Chapter 38
Faith
We land around 10 p. m. and a car picks us up, I slept the whole way I was very tired, I think we all were, I don't know how long it lasted Chris waking me up when we arrived
Chris whispering: eeehhh beauty we have arrived
Me passing my hand over my face: ah good? It's not too soon
Chris: I know you will be able to rest now
Leila: Lovers, can we go home now?
Chris smiling: yes
He turns to me before continuing
Chris: can you walk?
Me: yes yes I can
He helps me out of the car and holds me by the waist until we get to the doorstep, it's already very late but I notice that it's a very nice house, when he knocks at the door it is a very old lady who comes to open the door for us
The old lady taking him in her arms: Christopher, my Christopher I thought I would never see you again before I die
Chris with affection: but don't say that, you still have a very long year ahead of you
The old lady: I'm not so young anymore
Chris: years have no effect on you
The old lady sweeping the air with her hand: you will never change yourself
She turns to me and resumes
The old lady with a lot of affection: you must be faithful, that's it, you are so beautiful
She takes me in her arms, in a few minutes I notice that she is very endearing and that she really loves Chris even if I don't know who she is
Me: yes ma'am
The old lady: no lady between us, call me Elisabeth
I've lost all my manners, so come in
We come in and dive into a large living room, I'd rather say huge living room, with very high ceilings, this room feels so small, it must be my apartment in Lomé, on the wall I see a picture of a woman and a man next to him is a little boy, I guess it's Chris and his parents
Mrs. Elisabeth: I have prepared lots of good things for you, do you want us to serve the meal at the same time or do you go wash your face first?
Me a little embarrassed: eeeuuhhhh me I'm not hungry, I'm sleepy
Mrs. Elisabeth: no question, especially not in your condition, you are not going to go to sleep on an empty stomach
Chris: don't worry we'll freshen up and go down to eat
We are taken to our rooms with our suitcases, when we arrive I thank them before closing the door
Me: all I want is to sleep, why did you tell him we were coming back?
Chris laughing: don't be grumpy sweetheart, she went to great lengths to make everything perfect for us, the least we can do is make her happy by honoring her dishes
Me pulling my face: I'm going to take a bath
Chris: I'm coming with you
Me: no you lost that right tonight, you pissed me off
Chris mumbling: Pregnant women and their moods…
I don't look at him, I don't even pass him but he holds me by the arms, and sticks me to him
Chris: we won't last, we'll have a bite to eat and you can sleep all the time you want
Me: ok
Chris: Can I come with you now?
Me: no you can't
Chris: but why?
Me: if you follow me it will take longer
He doesn't say anything more, I go in to take my bath when I go out, he comes back in his turn, I come to open the suitcases to find myself a truck to put on my back, I was still searching when Chris comes to pick me up by the waist and kiss me on the neck
I take off and give him jogging bottoms but he trades them for real pants
Me all surprised: but it's already late, why are you exchanging your jogging bottoms
Chris laughing: I don't want Lise to pull my ears
Me smiling: I didn't know you were afraid of someone
We laugh together, we get ready and go out for the dining room, when I go there I go to warn Leïla but she was too tired to go down to dinner, she is so lucky she can skip dinner if she wants without creating a world war too eager to give birth
We go down to dinner with Elisabeth, she sends a tray to Leïla in her room, we all have dinner in a good mood, she tells us anecdotes about Chris' childhood, I'm really happy that he has someone who saw him grow up and who could tell me about his childhood, by the way Elisabeth worked for Chris' family from her very early childhood until now and now she is an integral part of the family
When we finish we say good night and we separate, when we arrive in our room
Chris: I think Lise likes you
Me smiling: me too, she is a very nice and endearing lady
Chris: and she will take care of you, you can ask her anything you want, she will help you with pleasure
Me yawning: ok
I change my dress and I go straight back to bed, Chris joins me some time later, I fall asleep immediately, when I wake up in the morning Chris was gone, and the sun was entering the room, when I look at the it was already past noon, I get up quickly, why didn't he wake me up?
I go in to take a shower, I get ready and I go down, it's the way of Leïla and Elisabeth that attracts me to the kitchen, when I arrive they were in the middle of a lively discussion
Me with a little voice: hello!
Elisabeth: hello my darling, did you have a good rest?
Me a little embarrassed: I think I slept a little too much
Elisabeth: it's normal, given your condition and the duration of the trip, come and sit here, I'll serve you a truck to eat
Leila: the sleeper slept well?
Me: Very well, where is Chris?
Elizabeth: Chris? His mother called him that, he didn't let anyone call him that
Me: He didn't tell me...
Elisabeth: their death marked him so much, after their funeral, he never set foot here again, when he got married he left to settle in France with her, and this woman did not bring him anything good
Chris popping up behind us: what are you doing behind my back?
Elisabeth: it's trucks between women
He gives her a kiss, he also gives Leïla a kiss before coming to kiss me tenderly, someone rings the doorbell, one of the cleaning girls has gone to open it
Me: where were you?
Chris: went for a walk, what are you eating?
Me: and you didn't wake me up? Don't touch my dish
Chris: Aren't you very tired?
Elisabeth: leave him his dish, and come and serve yourself
Chris making a falsely upset face: so I'm not your favorite anymore?
Elisabeth laughing: no you grew up and you lost all the powers of your charm
The cleaning girl: madam there is a woman who wants to see the gentleman
She does not finish her sentence when I see a very blonde woman appear, with long hair with a very short dress and close to the body, with high heels, I see Chris become all white and Elisabeth drops the dish she had in hand, who is this woman who does this to them???