ARROW - 106. Chapter 106

Now we needed to climb the Tower. If the boys weren’t tired by the time we reach the restaurant, I would be amazed. We made it to the first observation deck and I knew we would need to take the elevator to the restaurant. The boys looked around the observation deck. They could see the river and a boat. “Dad, there’s a boat. Can we go for a boat ride.?”

“Maybe all can go for a ride.”

“We can have dinner on the boat.” I thought that would be a good evening activity. “Ready to climb to the restaurant?”

The look on the boys’ faces made Colin and I laugh. “We could climb or take the elevator, which would you like?” Colin and I laughed as their mood changed.

We took the elevator and arrived at the Jules Verne restaurant. The Maitre D seated us so the boys could look at the view and again they made the comment about the river. Lunch was a puff pastry. “Dad, this is like what we had on the plane.”

“It was only this has chicken in it instead of fish. Tell me which you liked better. Maybe we can get Marcel to make this for us when we get home.”

The food was excellent. The waiter told us the restaurant is rated as a One Star restaurant.

Lunch over, we decided to walk down.

When we reached the ground, the boys wanted to go and check out the river. When we got there, they were taking reservations for the dinner cruise. I thought that would be something we could do. So I made reservations for Saturday evening for 12 people. I had until noon Saturday to pick up the tickets.

We started to walk back to the hotel, “Armand, are you going to stop and say hello?”

“Yes, I think I’ll invite her to go with us on the dinner cruise.”

As we approached Madam Lavigne’s home, I stopped at the patisserie and picked up three bottles of her favorite wine. Colin smiled as he tapped me on the shoulder, “Check the boys.” They were eyeing up the pastry.

‘I wouldn’t think they could eat anymore after that lunch.”

“We can stop and they can get something to eat on the way back to our hotel.”

“Let’s go boys.”

“Dad!”

“We can stop here on our way back.”

Approaching Madam Lavigne’s home I told the boys that when I was in Paris,I stayed here and when Pop and I were here , we stayed here.” By this time we reached her door. I knocked and we waited.

The door open as Madam Lavigne said, Oui. Then she looked and saw Armand. From that point on, hugs and kisses as she welcome Armand and Colin. Then she noticed the boys. She was perplexed until Armand told her these boys were his and Colin’s children. The boys introduced them selves, speaking French. Madam Lavigne’s English was non existent.

We were invited into the living room, (the following conversations were in French) “Armand, you haven’t been married long enough to have these young men. Tell me about them.”

“These are our adopted children whom we are very proud of. This is their first time in Europe. Richard’s mother is from France and French is his second language which he has taught to the his brothers.” The boys sat there and smiled.

Madam went and offered them a glass of wine. The boy’s wine contained a little water.

“Armand, I had a client who occupied your bedroom. He brought me your drawing and said he would pay me 2000 francs for it. I told him no and he then offered me 3000. Are you famous now?”

“Madam, he won’t tell you but he has become a well known artist. I would suggest you keep that drawing and when you decide to retire and need the income, that drawing will bring you enough money to live comfortably for several years.”

“Madam, he exaggerates. The drawing was a gift and what you do with it is your decision.”

She looked at Colin and knew what he said was more true than the modest comments by Armand. She remember when he was here before and he always had a group of students with him.

“Madam, we have booked a dinner cruise for this Saturday. I would like for you to join us. Our parents are here with us and I would like for you to meet them.”

“And we will see Goat Island again.” Looking at Colin she laughed. “Thank you. I would like to meet your families. Before you leave, look at these drawings I found in your room after you left. These are yours.”

Armand, started to look through them. Some he laughed at, showing them to Colin and the boys. Colin looked at Armand, handing him a pen. Armand signed them with his Arrow.

Madam took them and seeing the arrow, she placed them in a locked drawer. “Armand, do you have any paintings in the museums?”

“Not that I know. I haven’t been to the Louvre yet but we’ll go this Thursday. Tomorrow we are going to check on our chefs. They are at a cooking school that is owned by our chef’s brother.”

The boys had to show her the souvenirs from the Tower and told her about having lunch there. I noticed she acted like a grandmother making a fuss over her grandchildren. Time seemed to slip by. We were enjoying our stay and not paying attention to the time.

Finishing our wine, we said our goodbyes, promising to see her on Saturday.

Walking back to our hotel, we had four boys who were pretending to be drunk from drinking their glass of wine. They would take a few steps and then bump into one of us.

“Where do you plan on having dinner tonight?”

“Let’s have dinner at the hotel. After that lunch I’ll settle for a salad.”

“Sounds good to me. I may have to run a few pounds off, if not here definitely in the village.”

“It isn’t might have to run, it will be you must run. You gained a few pounds the last time we were in Barcelona.”

Walking into the hotel, we heard our fathers laughing. Seems this is tourist season as they were sitting with two American couples.

“Boys, do you want to take a nap before dinner?” Looking at Colin his expression indicated that I asked them a crazy question.

“Dad, we would like to change our clothes and maybe take a shower.” I looked at Colin and smiled.