A Perfect Paris Christmas - Mandy Baggot Page 0,54
instantly regretted it when a smear of brown appeared on her forefinger.
It earned a light laugh from Silvie and she coiled the tissue up in her hand. ‘How old was your Bea?’
‘She was twenty-four,’ Keeley answered. Forever twenty-four. Always that upbeat, focused, funny individual thinking she had all the time in the world. She forced a smile. ‘She was living her best life which, when I look back at things now, I am so glad about.’
‘What did she do?’
‘She was an engineer,’ Keeley said proudly. ‘She worked for a company designing different components to help repair or maintain bridges. Sometimes she got to design them from scratch. Bea was always the Lego builder of the family.’
‘That is such a wonderfully different job for a woman. Am I allowed to say that?’
Keeley nodded. ‘She was up against six men for the position and she got it, fresh out of college.’ And Keeley still remembered how much they had celebrated the weekend after Bea had received the email. They’d had too much wine and pizza Bea had tried to build a replica Golden Gate bridge out of the crusts. Her little sister had been destined for such great things…
‘It is such a waste,’ Silvie said, tone regretful. ‘All of it. Is it not?’
‘Yes,’ Keeley agreed. She didn’t really know what else to say. ‘Tell me what Ferne did. You said she loved music and animals. Did she do either of those passions for a job?’
Silvie shook her head then. ‘No. Ferne, she was in hospitality. Apart from the music and the animals there was nothing she liked more than people and parties. Her great gift was being able to communicate at every level. She would always treat people exactly the same, you know. It did not matter to Ferne if you were… say, part of the royal family or… someone who sleeps on the streets. She wanted to know you, no matter what you you were.’
Her donor was kind. In touch with humanity. It all made perfect sense.
‘But Ferne was not without her faults,’ Silvie admitted. ‘She could have a temper when things did not go her way. She once gave me the silent treatment for a whole week when I did not immediately get on board with a plan she had for a charity summer fiesta.’
‘Phew,’ Keeley said tongue-in-cheek. ‘I was beginning to think she was a saint.’
‘Non,’ Silvie said. ‘Not a saint. A normal, ordinary girl who was living her best life too.’ She smiled at Keeley. ‘That always gives me comfort also. To know she was happy with life and not struggling with sadness, or illness, or the weight of the world.’
‘Yes,’ Keeley agreed. ‘I feel the same with Bea.’
Silvie smiled again. ‘In a lot of ways we are lucky to have those perfect memories, no?’
‘Yes, you’re right.’
‘So,’ Silvie said, ‘you have plans for tonight?’
‘I don’t know. Rach mentioned maybe taking in a cabaret show one evening while we’re here but…’
‘Will you do one favour for me?’ Silvie asked her. ‘My son, Ferne’s brother, he is in Paris for Christmas and he has been away for some time. I have two tickets for the ballet tonight, but I need to be elsewhere. Would you go with him? It would be nice for you two to meet and maybe talk about Ferne a little more. To be honest, I think he has struggled with his grief even more than I have, although, he is a man and men can be very inverted. Is that the right word?’ She sighed. ‘What else can I say? Men tend to hide away things that they feel will show a weakness in them.’
‘I…’ Keeley didn’t know how to reply. It was odd, wasn’t it? To accept an invitation to the ballet with someone she didn’t know. She barely knew Silvie. And her donor’s brother. How would he feel about her being here?
‘I have asked too much. I am so sorry. Please, ignore me, forget I said anything.’
Keeley was suddenly wracked with guilt. Ferne had saved her life. Silvie was paying for her to be here and she was so nice. What harm would it do to see a show with her son? As long as Rach could keep herself occupied and didn’t mind.
‘No,’ Keeley said. ‘You haven’t asked too much. But can I… can I think about it?’
‘But of course,’ Silvie agreed. ‘No pressure at all. I will send you the details and you can see what you think.’