The tea kettle sings and I remove it from the burner, placing it on a hot pad. Letting my breakfast tea steep, I munch on my toast, admiring the bouquet Jake gave me.

My mind drifts and I get lost in a memory....

*** I wake up on the couch in Jake's living room, his big comforter wrapped around me like a cocoon. Opening my eyes slowly to the light of the day, I sit up blinking. The apartment's quiet, and I'm glad - no one to force conversation with. And that includes Brett. We've been fighting a lot, more than normal, and I had to get out of my house.

My eyes adjust to the glare in the room, and I glance down at the coffee table. Sitting beside a small bouquet of sunflowers is a blueberry muffin, coffee, and a note.

The note reads:

Got called into work but will be back in a few – Jake

I look around absently at all the other bouquets throughout the apartment - all leftover from the memorial service. I pick up the coffee and see that Jake was his usual thoughtful self and got it from my favorite coffee shop. Reaching for the muffin I immediately put it back down, realizing I still can't handle food. 

Sighing, I move my fingers over the petals of the sunflowers and feel my eyes well up with tears. Shutting them tight, I curl back to a fetal position on the couch, pulling the blanket up over my head. I must have then fallen asleep because the next thing I remember is someone gently moving my shoulder.

"Sloan? Sloan wake up, you have to eat something."

I moan groggily, "Just let me sleep, Jake."

I hear him sigh and then I'm lifted to an upright position. "I need you to try and eat something for me ok? It's been two days and I need you to eat."

I can hear the fear and concern in his voice, but I don't care. "I can't," I say simply and lay back down, my gaze landing on the sunflowers on the coffee table. Why? I think with an unbearable pang in my chest.

Moving quickly, angrily, I swipe at the vase filled with sunflowers and watch as the glass shatters across the floor, the flowers landing askew.

I hear someone sobbing and my face feels wet. Jake pulls me into his arms, holding me so tight I can't move, running his hand over my hair. It's then I realize I'm the one the sobbing is coming from. ***

My phone rings bringing me back to the present, making me jump. I wipe the tears from my face and pick up when I see who it is.

"Jade."

"Hey, sis."

She sounds different. Like different bad.

"Hold on, Philippe is working on the roof again."

I bring my tea and breakfast with me to my bedroom to get away from the hammering.

"You ok? What's going on?" I ask, setting everything down on my nightstand.

"I'm fine. Just..."

"It's April," I respond sadly. Anniversary of Dad's death. I move to the window and push the curtains aside so I can see the ocean.

Jade continues, "Yeah. It's hitting me hard this year. You know me, I don't tend towards melancholy, but I've just been down in the dumps, to be honest. I've been doing my usual meditation and journaling and it's just not working."

Jade is much more honest with her feelings than I am. I've always had a hard time opening up, even to her.

"How are you?" she asks after I don't respond right away.

I shrug and then realize she can't see me. "I'm ok. When you called, I was remembering what it was like right after Dad's memorial. When I was such a wreck I couldn't even stay at my own house."

"I remember that. I was thankful Jake was there for you because I was processing the way I knew how and so was Mom. And obviously, we know Brett was worthless."

"Yeah, he made things worse." I take a deep breath, pushing the memories back. "So enough about that."

"I'm thinking of going back to Dr. Bishop," Jade says suddenly, and I know what she's going to ask next. "You ever think about talking to someone?"

I know what she means but I ask anyway, "You mean a shrink?"

"Yeah, a therapist. I know it helped me a lot right after..." she trails off. We both still have a hard time saying it out loud.

"Yeah maybe, at some point. I probably should. I'm sorry you're having a hard time sis."

"I'll be ok. We'll be ok, we have each other."

I swallow past the lump in my throat and nod silently.

"So," she says, her tone brightening a little, "Catch me up on what's been going on with you. Your life is so much more fascinating than mine right now."

Where to start, I think with a shake of my head. "I think Jake might be seeing someone and I think Mémé had a relationship with this Adelaide artist person."

"Wait what?" she asks, surprised.

"And I met someone and we sort of kind of went on a date."

"Whoa sis, I'm going to need more details!"

"On which one?"

"All of it! Who did you meet and go on a date with?"

"I'm not sure it was a date, but his name is Colin, he's an actor. I didn't even realize when I met him that I've seen him in a miniseries. He's a British actor...."

"Wait, you aren't talking about Colin McNeil?"

"You know who he is?" I question.

"Lar, he's only the hottest actor in British film and TV right now! I can't believe this, you are literally living my fantasy. Wait, let's make sure we're talking about the same person," Jade says as she sends me a screenshot.

I peer at the picture she sends me. "Yeah, that's him."

"Oh my god, I can't believe it! So, when are you seeing him again? What is he like? Is he a good kisser? He looks like he'd be a good kisser."

I laugh. "Listen, I don't even know if it was a date officially! But he's nice and I hope I get the chance to see him again. And no on the kiss...well he did kiss my cheek but I don't think that's what you meant."

"Ok well that's sweet I guess? At least it wasn't a kiss on the forehead." She giggles on the other end.

"I think it was sweet and gentlemanly," I say defensively.

"Well, maybe he's perfect for you then." I can hear the smile in her voice. "That's exciting! You'll have to let me know if you have a second date or real date or whatever."

"If I hear from him, you'll be the first to know sis."

"Ok so moving on...why do you think Jake is seeing someone? Because I don't think he is."

"Have you been in contact with him or something?"

"A bit here and there. How do you think he got your address to send those flowers?"

I'm surprised and a little hurt he's been talking to Jade and not me.

She continues when I don't answer, "So, tell me what makes you think that?"

I feel sheepish and hate admitting this. "I went social media stalking."

"Lar, you're going to have to give me more than that."

"Ok, so after I got the flowers we were texting back and forth, and I couldn't sleep after, so I went through his recent posts and stories. I'm not used to not knowing what's going on in his life, that's all."

"Annnd?" she says, drawing the word out into one long question mark.

"So, there was a red-headed girl that kept popping up in his stories and he tagged her in one, so as one does I stalked all her social media platforms and...." I trail off, just a little bit embarrassed to be admitting this. I hear Jade laughing on the other end.

"What? You can't tell me you haven't done that at some point in your life," I say defensively.

"I'm laughing because you're acting like a crazy jealous girlfriend."

"I am not! Take that back right now or I'm hanging up on you!"

Still laughing she concedes, "Ok calm down Lar. Whatever it is you saw I don't think he's seeing anyone."

"What makes you so sure?" I ask hesitantly. Jade may be convinced, but I'm not.

Jade doesn't answer and instead changes the subject like I won't notice. "I need to get to bed sis, but tell me what you've found out about Mémé. Did you figure out what the letter said?"

I can tell she's not telling me something, but I let it go for the time being. "So basically, this Adelaide person sent this letter to Mémé telling her she misses her; it was all longing and wistful. And she wishes they had a home together and then signs off with 'yours forever.'"

"Wow, ok. What if it was just a really good friend? Are you sure the translation was right?"

"Yeah I think so, and it sounded romantic."

"Huh, I wonder if it was before she met Grandpa. There's got to be a way to find out more. I can ask Mom, but I figure if she knows something she would have let something slip by now."

"Yeah I thought the same thing, but she did know about this house and never said anything."

"Yeah true. I'll ask her; I'm seeing her tomorrow. So just that one letter? You've looked through all her things?"

"There aren't any personal items here. I assume when Mémé got sick, she packed up everything and left anything of importance to Mom."

"Is there an attic there? Or a basement? Put on your Nancy Drew hat, there's got to be clues in that house somewhere."

"You might be right." I look around the bedroom as if I'll stumble upon something right then and there.

"If you find anything let me know."

"I will. And Jade..." I trail off, the lump in my throat returning.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for the chat. I needed that."

"Yeah me too. Love you Lar."

"Love you too."

Hanging up, I think about what Jade said about Nancy Drew with fondness. She and I loved those books growing up and would often act out the mysteries together. Looking around the room, however, I realize this is not a novel and this mystery of Adelaide might be difficult to solve.

The hammering outside reminds me I'm not alone. How is it that Philippe is still fixing that terrace roof? I wonder. Even though I don't feel like small talk, I figure I can at least go say hello to him. Plus, maybe I can kill two birds with one stone, and get him to divulge his version of what happened between him and Juliette.

Making my way outside, I shade my eyes from the sun as I look up at Philippe working on the roof. "Salut Philippe! Do you want a coffee or a sandwich?" It's not mid-day yet so not quite lunchtime, but close enough. As Anne always says - if you want to pry, first you ply.

"Salut Lara. Yes, that would be much appreciated, I will be done in twenty minutes," he answers, wiping sweat from his brow.

"Perfect," I answer, hiding my Cheshire grin.

I return inside to get everything prepared and then bring lunch out onto the front porch of the house. It's too beautiful a day to eat inside. Philippe joins me after washing his hands in the kitchen. Apparently, he's starving, because he starts wolfing down the sandwich I made him.

"Did you have fun Friday night?" I start innocently enough.

He nods, finishing off his sandwich and digging into the fruit and cheese plate. "Did you and Juliette have a good time at Mont Saint-Michel?"

"We did! Although I wish you could've come."

When he doesn't answer, too focused on his lunch, I continue, "So... Juliette mentioned you two have met before. You knew each other when you were young?"

Philippe looks at me sideways, with a smile. "You are not very good at beating the bush, Lara."

I giggle, knowing he meant beating around the bush. "Sorry, I'm curious that's all. But it's not my business."

"My always curious American," he says affectionately with a smile. After a moment he clears his throat, looking straight ahead. "She is the most beautiful woman Philippe has ever seen." He shakes his head. "And I... what is the phrase? Screwed it up?"

I don't say anything, letting him continue.

"When I first met Juliette, we were young - we were friends. We were what you consider together during our youth." He shrugs and gestures with his hands, palms up. "But I was a young man. I did not want to start a family. I did not want a wife."

"Oh, she wanted to marry you?" I ask surprised.

Philippe shakes his head. "I don't know. Maybe. Or maybe I wanted to marry her. I don't know. But I left for University in London and she went to school in Paris..." he trails off.

"That's not too far, you didn't stay in touch?"

Philippe takes a deep breath. "I make many mistakes when I am young. Letting Juliette go was one of them and the biggest."

"Oh," is all I can manage to say. The look on his face is making me feel bad for bringing this up in the first place.

Philippe shrugs and wiping his hands on his pants gets up. "Thank you for lunch Lara. It was delicious. You spoil me. I am done on the terrace now, so I will leave you in your afternoon in peace."

"You don't bother me, Philippe, not at all. I like having you around, you're one of my friends here," I say with true sincerity.

Although he looked somber a moment ago, he brightens at my words. "I am proud to call you my friend Lara. Ah, that's right - I ask my father about your Adelaide Dubois. He said he remembers there being a family with that name that lived in Lannion before World War II. But his memory is not so good now. That is all he says."

"And did he know if Adelaide was an artist? Or know of anyone locally that made pottery with the initials A.D?"

"No, he does not recall."

Well, that's something at least, I think. Getting up and grabbing the lunch dishes. I then remember something Jade said and ask, "There isn't an attic here is there?" I glance up at the house, specifically the small round windows near the roof because I can't remember seeing from the inside of the house.

Philippe shakes his head. "No, but there is something. I'm not sure how to say in English."

"Can you show me?"

Philippe nods and opens the door for me as I bring in our dishes. I set them in the kitchen and then follow him upstairs and down the hall to the far guest bedroom. Moving over to a corner of the room he pulls on a rope attached to the ceiling I hadn't noticed was there. It opens a hinged part of the ceiling.

"Looks like it could be a crawl space? Too low to be an attic," I surmise, seeing the rafters of the house.

"One moment," Philippe announces as he leaves to return with a ladder a few minutes later.

"Voila!" He motions to the ladder. "There you are, Lara." Then seeing my face, he asks, "Do you want me to go up?"

"No that's ok but stay here?" I don't know what I'm so afraid of, but I feel better if Philippe is holding the ladder.

I ascend slowly, peeking my head up and looking around. It's very dirty and there isn't anything of importance. Just an antique birdcage, and a couple of discarded chairs. It's practically empty, but turning almost completely around I spot a tin box behind my head, tucked in the corner. The box isn't heavy, so I take it with me back down the ladder.

"You found something?" he asks.

I shrug. "It was the only thing up there that looked interesting."

Philippe nods, then closing the hatch he grabs the ladder to take it back downstairs. I follow him out of the room, taking the box with me.

"If you find anything interesting in that box, let me know," he says.

"Sure. It's probably nothing, but I will. Any idea how to open it without a key?" I say, realizing it's locked.

"No, I think you will need the key for it, unfortunately."

When we make it back downstairs, I hold the front door open for Philippe so he can get through with the ladder and then remember an idea I had earlier. "Philippe, will you be working next Saturday evening? It's my last weekend here and I was hoping it wouldn't be too awkward if I had you and Juliette over for dinner? I'm a good cook I promise!"

When he doesn't answer right away I continue, "It's just that it's my last weekend here and I'd love to have a farewell dinner with my friends."

"Ah, Lara, you make me so sad talking of such things. It will not be too awkward no."

"Ok great! I'll double-check with Juliette about the time and let you know," I say happily.

"Looking forward to it," he says with a wave goodbye.

I shut my front door and cross my fingers, hoping Juliette is ok with the arrangement as well. Because after I'm gone it'll be up to the two of them to reunite and I just don't trust them to do it.

Back in the kitchen I wipe the dust off the box with a towel and snap a picture to send to Jade. *You were right. Found something...maybe? But it's locked!* I text after sending the picture.

Lifting the box, I turn it around to examine it closely. I'll definitely need a key to open this thing. My phone pings but the incoming text is not from Jade. It's a number I don't recognize. Grabbing my phone, I swipe up to see what it says.

*I'm glad fate brought us together yesterday. If you're free this week I'd love to take you on a real date*