Page 245 of Damaged Mogul
Translation:Miss Lily.
“Oui.”
“Votre soupe de tomate sera prête dans quelques minutes.”Gérard St. Aubin, the short, fifty-three-year-old housekeeper and cook with salt and pepper hair who looks after Nadine’s father’s property smiles at me.
Translation: Your tomato soup will be ready in a few minutes.
“Merci,”I say.“Il faut tout simplement m’appeler Lily, Gérard.”
Translation:Thank you. Please call me, Lily, Gérard.
“Je promets de faire un effort, Lily.”
Translation:I promise, I’ll try, Lily.
Nadine’s father and his wife require formality. I don’t.
“On agrémente la soupe avec une assiette de fromage et du bon pain?”
Translation:I’ll serve the soup with a cheese plate and some hearty bread?
“D’accord. Merci,”I say.
Translation:Okay. Thank you.
Since cheese isn’t the enemy, I can eat it. Gérard suggested I avoid soft cheeses like brie, camembert, and chevre. Sharp cheddar, parmesan, and mozzarella are okay. Thank God. I can’t imagine nine months without cheese.
“Pour le dessert, je vous ai préparé une petite compote d’abricots étant donné que vous avez aimé celle aux pommes que j’ai préparé ce midi.”Gérard keeps talking. “Mes filles étaient friandes des compotes au tout début de leurs grossesses,”he says with a proud smile.
Translation:For dessert, I prepared an apricot purée since you liked the apple one I prepared for lunch. My daughters enjoyed purées in the early stages of their pregnancies.
He has four daughters and ten grandkids. He’s been pulling out tried and tested recipes to ensure I eat since I got here last night. So far, his recipes are winners.
“Vivement,”I say.
Translation:I can’t wait.
“Je vais bien m’occuper de vous pendant votre séjour ici, Lily.”
Translation:I’ll take good care of you while you’re here.
I blush.“Merci, Gérard.”
I relish the attention.
I’m sure I won’t get much of that in the coming months since I’ll be navigating this new chapter of my life on my own.
Since the conclusive test results, Nadine has been reminding me Mama managed without much more than a high school education. There’s no disputing that, but I’m still scared shitless. Gage isn’t married, but he’s in love with another woman. I’ve gone over this a million times in my head. Why would he lie about not being with anyone in three years? It doesn’t make sense?—
“Ça va, Lily?”
Translation:Are you okay?
My eyes meet Gérard’s.
I respond with a small nod.
I quell my fear of the unknown.
