L'été

Chapitre Deux

Salut! If anyone chances to come across this, thanks, and I hope you enjoy... All comments are welcome.

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L'été- Chapitre Deux

   Janie's parents woke to the sound of laughter.
    Janie twirled in the living room area of apartment laughing as she did when she was truly happy. The laughter flowed from her mouth, a river of joy. When her parents walked in she laughed for about a minute longer, then slowly stopped.
     "Isn't it a glorius morning?!"  Janie said as her version of 'good morning'.
      "Truly. " Her mother was in a extremely good mood his morning, for she had spoken as an indicator.
       Janie's stomach gave a deep rumble. She twirled over  to the kitchen and opened a cabinet to find it empty. She opened the cabinet next to that one a found it also to be empty. She went through all the cabinets which were empty with the exception of some dishes. In a last hope, Janie swung open the door and was greeted by nothing more than cold air and bare shelves. A frown settled on her face momentarily but was soon replaced with a grin.
     She turned to face her parents who were conversing quietly, a rare event. Perhaps Paris truly was magical!
      "I know what to do!" Janie exclaimed, placing one hand on her hip and the other up in the air like a super hero. "I shall go down to the local bakery and buy us breakfast, his saving the Isaacs family from-" She paused for dramatic effect, "starvation!"
     Her mother raised an eyebrow as if saying "In you PJ's?" And that was what she meant.
      "Of course not!" Janie said as she skipped into her room. Her parents had crept in the last night placing her suitcase at the foot of her bed and kissing her good night as she deeply slumbered.
     Janie zipped open her suitcase and found a blue and silver sun dress at the top so she grabbed it, a towline and her hairbrush before she skipped back through the apartment and into the washroom.
    She showered quickly, rinsing away any signs of travel from the day before and changed into her floaty sundress.
   She grabbed her bag from beside her suitcase. Slipped on some slides  and skipped out of the apartment yelling a farewell over her shoulder.
    Janie hopped down the stairs two at a time and emerged into the crisp summer air. Near ancient buildings towered above her small five foot-one  body. She walked slowly, admiring the intricate stonework of the buildings, the rough cobblestone streets and the over all beauty of the area.
    She paused for a moment, staring at the ground. Without a moments hesitation, Janie kicked off her shoes and continued down the street, except this time, she danced. It's so beautiful, she thought, it's clearly made to be danced through. Wouldn't life be better if everyone danced through it? Janies mind wandered as she wandered through the streets. She browsed the windows of all the shops but never stopped until she found the bakery.
    La Boulangerie the sign read, so Janie slipped her shoes back on and stepped inside. She was greeted by warmth and the scrumptious smell of freshly baked bread.    Under the glass counter lay pile upon pile of pasties.
    A women in her mid-fifties approached Janie.
   "Comment puis-je vous aider?" She asked.
   Janie knew what this meant. Ever since she had realized her dream of coming to Paris, she had taken French lessons. By the time they began French in school she has been well ahead. Janie was now fluent in the beautiful language of love. To her, if someone spoke French, it was no different from hem speaking English.
     Janie had simply heard, or her brain had heard, the women ask "How may I help you?"
    Janie stared a moment more at the delicacies in front of her.
    Knowing her parents preferred simplicity, Janie replied, " Two croissants-"
    The lady put the two croissants in a bag.
     "And a chocolate almond." Janie concluded when the women looked at her expectantly.
       Janie handed over the proper amount for the food and hugged the brown bag of breakfast gently to her chest as she walked back down the street, not bothering to dance or take of her shoes. Her stomach growled again and she thought of Winnie the Pooh as she traced her footsteps back… home, she decided she would call it. Yes, Janie traced her footsteps back home.

    Janie  opened the door to her apartment to see her parents. Her mother was reading on her new E-reader and her father was reading the local newspaper.
    "I have breaky!" Janie sang out and her father looked up smiling.  "For each of you, a plane croissant," Janie set the croissants on a plate, "And for moi, a chocolate almond croissant!"
  Holding the delicacy in her hand, she smiled. Her first real croissant! She raised it to her lips and took a nibble. The flavor was amazing! Like a million sweet bouncy balls on her tongue.
   It wasn't long before Janie looked down and her pasty was gone. She sighed. So delicious!
    She sat silent for a few minutes. "Can I go exploring today?" Janie burst out.
     Her parents looked up and her mother nodded.
     She grabbed her bag and skipped out of the room. She hopped down the stairs and out the door into the beautiful world. Janie inhaled. The air held the beautiful smell of summer.
    Janie began walking. No where in particular. Just walking, taking in her surroundings. If she walked the whole area, she would always know where she was. Janie had always prized her geographical skills. Ever since she was young she could wander off and when she wanted to go home, just retrace her steps.
    Janie passed the bakery she had stopped in previously. She continued walking. She passed many stores of interest, all the while window browsing. She wasn't really shopping today. That would wait for tomorrow. She passed an art store of interest, quite a few restaurants including a crêperie,  a pizzaria and many French restaurants (of course).
    As Janie rounded the corner, Janie saw something. Something that in her eyes, was magical.
     She began walking towards it, her smile creeping ever larger as she  grew nearer.
      Shadows crossed over her head and throughout the gravel pathway in front of her. Janie entered the park and the shade of the trees cooled the back of her neck. She slid her shoes of her feet and began slowly walking on the damp grass. It tickled her ankles and she stopped. She stood as if in a trance. Janie threw her head back and it burst out. The laughter flew from her throat echoing through the vacated park. She spun.
 A faint click echoed between trees.
 And Janie spun and laughed and laughed until she couldn't anymore. Then she collapsed to the ground, a few weak giggles slipping from between her lips.
     She lay there for a while, staring at tree branches and sky.  A faint click echoes amongst the chirping birds but Janie hardly noticed. Janie lifted her watch in front of her face she saw that it was around one o'clock, Parisian time. She slowly stood up and began walking. She closed her eyes and walked blindly. She often did this, testing her memory, trying to find her way home.
    Janie's feet traced the edge of the pathway and felt as she began to walk along the cobbled streets.

    Janie's  eyes fluttered open as she paused. Before her stood the front door of her apartment building. She swung the door open and drifted inside and up the stairs. Janie entered the apartment.
   Her parents sat at the kitchen table, her father now working on a French crossword puzzle as her mother continued through her book.
     "It's beautiful out today. " Janie announced upon entering the apartment.
      Her parents looked up. "There is SO much to do out there," Janie gestured towards the window, "many restaurants and shops! Oh, and there is a park just down the street. It has such a majestic feel!"
     Her parents smiled at her enthusiasm.
      A small rumble came through the air and Janie giggled at her mother. "Hungry?"
     Her mother smiled in response and handed Janie a small post it note. Janie stared down at the paper and looked back up at her mother. Her mother looked at her with puppy dog eyes.
     Janie smiled at her mother sweetly, and went to hug her.  As she wrapped her arms around her, Janie's finger began to move. She began to tickle her mother and they both began to giggle. Her mother swatted her daughter away and nudged her towards the door. Janie rolled her eyes and began to walk back out side, hopping once more down the stairs. She bounced out into the cobbled streets and followed them to the local grocery store.

       The glass doors to the store slid open and Janie entered the cool haven. Food lined aisle after aisle and Janie stared around in amazement. Who knew there could be so much food in one place! Janie stared down at the grocery list. It held a variety of items on it adn Janie began her search.

     Pick four types of cheese. Janie strode down the cheese  aisle. Before her stood a bountyful counter of cheese. Janie had a hard time picking. Eventually she settled for a Brie, Munster,
Époisses, and Boursin, four french cheeses. Janie then went to pick up some milk.

      Janie continued on like this throughout the grocery store, going through the grocery list. She payed at the cashier for the assortment of food she would be taking home and began walking back down the street, grocery bag in hand.

Click

     Janie entered the apartment and began shuffling around the kitchen to organize the groceries. She then began to throw together a salad for lunch.  As Janie tossed the salad, she thought about the mornings events. She could easily see herself there daily, just laying and staring at the clouds overhead.

     Janie set the table with the salad and ate a peaceful lunch with her parents. The rest of the day was uneventful and Janie sat inside not doing much but zonking. She would have to get used to the time difference soon before she wasted too much of her long wished for time in Paris sleeping or being close to being asleep.

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Hope you enjoyed. I hope this chapter wasn't too too boring. I guess you could consider it somewhat filler. There ought to be a lot more fun later on. Bare with me. Constructive criticism welcom.

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