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Paris May 2018 A night to remember CHAPTER 4

By Kelly Gombert

Kelly is a local author from Sagamore Hills.

This is her first chapter of a recurring story.
This is her second recurring story with us

Did you miss any chapters of Paris May 2018 A night to remember? You can read see all of the chapters here.

He checked the queue for the elevator to the 3rd floor but she wasnโ€™t there.  He headed to the viewing platform and planned on walking along all 4 sides but he didnโ€™t have to.  Jess was leaning against the railing, taking in the cityscape. 

He stepped up to the railing right next to her, leaned over and said โ€œHi.โ€ 

Jess did a double take, her eyes wide and she stepped back. โ€œIan! What are you doing here?โ€ she exclaimed.

โ€œWell, to be honest, I came looking for you.โ€ 

โ€œWhat? How in the world did you know how to find me?โ€ Jess shook her head.

โ€œYou said you just arrived in Paris and most people, well, a lot of people, some people, OK, me, I came to the Eiffel Tower first thing.  I was hoping you would too. And I knew the line was long so I took a chance that you would just be making it to the top now.โ€ 

Jess checked out the tall young man in the green polo and khaki pants. โ€œI canโ€™t believe you came here to see me. Youโ€™re not a stalker, are you?โ€ 

โ€œNo, Iโ€™m not, really, Iโ€™m not.โ€ He breathed audibly.  โ€œThis is my last night in Paris.  I fly out to Cleveland in the morning.โ€

โ€œCleveland, as in the home of rock and roll?โ€

โ€œHave you been?โ€

โ€œNo, I never have but Iโ€™d like to one day.โ€ 

โ€œIf you ever come, Iโ€™ll be your personal tour guide; show you all the sites.โ€ Jess reached down for her shirt, untied it from her waist and put it on.  

โ€œIโ€™ll take you up on that offer.โ€ 

โ€œI hope you will.โ€  

Jess smiled and moved away from the rail. โ€œI have a ticket to the top. Do you?โ€ At his affirmation, she said, โ€œOK, letโ€™s go get in line. Iโ€™m sorry about your notebook.  What kind of art are you into?โ€ 

โ€œArchitecture. I just got my degree.โ€

โ€œThatโ€™s impressive. Oh God, this has got to be the best place to study.  How long were you here for?โ€ The line moved forward as an elevator arrived, discharged its load and swallowed a fresh batch of tourists.

โ€œA semester. We spent a couple of weekends in London and Rome as part of the course as well.  It was awesome.โ€ 

โ€œIโ€™ll bet.โ€ 

โ€œAnd you, what brings you to Paris?โ€ Ian asked. 

โ€œOh, uh, just travelling.โ€

โ€œAh, come on, I told you my small talk story.  Itโ€™s your turn to play the game.โ€  

โ€œThereโ€™s not a whole lot to tell.  I graduated in December with an English degree from UC Berkley.  Thatโ€™s not exactly a trade.  Itโ€™s not like I can go out and โ€˜Englishโ€™ someplace.  So, I decided to take my gap year as the Europeans call it.  I bought a backpack and headed out.  Visited the National Parks out west, hit Chicago, skipped Cleveland,โ€ she gave him a lop-sided grin. โ€œWent to Philadelphia and New York.  I may go back to New York; a friend of a friend of a friend offered me a couch to rent.โ€ She enumerated with her fingers. โ€œReykjavik, Dublin, London and now Iโ€™m here.โ€ She put both hands behind her and grabbed the rope divider for the queue. 

โ€œAnd next?โ€ 

โ€œTomorrow Iโ€™m on a train to the Riviera.  Iโ€™ve got a friend who has a villa just outside of Marseille for a week.  After that, I donโ€™t know. Maybe stay south in sunny, Italy. Iโ€™d like to see Florence and Venice. Greece.  Or maybe Iโ€™ll backtrack and go to Germany, Munich, Berlin, Vienna, Prague.  I canโ€™t decide. I canโ€™t do everything; the moneyโ€™s going to run out sooner than later, no matter how carefully I watch my euros.โ€ The elevator arrived again this time swallowing Jess and Ian in its maw.  They watched the city recede as they rose.

โ€œWait, youโ€™re leaving tomorrow?โ€ 

Look for the next chapter of this story coming soon

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