Nerves were frayed as we sat in the salon and awaited our fate. One of us would be eliminated ahead of the grand finale.
Lex grinned like a lovesick puppy and I had to hide my smile. He wasn’t aware that I knew he had his sights on the glamorous Aurelie. Once this was over I hoped he would give love another chance – if anyone deserved it, it was Lex. Would she be interested in him, was the big question, and I hoped in time I’d find out. Lila sat biting her poor nails to the quick.
‘Welcome,’ Aurelie said her usual greeting. ‘A sad day for us at Leclére, saying goodbye to a contestant ahead of the grand finale next week. I know you’re nervous so I’ll get straight into it.’
‘The winner this week is Del with her perfume called Love Potion, a transcendent fragrance, and one we won’t forget.’ I bit my lip as my emotions threatened to overcome me. It wouldn’t do to jump for joy when one of my friends was being sent home. But I’d finally solved the riddle that had stumped me and Nan all those years ago and I felt her there, cheering me on for finally believing and taking those risks she’d urged me to do for so long.
‘Next was Lila, with Sweet, an inspired gourmand perfume.’
I took Lex’s hand in mine, giving it a supportive squeeze. Tears stung my eyes and Lila let out a sob of anguish. Lex was out of the competition.
‘Girls.’ He took us in his arms. ‘It was never about winning for me. It was about finding my way. To come this far has been the greatest joy. And now I get to watch one of you win.’
‘I know you’re on the up and up, Lex.’ I rallied a little, knowing he had found what he needed here in Paris.
‘We’re in the final!’ Lila cried out.
‘It’s crazy,’ I said. It proved all that scheming, all that sabotage hadn’t helped the others in the end.
‘What will the final entail, do you think?’ I asked. Would it be a week-long extravaganza or something deceptively simple?
‘Who knows?’ she gulped.
Sebastien spoke up. ‘The grand finale begins and ends tomorrow. You are required to meet in the lab at nine a.m. sharp. By the end of the business day, we will crown our winner.’
The end of the day! I’d banked on another week in Paris at least. It was too soon. As with the other contestants, as soon as they were eliminated they were helped to pack their rooms, and driven straight to the airport and placed on the next flight. Despair sat heavy in my belly. What was the rush?
‘Whoa,’ Lex said. ‘You’re not mucking around, are you?’
Sebastien gave him the ghost of a smile. ‘We don’t want to delay.’
Was he ready to do that and pack up and leave after? Head for the lavender scented hills of Provence?
Lex coughed and dropped his gaze, ‘Well, I’ll be moving out of the apartment, but I intend on staying in Paris…’
I feigned innocence. ‘You’re staying in Paris, Lex? Any reason?’ I widened my eyes, and stared at him, hoping he’d admit it.
‘Nope, just haven’t seen enough of Paris yet.’
‘Really?’ I narrowed my eyes. ‘I think there’s more to it.’
He pulled a face. ‘All right, America, leave me be. You…you perfume whisperer.’
‘I like that,’ I said, grinning. ‘Del Jameson, Perfume Whisperer.’
Sebastien smiled and said, ‘Don’t do too much today, save your energy for tomorrow, won’t you?’
Save our energy! Would we be running all over Paris again? My feet hadn’t quite got over that first day of punishment.
We broke away, and I promised to catch up with Lex and Lila later. But first we had to pack up our rooms and make sure we were ready to leave the next day. Whoever won the competition would move into a suite of rooms on the top floor in the Leclére apartment and stay on to design a perfume collection for them.
After I packed and tidied the room, I sat at the end of the bed and blew out a breath. Emotions hit me hard and fast. Loneliness, reluctance, worry, excitement. I thought about the other contestants and their stories, how far we’d all come. Lila desperately needed the prize money to stay in Paris, or she’d go back to a life dominated by her family. Lex would probably make a name for himself in perfumery at fifty-five years of age, finally following his passion, and hopefully he’d find a little romance along the way.
But where did I stand now? The more time I spent in Paris the hazier my New York dream became. Could I survive without a plan? Probably not. I wasn’t the airy fairy type unless I was making perfume. I needed to know where I’d be in five years, otherwise how would I know I was on the right path?
I called Jen and hoped she’d answer despite the ungodly hour it would be over there for her. With a yawn she answered, ‘Hello?’
‘Sorry to wake you.’
‘You OK?’ she asked.
‘Sort of.’
‘Sort of means no, what is it?’
‘I got to the grand finale…’
‘WHAT!’ she shrieked. ‘Oh my god, Del! You made it to the grand finale! I knew you would, I knew you had it in you!’
‘Yeah, I know, it’s totally amazing, but I’m having trouble envisaging my future now. What do I want? Things have changed and I have changed…’
‘Aw, Del, you make things so tough for yourself. Can’t you just wait and see? Spend the rest of the summer in Paris, whether you win or lose?’
I exhaled the worry. ‘I guess, but what would be the point?’
‘To test yourself. Remember you were supposed to jump out of that comfort zone, and as far as I can see, you’ve jumped right back into it. New York was a great ambition but like you said things have changed, so maybe it’s not the right time. Maybe in five years when your name is synonymous with perfume, maybe that will be the time to head to New York and open up a boutique on Fifth Avenue itself, not down some dark little alleyway that you would struggle to afford now.’
‘Hmm, yes, yes, I see your point, but I’ll feel anchorless, won’t I, without a plan? What if I suddenly spend all day sleeping in and I only eat chocolate, and watch movies with subtitles and become lazy…’
‘Then I’d say you’re having the time of your life. One summer isn’t going to rule your future. Promise me you’ll stay there and let a new plan come to your organically.’
‘Yeah, maybe.’ Maybe not.
‘And Seb, what’s happening with him?’
‘Zero.’
‘And you’re happy with that?’
‘Well, not exactly.’ I didn’t want to worry about him, not now, especially with the grand finale looming. ‘Forget about that for a minute, what about the competition? If I win, then Lila won’t get the money and won’t get to live her dreams.’
‘Oh, Del, I should’ve known this would happen. It’s a competition! You deserve to win just as much as she does! What about your dreams?’
I sighed. ‘I guess…’
She made her voice soft. ‘Del, just win the competition, OK? Win it for Nan, win it for your future, win it because you love perfume and you deserve it.’
I took a deep breath and did what sisters do best, I changed the subject. ‘So, how’s James? The wedding plans?’
‘Urgh,’ she said. ‘I think we might have to elope. Mom is talking about some kind of river goddess wedding, whatever the hell that means, and Dad wants to officiate…’ And on she went about our cuckoo family.
After our saying goodbyes I stared at Clementine’s side of the room for a while. It was so peaceful without her but sort of lonely too.
I changed for lunch and a last long linger around Paris with Lex and Lila.