French Twist

by Glynis Astie

  “They are looking forward to meeting you too. I have been getting a lot of pressure to bring you back to France.”

  Whoa. I was so not ready to go to France. They’re going to think I’m a total idiot. I’m the stereotypical American who will go over there and only be able to speak English. I have to do something about this and quick. What if he wants to go to France for Christmas??? I have to get started tout de suite. I opened up my internet browser and started searching for French classes in the area.

  “Syd? Have I lost you?”

  “I’m sorry, Louis. The work is piling up. I got distracted for a second.” No reason to worry, Louis. This is only your fiancé still trying to cover up the complete and total insanity which resides inside her brain.

  “Got it. I will let you go. Think about what you want to do for dinner tonight. I want to take you somewhere special.”

  I couldn’t help but smile. “I love you, Louis.”

  “I love you too, mon coeur. More than you can possibly imagine.”

  I hung up the phone with mixed emotions. I was thrilled by my good fortune at having found a wonderful man who appeared to love me exactly as I was. But I couldn’t contain the sadness I felt at the prospect of being without him for two weeks. Again. Big picture, Syd. Focus on the big picture. Louis will be with you for the long haul. And he was certainly worth the wait.

  The day passed quickly, though I found myself continually distracted by Louis’ impending departure. After reading the same paragraph in a complaint letter for the fifth time, I decided I needed some serious help. I tried Kate’s work line, but got her voicemail, so I tried her cell phone in desperation.

  “Hey, Syd! How are you?” Thank God she picked up.

  “Kate! I need a sanity check.”

  She laughed. “What is it this time?”

  I sighed. Sadly, I deserved her mocking since I have required many sanity checks over the years. In fact, if it weren’t for Kate, I don’t think I would have retained any sanity at all.

  “Louis has to go back to France for two weeks for work. I’m freaking out.”

  “What else is new? You wouldn’t be you if you didn’t freak out a little. It means you care a great deal for him.”

  “You don’t think I’m insane?” I always marveled at Kate’s belief in my “normalcy.”

  “Syd, will you stop beating yourself up? You’ve always been a very emotional, very, um, sensitive person. It gets you hurt sometimes and causes you stress - no doubt - but it makes you the incredible person you are. The sooner you come to terms with this, the better.”

  She had a point. I guess if I started with this type of personality and then lived through what I’ve lived through in my romantic life, it would make sense that I was still a little...uncertain with Louis. After all, it had only been seven weeks, right? I wasn’t a total lunatic. Or this was what I chose to believe at this point in time.

  “Thanks, Kate. It helps to have you remind me of my redeeming qualities.” I chuckled softly.

  “Indeed, you have many redeeming qualities. You know this! Just do me a favor, OK?”

  I hesitated. “What kind of favor?” Kate had led me through a few rather scary favors over the years. I think the worst was when she had me speak in front of the Bronx chapter of the Harley Davidson Riding Club in order to conquer my fear of public speaking. I wasn’t sure if I were more scared of public speaking or the big, burly bikers. (Now, now, there’s no need to judge. I was still in high school! I found them to be very intimidating.)

  “Don’t get nervous.” She scoffed. “I want you to remember you’ve been through a lot over the last few years. And - while your relationship with Louis has brought you great happiness, it’s been a whirlwind romance to say the least. It’s perfectly normal to feel unsure of things sometimes.”

  I exhaled loudly. “You’re absolutely right.”

  “You know I always am. When will you accept this? You could save yourself so much worry!” I could hear the smile in her voice. She knew I wouldn’t be able to argue that point.

  I laughed. “You can be really annoying sometimes, you know?”

  “I’m your big sister. It’s one of the perks of my job.”

  Now she really had me laughing. “I’m glad to know you find this to be a rewarding experience.”

  “I do! When you were first born, I thought this whole thing was going to suck, but you’ve been quite entertaining over the years.” She giggled.

  “Leave it to you to have me laughing and irritated at the same time. You’re truly talented!”

  “Don’t you forget it!” She laughed. “Oh! Hang on for a sec, Syd.”

  I heard Nick’s voice in the background. I also heard...a loud speaker? Where were they?

  Kate came back on the line. “I’m sorry, Syd. I have to go now.”

  “Is everything alright? Where are you?” I felt the familiar anxiety set in.

  “Everything’s fine. I’ll give you a call later, OK?” She sounded calm, so I decided to believe her - for the moment.

  “OK. I love you!”

  “I love you too, sweetie. Bye.”

  It was at times like these when I didn’t feel simply emotional or sensitive as Kate described, I felt like a total freak. I had stopped worrying about Louis’ trip and started worrying about Kate. I had been so wrapped up in my own life for the past seven weeks that I hadn’t paid attention to what was going on in hers. I thought about the loudspeaker I had heard in the background. It sounded like the hospital. What were they doing there? I knew she told me everything was fine because she didn’t want me to worry, but I didn’t buy it. She was always protecting me. One of these days I would have to grow a pair and insist she tell me what was going on.

  Is it possible to develop things like strength and confidence? Louis and Kate seemed to have both in abundance. If I was going to be a lifelong partner for Louis, I would need to dial down the worrying and become Strong Sydney. Or perhaps Confident Sydney. I knew I had seen these attributes in myself before, even if it was in limited supply. I would have to do my best to find them and kick them up a notch. And the first item on my list was to find out what was going on with Kate. It was time I took care of her for a change. It was time for me to be the perfect sister.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Louis and I had a wonderful evening together before his trip, but I was completely distracted by the thought of Kate being in some kind of trouble. I explained what had happened to Louis, who then shared my concern, but we were unable to get Kate on the phone. After a night of continually disturbed sleep, I kissed Louis good-bye and made him promise to call me every day. I even had him spray his pillowcase with his cologne so his scent would keep me company while he was away.

  I tried reaching Kate all morning, but had no luck. I decided to try Nick’s cell phone. I had to get to the bottom of this.

  “Hello?” I could barely hear his voice above the static.

  “Nick? It’s Syd. Is everything alright?” Yikes! I think I overcompensated for the static by yelling.

  “You don’t have to yell, Syd. I haven’t lost my hearing recently.” He chuckled. “Everything’s fine, but I can’t talk now. I’m on my way to a meeting.”

  I made a conscious effort to lower my voice. “OK. I’ll let you go. Just one question - do you know where Kate is? I’ve been calling her since last night, but she hasn’t picked up.”

  “She’s fine, Syd. She’s at home resting.”

  “Resting? Did something happen? Is she ill?” I could feel the torrent of worry threatening to unleash.

  He sighed. “She’s fine. Why don’t you give her a call later this afternoon and she’ll fill you in, OK?”

  I knew it! Something was going on. “I will. And you’re sure she’s fine? You would tell me if she weren’t, right? I can handle it.”

  “Yes, Syd. I would tell you. You can relax.” He sounded exasperated. That is my cue to say good-bye.

  “I will. Have a good day. Bye!
”

  I hung up the phone and tried not to worry. Kate was the strong one; I had never had to worry about her. She was always the one to take care of me. I suddenly felt extremely selfish. I picked up the phone and started to dial her number when I remembered Nick asked me to call her in the late afternoon. I put down the phone and turned my attention back to my work. This was going to be a long few hours. As you know, I have a very active imagination. It can go to some pretty scary places in a few hours...

  By four o’clock, I couldn’t wait any longer. I dialed Kate’s home number and waited with bated breath. Kate picked up on the fourth ring, right when I thought I was going to get the machine (and go out of my mind).

  “Syd?” She sounded groggy.

  “Hi, Kate! How are you?”

  “Sick.” She coughed. “I feel like crap.”

  “Have you been to the doctor?”

  “Nah; I’m fine. I just need to rest.”

  I didn’t buy it. “Kate...”

  “Yes?”

  “When I talked to you yesterday, it sounded like you were in the hospital. Are you sure you’re alright?”

  She was silent for a few moments. I was doing my best not to wig out, but decided if I lost the battle, so be it. Based on her hesitation, a good old-fashioned wig out may be warranted this time.

  Enough with the silence. “Kate? Please say something.”

  “Syd, don’t worry. I’m fine. It’s not what you think.”

  “Really? You don’t have cancer?” My mind always took things to the edge. But you knew that already.

  She laughed softly. “No, I don’t have cancer.” She took a deep breath. “I’m pregnant.”

  I was totally not expecting this news. My surprise resulted in the temporary loss of the power of speech. Clearly, Kate was enjoying my reaction, since a long stream of giggles emanated from the other end of the phone.

  “Syd? Are you OK?”

  I laughed. “I’m more than OK! I’m going to be an aunt!”

  “That’s right, hon. You have some very important responsibilities coming your way. You’re the only local relative. You’ll be our go-to babysitter.”

  “Sweet! I can’t wait.” Tears filled my eyes. “I’m so excited for you and Nick.”

  “Thanks! We’re pretty excited ourselves.” She sighed. “It’s too bad I feel like crap most of the time. Morning sickness sucks.”

  “Kate, why didn’t you tell me sooner? You let me go on and on about my stupid stuff when you’re creating a life?” I felt like such a jerk.

  “Syd, stop it! Everything going on in your life is important too. Nick and I are just starting to tell people about the baby. We wanted to get used to the idea first.”

  “When is the baby due? Are you going to find out if you’re having a boy or a girl? Have you chosen names yet?” I was bursting with questions.

  She laughed. “Get a grip, Syd. The baby is due in April and we aren’t going to find out what we’re having. We want to be surprised. And we haven’t even begun to discuss names.”

  I have to admit I was a little disappointed. I wanted to know! I would definitely find out when it was my turn - but that was a LONG way off.

  “Is there anything that you need, Kate? Something to help to settle your stomach?”

  “Don’t worry. Nick has me fully stocked. I’d love to see you though. Why don’t you stop by after work?”

  “Absolutely. I’ll call you when I’m on my way.”

  “Sounds great. I’ll see you soon.”

  “Hang on, Kate! Have you told Mom and Dad?”

  She chuckled. “We told them last night. I think Dad went into shock. Mom is already planning a number of knitting projects.”

  “You’d better buy a ginormous dresser for the baby’s room.” Our mom loved knitting and this was her first grandchild. The combination would yield HUGE results.

  “No kidding! Nick’s scared. Since we’re not finding out the sex of the baby, he thinks everything is going to be yellow. He’s not a fan.”

  “Green and blue are fine too. Make sure to consult with mom before the knitting rampage begins. You know her creative streak runs in weird directions sometimes.”

  Kate snorted. “No one has forgotten the Christmas of the lavender vests.” Indeed, no one had. We all got them, even the men in the family. I don’t care how masculine you are; it’s tough to carry off lavender brocade.

  Just then my other phone line began to ring. “I have to run, Kate. I’ll see you later! Congratulations again!”

  “Thanks, sweetie. Bye!”

  After I hung up from a rather extensive discussion of the possibility of pet health insurance with our newest employee, I allowed myself a moment to take in Kate’s news. I couldn’t believe it. I was going to be an aunt! Louis was going to be an uncle. This was insane! I was so excited to tell him. I hoped I would be able to speak with him before he got on the plane. He promised to call, but I wasn’t sure how long his meetings would run.

  I closed my eyes and let the news settle in. The Bennett sisters were full of life-changing news lately. I suddenly wondered how my parents were doing. They have had a lot to take in over the past two days. I decided I had better give them a call later to check in. I could picture my dad sitting at his desk playing solitaire while he tried to process it all. Somehow the feel of the cards in his hands helped him to make sense of everything.

  The last hour of my day flew by due to spontaneous visits from a good portion of the employee population. People always had human resources issues (from the necessary to the ridiculous) and they figured while they were there, they may as well grill me a little more about my engagement. All the public details had been spilled at this point, but people hadn’t tired of the story yet. It must have been a slow week for company gossip if I were still the top story.

  I was about to leave for the day when the phone rang. I lunged for the receiver.

  “Sydney Bennett, how may I help you?” I was breathless.

  “You can tell me how much you love me, mon coeur.”

  I smiled. “I love you more than you can possibly imagine.”

  “I only have a quick minute, but I wanted to hear your voice before I got on the plane.”

  I couldn’t wait to tell him the news. “I have some amazing news! There’s going to be a new addition to our family!”

  The other end of the phone went still.

  “Louis? Are you there?”

  He cleared his throat. “I am here. A new member of the family?” He seemed nervous.

  Crap! In my excitement, I had totally phrased the news in a scary way. Poor guy. I laughed. “I’m sorry, Bluey. I didn’t think about how that sounded. Kate’s pregnant! You’re going to be an uncle!”

  He sighed with relief. “That is wonderful news! Please congratulate Kate and Nick for me.”

  I giggled. “I will. You were pretty freaked, weren’t you?”

  He laughed. “Yes, I was. We have a lot on our plate right now. I was only wondering how we were going to handle a baby on top of everything else.”

  “Someday,” I said. “Not for a few years though, right?”

  Louis paused. “I don’t know if we have that long. I mean, you are kind of old...”

  I choked on the water I had been sipping. “How rude! I’m not old!”

  I heard some serious cackling coming from the other end of the phone. When Louis thought something was truly funny, his voice raised a couple of octaves. This, in turn, pitched me into a fit of laugher. Anyone within a fifty foot radius of either one of us would have thought we were completely insane. (Which is not far off the mark.)

  He slowly caught his breath. “I love you so much, Syd.”

  I let out my last few giggles as I rolled my eyes. “I love you too. Even if you do like to mock me for sport. You know, Nick is thrilled to have a worthy ally.”

  “And I will do him proud.” I could hear the smile in his voice. “Thank you for putting me in such a good mood before my lon
g flight, mon coeur. I will call you when I get to Paris, OK?”

  I sighed. I missed him already. “OK, Bluey. Have a safe flight.”

  My visit with Kate after work was short lived. The poor woman was exhausted. Pregnancy had hit her pretty hard. When she wasn’t nauseated, she was sleeping. I delivered a bouquet of white tulips (her absolute favorite) along with Louis’ congratulations and left her to rest. Nick thanked me for coming by and let me know he would have her call me tomorrow.

  The next morning, I woke to find a voicemail from Louis on my cell phone. He sounded exhausted. There was a lot of turbulence on the flight and even he, the man who claimed the army taught him to sleep under any conditions, couldn’t sleep. He said he would call me when he had gotten settled in his hotel. I listened to his message a couple more times before I got out of bed. (Make fun of me all you want; I missed him!)

  I finally heard from Louis in the late afternoon. I had just finished going over a very complicated claim issue with our medical insurance representative, when my phone rang. The number was blocked, so I crossed my fingers and hoped it was him.

  “Sydney Bennett, how may I help you?”

  “Mon coeur! How I miss you!” Louis!!!

  I sighed with relief. “I miss you too, Bluey. I’m sorry you had such a rough flight. How are you feeling?”

  He yawned. “Tired. But I feel much better now that I have heard your voice.”

  “You have no idea how happy I am to hear YOUR voice. I already want you to come home. I know it sounds awful…”

  “You simply can’t help yourself, Syd. I am irresistible.” His yawns kept coming.