A Perfect Paris Christmas - Mandy Baggot Page 0,107
is not even allowed in here. To clean it would be to disturb the last traces of my daughter.’
Keeley swallowed, wondering if she should reach out to her. They did have so much in common when it came to loss. Keeley put a hand on Silvie’s shoulder and gently squeezed. ‘Thank you for showing me Ferne’s room.’
Silvie sniffed again, recomposing herself. ‘You think we are finished?’
‘Well, I… didn’t want to pry.’
‘Nonsense,’ Silvie said quickly. ‘Come, help me up onto the bed.’
Keeley smiled as the woman headed towards the extremely high mattress and attempted to get on. Giggling, Silvie beached a little on the edge and Keeley had to hurry to her side and aid her in getting on top of it.
‘Honestly,’ Silvie exclaimed, straightening her form. ‘I never could understand why Ferne wanted a bed so high.’ She smiled. ‘Come up here with me.’ Silvie patted the space next to her.
‘Are you sure?’ Keeley asked.
‘But of course!’ Silvie patted the bed again. ‘Come!’
With quite substantial effort and a little help with balance from Silvie, Keeley managed to finally get on top of the bed. She stuck her legs out in mid-air and wiggled her feet. ‘Maybe that’s why the bed is high,’ Keeley mused. ‘It feels a little bit like you’re flying up here.’
‘Ferne never stayed still,’ Silvie mused. ‘Staying still for a moment bored her.’ She sighed. ‘My daughter was always about the “doing”. I do not remember the times when she stood still. Perhaps only in the shower.’
Keeley took a deep breath. There was something, one question, she had been wanting to ask Silvie from the moment they had met. ‘Silvie, do you think, if Ferne had been given the choice, she would have donated her kidney to someone like me?’
‘Someone like you?’ Silvie asked, her brow furrowed.
‘Someone ordinary,’ Keeley answered. She felt immediately scrutinised and realised she should probably elaborate a bit more. ‘Being here in Ferne’s space, I can start to see what a full life she led and I don’t know if I can… do her justice.’
‘Oh, my dear,’ Silvie said so gently. ‘Ferne and I discussed donation when our country changed its law. Neither of us could see any reason why we would opt out of giving someone the gift of life if ours was not going to go on.’
Keeley nodded. ‘Thank you.’
‘And as for being ordinary… bof! You, Keeley, are exactly the kind of person Ferne would want to carry on living for her. From what I know, and I do wish to know a lot more before it is time for you to leave, you are warm… and kind… and generous with your time for others. You have a soft heart and a keen mind. I think you and Ferne would have been great friends.’ Silvie put her hand over Keeley’s. ‘I think you could be great friends with Louis too.’ She looked a little forlorn again. ‘I do worry about him. Alone in America, working all the time. I worry that perhaps he made choices he thought his father would have wanted him to make.’
‘I really am sorry about the ballet. I…’
‘It is no matter,’ Silvie said, shifting her weight across the mattress a little. ‘But I do hope there will be a little time for you to get to know Louis better while you are here in Paris.’
Suddenly a loud clanging filled the entire room and Keeley clutched at her chest.
Silvie fell about laughing. ‘The way we announce the next course here in the House of Durand is surprising, yes?’ She shifted forward a little, teetering on the edge of the mattress again. ‘That is a reminder of my Pierre. He always liked the ceremony.’ With a bit of a bounce, Silvie sprung down off the bed and Keeley panicked as the woman listed a little to the left, heading towards a collision with the nightstand.
‘Oh!’ Silvie cried out.
Keeley managed to take hold of the woman’s arm and steady her landing a little while trying to manoeuvre herself off the giant mattress. A few things fell from the bedside cabinet then – a photo frame, a couple of books, thankfully not the lamp…
‘Are you alright?’ Keeley asked, her feet finally finding the carpet as Silvie straightened up.
‘Yes, yes,’ Silvie said quickly, her voice light. In fact, she sounded very much like she was laughing. ‘How did my daughter get in and out of this bed every day?’
Keeley smiled. ‘I don’t know… but it was probably a lot of fun.’