A Perfect Paris Christmas - Mandy Baggot Page 0,49

acknowledgement that this was a big deal.

‘I’ll have a glass of red wine,’ Keeley agreed with a small smile. ‘If you will have one with me.’

Silvie smiled back and gave a laugh. ‘But of course. And we will order some water too, non?’

‘And a beer,’ Rach added, unbuttoning her coat. ‘Une pinte.’

‘Bon,’ Silvie said, raising a hand to beckon back the waiter.

*

They had got their drinks, they had ordered food, then discussed the weather and the fact that Christmas would soon be here. But everyone knew there was a topic they couldn’t avoid much longer. It was, after all, their whole reason for being here. Keeley took a sip of her wine as easy conversation that had bubbled up with no effort at all suddenly dried up like a very poor comedian.

Keeley offered a smile to Silvie, mentally willing her to break the ice. But then she watched the woman draw an expensive-looking handbag up from the floor, propping it onto her knee. Perhaps Keeley should take the lead…

But, before she could, Silvie began. ‘I… was not sure what exactly to say when I met you, Keeley. I have thought for a long time, perhaps for all the time Ferne has been gone, that I would like to meet you. But it took me many many months to think about it with logic.’ She took a breath. ‘Do you understand what I say?’

Keeley nodded. ‘Yes. Yes I do.’

‘To begin with I would think that to want to know you… to want to know how you are… that it would be selfish of me. And maybe it still is. But…’

Keeley could see Silvie was becoming emotional and she had so many feelings too. ‘I understand.’

‘I am not putting all this very well, am I?’ Silvie asked. ‘Keeley, my reason for wanting to meet you is to thank you.’

‘Thank me?’

Silvie nodded. ‘Just to know that there was someone out there, living their life, enjoying fresh air and… the red wine.’ She smiled. ‘And experiencing all the colour that life has… it gave me hope through the very darkest of times. But then, most recently, it became something else. My wish changed. Now, I would like to get to know you.’ Silvie smiled again. ‘I wish for you not to be a stranger. If that is acceptable to you, of course.’

Keeley felt her tension ease a little and then she spoke. ‘Well, Madame Durand, I am here because… I want to thank you… to thank your daughter… for giving me that chance to keep on living.’

Tears were glistening in Silvie’s eyes then. ‘Well,’ she started. ‘This…’ She paused. ‘This is Ferne.’

From the handbag on her lap, Silvie pulled out a small oblong photograph and placed it in the centre of the table next to the glass of festive pinecones, silver swirls and condiments.

Keeley gasped immediately. ‘Oh… goodness… she’s… so beautiful.’

‘So beautiful,’ Rach agreed. ‘Gorgeous hair.’

Keeley lifted her eyes from the picture to meet Silvie’s gaze. ‘May I… pick it up?’

‘But of course,’ Silvie said, still smiling. ‘Please.’

Keeley took the photo between her fingers and looked into the face of the woman who had saved her. She truly was so pretty and it was the most natural of poses. Ferne was wearing a bit of make-up – not that she needed any at all – her long blonde hair flowing loose like it was caught on a breeze. She had the widest most genuine smile and blue eyes that seemed to be smiling too. She looked so vibrant, so full of life. It was heart-breaking to know that she was no longer here.

‘I am so so sorry for your loss,’ Keeley breathed. ‘So sorry.’

Silvie nodded, her bottom lip trembling as she reached back into her handbag for a tissue. ‘Thank you.’

Rach swiped up some serviettes from the table and passed them over to her. ‘Here, Madame Durand.’

‘Oh,’ Silvie said. ‘Thank you. You are kind. And please, both of you, call me Silvie. Whenever anyone calls me Madame Durand I expect my mother to materialise behind me… and she has been dead for twenty years.’ She gave a small laugh as if to belie her true feelings, then she dabbed at her eyes with one of the serviettes.

‘I thought about who my donor might be too,’ Keeley said. ‘But I don’t know, this will probably sound really stupid, but when I was recovering I felt so guilty knowing that someone had died but I had survived.’ She took a deep breath. ‘I almost didn’t want