every morning it’s tears and struggle to drag her here.”
Natalie was
taken aback. “Oh. I didn’t realize it was that bad.”
And that was
when she thought of the secret book club. It was a risk, but one she was
prepared to take. It wouldn’t get her fired. The worst that would happen if
they got caught would be a roasting from the director. Natalie could live with
it.
After the
children got engrossed in their books, she sat on the floor and watched the
perfect little angels. In less than ten minutes their attention spans would run
out and they’d start fidgeting and making noise. But she was prepared—she
had a big book with pictures and lovely stories. They’d discuss the stories,
and then she’d return them
organizers greeted them warmly and offered refreshments. Adrien stole a glance
at Gustavo who radiated good mood, now that there were people around to take
care of the practical side of life.
It takes this kind of single-minded
dedication to be the world’s top chess player. And I don’t have it.
Worse, he
didn’t even want to have it. Life was about more than chess. He wanted to save
a good chunk of it for his family, friends, a girlfriend, and the new family
they’d create someday.
Which meant
that even though he had enough talent, he’d never be the world’s top chess
player.
***
THREE
The Clandestine
Book Club embarked on its third day. The first two days, Natalie had been
excited and anxious in equal measure, her perception heightened by a sense of
transgression. But today was different. Today, she didn’t worry about being
caught. She knew she could do this. As it happened, she was beginning to turn
their act of civil disobedience into a reassuring routine—exactly what
little children needed and loved. Even the rebellious nap-skipping ones.
As soon as the
dormitory went quiet—barring a snore or two—Natalie made a sign,
and four pajama-clad munchkins tiptoed into the adjacent room.
“Mademoiselle
Legrand, can I go pee?” Téo whispered.
“Of course,”
she whispered and helped him into his little sneakers. “Go. Just don’t run, OK?
We mustn’t wake the other children.”
Unlike this
batch, most of the kids in her group needed and enjoyed their afternoon nap.
Five minutes
later Téo joined his little friends on the floor cushions. In spite of their
tender age, the children were remarkably disciplined—they knew what was
at stake. If madam director caught them, she’d make them nap again and she’d
tell their teacher off.
So they sat
quietly, eyes brimming with excitement, while Natalie distributed the books. A
hardback about princesses for Samira, a coloring pad and crayons for Adèle, a
sticker book for Téo, and a book about cars and trains for Thomas. A few
minutes later, the club was in full swing.
It had all
started on Monday when Madame Blanc begged Natalie to allow her daughter to
skip the mandatory nap.
At first,
Natalie tried the party line. “I’m sorry, but it’s the policy of the Lafayette
School that all children in the Small Section should nap.”
“But the nap
is more than an hour long!” Madame Blanc exclaimed. “My daughter stopped
napping when she turned three in May. She’s lost the habit over the past five
months.”
“I understand.
And, believe me, I sympathize with her. I’ve got three more like her in my
group. They can’t sleep no matter how hard they try. They get so bored during
nap time.”
Madame Blanc
gave her a beseeching look. “Can’t you do something?”
“How about I
talk to madam director?” she suggested.
“I already
tried that. And got a long lecture on how it’s for my child’s good, how she
knows better than I do, and how this nursery school is the best in Paris. In
short, the answer was no.”
Natalie
concentrated on not sneering at the spot-on summary of the director’s pedagogic
philosophy.
Madame Blanc
let out a deep sigh. “Adèle hates the nap time, and she dreads school because
of it. Every morning it’s tears and struggle to drag her here.”
Natalie was
taken aback. “Oh. I didn’t realize it was that bad.”
And that was
when she thought of the secret book club. It was a risk, but one she was
prepared to take. It wouldn’t get her fired. The worst that would happen if
they got caught would be a roasting from the director. Natalie could live with
it.
After the
children got engrossed in their books, she sat on the floor and watched the
perfect little angels. In less than ten minutes their attention spans would run
out and they’d start fidgeting and making noise. But she was prepared—she
had a big book with pictures and lovely stories. They’d discuss the stories,
and then she’d return them
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