A French Kiss in London (16 page)

They all climbed into the car and drove away fast, throwing cautious glances in the rear view mirrors, followed by the trees’ shadows, which spread rapidly in the twilight.

To dissolve the reminiscent tension left by this utterly traumatic episode, Jean and Mariana took them to an outdoor café in the city center, after Linda had reassured everyone she was fine. They refreshed themselves with cold sodas and ice creams. Later, they browsed through shops and the young couple bought lots of souvenirs for each other, families, friends and acquaintances.

Because Transylvania had a worldwide known reputation due to Vlad Tepes legends, most of the souvenirs were more or less sinister representations of the ruler, the Bran Castle, as well as of some other Transylvanian symbols, artistically made by Romanian crafters.

Loaded with bags, they got back to the Battiste home, where Daniela greeted them, meowing melodiously in her feline dialect as she came to inspect the bags.

Mariana started cooking dinner, while Linda and Gerard excused themselves and went to shower.

Jean went to the clinic to make his evening rounds, and got back right in time, just as his wife was setting the table.

“I’ve never seen such dedicated and devoted doctors as the two of you,” Linda remarked, sitting down at the kitchen table next to Gerard.

“We’re only doing our jobs,
chèrie,
” replied Jean-Paul, spooning some soup. “This is the attitude all doctors should adopt. This is our calling. When devotement and compassion disappear from a doctor’s heart, it’s time he quits. He’s not helping anybody, just doing more harm—something none of us has the right to do. To simply toy with a person’s life is the greatest sin in the universe, in my opinion.”

“You are right,
mon ami
,” Gerard put in, wiping his mouth with a napkin. “I’ve met so many doctors who are interested only in money and fame. To them, patients are nothing but lab subjects, guinea pigs. These people have lost their humanity. Or maybe some of them were born this way. It’s true, you need a certain dose of detachment to practice medicine. Otherwise, we would all go mad knowing we can’t save all patients. It’s terrible when you lose someone. I will never forget the first patient I lost—a little girl, only three years old…”

A shadow of unspeakable regret crossed over his features. Quietly, Linda covered his hand with hers. For the first time, she was truly beginning to realize what an enormous responsibility weighed on her lover’s shoulders. She understood how demanding and hard could be the life of a doctor who takes his job to heart.

Jean-Paul sighed, then patted his friend’s back.

“None of the lost patients is ever forgotten, my friend. We all experience that dreadful feeling. But what pushes us forward is the happiness and the gratitude of the saved ones, of their families. Maybe this is how God feels when he creates life.”

Mariana gazed at her husband with the same love, pride and admiration Linda felt for Gerard.

Perhaps to others he’s just a simple man, but to me he is the entire world
, Linda thought, gazing lovingly at the profile of the man beside her. He was so attractive, in spite of the fatigue imprinted on his face. Each feature, each line was proof of his character and of his powerful personality, which had made her fall in love with him. He emanated force and determination just with his strong presence.

After dinner, they all sat down to watch a movie, but soon Gerard and Linda excused themselves. They were tired and, most of all, overcome by the day’s events. Added to that, the following morning they had to leave early to reach the airport in time for their flight back to London.

They said
goodnight
to Mariana and Jean, then retired to their room.

Linda undressed slowly, feeling the oppressing weariness in every muscle. Both she and Gerard sank in rapture between the fresh, lavender-smelling sheets. She curled up against his chest and he drew her close, absorbing the warmth of her body. They lay like that in silence for a while, without being able to fall asleep. She was the one who broke the silence.

“I still can’t believe that Madame Maria, the cabin and all that happened there weren’t real. My mind simply refuses to comprehend what went on in that damned forest.”

He sighed, as though comprised by the same confuse feeling of frustration. Then he combed his fingers through her hair, smoothing it down her back, and whispered softly, “The cabin, Madame Maria, they were all real, my love. Just…not in our times. You heard what Jean told us about their legend. I am a scientist, a man of facts, but it’s impossible for me to find a logical explanation for this bizarre episode.”

“Because there
isn’t
a logical explanation.” She sat up on one elbow to look at him. “At least not in our narrow logic. That’s why we call the things beyond normal
paranormal
. Because we don’t understand them. If it wasn’t so important, I would regret we ever came here. Speaking of which, you haven’t had the chance to tell me what you discussed with Jean,” she reminded him, tucking a wisp of hair behind her ear.

He recounted for her, summarily, the hours spent at the clinic that morning and the talk he’d had with Jean. He concluded by saying, “It was definitely worth the effort of coming here. But I get the impression that Jean is putting too much hope in me.”

“That’s not true! You can do anything, Gerard,
anything
!” she said animatedly, her eyes shining in the darkness. “You have an inner force I’ve never encountered before. This, along with your dedication, your intelligence and your extraordinary character, makes you invincible. To me, you’re a super-man! You’re everything,” she stated simply. Then, out of words, she bent and kissed him fervently.

Stirred by the intensity of her words and by her hot kiss, he pulled her closer, embracing her hard, almost with desperation. He seemed to feel the acute need to make sure the woman in his arms was real. To be certain that she was only his, and no one could tear her apart from him. He kissed her deeply, caressing her passionately, whispering to her words in his maternal language, which only he could understand.

They made love quietly, like two teenagers sneaking in an isolated corner to relieve the smoldering passion, which threatened to consume them.

He shook uncontrollably in her arms. Spent, he lowered his head on her chest, his heart drumming in a rhythm that seemed to convey something special only to her.

“I love you,” she whispered, stroking his hair, then his slightly abrasive cheek, covered by stubble.

“I love you too, Linda. More than you could ever imagine. Trust me, if you would know the intensity of what I feel for you, it would scare you more than our surreal experience in the woods.”

Her heart fluttered, jolted by a strange emotion. She smiled serenely, drawing him even closer against her breast.

“How can you think that?” she asked softly. “Your love is what makes me wake up every day with a smile on my lips and in my heart. On the other hand, what happened in that forest…I wish it had never happened. Or, at least, I wish we wouldn’t remember it.”

“Not a chance, baby. Even if it would be best not to think about it and not to torment ourselves with questions that will forever remain unanswered, we’ll never forget that night.”

Chapter Seventeen

On the day of their departure, the neighbors’ infamous rooster woke them up again. While they dressed and packed, Linda kept muttering in Italian all kinds of culinary recipes, whose main ingredient was the feathered enemy. Suddenly she turned to Gerard, smiling diabolically.

“Do you think we could buy that cock for Pirata? He would have so much fun with it!”

He burst into laughter. Glancing out the window, he said, “Judging by the size of that beast, I think Pirata would be its appetizer.”

Mariana served breakfast, insisting that Linda and Gerard must eat well before getting on the road. The table atmosphere was cheerful, but they all had their hearts heavy with sorrow. They had gotten attached with each other, these couples, so different in age, nationality and life style, but still having so many things in common.

The two women were teary-eyed when they said goodbye, as the men loaded the bags in the back of the Jeep. Mariana had given them some of the knick-knacks she’d created. She said they were
small parts of her soul
.

Even in Jean-Paul’s eyes there was a trace of sad nostalgia. That morning he seemed older, and not as tall as before.

Although the Battistes had promised to come visit London when time and money would allow it, none of them truly believed they’d see each other again.

Every hug carried an ambiguous finality. Linda imagined that responsible for the somewhat somber atmosphere were also the odd events they’d shared, the four of them, during those three days.

Gerard squeezed his friend’s hand and Jean-Paul spoke to him, emotion vibrating in his scratchy voice.

“Remember what I told you, my son. You are strong, noble. Michèl would be proud of you,” he went on, referring to Gerard’s father. “I, for one, am damned proud. If Mariana and I would have had children, I wish they would have been as good as you.”

Impressed and touched, Gerard looked down at the tips of his shoes for a moment, before lifting his gaze to his old friend.

“Thank you, Jean, for everything. Take care of yourselves.”

He hugged him hard, then he embraced Mariana and kissed her hand. He opened the car door for Linda and, with a last regretful glance at his closest friends, climbed into the car.

The return trip was very different from the initial one. Their mindset was different. When coming to Romania, they were heading toward adventure, toward a welcoming and fascinating unknown. Now, they were leaving behind the same unknown, fascinating in a bizarre way, but far from welcoming. Their spirit of adventure had evaporated. They had gotten a lot more than they’d bargained for.

The only thing uplifting their spirits was the fact that, in an old briefcase camouflaged in Gerard’s dusty backpack, they were bringing home a priceless treasure.

“What do you plan to do with the file Jean gave you?” Linda asked him, gazing through the windshield at the kilometers of road they rapidly left behind.

His vague answer came out on a long exhale of breath.

“To be honest, I don’t even know where to start. I have a couple of trustworthy workmates. I think I could count on them. I have to share this with someone, I can’t work by myself. I have to account higher and we need to make tests. It’s an extremely long way until we’ll manage to patent a treatment. But we have hope, and that’s the most important thing.”

She squeezed his hand gently, then turned on the radio to brighten the mood.

The road was clear, so the trip didn’t take as long as the first one. Thanks to the copious breakfast cooked by Mariana, neither of them wanted to stop and eat. They reached Bucharest and drove straight to the agency, to return the rented Jeep. After all formalities were concluded and all fees paid, the couple took their luggage and got into the first available cab, asking the driver to take them at the airport.

When the boarding process was finalized, they settled into their destined seats and the plane took off. Not taking any notice of the distance between their chairs, or the uncomfortable position, Linda rested her head on her lover’s shoulder.

“I can’t wait to get home,” she whispered. “To forget everything that happened, to resume our lives, our daily routine.”

He stroked her cheek, thoughtfully.

“So do I, my love. So do I.”

Tired, they slept most of the way. It seemed like only an hour or so had passed, when their arrival was announced.

As they stepped again onto the dusty London streets, they felt revived. The dry and stuffy air, the infernal traffic, all seemed like corners of heaven now.

After a short debate, they decided for each to go to their respective residences to deal with their business, so each took a separate cab.

Linda had called Mrs. Adams as soon as they’d gotten out of the airport, so the woman was waiting for her at home with Pirata. When he spotted her, the cat began meowing desperately. If it was a sign of joy or reproach, she didn’t know, nor did she care. She took him in her arms and sank her cheek in his clean fur. She murmured endearments against his furry ears, caressing him with all the love a mother can feel for her child.

Assuring her that the house was clean, the pool water had been changed, the fridge was full and everything was fine, Mrs. Adams left Linda to enjoy the reunion with her adored cat, in the cozy comfort of her home.

She unpacked, assisted by Pirata, then spent some time arranging onto shelves the souvenirs from Mariana and those she’d bought herself. Others she put aside, intending to send them as gifts to her family, as well as to a dear childhood friend from her beloved Italy.

After finishing this chore, she took some ice cream from the fridge and snuggled on the couch with Pirata, turning on the TV set. Darkness had fallen by now. Outside, her elves and dwarfs spread multi-colored lights from their torches.

“There’s no place like home, honey,” she told the cat, offering him a finger covered in ice cream, which he promptly licked, using his pink, sandpaper-like tongue. “I wonder what my sexy lover is doing now.”

* * * *

Back to his flat, Gerard unpacked quickly, then headed to the shower. He sat for a long time under the purifying spray of scalding water, trying to relax. He felt unjustifiably tired, not only physically, but first of all, mentally. Wearing only a towel wrapped around his hips, he sat on the sofa, watching absently the fish undulating carelessly into the aquarium. On the coffee table in front of him was Jean-Paul’s file. He studied it reflectively, thinking of everything that lay there, enciphered in ink on paper. The potential of saving hundreds, thousands of lives. A vicious fight awaiting for him, against all those who would set traps and obstacles from the shadows. A huge responsibility weighing on his shoulders. He wondered for a moment if Jean wasn’t putting too much hope in his abilities, if he was capable to take this fight to the end.

Then he thought of Linda, of the way she looked at him, as if he were a god.
Apollo
, he thought, smiling to himself and remembering her sculpture. If he had her love and her support, he could do anything.

“Anything! If I have you beside me, I can do anything, Linda,” he said aloud, suddenly feeling invincible. He’d taken the decision he was contemplating for a few days and stood abruptly, heading toward the bedroom.

Right at that moment, the doorbell rang. He walked down the hall, wondering who his visitor was. He looked through the peephole before opening the door.

“Hi, Danielle,” he greeted the blonde woman dressed in a minuscule red outfit, which outlined her voluptuous curves.

Danielle analyzed him from head to toe, feeling an acute desire to snatch away his towel, which was the only garment he wore. She called herself
an exotic dancer
, but she’d offered so many private lap-dances that she could have easily competed with a first class whore. The first time she had seen Gerard her heart had jolted in an unfamiliar way. Since then, she often had steamy fantasies whose protagonist was her sexy neighbor. However, he gallantly ignored her advances, making it clear he wasn’t interested in anything more than a cordial friendship. To her regret, Danielle considered Gerard much too good for her. Especially since he had a woman. Danielle didn’t know her, but it was much too obvious. Where else could a man spend his nights? And how could he refuse a woman like her, if he weren’t in love with another? She even suspected who his lover was. The woman from the paper he always kept in sight, an artist or something like that.

“I saw your windows open, handsome,” she said, brushing past him and entering without an invitation. “I just returned from shopping, went upstairs to leave my bags and came down to bring you the keys. And to collect my present,” she added slyly, walking into his living room.

He followed her, smiling indulgently.

“My fish look kind of fat. How much did you feed them?”

“About twice as much as it says on the box,” she replied nonchalantly and sat on the sofa, stretching her long legs. “That towel is close to falling. Want me to help you take it off?” she offered, her voice dripping invitation.

He smiled again, good-naturedly, and secured the towel more firmly around his hips.

“Thanks for your generosity, darling neighbor, but I’d better go change. Look, here are your presents,” he said, indicating a bag on a shelf.

“Presents, in plural? Hmm…”

Forgetting for a moment her intention of trailing him into the bedroom, Danielle began taking out of the bag the souvenirs and all kinds of knick-knacks.

When he came back, dressed in jeans and a blue shirt, she said, “Thank you, precious! Your tactic was successful. This was bait so I wouldn’t follow you into the bedroom.”

He let out a rich laugh, exposing his well-tanned throat.

“I know you’re too much of a lady to do such a thing. Do you like them?”

“Very much. How was your trip in Transylvania?” she asked, rolling her R-s like in the old vampire movies.

His smile faltered. For a moment, he thought about telling her of all the strange happenings he and Linda had experienced. It was pointless though. He liked and respected Danielle, but she was a simple, ignorant woman. She wouldn’t have understood, and things would have complicated for him.

“It was interesting,” he finally replied. “All in all, it was worth the effort. We returned in possession of some extremely valuable information for the clinic’s researches.”

“I’m glad,” she said seriously, watching him intensely. “You’re a hell of a guy. Too bad I’m not the lucky woman to have you.”

He was speechless for a moment, not knowing exactly what words to choose.

“You’re a very special lady, Danielle,” he said eventually, in a soft voice. “I’m absolutely convinced you’ll soon meet a guy who will see you the way I do.”

“He’d better look like Richard Gere too,” she joked, rising. “I’ll leave you to your business. You must be in a hurry to go to your girl. Here’s the key, and thanks for the presents.”

He led her to the front door, then opened it for her. Before she got out, Danielle turned to face him and, standing on tiptoes, kissed him quickly on the lips.

The kiss was so swift he didn’t have the chance to make any gesture, although an involuntary protest was the first reaction that stolen kiss triggered in him.

Not looking him in the eyes, she spun around and headed rapidly toward the stairs leading up to her apartment.

Still stunned, Gerard got back into his flat, closing and locking the door.

Neither he, nor Danielle had seen the silhouette of the woman who was just climbing the stairs, and who had remained frozen at the sight that greeted her.