Page 65 of Forgiving Paris
“Well…” Ashley felt the sting of tears once more. A single laugh came from her and she looked back at Landon and Cole, her father and Jessie and her friend, Alice. Then she turned to the man again. “Family is God’s greatest gift. And… there’s a lot more to that. But let’s just say I wouldn’t be here without them.”
There were other questions and other visitors who made their way to her. Another hour passed and one by one, each of Ashley’s twenty paintings was sold. The last guests to leave were Alice, Marie, Jessie, and Gabriel. They all said their goodbyes, Alice last.
“Your m’man…” Alice looked at Cole, who was standing nearby. “She saved my life, Cole. Ask her to tell you about that, one day.”
Cole seemed surprised. He nodded and smiled at his mother. “I can’t wait to hear.”
Alice hugged Ashley. A hug that came from the desperate teenager she had been all those years ago. Clinging to Ashley like a drowning person clung to a life preserver. “I will never… never stop thanking God for bringing you back to me.” She cupped Ashley’s head with one hand and stared into her eyes. “You will always be my miracle.”
Their eyes filled with tears, but neither of them cried. Their newfound friendship was too happy for that. “We’ll see each other again.” Ashley smiled. “Come visit us in the States.”
“We will.” Alice looked back at Paul. He had shown up thirty minutes ago, and now he nodded.
“If Alice says we’re coming for a visit, then we most certainly will.” He chuckled. “God has given you women this friendship. This is just the beginning.”
Alice and Ashley hugged once more. And Alice worked to find her voice. “I didn’t get to say goodbye last time.” She hesitated. “Goodbye, Ashley. Thank you.” She looked across the room at Gabriel, her son, and then back at Ashley. “Thank you for everything.”
When the group was gone, Emilie and Edward closed the doors and raised their hands again. “You did it!” Emilie smiled so big at Ashley. “Such a raving success, Ashley. You’ll have to come back. Whenever you can bring us another batch of paintings.”
“Yes.” Ashley hadn’t even considered the possibility. That this wouldn’t be just the most unbelievable Paris gallery show, but that it would be the first of several. Many, even. She was standing between Landon and Cole, and she put her arms around both of them. “I think we could make another trip back.” She looked at her husband and then at their son. “What do you think?”
“Next time we bring the whole family.” Her dad looked beyond happy at the idea. “All the kids and grandkids and Elaine.”
“Yes.” Ashley could picture it. “That would be one for the ages.”
“Now.” Landon turned to Emilie and Edward. “If you could help me find a bag for that painting. I’ll ship it fromthe hotel tomorrow. So Ashley and I can have one night with it on display in our room.”
They all laughed, and Emilie motioned to them. “Follow me.”
Landon and Cole walked with Emilie and Edward to the desk. As they did, Ashley’s father stepped closer. They were alone now, near a velvet bench at the middle of the gallery. “Can we sit?” Her dad touched her elbow. “I brought you something.”
Classical music played through the room, soft and subtle. Ashley hadn’t noticed it until now. She sat next to her father and turned so she could see him. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“Yes, I did.” His smile was tinged with sadness now. “You’ll see.” He pulled a wrapped gift from his suit coat. “I’ve been hiding it here all night. Waiting for this moment.”
Ashley’s heartbeat quickened as she took the small silver-wrapped gift and opened the paper. Whatever it was, the gift mattered dearly to her father. She could see that much. Beneath the wrapping was a slim black box, and inside the box was…
A used cell phone.
“Isn’t this yours?” Ashley held up the phone. “This is your case, right?”
“Right.” Her dad took the phone from her. “I’m not real tech savvy. You know that.”
“Yes.” Her laugh was quiet now. What was this? “So… you’re giving me your cell phone?”
“No, sweetheart.” He scrolled through the phone’s home screen and into his handful of apps. “Luke helped me with this.”
Luke.Ashley’s heart melted a little more. The brother who had been so mean to her when she came home from Paris twenty-three years ago and who now was one of her best friends. Of course he had helped with whatever this was, whatever their dad had wanted to do for Ashley.
“Here.” He handed the phone back to her. “On the day I decided to come see your art show, I looked back at the box of letters your mother had written. And tucked between the cardboard pieces at the bottom of the box was a cassette tape.”
Ashley felt her heart beat harder again. “And we’d missed it all this time?”
“Yes.” Her father looked bewildered. “I have no idea how. Or why I didn’t find it before.” He paused. “Anyway, all those letters? Your mother read them. She recorded herself. So every word she ever put on paper for you, Ashley… for your siblings… when she got sick she must’ve decided to read them. Every letter. Every single letter is on that cassette tape.”
Her mother’s voice? Ashley reached for her dad’s hand. This was more than she could imagine. “So… Luke helped you make a sound file? With Mom’s words?”
“Yes. That’s it. A sound file.” He allowed a soft laugh and he pointed to a link markedYour mother’s words—for your Paris art show. “You’ll want to listen to the whole thing later. When you have an hour. But Luke helped memake a shorter recording, some of my favorite things your mother said about you as an artist, Ashley.” He blinked back tears. “I wanted you to have it tonight.”
