Envie-part 33

33

Gérard came by at 12:15 and knocked at the closed door gently. Envie peeked through to make sure it was him before unlocking all the locks and letting him in.
 
“I have to show you my new goodies!” She said excitedly.
 
“Mais, what has you so excited?”
 
“Bonjour!” cawed Gaston.
 
“Bonjour to you Gaston” Said Gérard to the crow.
 
Gato wove around his every step. “Merh” she said.
 
“Okay Gato, I see you too, pretty girl.” He reached down to scratch her head.
 
“They seem as excited as you. Or did they have coffee too?” Gérard joked.
 
“Lukas took me to his mill again and….” She dragged him to the apartment and showed him the tall stacks of squares.
 
“Wow, there must be 70 of those little squares of fabric.” He said.
 
“100 actually.” She confirmed.
 
“I see.” He said grinning.
 
“I have to tell you all about it at lunch!” she said gleefully.
 
“Is this the ‘schoolgirl’ thing you were telling me about?” he joked.
 
“Don’t pick on me Gérard!” she said, hands finding those hips.
 
“Uh oh….so-rry!” he said laughing. “Let’s go if you’re ready, cher.”
 
“Yes, let’s go!” she said, taking his arm “You choose where.”
 
Gerard chose Café Lafitte because they had shrimp kabobs, his personal favorite. “We also have left over gumbo in the freezer if you’d rather have that again.”
 
“Yay, my favorite, I could eat it every day.” She said happily.
 
They went over and heated up their own lunch because the café was pretty busy for the cook, Tony, and Entessa. They had hired a new girl to help wait, but she had called in sick.
 
Over lunch she filled Gérard in on the entire night and morning.
“I can see why you forgot I called you!” he teased.
 
“You know I’m sorry about that! It was just so surreal the way we matched up our dreams and history. Of course I didn’t tell him about my ‘eccentricities’.”
 
“Yes, I understand. That’s something you’ll have to decide when and if to tell him.” He agreed.
 
“There’s something about him, Gérard….”
 
“Apparently so…” Gérard agreed.
 
They ate in silence for a while before she told him about the mill and all she had seen.
 
“Now, this may sound dense, but what is a ‘fat quarter’? I only know what a French Quarter is.” He said grinning.
 
Envie giggled at his silliness and said “A fat quarter is a quarter of a yard, cut from both ways; otherwise known as a rectangle, which is usually cut 22 x 18 inches.” Envie explained. (55 centimeters by 50 centimeters) A regular yard is approximately 44 x 36 inches.” She finished.
 
“That makes sense…well the quarter part does….”
 
“I’m not sure why it’s called ‘fat’ unless Gato invented them.” Envie laughed. Soon they were both laughing like loons and people gave them strange looks. They ignored these looks, of course.
 
“Anyway, they fold them into little squares, as I showed you, and people use them for projects like quilting.” Envie said.
 
“Are you making me a surprise for my birthday?” Gérard joked.
 
“I’d be honored to make you something, and it will be a surprise!” she answered.
 
There was bread pudding for dessert and they each had a serving. Envie wanted hers with a dollop of sweetened condensed milk on top.
 
“This is the best Tony has ever made!” she exclaimed, digging in.
 
“You say that every time, Envie.” Gérard said, shaking his head.
 
“I guess he’s always improving…” she replied.
 
They cracked up again. Loons in the corner of the café, laughing. People shook their heads and wondered what was so funny.
 
“He says he’ll be back later…” Envie confided. “So if I forget my phone again, you’ll know why.”
 
“You better answer or I’m coming over!” Gérard joked.
 
“I will keep it with me, I promise.” She said seriously, and then burst out giggling again.
 
“It’s so good to see you so happy.” Gérard said when their laughter quieted down.
 
“I’m glad you’re happy for me. You’re the best friend anyone could want.”
 
They talked a bit longer, and then Envie left to get some work done back at the shop. The two friends hugged like mad before she left. She thanked him for lunch and left with a spring in her step.
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