10
Beau
“Boys, say hello to Angelique and Marcel,” I said, encouraging them to step closer to my godparents.
“Hi,” they both said in tandem, peering up at Angelique and Marcel with stunned expressions. I had to hold in my laughter, it was so hilarious.
I couldn’t blame them, these adults standing before them were probably much different than any other they’d seen before. Angelique’s hair was teased and sculpted into an elegant—but large—style. She wore a dress with long, flowy, black and white sleeves.
Marcel had on an expensive, black suit, with a sparkly, silver tie. “Bonjour, mes petits amis,” Marcel said, bending over to shake their hands.
The boys just stared and nodded.
Angelique stepped right up to them, bent over and wrapped her arms around their middles. “Oh mes bébés, je suis si heureux de vous rencontrer,”she crooned as she rocked them side to side, holding them close. “Vous ressemblez tous les deux à votre père quand il était petit.”
Everyone commented on how much they looked like me. But hearing it from someone who’d actually known me when I was a child warmed something in my chest I didn’t know was there.
“Come, come, you must meet Claude and Claudette,” Angelique said as she wiped under her eyes. “Your daddy and oncle Marcel can have some time to chat.” She glanced over at Marcel, giving him a knowing look.
Yeah.
I’d expected this visit not to be completely about the boys.
Marcel cleared his throat. “Allons-y, mon garçon,” he said, sweeping his hand out toward the living room.
I inhaled deeply and wandered passed him, ready to accept my fate. Marcel picked his chair and sat down. I followed suit. “The boys are merveilleux,” he said, a kind smile covering his face.
“They are. The only thing I’d change is meeting them the day they were born, instead of now,” I stated the truth to him. No matter who their mother was, I loved those two boys.
He sat back in his chair and crossed his legs. His fingers steepled in front of his lips, he spoke in French, “You truly had no idea about them?”
I’d expected to be questioned, but actually hearing the words come out of my godfather’s mouth hurt as much as if he’d thrown a knife through my heart. I answered back—in French as well, “Of course not, Marcel. I think you know me well enough by now to know that is not something I would do. Ignore my own children? Never.”
His head bobbed up and down as he closed his eyes for a moment. “I know, my boy. I know. One must ask these things, though. It’s important.” He opened his eyes and gazed at me. “We are human, after all. Even you, Beauregard Moreau. Even you can stumble and fall in this thing called life. The important thing is to always pick yourself back up again.”
“I swear to you, Marcel. If I’d known about the boys, I would have done the right thing.”
He pursed his lips and nodded. “I believe you. What this woman did to you was—horrible. Has she said why? Why would she do such a thing? Keeping her children from their father?”
I sighed, placing my elbows on my knees and leaning forward. With my head hanging, I said, “She was also seeing an investment banker at the time. We were practically living together for a month, but there were times I was gone for games. And practice.”
My eyes locked on his. “I knew about him. She made sure to let me know about her other prospects—especially when we fought.” I lowered my voice. “Which was most of the time.” Clearing my throat I said, “He made more money than I did. He was home every day. And to be honest, my patience for her threats to leave me were growing thin.”
I paused for a moment, remembering how bad it had gotten at the end. “Sienna wanted a commitment. I was no where near that with her. We had a good time for a while—until she wanted to control every moment of my life.”
“Did you love her?”
I shook my head. “No, not even close.”
He rested his hands on the arms of the chair. “And you know that because—”
“I finally know what real love is.”
A large smile crossed his face. “Geneviève.”
Another sharp pain stabbed my poor heart. “Geneviève.”
“And are the reports true? Are you no longer together?” His smile fell away.