Taking a fortifying breath, Crystal went down the hall and out the door with the three of them. When they reached the car, she said, “You guys go with Uncle Raoul. I’ll follow in my car.”
Philippe’s eyes grew huge. “You bought a new car?”
“No, honey. It’s a rental to use while we’re here. See you in a few minutes.” She kept walking toward the red car, not wanting to witness Raoul’s reaction.
He’d been waiting on her and Philippe for too long. Eric was gone now and things had changed. Arranging for a rental car made the statement that Raoul didn’t have to take care of her anymore. That was how she wanted it.
The boys waved to her en route to the hospital. Albert was the blessing Philippe needed right now. He provided the companionship her son had been denying himself.
When they reached the hospital and the boys crowded around their grand-père’s bed, she could see they were a blessing to Jules too. He was delighted to see them and laughed when they told him all about their day at school.
The best news was that he no longer wore an oxygen tube and was propped up eating some broth. She glanced at Raoul, who didn’t look as worried as before. The signs of recovery couldn’t be better.
Suddenly he caught her staring at him. His eyes spoke for him. She felt his chastisement. You should never have left. See what coming back with me has done for him?
Yes, she saw. She also sensed he wasn’t pleased she’d acted on her own to get the rental car, but he had to understand she wanted him to get on with his own life. Crystal had to get on with hers and was doubly thankful she’d rented it. Now she could come and go with Philippe on her own. That way Raoul would have no reason to be on call for them day and night.
After the children had entertained Jules with more stories about school, she gave him a kiss. “My father always told me a good visit was a short one. We’re going to leave now so you can rest and get better.”
“I’m feeling like a new man.”
“That’s the best news in the world. When we come back tomorrow, I hope to see you walking around.” She squeezed his hand.
“Ciao, Grand-père.” Both boys blew him a kiss before they left the room.
Jules’s laughter followed them out the door. “Ciao, mes petits-fils!” His voice was definitely stronger.
Crystal ushered them from the hospital to Raoul’s car. “Say goodbye to Albert, honey. Uncle Raoul’s going to drive him home.”
He threw his head back to look at her. “But Uncle Raoul said we could go over to his house.”
“Not tonight, honey. Your grandmother will have dinner ready and you’re going to need an early night if you’re going to school again tomorrow.”
“But I want us to go with him.” The first sign of tears and rebellion all day. “He said we could if I went to school.”
“That’s true.” Raoul’s deep voice sounded behind her. “If you can’t join us, I’ll get him home early.”
Crystal remembered that was the deal. “All right.” She kissed both boys and waved them off before getting in her car without looking at Raoul.
After she drove home, she put the presents in the storeroom and hurried upstairs. Arlette had dinner waiting. They talked about Jules and Philippe, especially about the hard year he’d had. Right in the middle of their conversation, Philippe came running in the kitchen ahead of Raoul.
She prayed they hadn’t heard anything. Her son hurried over to her. “Are you crying?”
“Yes.” She smiled and gave him a hug. “We were talking about what a terrific boy you are. That always makes me cry.”
“Your mother’s right.” Arlette reached for him and gave him a kiss. “You’ve been gone all day and I’ve missed you. Did you have a good time?”
“Yes. We went skating. Uncle Raoul says I’m awesome.”
Crystal rubbed his dark blond head. “That doesn’t surprise me. Have you thanked him?”
“Yes.” He turned to Raoul. “Didn’t I?”
“Several times.” She felt his gaze on her. “Maybe next time you’ll come with us.”
“I’d love it.”
Since coming back to Chamonix, she’d made a resolution to be more active with her son instead of taking a backseat. If it meant being with Raoul in the process while they were here, then she’d do it. She didn’t want Philippe thinking she was purposely avoiding his uncle.
Christmas would be here soon. Hopefully her father-in-law would be well enough by then that she could take Philippe back to Breckenridge and start a new year free of pain. With the understanding that they would come again in the spring, she was counting on her son not having a complete meltdown.
She turned to Raoul. “Thanks again for being the greatest uncle on earth, as Philippe always says. Now it’s time for a young man I know to get ready for bed. I’ll go upstairs and start your bath. Say good-night to everyone.”
After leaving Crystal, Raoul drove on home. He pulled off his boots and opened the fridge for a beer, but he was out. Not wanting anything else, he shut the door and wandered into the living room without turning on the lights.
At night he often left them off to enjoy the natural snowscape outside his window. Though he’d lived here all his life, the scenery always blew his mind. It reminded him of those deeply crevassed glaciers of the Himalayas, only these glaciers angled toward the Chamonix valley from Mont Blanc.
Tonight the vista reminded him of his earlier conversation with Philippe. When he’d brought his nephew home for dinner, Philippe had pointed to it. “I think that mountain looks like a king with a huge crown of ice on his head. Don’t you?”
Raoul had squeezed his shoulder. “That’s exactly how it looks.” He glanced down at the boy who noticed everything and had a reverence for nature. Somehow without him realizing it, Philippe had climbed into his heart a long time ago and had taken up residence.
“How come you don’t have a tree yet?”
“I was waiting for you to come. Day after tomorrow I’ll be free and we’ll go find one. You can make some decorations for it. How does that sound?” He hadn’t had the Christmas spirit for years.
The boy rested his blond head against Raoul. With a sigh he said, “I wish Mommy and I could live with you all the time and never have to go away.”
In that instant, those words had wrapped Raoul in their sweet tentacles and wouldn’t let him go.
“I’d like the same thing,” he whispered in a moment of truth. Deep down he’d wanted it for a long time, but had fought it with everything in him.
Philippe lifted hopeful blue eyes to him. “Please, will you ask Mommy? She’ll listen to you.”
Raoul’s body gave up a shudder. He couldn’t believe he’d just said those words aloud in front of Philippe. It was like lighting a fuse. “I wish it were that simple, mon gamin, but I’m not your daddy.” As Crystal had said, But Eric isn’t here. Had she said it thinking of Philippe’s feelings, or had she expressed them for her own sake? That was the question he needed to have answered.
“I don’t care,” Philippe answered right back.
“Talitha’s mommy lives with her boyfriend and he’s not her daddy.”
“The girl on oxygen?”
“Yup.”
He looked down at Philippe. “Did her daddy die?”