ARROW - 89. Chapter 89

Colin was having coffee with his mom, “You want a cup of coffee?”

“Yes, please.”

“What’s happening?”

“A continuation of the discussion realism versus cubism. Mom, pour two more cups.”

She looked confused until she saw two men enter the office. I introduced Mom to Andre and Jean. As mom handed them their coffee, “Andre, when we were at your home, I didn’t see any cubism. I would have thought you would have had at least one.”

“My interests lies in native art. On occasion, I’ll see a piece that appeals to me and I’ll obtain it. But I’m not a devotee of cubism. If I find a piece by a recognized cubist, I buy it and give it to Jean for his collection.”

Looking at Jean, “If I remember, I did see a few pieces.”

“Listen”

Wr heard the door open and then the office was rushed by three boys, “Grandmother, we’re thirsty.” They stopped when they saw the two men who they didn’t know standing there. How long do you it would take for them to be beside Colin and I.

“Boys, I want you to meet two friends of Pop's and mine from France.” I introduced them to the boys, Tommy said hello, shook their hands, Ronnie did likewise. Richie said, “Bonjour, Monsieur’s.” I looked at Colin and he looked at me.

Later that evening at our apartment while having dinner. “Richie, where did you learn French?”

There were tears in his eyes, I picked him up and put him on my lap. I spoke to him in French. “It’s okay. Now you will have to teach Pop and your brothers. Who taught you?”

“My mother and Marie.”

“Who was Marie?”

“She was my mother’s friend.”

“Richie, I’m glad your mother did that. She gave you a wonderful gift.”

“Dad, I miss her. Why did God take my family?”

“I don’t know. God moves in mysterious ways. He must have needed them. I know he gave you to Pop and I because we need you.” I wrapped my arms around him, pulling into me as I first did when he came to the orphanage. The boys gather around me, touching Ritchie.

“Dad, let’s go to the roof.” That is where Colin found us.

In the morning all three boys were in our bed. Richie was in the middle, Ronnie was on Colin’s side and Tommy was on my side.

Colin got up whispering, “We have guests this morning.”

“Get dressed, I’ll get up after your shower. Leave the boys sleep.”

Dressed, Colin and I headed to the club kitchen. “Marcel, we have invited our French friends for breakfast this morning. Would it be possible for you to join us?”

“With breakfast?”

“Yes, Colin will help you bringing the food and coffee to our apartment. The boys are still sleeping and I need to be there when they wake.”

“You can get James to help.” I smiled at Colin when he offered James to help.

I went back upstairs and checked on the boys. They were still sleeping. I watched them, thanks GG. I felt her love and it brought back memories of when I was the same age as the boys. I felt the same peace today as I felt then.

I was making coffee when I heard Colin talking to someone. Opening the door, there was James with a tray followed by Colin with a coffee urn.

“Boy’s still sleeping?”

“Yes, keep your voices down so you don’t wake them.”

“I think they are awake.” Turning around, three boys, rubbing the sleep from their eyes were on their way to the kitchen. I was sitting, drinking my coffee, as the boys entered the kitchen, they headed to me. I picked up one, sat him on my right leg, picked up another and sat him on my left leg, the third shared my chair, sitting between the other two.

“Dad, what are you drinking?”

“Coffee”

“That is a small cup.”

“Yes, this coffee is very strong.” Richie took the cup and smelled it, of course the other boys followed.

“It smells like coffee.”

“It is coffee. Want a taste?”

They looked at Richie, “No, Dad. You can have it.”

“You need to get dressed, we are having company for breakfast.”

While they were showering and dressing, Colin left and returned with a wooden bench.

“Where did that come from?”

“The basement. One of the workmen must have left it when I was having the building refurbished.”

He sat the bench on one side of the table, “The boys can sit here. It’ll give us more room to sit our guests.”

Colin went to his office to wait for our guests.

“Dad, where did this bench come from?”

“Pop had it in the basement. He thought we could use it this morning.”

I believe all kids when they wake up like to cuddle a little, ours do. I had an arm around Richie and Ronnie as they sat on either side of me and Tommy was sitting between my legs. I had to move back on the stool in order to give him a ledge to sit on.

I asked James to make a coffee for them, it was 80 percent milk, coffee and a little sugar. I didn’t always let them drink coffee, usually it is milk or hot cocoa.

James no sooner set their drinks in front of them when we heard Colin coming up the stairs with our guests. I expected two but there were three, the professor drove them over. He’s going to take them to the airport when they have finished breakfast.

Marcel, poured them their coffee and James removed the breakfast rolls from the oven. The boys looked at the rolls, then looked at me, rubbing their stomachs. They have had these rolls before.

James passed the rolls in front of our guests, they each took two. Marcel took two and placed them on James’s plate and took the last two for his plate. The boys looked at me, as if to say where are ours. Needless to fear, James removed the second pan from the oven. He placed two on Colin’s plate and two on mine. Then the devil struck. He placed one on the boys plate, returned the pan to the oven and sat down.

The boys shot daggers with their eyes at James. James, took a sip of his coffee, a bite from his roll, then looked at the boys as if to say, ‘what’. Richie took his roll, cut it in half and placed half on Ronnie’s plate and half on Tommy’s plate and then looking at James, without a smile, he gave him a look that conveyed the message, ‘better not say anything’.

James got up, removed the pan from the oven and sat it in front of Richie. “Thank you, UNCLE James.”

Tommy put two rolls on Richie’s plate, another roll on Donnie’s plate and one on his plate.

Our guests laughed.

Andre told Richie that when he was in France next year, he would take him to where his mother lived before she married his father. I felt hRichie's shiver. Rene mentioned he found a new artist in a remote village of northern Italy whom he thought I would appreciate. He said he was looking for a new art form and would like my opinion when I was in France.

“Do you have your luggage with you or do you have to return to the hotel?”

“We have our luggage and we have checked out.”

“Good, then let’s take our coffee to the roof.” Marcel and James went back to the kitchen. They had prep work to do before the club opened today.

Walking to the roof, I hadn’t realized that the professor hadn’t seen the mural of the church on the wall. “Spanish Steps?”

“Yes, a couple of your students helped to paint this.” Then I led them to the roof.

My French friends started to laugh. “Barcelona”

I nodded, “Colin fell in love with the works of Gaudi, so when we returned I created a little of Barcelona here.”

Looking at Colin, he had a big smile on his face. We stood there drinking our coffee, the boys sat while they finished their coffee with milk.

We got into a discussion of Gaudi’s works and time slipped by. “Armand, Colin, thank you for breakfast and a delightful morning. We must leave or we’ll miss our flight home.”Walking back to the first floor, James and Marcel came to say goodbye, took their cups to the kitchen. The boys said goodbye, in French. I looked at Richie, he was smiling. We walked them to the front door, Professor went to get his car. Arriving in front, we said goodbye promising to see them next year when we were in France. We watched as they drove away.