A French Girl in New York ( The French Girl Series #1)

Chapter 5

"You mean to tell me, that all the boys at school aren't mad about you, Jazmine?" her sister asked in a mocking tone.

"Please, Cynthia," her mother implored. "Don't encourage your sister's vanity or else Maude won't be able to stand her for six whole months."

"Neither will we," the boy whispered loudly to Maude.

The family burst out laughing again, including Jazmine, who slapped her brother's head playfully.

"Seriously though, we should probably get Maude's luggage, boxes, and things," Mrs. Baldwin said practically.

"It won't take long, because I only have one suitcase, and it isn't heavy," Maude declared.

"What?" cried Jazmine in disbelief. "You mean to tell me that you have left your country, France, the country of fashion, for six entire months and you've only taken one suitcase?"

"Come on, Jaz. Not everyone takes five entire suitcases for a two-week trip to the Hamptons, you know," Cynthia teased, rolling her eyes.

"Neither do I," said Jazmine smiling sheepishly. "Those were five suitcases for a ten-day trip, dear Cynthia. And let me remind you that two of those suitcases were yours."

"Yes, but they were filled with the objects necessary to the harmony and peace of my being," replied Cynthia.

"Yeah, yeah. Yin and Yang, Yoga and everything. We know the drill. My twenty different outfits were also essential to the harmony of my being, you know."

"What can I say? I travel light," Maude explained shrugging her shoulders. Besides, she couldn't possibly tell them that her suitcase was mostly filled with piano scores. She didn't own much in Carvin, and she certainly didn't own five suitcases worth of clothes.

"Ah, finally, a girl I can relate to," Mr. Baldwin said, sighing in relief.

"Don't feel too relieved, James," his wife warned. "We'll be taking her shopping this weekend."

Her husband and son groaned a groan that seemed to come from deep within.

"But first," she added, "Welcome hug."

And, as if on cue, the whole family wrapped their arms around Maude and squeezed her so tight she couldn't possibly be expected to breathe.

Maude wasn't used to having so many people pay attention to her, it almost made her feel a little uneasy.

During the trip towards Manhattan, in the taxi, the Baldwin family talked a mile a minute, wanting to know everything about her. Mr. Baldwin hadn't said much about Maude, not wanting his children to know about the first impression he'd had about the Ruchets. All they knew was that she was an orphan with an incredible talent in music.

And as the whole Baldwin family was infatuated with music, they wanted to know all about the girl their father had discovered in a Parisian café.

"Isn't it romantic?" Jazmine sighed. "Being discovered randomly by a producer in Paris. Paris! I love that city with all my heart, but I couldn't live there. I love New York too much. You'll see, Maude, you'll have so much fun here you won't ever want to live anywhere else in the world."

"Dad said you played Edith Piaf at the Le Cavalier Bleu. I love "La Vie en Rose," said Cynthia her eyes sparkling. She's my favorite."

"You know French music?" Maude asked, surprised.

"Of course! Mom and Dad have always encouraged us to listen to all sorts of music from all over the world."

"My foster parents, the Ruchets always said that Americans never cared about anyone but themselves, especially music-wise," Maude said.