String of Fate

Chapter Thirty Eight

"Tess, my string is not going to appear any time soon. Probably not ever." I replied.

"Tanya, don't talk like that. There is someone out there for you. There's someone out there for everyone." She argued as the guy brought our drinks to us, setting the mint drink in front of me and the orange in front of Tess.

"Merci." My sister and I thanked him at the same time.

"You are welcome, ladies. If you would like anything else, just wave to the shop. I'll be right out then." He spoke with a smile. "I'm Jacques, by the way."

"Thank you, Jacques." I called after him as he headed back into the café.

"Oh my goodness, you like him." Tess observed. I felt myself blush a little. She laughed, glancing over to the door as Jacques walked back out of it. He was carrying a plate of what seemed to be small cakes.

"Madame's, would you like to try thee for free?" Jacques offered, smiling at the two of us. He placed the plate on the table. "These are samples that I have made and am trying to get my parents to put on the menu. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated."

"Merci, Jacques." I replied, taking the little cake nearest me and biting into it. The texture was perfect, and tasting the mint centre that matched with the chocolate topping. "This tastes wonderful!"

"Merci, Madame." He smiled, genuinely happy. Then he caught sight of someone over our heads. "Maman, Papa. Que faites-vous si tôt?"

"Jacques, pourquoi n'êtes-vous pas à lycée?" A female voice asked, making me turn to see a middle aged couple at the other side of me. I almost choked. School?! He was that young? If I remembered correctly, the French equivalent of High School (lycée) was not actually mandatory but it started from age fifteen.

"Maman, était au jourd'hui un jour de médaillon et Sylvie be soin de l'aide. Pouvons-nous pas parler comme ça devant les clients?" Jacques answered, following his parents inside.

"What just happened?" Tessa questioned.

"His parents thought that he was meant to be in school but it's actually an inset day so he's been helping out somebody in the café." I translated for her.

"Does that mean that he's that young?" She asked, almost choking on her drink when she found out that a school kid looked the same age as us. "He's about sixteen?"

"Well, the French equivalent of high school, the lycée, is education starting from the age of fifteen, up to the age of eighteen." I told her, remembering what I had been taught by my friend's partner. "So, it is possible that he is either older or younger than sixteen."

"If he's younger then likely no string." Tess pointed out.

"That does not matter." I blurted. "Just because he may not have a string does not mean that he and I are definitely going to be well matched."

The next morning, I was surprised to see a string on my finger. Tess knew immediately by my squeal of delight what had happened. We both knew that my string probably linked me to someone who lived near me, so, I wasn't meeting them this weekend. She got up and dressed, turning to me while she brushed her hair. "In celebration, let's go and grab some drinks in that wonderful café that we found?"

"Alright." I agreed, getting out of my bed and changing, tying my stupid curls up in a ponytail and letting my bangs stay loose. It seemed like it was going to be a hot day in France. Together, my sister and I headed to the café enjoying the sights that had seemed so different the day before. I spotted that my string ran inside the café. "Tess, my string leads into the building."