Isobel and Emile Read Online Free PDF Page B

café.
    There is smoke hanging in the air. There are too many people in the café. There is not much light. Emile cannot see an empty table.
    There is an empty table in the back of the café. Emile’s eyes get used to the light. He sees the empty table. He walks over to it. It is beside two old men. The old men are sitting at a table playing backgammon.
    Emile says: ‘Is someone sitting here?’
    One of the old men looks up from the game. His tie is loose. The top button of his shirt is open.
    The old man waves his hand towards the table.
    He goes back to his game.
    The other old man rolls the dice. Emile sits down at the table. He puts the reel of film on the table. He takes off his jacket. He puts it over the back of his chair. He looks around the café. Agatha is supposed to be here.
    He does not see Agatha. The other old man rolls the dice.
    Emile stands up. He goes to the counter. He stands at the counter. A barista sees him standing at the counter. She goes over to Emile.
    Emile says: ‘I would like a coffee.’ He gives her some money. He goes back to his table.
    One of the old men rolls the dice. The barista brings Emile a coffee. Emile is watching the old men play. He does not see his coffee arrive. He looks away from the game and there is a cup in front of him.
    The cup is on a saucer. There is a spoon on the saucer. It is beside the cup. There is a bowl of sugar on the table. Emile puts the spoon into the bowl of sugar. He puts some of the sugar into the coffee. He stirs the coffee with the spoon.
    He lifts the cup to his mouth. He sips from the cup. He puts the cup back on the saucer.
    The old men roll the dice. Emile does not look at them. He picks up his cup of coffee. He does not look around the café. He puts his elbows on the table. He holds his cup of coffee in his hands. He looks at the coffee inside the cup.
    He waits for Agatha.
    Agatha says: ‘I’m so sorry I’m late.’
    Emile looks up from his cup. He is surprised. He did not see Agatha come into the café.
    Agatha says: ‘Hello, Emile.’
    Emile puts his cup of coffee onto its saucer. He puts his hands on the table.
    He says: ‘Hello, Agatha.’
    Agatha smiles. She says: ‘Emile, give me a kiss.’
    Emile moves his chair away from the table. He stands up.
    He steps towards Agatha. She puts her hand on his arm. She leans towards him. He kisses her on one cheek and then he kisses her on the other cheek.
    Agatha keeps her hands on Emile’s arms. She says: ‘You’ve been gone so long.’ She squeezes him. She says: ‘I’m so glad to see you again.’
    Emile nods his head. He smiles. He is not sure he wants to smile the way that he is smiling. He smiles anyway.
    He sits down. He pulls his chair closer to the table.
    The old men playing backgammon stop playing. They look at Agatha. She has red hair. She wears it piled on top of her head. It is very dramatic.
    Emile moves his cup of coffee closer to him. Agatha sees it. She says: ‘Come, Emile. You’ve been gone so long.’ She smiles. She says: ‘The occasion calls for something more than coffee.’
    She has her purse in her hands. She goes to the counter. She talks to the people standing behind the counter.
    Emile hears her laugh.
    She comes back to the table. She sits down across from Emile. She sits so her legs are not under the table. She takes a cigarette from her purse. She puts it to her mouth.
    She rests an elbow on the table. She crosses her legs.
    The old men are still looking at Agatha. They are looking at her legs. She has very long legs. She does not look at the old men. One of them shakes his head. He clears his throat. He picks up the dice and he rolls them.
    Agatha lights her cigarette. She leans back in her chair. She puts one of her arms over the back of it. She smiles at Emile.
    The barista brings a carafe of wine over. She puts it between Agatha and Emile. She puts a glass down in