Leap of Faith

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 3

I DUCKED INTO MY OFFICE to take my bag when Susan, my personal assistant, came after me with glee in her eyes.

“Congrats, Meg! Everyone has heard that you were going to take over the management of the office we’re opening in Paris!”

I smiled at her with a lot of warmth. My smile wasn’t only for her congratulations, although they were also welcome, but because she was the living proof that I hadn’t lost it yet. I was not day-dreaming and I had no blackouts.

So everything turned out to be real, as real as it could get. That was truly great!

Now, I had to start making plans for my move. I didn’t even know where I was going to live there, or what I was going to do with the house here. That was a real challenge but I knew I could deal with everything as I always had.

“You know, Mr. Johnson sent me the memo explaining everything they’ve arranged about your accommodations in Paris and... well, everything else. They rented you a splendid little cottage in the suburbs. You know, the ‘banlieue’.”

Yes, I should have known that he would have taken care to rent a house for me, because, as a rule, he was very attentive with such details. Yet, I felt tricked somehow. I’d have liked to look for a house myself. I didn’t think they’d already done it for me. Big mistake! I had to start thinking ahead.

I knew very well Mr. Johnson’s taste. I had seen my boss’s house as well, not only his office. The house was full of horrible modern things and kitsch.

I’d have preferred something a bit out of fashion, European, refined, something that would remind me of the beginning of the twentieth century or even about the end of the nineteenth. I wanted to see that Paris I had read so much about when I was a student.

Shrugging, I gave up pining about the choices I’d have made. It wouldn’t have done any good to me longing for something I couldn’t change. I should have known they wouldn’t have sent me there within two weeks without taking care of everything there. The company was very thoughtful with such matters.

As there was nothing more for me to do there then, I headed out. I had to get to the restaurant where I was supposed to meet Lorna for lunch.