Chapter 36: Happy Anniversary

† Thursday, November 9, 2028.

Cosette and Dennis spent two and a half hours in the kitchen preparing a special dinner for the household. They used a pressure cooker to speed the process and then combined the beef with vegetables to make a traditional French (and Québécois) meal of Pot-au-Feu.

While the stew was cooking, the two of them were busy preparing the big dining table with Julie’s best porcelain china, silverware, linen napkins, and stemmed glasses. Across each plate, Sette placed a single white rose. Except for Julie’s place at the head of the table; across her plate was a red rose instead.

Each setting had a small name card marked with a name in elegant calligraphy: Matilda, Dennis, Cosette, Sylvie, Théodore, Pamela, and Nathaniel. At the head of the table, the name shown in flowing script was not Julie; it was “Angel.”

Dennis made sure each of the larger glasses was filled with icewater. On the table were chilled bottles of Champagne and Martinelli’s sparkling apple juice. Sette had ducked into her closet to quickly squeeze into her royal blue satin dress. When Dennis caught sight of this, he nearly dropped the water pitcher on his foot.

“God! Sette, I don’t know what to say.”

“Tell me I’m cute, doofus.”

“You’re not cute.”

She pouted.

“You’re fucking gorgeous, Sette. I want a picture; I need my phone.”

“Later, genius, we need to finish getting ready. Remember to pull out the ladies’ chairs for them.”

Once everyone was finally seated, Cosette was ready, or almost ready.

“I had a little speech to give tonight, and now it’s flown completely out of my head. But here’s what I want to say.

“Exactly five years ago, I was a little girl standing outside just a few yards down the sidewalk, watching my house burn up. It was set on fire by the house on the corner being blown to smithereens, Tilda. My father was missing, my mother was weeping, and I had found out we were going to be homeless.”

She shut her eyes, feeling the emotions well up from that day in her past.

Nate, Pam, and their daughter were open-mouthed. They had never heard the story laid out so simply and directly, although Tilda’s parents had some knowledge. This was all new to Dennis. His eyes were locked on her face, with deep concern in his expression.

“And then our angel appeared. Julie came out of her house, this house, and gathered us in. She acted without hesitation, brought us in out of the falling snow, and showered us with her affection. She helped us when we needed her the most, unselfishly.”

Her voice was starting to quaver, but Sette pushed on.

“Here she sheltered the two of us and helped find my dad. Who was in terrible trouble and nearly lost to us, ah, to us forever.”

Theo was still feeling guilty for his actions that week that nearly cost him his family and his life. His eyes were down on his plate, then he glanced up at his daughter. His heart throbbed in his chest when he saw Sette smiling at him with obvious affection and respect. Sylvie was beside him holding his hand and craned her head up for a welcome kiss.