A cappella

Chapter 2: The Storks

Clap, clap, clap..."Formidable!" interrupted a voice behind him... Max turned around. At the castle's fence stood a young lady wearing black sports clothes who had obviously heard his ridiculous attempt to sing like Stromae and applauded mockingly.

"Bonjour" said Max, with an expression that wavered between a smile and grimace. He was of course horrified at having been surprised in the middle of a day dream, one of his favorites too, one where he took the stage and performed with incredible charisma...

And who has not dream of being a famous singer with thousands of fans applauding him? Besides, Max was a master in the art of controlling his emotions. For him, this morning, the applause was certainly ironic, but they were from a pretty girl coming out of a beautiful castle, and so he hid his discomfort immediately and greeted his audience as if the applause was deserved and expected. The girl laughed and Max immediately felt better.

" I was running on this road, and I stopped  a bit to enjoy the river and the castle...I find it beautiful... you live here?"

" Yes, but I must warn you, I'm not the daughter of the castle owner, my parents are agricultural workers and they live here, in the outbuildings. They manage the field and the vineyards. My name is Marion."

" I'm Max! Are you going for a run?"

" Yes... I run everyday."

"I was going to continue... you want me to join you the remainder of the way"

Marion looked at him for an instant, unsure of herself. Max stood up straight waiting for her to finish her inspection. What she saw probably reassured her because she went on saying:

" Yes, I'd like that. Lets go this way."

The girl was rather skinny and petite, and she ran lightly, elastic strides on which Max tried to adjust.

"What do you do in life, apart from... singing?" She asked, as her bright face smiled kindly.

"Well, I just finished my Bachelor of Business. I will need to start looking for a job. I came on vacation to spend time with my grandparents for a few days. And you?

"I'm in first year of medicine at the University of Bayonne. I came to spend the weekend with my parents.

"Medicine! Difficult, isn't it?"

"Yes... very difficult... I don't know if I'll manage to pass the end of year examinations. But for me its either medicine or nothing!"

"Well, you'll have to explain this to me, because I stayed in a hospital a week for an operation, and the hospital's environment is not really where I would like to spend my life."

"It's just that I would like to be useful... and I love to learn... you really have to love medicine to be a doctor... there are nine years of studies, not to mention the specialty."

"Wow... " said Max in the American way. For me, I can't wait to start working, earning a living, to live really! I spent enough hours in my dorm room writing my never ending thesis... for me, studying is process of waiting for your turn to finally do things... can seem quite long especially when you're a bad cook!"

Marion laughed.

" You're right, it's not easy. Say... you don't seem to be from around here, you're grandparents live here long?"

"Yes, always... they have a house over there, on the other side of the bridge, at the Port Du Noyer... but I don't come here often. We've always lived abroad with my parents... huh... what's that?"

In the adjacent field, two huge wading birds took flight, deploying their impressive black and white wings above the trees in the blue sky.

"Storks", Marion said, stopping. "You see their nest high up in the oak... there is a lot here. Where do you actually come from?"

Clap, Clap, Clap, went the storks as they snapped their beaks, their remarkably long beaks, after landing near a pond.

"Am I allowed an exception? Max said suddenly as his eyes remained fixed on the beautiful bird. Excuse me, but this question, I'd rather not answer."

"Sorry," said Marion surprised. I did not think it was a big deal of a question. I've told you myself that I was the daughter of the commissioners."

Up until now the conversation was running smoothly and Marion did not understand this sudden change of mood.

"Well, alright," Max said, but his dark eyes contradicted his conciliatory smile. "Lets say I come from a country where there are no storks..."

......

Geeeezz how smooth is Max XD

I don't think ive personally ever used storks in a convo to get out of answering personal questions haha

Merciiiiiii for the comments and votes! Helps keep me going💪