ARROW - 198. Chapter 198

In the morning, coffee wasn’t made, There was fresh bread when the door opened, in walked Jean.

“I went and bought some pastries and fresh eggs. Should I boil them or fry them?”

“It does make any difference to me but one if not two young men probably preferred them soft-boiled. I’ll make some toast.”

“To absorb any alcohol?”

“If they didn’t through it all up.”

Jean and I were eating a pastry with our coffee when Carl showed up. “You look like you can use a few more hours.”

“He was up a lot. That bathroom is going to need a good cleaning.”

“If you want more sleep, go to my bed.”

Taking what was left of my pasty and my coffee he headed back upstairs.

“Was he really one of the Angels in the Home?”

“Yes, he’s going to be a great artist. I wouldn’t be surprised if he becomes better than me.” I heard a rocking chair.

“I’ll make sure there will be a spot on the wall for him.”

“I thought there was”.

“They voted me on the Board.”

“You will always be connected with the Louvre. What is the Board going to say about the Angel?”

“When they see it, they will sell the Louvre to you if they can keep it.”

“I’ll make a deal with you. You get the materials and next summer Carl and I will create a duplicate of the angel. But you must list It with my name second to his.”

“It’s a deal.”

“Want to go for a short walk.”

“Shouldn’t you be coating the Angel?”

“As soon as my partner is awake. He’ll be just getting up and he’ll have Model Boy to take care of,”

It didn’t take long for Jean to figure out where I was heading..

“You still miss her?”

“More than ever, The kids at the Home will miss her as well. She meant a lot to my family. Not many families have three grandmothers,”

As we neared the chapel, we could hear the priest. “Is he giving a service outside of the chapel?”

Then we saw the doors of the chapel were opened and a crowd of people were standing outside of the open door.

We stood with the crowd, Jean asked a woman next to him, “Why the crowd?”

“It’s the Angel.”

Jean looked at me and mouth the word, Angel. Now I had to see the Angel.

We walked to Grandmere’s mausoleum, I couldn’t believe my eyes. There were flowers everywhere. Potted plants, a wire mesh screen with bouquets of cut flowers decorating the screen. There even was a kneeling bar for people to offer prayers.

“It appears that Grandmere is still helping people. Why did you paint that angel in robes and not like the angel for Arnaud?”

“They represent two different situations. This angel says come unto me, my children. Give me your problems and I will bring you peace. Arnaud’s angel delivers a different message.”

“I knew what his message is, it’s a warning.”

I heard people singing, “I think the service is over. We should leave.”

Turning around, we came face to face with the priest. “Bless you, my sons.”

“Hello Father we came to see Grandmere. I think she is very happy and I would bet she is offering her blessing on you and the people of the chapel.” While I was saying that I heard the creaking rocking chair.

And then he did something that I hated, he told the people I was the one who asked the angel to be here. Now they turned toward me asking me to paint an angel for them, When I said I couldn’t do that, they wanted to know why not. There was some rumbling, I looked at the priest, then it started to rain and the people either went into the chapel or left to go home. Jean and I started to walk to the Louvre and were no more than 100 feet from the chapel when the rain stopped. Silently, “Thanks GG”

Unfortunately Jean heard me. “Why are you thanking GG and who is that?”

“You know everyone has a guardian angel, she is mine.”

“It’s funny how fast the rain came and stopped.”

Grabbing at something, “It probably was a squall that blew in and onto some other spot.” I was hoping he would buy that.

“What do you think about those people.”

“Knowing Grandmere, I would bet they were mostly her friends.”

“That’s not what I am talking about and you know it.”

“Jean, I can’t explain it. When I painted that angel on the door, I couldn’t accept her laying in a dark cold place. So I painted the angel. Maybe I did that more for myself than her, but I’m glad people remember her with flowers.”

“The flowers are for the angel.”

“No. Jean, it’s for her. Otherwise, I’d remove the angel.”

Arriving at the Louvre, “You going to help?”

“No, I’m going to find a place to hang the angel.”

Jean left, and I prepared to put the first of six coats of clear lacquer on the painting.

An hour and a half later, “I would have thought you would have been finished by now.”

“No, I need to go slow. I can’t have any air bubbles/. Did you find the place?”

“Yes, come look.”

Walking to the second floor, I saw what he had in mind before he said anything. “Jean, what was there before?”

“Nothing, we didn’t want to block the steps.”

“If you hang the angel there, you will block the steps.”

“I know. But no one can reach it.”

“I still want it under glass. What about setting a kneeler in front of the railing?”

“We can still do that. Armand, will you create an angel to replace it.”

I really couldn’t deny Jean. “Let’s talk about it at dinner tonight. I’ll need the commitment of my colleague. Get the supplies.”

The hug that followed ensured a friend for life.

“We have to be here early in the morning before the museum opens. I’ll call the museum staff that hangs paintings.”

I finished coating the painting. “Michael, tomorrow you will make your introduction to the public.”