ARROW - 182. Chapter 182

Charles finished Ronnie’s home including a master suite on the first floor. Ronnie said he wanted two offices, one for Julie and one for him. According to Ronnie, teachers needed a home office. When I saw Ronnie’s home I thought it was huge compared to Richie’s. I did notice the beginnings of a roof garden over the double garages, I wondered if Richie would have a roof garden. I still miss the roof garden we had at the club. The memories we created there will last me a lifetime. When I mentioned this to Colin, he said to paint it then you will have it forever.

Ronnie’s wedding snuck up on me. I was spending a lot of time at the Home when the children were in school. Now that school was over, I spent time at home. I had to ask Carl for his permission to use his studio. He thought that was funny, but he agreed to allow me to use it. Not that I had much time to paint. Ronnie was asking questions about what I thought about this or that concerning furnishings. I told him that is Julia’s responsibility and he should consult with her. That was when I learned Julie had chosen furnishings he didn’t like and was looking for someone to support his choices. There was no way I was going to get in the middle of that.

They had planned a June wedding and a Hawaiian honeymoon. That got me thinking I’ll bet there are a lot of places in the States that we could visit. Maybe when we come back from Europe, we can visit some places like Washington DC.

June 7th was Ronnie’s wedding. They had it in front of their home, outdoors. The boys were all dressed in their suits and I was proud of them. Louise was a flower girl and Mary Ann was in the bridal party. Julie’s older sister was the maid of honor.

We had the reception at the club, and James and the group went out of their way. The food was delicious and I saw a lot of French cuisines. Julie went to the second-floor apartment to change into a traveling suit. They were going to fly to LA, stay the night there, and then in the morning fly to Hawaii.

Ronnie drove one van, and Colin drove the other to the airport. Ronnie and Julie were flying out in the early evening and we would be flying out 2 hours after them. Sitting in the lounge, the boys were playing a card game, Louise sat next to me, I think she fell into a light sleep. Mary Ann was watching the boys playing cards. As I looked over my family, I was proud of them.

Boarding the plane was old hat to most of us, but not Louise, she had to sit next to me. David sat next to Colin. Since the seating arrangement was two and two, the boys sat together, 2 per row which left Mary Ann to sit alone. I told her to sit across from me. When Anne Marie saw she was sitting alone, she sat with her. That meant Richie had to sit by himself, he said he didn’t mind.

Arriving in Paris in the morning, we were met by Jean. I asked about Arnaud and he said he was ill and couldn’t make it. Arnaud had turned his business interest over to Christien several years ago. This allowed him to pursue his interest, collector of paintings by new artists. I knew we needed to plan a visit to his home.

Grandmere wanted us to stay at her home while we were In Paris. Anne Maria had a friend who she knew from school so they stayed with her. That left the nine of us to stay at Grandmere’s house. I knew she had two rooms on the second floor and I also knew she had a third floor, I figured the most she could have would be four rooms which could sleep all of us if the beds were big enough, even though there would be 3 in one bed. The girls had the room across from us and the boys had the third floor.

In the morning everyone looked okay, but I was interested to know how the boys slept and I knew who to ask.

“David, how did you sleep last night?”

“We decided to sleep on the floor. Tommy said at the old place in the summer they would sleep on the floor.”

I looked at Colin, he shrugged his shoulders.

Breakfast was coffee, bread, and cheese. I knew we would need a more substantial lunch. I also knew where we would go, the crepe place behind the hotel we stayed at in the past.

Today I wanted to see Arnaud, take the gang to the Louvre, and hopefully I wouldn’t run into any of my old friends. I also wanted to see the homer that Pat was involved with when she was here. I knew before we left Paris we would visit the Eifel Tower. Colin thought that was a lot to see in four days.

“Let’s head to the Louvre. If Jean is there he can go with us to see Arnaud.”

Must have looked like the Pier Piper as we walked from Grandmere’s house to the Louvre.

Arriving at the Louvre, I looked for Jean. He wasn’t there, they said he wouldn’t be in for another hour. Colin took the children to see the exhibits from Egypt and Greece. I told him I would wait for Jean, Tommy, and Pepe waited with me.

I wonder if they have any new paintings. “Let’s check out the paintings to see if they have any new additions.”

“Dad, let’s show Pepe the Mona Lisa.”

Walking to the gallery where the painting was exhibited, “Dad, after we view the paintings here, are we going to lunch? Breakfast was okay but we are still hungry”

I knew that breakfast wasn’t what they normally had at home. “I thought we would have lunch at that crepe restaurant behind the hotel where we stayed the last time we were in Paris.”

That started Tommy telling Pepe about the restaurant and are experiences there was the reason we had a crepe griddle at home. Hearing that reminded me I needed to buy two crepe griddles, one for Ritchie and one for Ronnie.

We were standing in front of a painting by the painter Arnaud found in North Italy. I was glad to see this painting was in the style of the Italian masters and not a mixture like the painting I saw last year.

“Well, what do you think?”

“Hello, Jean. I like this better than that first painting of his.”

“Where is the rest of your family?”

“Colin took them to check out the archeology exhibits. He should be here soon.’

“I have opened a new section we call up-and-coming artists. You will need to check that out while you are here.”

He no sooner said that when someone grabbed my hand. It was Louise, she was followed by the rest of our group.

We followed Jean as he led us to the new section. To get there we had to pass through the room where my painting of the girl offering her baby to the Angel. I stopped and the feelings I experienced when I painted it returned. Looking at Louise, she was staring at it. I saw tears in her eyes but she seemed far away. David broke the moment.

“Dad, you painted this.”

“Yes, David. And every time I look at it I’ll never understand how someone could make that sacrifice. I know it happens. Let’s move on.”

We started to follow Jean. We, minus Louise, she was still staring at the painting. David went to get her. I saw him take his handkerchief and wipe her eyes. She took his hand and they walked toward us, catching up to us.

The new section, up-and-coming artists, had several paintings that showed promise. Then just before we left this room, the surprise. There was a painting by Carl. I remember that painting I thought it was his best at the time. Now after seeing Carla’s picture, it was the best. I watched him as he recognized the painting.

‘Dad, that’s my painting.” Now everyone had to look.

“I guess I’m not the only one who has a painting hanging in the Louvre. Congratulations son.”

He was proud and he should be. His talent was recognized not only by Roger and me but also by the Director of the Louvre.

“Dad, let’s go and get something to eat. I’m hungry.”

“Okay. Let’s call Richie and Anne Marie and have them meet us there. Jean, we are going for a crepe lunch, join us.”

He looked at his watch, “Okay but I need to see Arnaud after lunch.”

“Good, we will go with you. I want to see him as well. I also want to see where Pat and he established a home for street children. I promised him I would paint an angel over the door.”