LOVE IS IN THE CELLAR: Verne Estate Series, Book 2

2. Leona

As much as I don’t care about what to eat tonight, my mom does. She even seems to take this small party very seriously. That’s how I find myself accompanying her to the supermarket two hours later. I wasn’t going to be selfish by letting her do it on her own, and also, in reality, I had nothing else to do. I don’t have many friends at Locron anymore and, as I don’t start my new job until Monday, I’m available all weekend.

In order not to waste too much time, we decide after a few minutes to go our separate ways. I walk around the fruit and vegetable department, my nose in the list given by my mother, when someone calls out to me:

“I cannot believe it! Leona, is that you?”

A small brunette pushing a cart filled to the brim and sporting a round belly as if she had swallowed a dozen watermelons, beckons me. It takes a few seconds to recognize one of my high school friends.

“Jessica! What a lovely surprise!”

Surprise, yes. Lovely is a bit of a stretch. But that’s what we say in this kind of situation, right? I put my best smile on my lips. I know it’s pretty convincing, I’ve been rehearsing it in front of my mirror for hours on end.

Jessica walks around the cart with as much ease as her imposing girth allows.

“So, are you back with us for a few days? Vacation?” she asks before uttering a crystalline chuckle too perfect to be sincere.

I knew I was going to be the subject of embarrassing questions, however, I thought I would have a few hours of rest. My first inquisitor is already here, between the potatoes and the eggplants.

“Actually, I’m here for the whole summer.”

As I don’t want to dwell on the subject, I divert the conversation:

“And you? I have the impression that things are going pretty well on your side?”

She shows a big smile. If there’s one thing I’m sure of, it’s that pregnant women love to talk about their babies. And if I remember correctly, Jessica loves to talk about herself, so I should be okay for a moment.

“Yes! I’ve been married for three years, and the family is going to grow even more within a month, as you can see. I don’t get much sleep, but it’s worth it. This is our third,” she says, pointing to her stomach. “We already have twins.”

Wow! Who said that the small local villages are becoming depopulated?

“In any case, you are resplendent,” I noticed.

It’s sincere. Even though she’s a bit crowded around the abdomen, her complexion is fresh, her hair shiny, she’s wearing adorable sandals and a dress that would almost make me want to be pregnant so that I can buy the same. It kind of irritates me. Jessica was my friend, in theory; but I think we spent more time cordially hating each other than anything else. At the time, I didn’t mind, as I was more popular than her. But now…

Jessica makes a small face accompanied by a gesture of the hand meaning: You’re just saying that, but I can see that the compliment makes her happy. I also note in passing the huge diamond that adorns her ring finger.

“Louis always wanted a big family. He tells me that I have never looked so beautiful as when I’m pregnant.”

Louis, the skinny geek from our school? Just as I’m about to ask her the question - with a slightly more flattering description of the person anyway - a tall fellow comes to stand at her side with a double stroller. This is occupied by two mini-humans who appear to be clones of their parents. The little girl has the same perfect brown bob as her mother, with the difference that a small navy-blue bow holds her front lock. The little boy wears the same polo shirt as his father and small round glasses that give him a very cute look.

“Leona Chorro? What a surprise!”

This time, it’s Jessica’s husband who addresses me, which confirms to me that he’s indeed the Louis I was thinking of. Except that he no longer has the asparagus physique I remember. Broad shoulders and biceps stretching the fabric of his T-shirt, it seems that the guy has been hanging out at the gym in recent years. Or is it all those hours of carrying babies at arm’s length? Anyway, who would have thought that the ugly duckling would turn into a swan before he turned 30? Certainly not me.

He smiles at me and kisses his wife on the head before placing a tender hand on her shoulder. I have in front of me the image of a perfect family. I’m sure they would look great on a Christmas card with matching sweaters.

“What about you, Leona?” Jessica asks me.

“Well… I’m not married, I don’t have children,” I started.

And I’m an unemployed actress...

“I’m starting a new job Monday at Verne Estate,” I say instead.

“Oh, yes! I ran into your sister in prenatal classes. She told me you were going to replace her. It’s so nice of you to come and lend them a hand, to put your career aside for a few months for them,” she adds with admiration in her voice. “But you’re right, there’s nothing more important than family.”

“No, nothing more important than the family,” repeats Louis, stroking her shoulder.

They exchange a glance dripping with love and I border on overdose.

“And where do you stay?” Jessica asks.

“At my parents,” I confess reluctantly.

They haven’t finished with their questions? Don’t they have more important things to do? Prenatal classes? Go to an ultrasound? Buy baby clothes?

Fortunately, their children seem to understand my suffering and start to fidget in their strollers.

“We’ll have to leave you, but in any case, it was nice to see you. You should come to our home one of these days,” says Louis.

To come and see your perfect little life up close? No thanks. I’m sure they have a Labrador and a great lawn that Louis has to mow shirtless on weekends. I’m not going to do that to myself.

“Good luck with your new job,” says Jessica.

“Good luck with your childbirth,” I reply.

This conversation upset me more than anything. My high school friends are married and lead adult lives while I’m a long way from that. My biggest commitment to date is with my mobile phone operator. It’s a bit pathetic, isn’t it?

I continue my shopping, trying to focus on the list my mother left me, rather than my meeting with Jessica and Louis. I even take care to examine each tomato before putting them in their bag. After having weighed them, I take the time to correctly stick the label on them and I leave in the direction of my cart. The problem is it’s not where I left it.

I look around, someone must have moved it. I then see someone pushing my cart. They probably took it thinking it was theirs. Bingo!

I see a man from behind who has the same bottles of juice and the same packets of crisps that I took earlier. I walk in his direction, but he too moves forward and he stays ahead of me easily. He has long legs! And half of the people shopping in this store seem to have decided to stand in my way.

“Hey!” I say, intending to call out to my cart thief.

Obviously, everyone turns their heads in my direction, except him.

“Hey! You over there with the blue T-shirt and cap!” I shout a little louder.

This time the man stops and turns around. Someone walks past me, so it takes a few more seconds for me to meet his gaze. But when I do, I realize one thing: he’s far from being a stranger.