Emile took a sip of coffee and carried it outside with his neatly printed prospectus.
“That’s a lot of death, Emile”, I said following him from the portico. I’d just gotten off the phone with Eleanor who had made it safely back to L.A with her grandmother , who couldn’t stop gushing about the party that Eleanor admitted to drinking to much at.
“Come on Clara, It’s the murder mystery of the last century. To bad I can only use what’s in the official record as a source. Also it’s what they wanted isn’t it ? Their story to be told ? Though I could have done without Fierro’s corrections on my prospectus. He used red ink Clara. Red ink. ”
I laughed a little but still got a shiver when I thought about them. All of them forgotten here.
“Well, they seem to be resting in peace now. The house feels so different now. Really , Emile I think that’s a great idea. Not sure about this though”
Emile made himself comfortable on the portico steps and watched as Rose held on to her bike while Clarence demonstrated how to get on. She seemed skeptical and out of sorts in capris and her pink converses. I held on to the freshly stocked first aid kit that she’d decided to put me in charge of.
Clarence held on to the bike while she mustered up enough resolve to hop on. One of her earbuds fell out and she hadn’t even noticed. Clarence slowly got on his own bike and she tried to balance with her feet on the ground.
“We should have kept the training wheels on.” I said hoping Emile would reflect some of my worry.
“She’s fine. Get your camera ready.” Emile said.
Rose lifted her feet off the ground and peddled a little before falling over. I stood up and felt something warm on the back of my spine and when I heard Rose laughing. Emile gave a wordless glance to my left hand.
“You still sure you don’t want to marry Fierro?
“I am”, I said for the millionth time to him.
“So you think the love of your life is still out there?” Emile asked casually.
“Do you ?”, I said turning the question on him.
“Yes”, he said without hesitation, “You ?”
“I don’t
know. I know that Peter was the love of my life and now he’s gone. Right now
falling in love isn’t on the top of my to do list."
"Ah, but it is still on the list."
I shook my head as Emile sat back comfortably. Needless to say the house while more peaceful had at least one new occupant. Emile had rented out his suburban townhouse, declaring that he could write better in the countryside. It was more romantic, he’d said. Either way we were happy to have him.
“Fierro and I have been friends for a long time”, Emile said, “He is at his best when he’s with you, because he has to be a better person."
“He can be a better person for Rose. “
Emile sighed, he was brooding really but he’d get over it or I would have to evict him.
Emile and I both I jumped when we heard a bell, because disjointed noises did that to me now. Emile and I looked around before realizing Mr. Fierro had come around the house on a slim black vintage bicycle, complete with a tarnished copper bell. Emile and I stepped out the way as he circled the drive and stopped beside Rose and Clarence. After a little prompting from him Rose got back on her bicycle and fell again.
Emile and I groaned but Rose got right back on her bicycle again and this time she made it a few feet before falling. It took three Band-Aids and one immature temper tantrum for her to finally ride in a circle around the drive.
Do you think you can make it to Monet drive and back?”, Clarence challenged her.
“I suppose I can try”, she said adjusting her helmet.
Fierro rode in a small circle around Emile and I, his hands lazily not on the handlebars as he adjusted the cap over his eyes.
“Care for a ride, Ms. DeLune?”
I spied the vintage but perhaps not stable backseat on the bicycle. Wasn’t I supposed to be doing something?
“Where did you get this thing?” I asked.
“I’ve been looking at it in the antique shop all summer.” he said.
“Is it sturdy?”
“I think there is only one way to find out.”
I pulled down my sundress and settled onto the seat, while Rose was warming up.
“What about me?” Emile asked as Fierro rode in a circle around Emile
“I thought you had edits to work on, Emile.” Fierro said
Emile gave a slightly exaggerated smug look to the marked manuscript
Rose and Clarence headed for the gate and Fierro began to pedal faster.
“Hold, on Clara”, he said.
I could see Rose and Clarence had made it to the main road okay and my heart started fluttering because were going down a hill. I was kind of scared and breathless and I knew we could fall at any moment. But I most certainly wasn’t letting go.
The End