by Lacey Legend
“Oh, I guess, a little milk and sugar,” she said, still feeling as though she were in a dream.
“And pastry?” the girl asked.
“Yes, thank you.”
The attendant scurried out of the room and Diamond stretched and yawned. The gentle morning sun shone through the windows, and the sea could be seen from where she lay. Talk about a room with a view. The master bedroom looked right out onto the ocean, as though the bed were positioned to view it like a painting. Diamond’s initial instinct was to call Tanesha, but she knew that it was too soon. She still had to process for herself what an extraordinary night she had had with Baptiste. Did all of that really happen? There was a sense of unreality to it. Diamond shook her head, already flooded with the erotic memories of what they had shared.
It wasn’t long before the attendant returned with a tray. It was placed in front of Diamond, and the piping hot coffee was poured from a silver pot into a porcelain cup.
“Thank you,” Diamond said, not used to being served like that.
“You’re welcome. My name is Agnes. If there’s anything you need, please let me know.” Agnes spoke perfect English, as did everyone else in Baptiste’s home. Probably because they entertained people from all around the globe. Next to Diamond’s coffee was a small croissant, a little dish of butter, some jam, and a cup of bright, colorful fruit. It was the perfect breakfast, and Diamond relished it.
Once done, Diamond didn’t quite know what to do with herself. Where was Baptiste? She wrapped a sheet around her naked body and walked towards the window, looking down upon the veranda. Sure enough, there was Baptiste in a suit, in deep conversation with five other men in suits. The conversation looked tense, but Diamond couldn’t look away. It was so fascinating to see Baptiste in action.
Momentarily Baptiste looked up towards the window and spotted Diamond looking down. She wanted to duck quickly but instead she just stood there. A little smile came to Baptiste’s lips and Diamond laughed, finally pulling herself away from the window. Her heart was racing, just from looking at him. Amazing how that could even be possible.
She turned to see if she could find her clothing on the floor but it was nowhere in sight. Diamond panicked, looking all around the room for something to wear. She stepped into Baptiste’s walk-in closet, at a loss for how she was going to fix the situation that she had on her hands. But there, in the center of the closet on a pedestal, was a folded sundress and a pair of shoes beside it. Diamond picked it up in her hands and felt the silky texture. That sure wasn’t the dress that she showed up in. God knows what happened to that. But clearly, this dress had been laid out for her so that she might have something to wear.
Diamond put the dress on, and amazingly it fit her perfectly. Delight turned to suspicion when Diamond realized that maybe Baptiste had a whole closet full of dresses that other women left behind. Was she just another of his conquests? But no, she could tell that the dress had never been worn, and there was no sign of other women’s clothing pieces anywhere in the closet. Baptiste had ordered an attendant to go pick up a new outfit for her, perhaps in the morning while she slept. Diamond just knew it.
She looked at herself in the mirror, and the happy sundress complemented her skin beautifully. Even the shoes fit! How did Baptiste manage to pull off that magic trick?
“I’m getting ahead of myself,” Diamond said, shaking her head. In the excitement to try on the dress, she completely forgot that she hadn’t bathed. She walked into the plush bathroom and removed the dress again, drawing a hot shower. Of course, since Baptiste had a walk-in closet, he also needed a walk-in shower, and Diamond was amazed when the water started coming at her from all directions, as well as the steam. It was indulgence to the max.
Diamond heard footsteps in the bathroom and her heart started pounding.
“Good morning,” she heard a voice say.
Chapter6
Diamond peeked her head out of the shower and there Baptiste stood, hands in his trouser pockets and gazing at her. She thought that perhaps she should cover herself up, but there was no point to it. Baptiste had already memorized her body the night before.
“Good morning,” Diamond repeated.
“I trust that you slept well,” Baptiste said.
“I did.”
“Pardon the intrusion,” Baptiste said, walking away.
“It’s alright,” Diamond replied, not uncomfortable in the least that he stood there. She wished that he had the freedom to join her in the luxurious shower.
“May I kiss you before I go?” Baptiste asked. A large smile came to Diamond’s face and she laughed to herself.
“That would be nice,” she replied.
“Very well then,” Baptiste said, turning back towards the shower and placing his hand on Diamond’s warm cheek, now dewy from the steam of the shower. He leaned in and kissed her gently, and Diamond was comforted by it.
“I’m going to head home soon, but I can’t thank you enough for a great night,” Diamond said with sincerity.
“Well, you know that I wish that you wouldn’t go,” Baptiste said, still holding her cheek in his hand.
“That’s sweet of you to say,” Diamond replied.
“It’s the truth,” Baptiste said. He kissed her one more time and then walked towards the door, making his exit.
Diamond sighed and closed the shower door, submerging herself in a pool of steam and hot water. She could feel her whole body being cleansed and rejuvenated.
She was eager to return to her apartment and start her new life. It seemed that Baptiste was almost a pleasant distraction from the real work that lay ahead; the work that she was bound to do on herself. She wanted to be healthier, happier, full of life again. Diamond didn’t know where to begin, but she knew that she could find her way.
The driver took her back to her apartment mid-morning. She turned around in the car and watched as Baptiste’s estate slowly disappeared from sight. Her heart sank. How was it that she was already having feelings for a man that sprung into her life so quickly? She tried to not think about him but it seemed impossible. Baptiste Laurent kept creeping into her thoughts.
When the car pulled up to her modest apartment, Diamond couldn’t help but marvel at the contrast. Cozy, quaint, and simple; there was a huge difference between where she lived and the stately mansion where Baptiste spent his days.
She thanked the driver and walked up the creaky stairs, finding herself in her sun-lit dwelling that overlooked the sea. Diamond smiled to herself. Sure, it wasn’t fancy or expensive, but she had to admit that her little place was pretty dreamy in its own way. She looked out towards the sea, and off in the distance she saw Baptiste’s home standing as a reminder of the night before. Yes, that home would always be there, reminding her of Baptiste’s presence. She could never escape him, and she wasn’t entirely sure if she wanted to try.
Diamond’s mobile rang and she desperately hoped that it was Tanesha. Finally, she felt the need to talk about all that had happened. She needed to hear that it was alright that she had a steamy, extraordinary night with a man she only met days before. Picking up the phone, her heart sank.
How many times had Malik called her? According to her phone, it was a handful of times. It was as though, thousands of miles away, Malik could sense that Diamond had slipped away from him, body and soul.
Diamond put down her phone and sat on the couch, holding her head in her hands. Even from a great distance, Malik could still fill her with dread. How was it possible?
“Should I be worried?” Diamond said aloud, and just on cue, Bernice took her place as her confidant.
“Child, I done already told you to be worried about that fool.”
“Mama, I should have listened to you. I don’t know why I let him into my life.”
“I didn’t give you no kind of example. If I had ended up with a good man, then maybe you would have had a chance,” Bernice said, shaking her head.
“Well, don’t go on blaming yours
elf. I’m the one that got myself into this mess,” Diamond said, sitting upright.
“And I’m here to tell you that you’re going to have a hard time getting out of it. That man ain’t gonna let down easy. I can see it clearly in his character. Been down this road myself,” Bernice explained.
“Mama, what else am I supposed to do? I’ve gotten as far away as I can, I’ve set the stage for a new life, and I’ve clearly told him that it’s over.”
“You’re doing all that you can, child. You just need to be careful, you hear me,” Bernice said. There was fear in her voice and it filled Diamond with dread.
“What do you mean, mama?” Diamond asked.
“I just want you to be careful.”
Bernice disappeared after those words and Diamond placed her head in her hands again. She didn’t know how much more of the dread she could stand. Just then, pleasant relief came in the form of a knock on the door.
Diamond got up and opened it to find Emmanuelle, holding a bouquet of flowers and smiling. It was just what Diamond needed to see.
“Good afternoon,” Emmanuelle said.
“Oh, hello. Come in,” Diamond said, opening the door wide for her.
“I have picked these from my garden this morning, and I thought that you might need a bit of color.”
“That’s so nice, Emmanuelle. Thank you!” Diamond replied.
“You had a good evening, I trust,” Emmanuelle said, a bit of humor in her voice.
“It was all very . . . unexpected,” Diamond replied, still not knowing what to make of it.
“Yes, I saw the car pull up out front, but I don’t want to pry,” Emmanuelle said, lifting her brow. Diamond began to laugh bashfully. “You don’t have to tell me anything, of course,” Emmanuelle said, throwing a hand in the air.
“Well, actually, I need someone to talk to,” Diamond said.
“Oh good, I’m all ears,” Emmanuelle replied, becoming enthusiastic. She sat herself upon a chair and awaited a full recount of the events from the night before.
“Well, we had the most amazing meal!” Diamond said, remembering all the colors and flavors that greeted her at the Cafe Jardin.
“That is always the best start,” Emmanuelle said.
“And then, he asked me to return to his home,” Diamond said a bit bashfully. For the life of her, she couldn’t figure out why she was telling Emmanuelle so much, but it just felt right. In her gut, she sensed that Emmanuelle was someone that she could completely trust.
“And . . .?” Emmanuelle asked, a congenial smile upon her lips.
“Well, you know,” Diamond said, not wanting to go into details. The two women broke out into a laugh, and nothing else needed to be explained.
“He must be incredibly fond of you,” Emmanuelle explained. “I have never heard of a woman staying at the estate.”
“Really?” Diamond asked.
“Yes. In Paris, of course, there are scores of women. But not here,” Emmanuelle explained.
Diamond felt her heart sink. Were there really scores of women coming in and out of his Paris apartment? She wondered if she was just another one of his conquests. A frown came to her face.
“Don’t you worry about a thing,” Emmanuelle said, getting up to turn on the kettle. “He is a man, after all. But that estate is hallowed ground,” she explained, looking off towards it. “It means something that he brought you there.”
Silence followed as Diamond considered Emmanuelle’s words. Just when she thought that what she and Baptiste shared might be profane, now she was beginning to wonder if it was incredibly special. Her heart warmed again, and memories of the night before played in her mind.
Emmanuelle served tea and the two ladies stared at the sea for a while. The dread of Malik’s phone call melted away, and Diamond was at peace again.
“That’s a beautiful dress,” Emmanuelle said.
“Oh, this . . .” Diamond said, remembering what she was wearing. “Baptiste gave it to me.”
“Did he really?” Emmanuelle asked in amazement.
“Yes, I don’t know where it came from,” Diamond said in amazement.
“How very intriguing,” Emmanuelle replied.
It was only later that afternoon that Diamond would get an answer to the question: What happened to my own clothes? The driver returned to her apartment with a garment bag, within which was her blue dress, perfectly cleaned and pressed.
“You work very hard,” Diamond said to the driver with a smile.
“I get paid well,” was his simple reply.
“That’s good to hear.”
“Monsieur Laurent requests your presence for dinner,” the driver said.
“Oh . . .” Diamond replied, looking down towards the ground. She wanted to see him again, desperately. But she looked back towards her apartment, the apartment where she hadn’t slept the night before, nor any night for that matter, and she made a painful decision. “I think that I have to stay in tonight.”
The driver looked at Diamond as though she were crazy. How could she possibly be refusing the invitation of Baptiste Laurent? The notion of it seemed completely absurd.
“I think he will be upset to hear that,” the driver replied.
“Please, tell him that it would be so nice, but I just have to take care of some things tonight.”
Stone-faced, the driver stared her down, as though waiting for her to relent, but Diamond didn’t.
“Very well,” the driver replied, turning back towards the car.
Diamond heaved a sigh and wondered whether or not she had done the right thing. She couldn’t just travel to France and dive into life with another man so instantly. That wasn’t what a headstrong, independent woman was supposed to do!
She walked back towards her apartment and up the stairs. Diamond’s phone rang again and her stomach flipped. Not again, she thought to herself. She picked up the phone with trepidation and was pleasantly surprised.
“Girl, why you gotta be all the way over in France?” Tanesha said into her ear.
“You trippin’?” Diamond asked, hearing the frustration in Tanesha’s voice.
“You been gone three days now and I’m messed up. Nothing goin’ right and it cause you ain’t here,” Tanesha said.
“You sound frustrated,” Diamond said with a little laugh, plopping herself down on the couch.
“Frustrated? You say I’m frustrated? Girl, you don’t know the half of it and you ain’t here to help.”
“What’s goin’ on?” Diamond asked.
“Yo, I got Malik all up in my business, knocking on my door asking where you be. Then he gone to callin’ all the time, leaving messages and asking where you gone. And then I be worrying about him finding you, and I got heartburn all up in my chest, and I just can’t sleep.”
Diamond held the phone to her ear but could not speak. It was one thing that Malik was bothering her, but to think that he was now pestering Tanesha was just too much. He must have gotten desperate, and Malik was the last person that you wanted to see becoming desperate.
“He threaten you?” Diamond asked, fear in her voice.
“Ain’t in no good mood, I can tell you that,” Tanesha explained.
“Well, if he comes over there you just call the police,” Diamond said.
“Yah, and have them show up an hour after that,” Tanesha replied.
“I just don’t understand it. That man will not back down. I wish he’d find some other woman to torture.”
“I’m pretty sure he’s determined to only torture you. You gotta gun?” Tanesha asked. Diamond stifled a laugh.
“What you sayin’ I gotta gun? Tanesha, I be halfway across the world.”
“Mm hm. That’s what they all say until the motherfucker shows up and they ain’t got no gun.”
“Oh my God, I can’t be listenin’ to this right now,” Diamond said.
“Okay, cover yo ears if you like, but I’m telling you to get a gun.”
“You playin’.
”
“I ain’t playin’ with you.”
Despite Tanesha’s insistence, Diamond couldn’t imagine actually purchasing a gun when she was so far away from Chicago. It seemed ridiculous. Did they even have gun stores in France? No, everyone was far too happy eating great food, making love, and enjoying the beauty of life to be bothered with the need to purchase a gun. Guns were just an American thing, where there wasn’t enough pleasure in life.
“Well, I’m going to go for a walk. Get some fresh air and clear my head,” Diamond said into the phone.
“You do that. I’m gonna do the same thing, but in the ghetto.”
“Okay, I miss you,” Diamond replied.
“Miss you too, girl. Call you in an hour.” Tanesha hung up, and Diamond laughed to herself. It was inevitable that Tanesha would be calling her nonstop. She switched off her phone, not because she didn’t like talking to Tanesha, but because she needed to be present, and focus on her new life.
Diamond was feeling adventurous, and so she put on her best walking shoes and headed towards town. Things were bustling that day, with both tourists and locals. The old buildings glowed in the sunlight, with their thatched roofs and old, latticed windows. It seemed that every home had a garden out front, and roses were blooming at that time of year. They came in every imaginable shade of pink, yellow, and even deep purple. You could smell their fragrance in the air, carried around by the warmth of the sun.
The sound of the creek could be heard, and it flowed gently and peacefully. The warmth of the sun kissed Diamond’s skin and she felt perfectly content, just strolling and wandering, with no particular destination.
Diamond then passed a shop that smelt so remarkably delicious that she could not help but step inside. The Chocolatier Matisse had been on that street for centuries, and still, its rich, decadent chocolates had not changed one bit. Diamond closed her eyes with pleasure and took in the smell one more time, then walked over to the glass case where all the chocolates were on display.
“Bonjour, Mademoiselle,” the chocolatier said. He was wearing a white apron around his large midsection.
“Bonjour,” Diamond replied. Looking at the glass case, she was unsure how she would be able to decide. There were so many chocolates in every imaginable shape, size, and flavor. “I wish I could have one of each!” she said with enthusiasm.
