How Sweet It Is Read Online Free PDF

lines and stained glass windows failed to hide
the overall air of neglect.
    Brad scrambled out of the SUV and helped
Delphine out on the other side. His mom followed, giving her a
hug.
    “I will have the money for the ticket as
soon as possible, Mrs. Larsen.”
    His mom wouldn’t hear of it and tried to
reassure her not to worry. Brad almost had to drag her away from
the vehicle.
    “Relax about the fare, all right?” he said
when his parents were out of earshot. “My dad gets good deals on
tickets and it’s all probably tax deductible anyway.”
    Delphine looked up at him, then shook her
head. “You don’t understand.”
    “These bags are getting heavy,” he said,
hoping to distract her.
    They went in the main entrance and Brad
followed her up a flight of stairs. In front of her door, she let
out a sigh.
    “Thank you, for…everything.”
    He gave her a wicked grin.
“ Everything? ”
    “You know what I mean,” she said, reaching
for the door handle.
    “Wait,” Brad said, setting down the bags.
“I’d like to see you again.”
    Delphine’s lips lifted a little. It struck
him as a sad sort of expression.
    “I’m sorry. That’s not possible.”
    She twisted the handle of her door, lugged
her bags inside, and shut the door with a decisive click. Brad
stared at the wooden panels for several moments, his hands shoved
in his pockets. He heard Delphine’s voice inside.
    “ Maman, Papa , I’m home!”
     
    ****
     
    Delphine’s shoulders slumped once the door
latched behind her. She called to her parents and collapsed onto a
fraying, overstuffed rocking chair. The living room was dimly lit
by a couple of old Victorian lamps, which helped mask the
shabbiness of the furnishings. From the dining room, she heard the
television playing a commercial about cheap airline travel.
    She closed her eyes,
wondering if she’d ever have the courage to travel again. This trip
had too many near misses—including her fib that she’d planned to
take the shuttle home. Well, I had planned
to—but with a drained account, I was going nowhere fast! She blew out a shaky sigh. Thank you, Lord, for getting me home. And help me to repay the
Larsens!
    “ Ma
chèrie! Tu à màison! ” Delphine’s mother,
Clarice, small, dark and wiry, emerged from the kitchen. She rushed
to her and embraced Delphine. After kissing both her cheeks,
Clarice stood back and smiled.
    “Where is Papa? ” Delphine asked in
French. Though her parents knew enough English to get by, they
insisted on speaking their native language at home.
    “He is taking a nap.”
    A noise from the direction of the bedroom
heralded his entrance. “No, I am up! Hello Delphine! Welcome
home.”
    Leone D’Arleux walked into the living room
and gave her a hug. “I prayed for your safe return and here you
are,” he said in a low voice.
    Delphine smiled at his rather portly figure
and felt relieved her parents were obviously doing so well.
    “Has Mrs. Hanson been by today?” she asked,
hoping the neighbor had checked in on her parents regularly as
agreed.
    Clarice waved the notion away. “Yes, yes. But
do tell us about your trip. How I long to see the Loire Valley
again.”
    Delphine sank onto her chair while her
parents settled themselves on the gold brocade sofa. She looked at
them, noticing their affable, open countenances. Her father’s eyes
were blue and childlike, his features almost cherubic.
    “As you know, Maman, I didn’t get to
sightsee, and I certainly didn’t make it to the country. But what I
saw of Paris was very grand.”
    Her parents questioned her
with exacting detail about every aspect of her trip. Delphine grew
impatient with the long explanations. She had a pressing question
to ask them .
    Finally, during a break in the conversation
she took a deep breath. “I need to ask you something.” Leone and
Clarice exchanged looks with each other—an action which gave
Delphine a distinctly uncomfortable feeling.
    “At the airport, when I tried to