for a spreadsheet breakdown of every item.”
“She totally would,” I laughed.
* * *
* * *
The next morning, as we sat down for breakfast, my aunt prepared me for exploring the city. She handed me a Paris Museum Pass along with a carnet of metro tickets.
“Your first day out on your own.” She nibbled on a buttery croissant. “You’ll be an excellent exploratrice. Don’t worry, you’ll be perfectly safe.”
“A wonderful city for tourists, right?”
She nodded. “The nearest station is rue du Bac, a three-minute walk away. Take Montalembert south to boulevard Saint-Germain and you’ll see it. The metro system is easy to navigate and, you know, I’m only a text or call away if you need me. Enjoy these precious few days before you have to start your lessons. You’re young and you’ve never seen Paris before. It’ll be exciting.”
“There’re so many museums and galleries on my list. I don’t know where to begin.”
“It’s beautiful out. The Musée d’Orsay is nearby, as is the Louvre. I do think, though, that you should head to Luxembourg Gardens first. There’s nothing like seeing the flowers in bloom. The Eiffel Tower isn’t going anywhere.”
“Thank you. I’ll take my coat.” We had picked up a fitted trench coat yesterday and, with the cooler spring weather, it was perfect for this morning’s outing.
My aunt sipped her tea. “You’ll need a scarf. It complements your outfit. Go into my closet. There’re a few hanging there. I want you to pick one.”
“Auntie, you already gave me too much,” I protested. “I can’t raid your closet.”
“You can and you must. I’d love for you to have something of mine. Go on.”
There was no use in arguing with an older relative.
I headed to her closet. The bedrooms were of similar size. Rose damask curtains hung beside tall windows, contrasting against creamy white walls and their decorative plaster molding. The ivory Venetian rococo hand-painted commode was the centerpiece of the room. This had been my favorite piece of furniture in my aunt’s home. Delicate royal-blue butterflies fluttered between the bright painted roses, shifting as if they could fly into the air at any moment. It was as I remembered from wandering upstairs in my aunt’s house when I was six. I touched the moving butterflies on one of the drawers. One leaped into the air, fluttering until it faded into nothingness.
I tore myself from the mesmerizing cabinet, walked to the closet, and opened it. I always admired my aunt’s exquisite tastes: everything was tailored and stylish. After scanning through her curated collection of clothes, shoes, and handbags, I found the scarves: all Hermès and pricey. It would be a grave slight to my aunt to choose the cheapest option, not that there was one I could see. I selected the Faubourg print in pinks.
Before I put everything back, I spotted a stack of papers at the corner of her dresser.
I didn’t want to pry, but the top sheet caught my eye.
It was the real estate listing for her Victorian back home.
She was leaving San Francisco and moving to Paris.
Nine
I scanned the sheet for the opening date. Aunt Evelyn listed her home in San Francisco yesterday. The way the market worked, it wouldn’t be surprising if she was already fielding offers. It might explain why she’d been glued to her phone the past twenty-four hours.
Curiosity was a classic Yu trait. Auntie Faye had built a business around it. Aunt Evelyn, though, had mastered secrecy. Her decision did not require my approval, but why keep it a secret? She had yet one more secret and now, by not confronting her, I did too.
I picked up the scarf, returned the sheet to its place on the pile, and headed back.
“Ah, the Faubourg. Great choice,” she said, tying the scarf around my neck. “It will look better on you than it did on me. These spring breezes can be quite cool. Best to have your neck covered. Promise me you’ll start at the fountain and make your way out from there. There is no better place in the city to begin your adventure.”
The simple act of readying for a day out reminded me so much of Ma that a wave of homesickness constricted my heart. We hadn’t been apart for too long, yet I already missed her. She had sent numerous messages through the electronic umbilical cord tying the two of us together, but it wasn’t the same.
“Try and enjoy the city before I make you miserable with my teachings,” Aunt Evelyn said.
I laughed and