ARROW - 200. Chapter 200

“Dad, do those people believe that is the real Michael.”

“I don’t know if they believed that is Michael but I think they are offering their prayers to Michael.”

We stood there as they announced closing. As the crowds began to disperse, we were able to move closer to the painting. There were coins on the floor in front of the painting.

“Dad, what do they do with that money?”

“I don’t know, probably donate it to some charity.”

“We sponsor three charities, one old age home, a children’s hospital, and a home for newborns.”

“They are waiting for us.”

I looked and through the glass door, you could see two men. “We have a job to do. Let’s get the lacquer and start”

We didn’t need to go one of the men who helped hang the painting had them, smiled as he handed me the lacquer and brushes With the painting hanging, we needed ladders to do the top. Our helper brought us a ladder and held it while Carl took the lacquer and headed north. I started applying the lacquer from the highest level I could reach. Making sure no drips landed on my head. When we were finished, stepping back, we looked at our painting. The bluebird looked alive, Carl said he could hear it singing as he was u[ on the ladder. The young man went and got some seed, it looked like it came from the Egyptian room, He placed it on the railing.

When the coating was finished, we took the supplies back to where we first used them. Jean joined us,

“I think the crowds will be getting smaller. The first night there is a new showing always attracts a crowd.”

“We should contact Christian and have him come and look at the painting.”

“Have Roger do it. He sees him daily.”

“I’ll tell him. Maybe we could get him to come tomorrow morning.”

“Now to call a cab to get home.”

“I can give you a ride.”

“Thanks, Louis”

Arriving home, we invited him in for a glass of wine. I went to the patisserie for bread and pastries. Returning home, “I’ll bet you forgot the wine. I handed him two bottles from the shopping bag. I gave the rest to Chef Boy.

We sat in the living room sipping our wine waiting for Roger. We were through the first glass when we heard a car door close and soon Roger was home. Jean introduced Louis as one of his friends from the Louvre.

“Get a glass and have some wine with us.”

“I was hoping Chef Boy would have dinner ready.”

“It’s coming. If you’re hungry you can have reheated leftovers.”

“I didn’t think we had leftovers.”

“We didn’t.”

“Louis, stay for dinner.”

“I’d love to but my family is expecting me. Jean, I may need an excuse.” We were laughing when he said that but I wasn’t sure it was a joke.

Chef Boy and Carl took the partial bottle to the kitchen. I hoped he was going to cook with it, When I said that Jean and Roger took one look at me and best out laughing. Carl came back with his glass and it was more than half full. That just made us laugh harder.

“Dad”

“Sorry son. I said you and Chef Boy were going to use the wine for cooking. They were laughing at me saying that and then you walk in with your glass of wine. I was wrong and they were right.”

“Dad, are you going to try to take Charles back to the States?”

“Yes, Uncle Jean is working on it. I have a job for him in the club.”

“Working with Uncle James?” “Yes” “Can I tell him?”

“Carl, it all depends if Uncle Jean can get him his passport. I’d like to take him back when we go.”

I got a hug before he headed back to the kitchen.

“Are you planning on taking him with you when you go home?”

“Yes. Does that surprise you?”

“Not really, I saw how you treated him. The only thing I haven’t figured out is how much this means to you or Carl.”

“After working with Carl on Michael’s painting I have realized he will be a great artist. I need to foster that and if his brothers and sisters are a little upset that he will have a close friend, so be it. Actually, with Chef Boy working at the club their time together will be limited.”

“You have given this some thought?”

“Yes. A lot of thought. If Chef Boy was in the Home, I would have adopted him as I did the others. In the States, he would have been in jail.”

“Why?”

“Jean, prostitution of children is illegal.”

“If your police find out, he will be jailed and sent back.”

“The police won’t find out because he won’t be during that. He will have no reason. Here he does it to live.”

“How do you know that?”

“An angel told me. Let’s go and enjoy dinner,”

Chef Boy did a good job with the chicken. I noticed his cooking involved a sauce which reminded me of thickened soup. We complimented him, it was good. I couldn’t help but wonder what James will think.

Later that evening, after dinner, sitting in the living room with our coffee, “I have another angel to create.” I noticed Carl’s interest piqued.

“Why, Dad?”

“I promised Jean here, we would create another angel for the museum.”

“Are we going to paint here?”

“That depends. Chef Boy, where are your papers? Carl would like to invite you to visit us. You would need a passport for that.”

“What information do you need?”

“I would need your birth certificate and your address.”

“Those papers are at the university where I model.”

“Tomorrow morning after we are finished putting the fourth coat of lacquer on the painting, you and Jean can go and get your information from the university.”

After the boys and Jean went to bed, leaving Roger and me in the living room, “Armand, are you sure you want to take the boy to the States? Knowing you, you’ll probably adopt him. Or at least try. I’m having a problem understanding this.”

“Roger you and I have been friends a long time. You know that the children I adopt have problematic backgrounds. Except for the first four, they all have had a terrible existence before the Home. Their problems have been centered around abandonment and unhealthy parents. Toby’s father is still in prison as well adSCarl’s. Charles has become a friend of Carl because they share a similar background. I can’t leave the boy to the streets of Paris. He needs a break and I can give that to him.”

“I don’t know if I ever could walk in your shoes. I don’t know where you get your strength, but I’ll support you.”

I heard the creaking rocker and I felt maybe Roger will find where my strength comes from.

I don’t know why morning comes so early here and never at home. Then I remembered, it does come early but I didn’t have to get out of bed. I miss Colin and I’ll be glad to get home.

I was dressed, in the kitchen making coffee when Jean joined me.

“Armand, are you sure about the boy?”

“Yes, Jean. It is best for him. There will be no men after him,” I didn’t have to remind him of yesterday’s morning meeting, “What time does the patisserie open.”

“I think they are open now.”

“Here take this, bread, cheese, and anything else you see that will be good for breakfast.” I knew he would come back with some pastry. While he was gone, I was thinking about Chef Boy and Carl. I was sure with a job at the club, he would get a regular paycheck. Carl will have a friend that has shared his life on the streets. Maybe I’ll have two French chefs in the club.

I was feeling good when I heard. “No coffee”

I forgot to turn on the stove. “I’m sorry Chef Boy, you do that much better than I”

He smiled as he turned on the stove to make coffee. “Are you the only one up?”

“No, Jean is up and he is at the patisserie.”

“Carl said you are a very famous painter, is that true?”

“Yes, that is true.” Jean had returned and he did have pastries. ?”

I took the bread and cheese. The bread was warm, I broke a piece off and inhale the smell of fresh warm bread. “Chef Boy, do you know how to make bread?”

“Only the way my mother made it.”

“Do you want to try and make it here?”

“I need the ingredients.”

“Okay, after we coat the painting, we will go shopping.”

Roger finally came to the kitchen followed by Carl. As usual, he sat on my lap, and took a sip of my coffee, “Dad, why don’t you use sugar and milk in your coffee\?”

“Because it will make me fat.” Chef Boy sat a cup of coffee in front of him while he was still sitting on my lap.

Now all was right with the world, so said the smile on Carl’s face as he sipped his coffee.

We no sooner cleaned up the breakfast dishes when there was a knock on the door. Our friend from last night stopped to give us a ride to the Louvre. “This is very nice of you. If you do thIs and drive us home, we will have to give you a bottle of wine to take home. Saying that I made sure my companions heard.

Riding to the Louvre got us there early enough we had started the coating when we heard the loud mouth from the day before. Christian met us at the Louvre and he saw the painting for the first time.

“Armand, Dad will give everything he has when he sees this painting. Can I bring him to see it? It will brighten his spirits.”

“Maybe tomorrow morning or after the Louvre closes today. We will give him a private showing.”

I watched as Christine watched Carl add the lacquer to the top half. “Is that Carl?”

“Yes, he helped to paint this. Your dad is going to be the first to see the next generation of ARROW. I suspect he will pass me.”

“We better get going or he will wonder what happened.”

After finishing the coating, we had about 30 minutes before the Louvre opened. Carl and Chef Boy took the paintbrushes and cans of lacquer to the basement. Jean and I were standing in front of the painting. “Are you going to get Charles’s date this morning?”

“I hope Michael can help me. Knowing Academia, it is hard to get them to move.”

“I have a feeling you are going to find this so easy, you will have to change your opinion of Academia.”

Walking into the basement, Carl was busy sketching Chef Boy. I looked at what he had sketched. “Put a chef’s hat on him with an apron like Uncle James wears. Maybe that’ll convince him he is chef material.”

Let the boys alone until I was ready to go upstairs, I had one foot on the first step when I heard, “You better show up tonight or I’ll cut your balls off.”

I turned and there was the brute from the morning yesterday,

“Sir, he will not turn up tomorrow or ever again. If you don’t turn around and get your ugly ass out of here, the police will help you.”

If looks could kill, I’d be dead.

“Charles, what do you do for that man?”

“I dance” “Naked?” “Yes”

I knew there was more. “You will not do that or anything like it anymore. If I have to stay here longer to ensure you don’t do that again I will.” I was mad and it showed. The kid was the same age as Carl.

Now I’ll hear from Jean when he returns. I’m sure that man will wait for him.

I stayed there watching Carl Sketch Chef Boy. I wasn’t going to take the chance.

It took Carl about an hour to finish. I looked at the sketch. It was good, “Take it home and you can paint it.”

When it was finished, and everything was put back in place, I took the two cans of lacquer and the two brushes we were using, to Jean’s office.

From there we went to the third floor where we could look down at the painting. We saw an old woman helped up the stairs, they led her to the kneeler. She knelt, and it appeared she was praying. I whispered to the boys, “Watch, she will get up and walk as a young woman.” One of the things I learned at Carnegie was that this scam is used worldwide.

And when she did, one of the women who was with her yelled it is a miracle. “Now watch the money scam,” Then the woman who claimed it was a miracle, “St. Michael wants you all to have a miracle.” She had a box with a picture of St. Michael on it. “Give to Saint Michael. He will grant you your wish.”

“Dad”

I yelled, “Save your money. That isn’t the real Michael it is only a painting. If you want to give away your money put it into the offering box, not that woman’s purse.”

Then I heard, “Call the police. That woman and that old lady are sisters. They are trying to steal your money.”

When the two of them heard that they started to leave, but someone tripped the old woman and her wig fell off. The museum police took them to a room. We stopped watching/

“Dad, how did you know?”

“No painted picture is going to talk to someone. I’m not even sure Saint Michael looks like that. There are people who will say they did this or they did that and good things happen. But no one can take the sins of another on their shoulders unless they have committed the same sin. I believe God can forgive us, but it is individually.”

“Can we go for a snack?”

“That’s a good idea. I’ll call Jean and we can wait for him at our restaurant.”

That brought smiles. Checking my watch, it was close to eleven in the morning.

We just turned the corner and you could see people at the tables in front of the restaurant. I saw Louise and I knew who the other three were. I stopped, “Dad, what’s wrong?”

“Do you remember my old friend, Louis, he is there with three of my friends? They are going to tease me.”

“No, they won’t will they, Charles?”

“No, they won’t. No one is going to tease my dad.” I looked at Carl and Chef Boy.

Putting my arms around each, we headed to battle.