Writing work made from a photo, as part of Atelier 62. Annabelle also made this work from the same photo, it was published under the title « Pink bouquet » (https://nathjy.travel.blog/2020/07/23/pink-bouquet/). Jean-Yves also, under the title « Britney’s bouquet »(https://nathjy.travel.blog/2020/07/23/britneys-bouquet/).

These works are dedicated to Daphne who makes us want to write a little more at each of our meetings.

It’s just 10 years since Julien and Lucie haven’t seen each other. They were lovers on the benches of the University, even considered one day to spend their life together, until life separated them a little brutally.

Lucie had left on a beautiful morning in June 2010, to finish her thesis in Ayurvedic medicine, in Bengaluru, Karnataka. Julien, for his part, had emigrated to the United States to test his knowledge in organizational management. Lucie, after brilliantly completing her thesis, had finally opened an Ayurvedic treatment center in Mysore, a charming small Indian town where she had settled.

They had kept a few episodic links through social networks, then the jetlag helping, Lucie and Julien had finally lost sight of each other for good.

No new adventures for either of them, in the frantic race they had both led against time, each devoting more than 200% of their time to their professional activities. No time for regrets either, until that day in May, when they each received an invitation to the wedding of a mutual friend.

On this beautiful afternoon of June 2020, Lucie enters Dunant square in front of the XIVth district town hall. She sees Julien, a few meters away, close to the book box. Although it has been 10 years since she left France, Lucie immediately feels a strong emotion when she sees him, followed immediately after by a feeling of unease. She remembers their last meeting on the Parvis du Palais Royal. The weather was beautiful, just as it is today. The Parisian lime trees mixed their delicate scents with her perfume. They had an appointment in front of the metro station, on the left side of the square, when you look in the direction of the Palais Royal. Julien had reserved a table at the Café de la Comédie for the end of the evening. Unfortunately that evening, the comedy had turned into a tragedy. She remembers it down to the last detail. The scene comes flooding back to her mind. She arrives by the arcades of the Rue de Rivoli. She is so happy that she doesn’t even hear the horns of the cars at the red light. She thinks that Julien will finally confirm that he will join her in Bengalore by the end of the summer. It must be said that Lucie has managed to find her an ideal position as manager of one of the largest Ayurvedic treatment units at the Sri Sri Ayurveda Hospital; an internationally renowned hospital on Udapayapura Road. This will give him the opportunity to deepen his knowledge and they will be able, as soon as Lucie finishes her thesis, to settle wherever they want in the world. She remembers exactly how she was dressed. A little flowery dress with a low neckline, the one that always made him snap.

When Julien sees her coming to meet him, on the side of the book box set up in the small alleyway of Square Dunant, he feels a strange sensation, his heart races. He feels, at the same time, a powerful uneasiness that would, if he could, hide in the book box and a violent desire to rewind his life since this appointment, in June 2010, in front of the Palais Royal. That was 10 years ago. Lucie is still wearing the same perfume and as soon as the scent of her perfume reaches him, he is carried away in time and remembers everything perfectly.

Lucie crosses the square of the Royal Palace, she is so resplendent in her little flowered dress that it takes his breath away. His heart speeds up. Waouh, what an emotion, he is really madly in love with her. How beautiful she is! And then this walk, as soon as she appears in his landscape, he can’t take his eyes off her. Yet, that evening, he is rather very worried. Deeply hurt because of the reaction she might have when he tells her that he won’t be joining her this summer in Bengalore. Julien knows that she cares for him with all her heart. He doesn’t know how to tell her that her uncle Jean has finally landed her a job at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York? There’s nothing more to say. It’s simple, for a beginning career, a position at Mount Sinai Hospital is much more prestigious than a position at Sri Sri Ayurveda Hospital. He leans on the railing of the subway station and tries to look good. Lucie is so irresistible with her little smile. She presses forward, eager as she is to throw herself into his arms. She approaches and sees that he has even thought of bringing her a bouquet of purple roses, his favourite. God, he’s so cute! And so irresistible with his faded blue T-shirt and his shorts with pockets a thousand times too big. As she wanders among the skaters to join him, she has the impression that something is wrong. He looks more reserved than usual, uncomfortable even when she finally throws herself into his arms. Lucie titillates him, mocks him, thinks he’s sad to see her go. She doesn’t know yet that he won’t be joining her in Bengaluru. She laughs at him and tells him that these two months without her will soon pass. Julien, in a clumsy impulse, finally finds the courage to tell her that he will not go to work at the Sri Sri Ayurveda Hospital but that he will leave for New York in two weeks time. He barely has time to finish his explanations, when the bouquet bursts into pieces on the square in front of the Royal Palace. Lucie is so angry that she picks up the bouquet and throws it in his face this time, under the amazed gaze of the passers-by, who are numerous in this season. She has no words to express her disappointment or anger. She won’t do him the honor of crying in front of him, so she runs away, rushes into the subway station before he has time to react and leaves him alone in the middle of a disarticulated bouquet and purple rose petals scattered on the ground.

Par Nathalie

Next Episode : https://nathjy.travel.blog/2020/09/30/the-purple-rose-bouquet-episode-ii-julien/

Translated with http://www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)