“No, not really.”
“We both feel like...”
“You feel like I’d just love it if the two came along,” Adrien interrupts his husband, who immediately punishes him with a dirty look, which he ignores with a shrug.
Philipp starts again. “Okay,Ihave the feeling, and if that wasn’t clear enough, I’ll repeat it again, I have the feeling that a change of scenery would do you good. A vacation, somewhere you haven’t been together yet. The four of us are going to Île de Saint-Émile in a few weeks and we thoughtmaybe you’d like to join us.”
While I’m still seriously considering the idea, Louis reacts immediately. “That’s really sweet, Paps, but seriously, Luca already caught us earlier, we can’t fit six of us in the caravan, even if it theoretically has the capacity.”
“Oh, no, that’s not what your father had in mind, don’t worry. We looked for a mobile home for you. The availability wasn’t that great anymore, but one of those luxury cottages was still free, the ones with their own hot tub.”
Louis’s eyes widen. “The ones in the top left corner, not far from our pitch, not visible from the outside?”
“See, baby, I told you he knows which ones. Yes, exactly those, my big guy.”
Louis turns to me with a determination in his eyes that I haven’t seen since we broke up. “Babe, I’d be thrilled if you came with me, but if you don’t feel like it, I’ll go alone. Ever since I first went to Saint-Émile, I’ve wanted to stay in a mobile home like that. Please?”
I would have said yes anyway. But there’s no saying no when two coffee-brown eyes bat their lashes.
“Um, I’m not sure, I still have to do some homework...” A seat cushion flies in my direction and the whole table bursts out laughing.
Oh, I love this family, it’s so wonderful to be part of it again. So wonderful that they took me back as if nothing had ever happened, without questions and without resentment.
“I’d love to come with you, Lou. What kind of question is that anyway?”
Chapter 52
David
25 years
My thighs are shaking and I hear a voice. Lou, it’s Lou. Where... ah, car... vacation. Fuck, I’m tired.
We left at half past four, I drove the first half of the 620 miles, and we switched shortly after Paris. I have no idea when I fell asleep, but I remember that we drove past Le Mans.
“Babe, hey, wake up. You have to see this!” Suddenly my head moves, shit, the window is rolling down. Startled, I open my eyes. “About time! There, on the left! The Atlantic Ocean!”
Abreeze of warm sea air fills my nose. I smell the salt and something else and take another deep breath. Wow, that’s beautiful. I’ve been by the sea many times, all over the world, in luxury resorts. Now we’re driving over a high bridge toward a small island that doesn’t exude any of the extravagance my mother celebrates so much, and I feel lighter than I have in a long time. “What’s that scent? I recognize the salt, but what’s the other thing?”
Louis smiles dreamily. “That’s pine. There are small pine forests all over the island. Smells great, doesn’t it?” I just nod silently and hold my nose in the wind.
“Whenever I drive over the bridge and open the window, I feel so free and so at home. I love this island.” I get it. Immediately.
Since we already checked in online, we just pick up our wristbands and keys at the reception desk. Louis has another question, and my rudimentary French tells me that he wants to know if any of the others are already here. I hear the name Lejeune and a number, but I don’t understand what they mean and look questioningly at my boyfriend.
“Nika and Élias are already here; they arrived last night.”
Ah, yes, I know them. “They have two little boys, right? They’re cute.”
Louis knows his way around the campsite so well, he can give me a questioning look and still turn in the right direction. “How old do you think they are?”
Okay, now I’m a little unsure. The last time I saw them, I was nineteen, and they were maybe... phew, hard to guess. The older one was already in school. That was six years ago... oh. My eyes widen.
Laughing hard, Lou parks in front of a large, secluded mobile home. “Cute doesn’t quite fit anymore, huh? Chrissi isfourteen and Maxi will be twelve in December. They’re too old to be cute anymore.” Damn.
Our mobile home is very nice. It’s not a five-star hotel room, but the bed is big enough and everything is clean and well-kept. The kitchen and bathroom have everything we need. The second room will be our walk-in closet. I’ll totally enjoy it here.
“Put on your flip-flops, I’ll show you around.” Louis is vibrating with excitement and impatience. Smiling, I put my hand in his and let him lead the way.
