My European Honeymoon (Completed)

Chapter Twelve

I kept looking down at the little lamb with its little bell on the pink ribbon around it's neck. It was in impeccable condition and I couldn't believe it had been played with by a single child, let alone two. I reached and stroked it slightly. It was slightly rougher than I expected. I just couldn't believe they would gift Isabella with something so special, that they would consider me family. I had such a long history of having no family, but since meeting Luca I seemed to be gaining them constantly. The tears started to flow involuntarily.

"Come dear, there is no need for tears."

"It's just so lovely of you. I don't know what to say."

"As far as me and Timothée are concerned, Isabella is our first grandchild. Possibly the only grandchild we will ever have." She tossed a slightly disapproving look at Julia.

"She doesn't like my lifestyle," Julia whispered to me.

"I don't care who you chose to sleep with Julia, but I would have liked you to at least consider having children." It felt odd being stuck in the middle of such a personal conversation. I hadn't even realised Julia was interested in women. I remembered our first meeting and how I had judged her for being a little too friendly with Luca. Wondering if he knew, he must have, not that he told me.

"Well, you're out of luck. I much prefer being able to hand them back at the end of the day."

"So, as you can see dear, you needn't worry that Isabella is getting something that is destined for someone else. I fully intend on spoiling that little angel on a regular basis. You are also welcome to call on us for babysitting duties anytime you are over here. When you and Luca were in the hospital, we were worried sick."

"I'm hoping not to worry any of you like that again."

"Well, of course you won't. I see such bright things in the future for you two. Such exciting things are coming on the horizon already." Jocelyne was speaking with such certainty, and her voice lit up the more she spoke. Before she could get more carried away, Luca came in and ushered me out of the room while I was shouting instructions to Julia. To be fair to her, she didn't once make me feel like I was being ridiculous and instead listened to me intently.

As soon as we sat down at the table, I started gushing to Luca about the little lamb and everything the pair had said. Completely ignoring the candlelight and the view of the Eiffel Tower from the terrace. He didn't seem to mind and just seemed to constantly smile away at me. I didn't take a breath until the waiter came with the starters. It seemed quite simple and very British to me. A slightly spicy version of prawn cocktail, except it was shrimp.

"You seemed to have had fun."

"Why didn't you tell me Julia was..."

"Allergic to dudes. It never occurred to me."

"It would have been nice to know. Especially when I thought she fancied you when I first met her."

"You have to be kidding! Oh my God, I swear I've just been slightly sick in my mouth. She might as well be my sister."

"Yes, well, that was the conclusion I came to as well." I couldn't stop the giggle at his repulsion and he just flashed me a serious stern look. Clearly, he didn't see the funny side at all. "Where are you planning on taking me tonight?"

"It's a surprise."

"How am I supposed to know if I want to go and leave Isabella, if I don't know where we're going?"

"That may be, but I'm still not telling you where we're going. You really need to learn to trust my judgement."

"I do. I just wanted you to let it slip." No matter where it was, I knew it would be special. The trip had already exceeded my expectations.

As we tucked into dessert, I realised that we hadn't heard a peep out of Julia and Isabella. Not that I was that surprised, with the pair of them watching her, she was in safe hands. They were too doting for her not to be.

"Are we moving on?"

"Yeah. Julia has your number though, right?"

"Of course she has my number. She's had my number longer than you have." It sounded like such a stupid question the second it was out of my mouth, but it was too late to take it back. I seemed to have a habit of making myself look somewhat dense. We walked down the side of the river under the trees and it was beautiful seeing all the lights of the city. I was, however, grateful that I had worn my flats. At points we were close enough to the water that I could have stooped down and splashed Luca with it.

It was like being in a world of our own, the busyness of the city was completely segregated from us by a wall and it was at least eight feet above us. I could hear the chatter and traffic, but it seemed to drift over us, never quite joying us on the river path. As we climbed the steps and joined the rest of Paris, I had no clue where we were. There were huge French classical buildings everywhere I looked and they seemed to go on forever.

The building we were walking around the outside of seemed to be bigger than anything I had ever seen before. It seemed to take up an entire block in the middle of Paris. The only building I had seen that was even remotely as large was Buckingham Palace or Westminster, but both paled in comparison. As we got about half way down the span of the building there were posters attached advertising it as The Louvre, but we just walked straight past. I was rather disappointed, but it was late and, of course, we wouldn't have been going to a museum at night. I wasn't really sure why I had even considered it as an option.

As we rounded the corner, the glass pyramid stood before us like a beacon calling us inside. All lit up and screaming to everyone of its majesty. As Luca steered me towards it, I was practically jumping up and down as I walked. I couldn't quite believe we were going inside. Like the whole massive building existed just for us in the middle of the night.