Page 29 of Papa's Bébé
Get it together, Maya.
“Are you all right?” the woman asked in concern.
“Yes, I’m fine.” She forced herself to smile. “Thanks.”
“You might want to watch where you’re walking,” the child advised. “You wouldn’t look so good with a broken nose.”
“It’s true,” the woman said. “You don’t want to hurt yourself.”
“Yes, thanks. I’ll make sure I watch where I’m going from now on.”
Could her humiliation get any worse?
“That’s good. Bye! Come on, Mama. We have to get going.”
The woman gave her a smile as the little girl tugged at her hand. They didn’t look like they were related at all.
“Have a good day,” the woman said. “I hope whatever was on your mind just now gets resolved quickly.”
Yeah. Her too.
6
Matthieu stared after the strange woman until she disappeared around the corner.
What was that all about?
He wasn’t sure . . . but he found himself worried about her. Was she all right? Why could she barely speak? She’d looked at him strangely.
What had she been doing standing on the stairs just staring at the door? Had she wanted to go inside?
Merde. Had he scared her off? Maybe he should go after her?
But she was probably long gone and he was due at a meeting. Pushing her out of his head, he turned and walked inside.
“Welcome to Callahan Security,” Sable chirped from behind the desk. “How can I help you?”
Matthieu sighed. “Sable.”
The woman jumped and blinked up at him. “Do I know you? I’m so sorry, I seem to have misplaced my glasses.”
“They’re on your head,” he told her patiently.
She patted around the top of her head and found them, putting them on her nose. Then she smiled at him brightly. “Matthieu! Hi!”
“Hello, Sable,” he said quietly.
“Sorry I didn’t recognize you when you first came in. Ink is waiting for you in the meeting room.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
Sable hadn’t been working here that long, but he’d met her a few times. She was sweet and cheerful but also slightly forgetful. Without her glasses on, she could barely see anything.
And she was constantly leaving her glasses places. Mostly on her head.
He was tempted to ask her if she’d thought of corrective surgery or even contacts.
