LOVE PROBABLY

30.

It’s Rosie, in a furious state, ready to do battle with the whole Earth. Romeo, who has recognized his mistress’s voice, escapes from the office to meet her.

“Oh, my dog!” we hear her exclaim when she sees him. “You’re okay? They didn’t hurt you, I hope. Let me look at you… Looks okay. Where’s Maddie? Take me to her! You’re a good doggy!”

Romeo runs and comes back to us, barking. When Rosie shows up at the door, she doesn’t recognize me right away.

“Oh! I’m sorry to have disturbed you,” she said to me.

Romeo begins to bark as if to dispute this assertion. That’s when Rosie’s eyes scan me up and down.

“Maddie, is that you?” she asks me, looking at me sideways.

“Yes, Rosie! Nice to see you.”

“But what happened? You’ve changed! This morning, you were Madeline. Now you’re a real Maddie! Wouuuuuh!” she said, turning me around.

“I did some shopping…”

“But what did they do to you?” she said, glaring at the policeman. “Don’t move, I’ll be back.”

She leaves the room. The policeman and I stare at each other. Where did she go? This woman is unpredictable, a real live wire. She returns, shaking a sodden handkerchief.

“Looks like a panda. Your mascara smudged. I’ll fix it for you,” she said, rubbing the black streaks under my eyelashes. “You’ve been crying, Madeline. Come on… Confess! Did they hurt you? Either way, it shows. You can’t lie to me.”

“No, not that much. He was pretty cool,” I said, nodding at Damien.

“Yeah…”

“They admitted they made a mistake,” I said. “I suppose we can go, officer?”

“Not yet, I have to take the dog’s footprints.”

My arms drop to my sides. Seeing that Rosie and I are waiting for explanations, he exclaims:

“It’s a joke!” he said, laughing at his own joke.

“Wow, you’re hilarious!” Rosie quips. “I’d been told that the police were funny but I didn’t imagine white Chris Rock!”

Looking upset, the man pouted.

“One minute, Miss Jordan, you need to sign your statement. And I’m not telling you a joke this time,” he said, presenting me with a piece of paper.

“Where should I sign?”

“Here and here, can you write your phone number?”

I raise an eyebrow. Is he serious? Is he trying to flirt with me? What should I do? If I leave it, he’ll take me for an easy girl. If I don’t, maybe I’m missing out. But on what, Maddie? I internally curse.

“Her number! What next?” said an indignant Rosie. “Aren’t you ashamed to flirt with a woman in shock? And your ring, there, it’s a wedding band?”

“Oh, that! It’s nothing, I won it at the funfair.”

“Come on, Maddie, this man is laughing at us!”

“Can I escort you?” he suggests.

“No need! I know the way.”

“Goodbye, Miss Jordan, it was a pleasure to meet you.”

“Goodbye, Mr…”

“Damien Tavene, at your service. Enough with the jokes! You have my card, don’t hesitate. And once again, I apologise for this misunderstanding.”

“It’s not so bad, all’s well that ends well,” I said, holding out my hand to him.

“Have a nice stay in London,” he replies, not letting it go.

“That’s it! Goodbye! We’re not going to spend the day here. We have plenty of things to do…”

I look at him one last time with the firm intention of etching his face in my memory before turning to go. I retrieve my personal belongings and leave the room with a little regret about Damien Tavene. Anyway, if he wanted to get my number, he would only have to click on his supercomputer.

Rosie clings to my arm, looks up at me and expresses all her admiration with her ultra-bright smile.

“You’re really beautiful. What a change! You must tell me everything that happened to you in every detail.”

“Yes, but first, I would like to eat, I’m starting to feel hungry.”

We leave the establishment and perhaps in a spirit of revenge, voluntarily let Romeo relieve himself on the rims of the police vehicles parked in front of the building. Poor dog, he must have really wanted to go, with all the cars he sprays.

It’s nearly 3 p.m. when my stomach emits its first sound. This doesn’t escape Rosie who offers me lunch at a restaurant in the Palace of Westminster not too far away. She knows that four-legged animals are welcome there.

We walk in silence. In front of us stands the majestic Houses of Parliament. I had seen it quickly when passing nearby in a taxi, but now, in the light of day, it’s even more magnificent. Rosie, who has a knack for reading my mind, hands me my cell phone and says:

“We should take a selfie.”