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“Yes. Please do.” Dani reached over, and we hugged tight, and it was healing. It was what I had hoped would happen. Of course, it wasn’t a guarantee everything would be easy, but everything became easier when you had people who cared.
I took out my phone. “I’ll give you my mom’s number so you can speak with my parents.”
“Okay, Nadia. I will, but today we have Kusama. Are you ready to be blown away?” Her smile was so similar to Paul’s when he was happy.
“Yes. I’m excited to learn more, and thank you again for your invitation.”
She reached over and squeezed my hand. “I’m happy to share this with you.”
The rest of our meal was delicious, and there was a level of comfort between us that surprised me. The time to depart came so quickly. Once we were back in the car, we stopped next to the bridge over The Seine, leading to the Musée D’Orsay. Inside, it was reminiscent of New York City’s Grand Central Station. There were domed arches with an ornate clock high above, but then all that disappeared as we entered the mirror exhibit, a large dark room with thousands of sparks of light. It was as if we were moving into another dimension, and I grew more relaxed as I floated through outer space.
“We are mirrors of light. Kusama has created our self-image in our infinite brilliance as balls of light,” Dani enthused.
I gazed among the stars that filled the vast space. Could this really be all we are?
“We are stardust.” Her words lifted when my mind journeyed.
I grinned at her. “You sound like my dad.”
“He’s right. I heard you sing Joni Mitchell’s “Woodstock”. I wish I could hear you sing it again. It had so much soul and heart in it. You looked like you were in a trance.”
“I believe I was,” I admitted. “I sang it to my dad when he was on dialysis. He said it made him believe death wasn’t the end, and that life continued. That we all are light and love.”
She took out a necklace of beads and twined them in her hands. “I feel that. I’m going to meditate as we walk.” She went in silence, moving her prayer beads as we moved through the rows of light. It was breathtaking, and I wished I could capture it with film, but it wasn’t for that. It was an exhibit to be experienced. Dani kissed and shook hands with the people on the way out, but still took the time to introduce me. It was as if she was going out of her way to associate me as a part of her family. It touched me so deeply that I had to lock down my emotions or I’d burst into tears of joy.
“Thank you so much for bringing me to the exhibit; it was amazing.” To be honest, Dani was amazing. She was completely different from when I met her at Paul’s loft in Tribeca.
“I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Nadia.” Dani’s smile was exuberant. “The museums are my favorite part of Paris. And working at Givenchy is such an amazing opportunity. Have you considered staying here for a while longer or are you fixed on returning to college this fall in New York?”
“I don’t think so.” It was the first time I admitted that I considered leaving college to myself. Returning to the New York School of Design had always been my plan, but that was before the boat party. I loved the college, but I needed some time away from it after what happened. There were bound to be friends of my enemies there, and I wanted some space. I only began to understand Paris, and I hoped for more time here.
“Paris is a wonderful place to stay. Paul also loves Germany. Have you been?”
“No, I haven’t, but I’ve always wanted to see Berlin.” I told her.
“You should go. I’m sure Paul would love to show you. It’s a beautiful city.”
“Paul’s busy working on a documentary for Ingrid.”
She exhaled a long breath. “Ingrid. They were close. I know she’s still hopeful, but you’ll always find women around.”
I frowned. “Yes, I know.” I told her about what happened with Linux in Paris. She kissed Paul in his studio, and I suspect she knew I was there. Even afterwards, Paul gave her a warning about her behavior, she trash-talked me with her band.
She grimaced. “That’s bad, but I’ve experienced worse, and so has Lily. I wish I could tell you it won’t happen again, but that would be a lie. The Crane men have always been a magnet for women. I don’t blame Lily for spending most of the time on the island. Jonas had a constant stream of exes, one-nighters, and women so sure they could take him away that she had to distance herself from them.”
A stream? Jonas was a known playboy, and so was Paul at one time. Ingrid still holds hope. I trusted Paul, though I couldn’t help but think of them alone in Germany.
Dani dropped me off at the house ten minutes later, and after thanking her profusely, I went to my room to change. I had so much on my mind after the night I’d had with Dani. I had loved my time with Lily and Jonas. It was so hard to see him as such a playboy when I’d seen him as a contented and extremely happily married man. Would Paul be like Jonas if we were married?
I felt energized though, so I made my way into the workroom. I had to work on the dress while Kusama’s exhibit was still fresh in my mind.
Opal appeared, and I left my station to greet her. “I didn’t know you were coming here.”
“It was Mr. Crane. He thought it would make things easier to have me with you.”
Opal had been with me since I moved into The Hudson. She always anticipated whatever I needed before I asked and went out of her way to make the place feel like my home.
“Are you hungry?” she asked.
