Peace Offering
1120 Words
By 8:00 a.m., Anna was already stepping out of L’Atelier des Pétales with a bouquet of irises in her arms.
“Good morning, ma'am,” Lizzy and David greeted together.
“Good morning, my dears.”
Anna handed the flowers to Lizzy.
“Would you mind putting these in a vase for me?”
“Of course.”
David lifted a medium-sized box from behind the counter.
“Ma'am, a package came in for you this morning.”
Anna frowned.
“For me?”
“Yes.”
“What is it?”
“Ten copies of Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.”
Anna stared at him.
“Ten?”
David nodded.
“But I didn't order these.”
“There’s a note.”
Lizzy said, as she picked up a small card from inside the box.
“Read it.”
She cleared her throat dramatically.
“Okay.”
Hi, Anna.
I saw this and thought you might like it. It had wonderful reviews, and I ended up getting a copy for myself as well.
I couldn't decide whether you were more of a romantic or political reader, so I decided to take a chance.
Mainly because it's by the same author you recommended to me.
And to apologize for my comment yesterday. I'm sure it came out completely wrong.
Yours truly,
Mr. Hamlet.
Then Lizzy gasped.
“Oh my goodness.”
David laughed.
“It's the umbrella guy.”
Anna snatched the note from Lizzy.
“It's just an apology.”
“An apology with ten books?” Lizzy asked.
Anna ignored her.
She glanced down at the copies again.
Why did he do this?
She picked up one of the books and turned it over in her hands.
At least he had good taste.
“Well,” she said, trying to sound indifferent, “at least he has some common sense.”
She handed the note back.
“Put the books on the display next to Jane Eyre.”
Lizzy smiled knowingly.
“Yes, boss.”
After that, Two young women walked into the café.
“—I'm telling you, Céleste, if we don't get the tickets today, we're going to end up sitting at the back again,” the woman in the beret complained.
She smiled, as she approached the counter.
“Hello. We'd like two pains au chocolat and two chouquettes, please.”
“Coming right up.”
Her friend unfolded a brochure.
“Relax, Camille. The Nuit des Arts et Lettres doesn't even start until Friday.”
Anna paused.
“Nuit des Arts et Lettres?”
The women turned toward her.
“Yes,” Céleste said. “They're holding it at Le Jardin d'Hiver de Saint-Germain.”
Camille's eyes lit up.
“The glass conservatory! It's going to be beautiful.”
“They're having midnight poetry readings, candlelit performances of Molière and Racine, live harp music—”
“And vintage wine tastings,” Camille added.
Anna looked at the brochure:
A literary festival, a glasshouse, hundreds of potential customers.
She glanced toward the books displayed around the café.
Then toward the pastry counter.
An idea formed.
After the women left, Anna turned to her employees.
“What if we apply to cater the festival?”
Lizzy looked up.
“You mean La Table du Poète?”
“Exactly.”
David looked uncertain.
“Wouldn't there be a lot of competition?”
“There will be,” Anna admitted. “But that's exactly why we should try.”
She picked up a notepad.
“Madam Rosé's pastries, our tea blends, and our literary displays. We could create something people haven't seen before. What do you think?”
Lizzy's face brightened.
“I love it.”
“I'll handle the setup,” David said.
“And I'll handle the packaging.”
Anna smiled.
“Then let's make them remember us.”
For the rest of the afternoon, Anna worked between customers, preparing a proposal for the festival organizers.
By 5:30 p.m., rain had returned.
She was reviewing the final draft when Lizzy caught Anna's expression and immediately lowered her head, hiding a smile.
André walked toward the counter.
His eyes moved around the shop before landing on the new display.
A faint smile appeared.
“Good evening, Anna.”
“Good evening.”
“I see my peace offering arrived.”
Anna glanced at the books.
“It did.”
“And?”
She folded her arms.
“I don't understand why you bought ten copies.”
“Because one apology didn't seem enough.”
“You could have sent an email.”
“An email lacks flair.”
Anna fought a smile.
“You really like that word.”
“I do.”
He picked up one of the books.
“Besides, I had a terrible first impression to fix.”
“You certainly did.”
He laughed.
“Fair enough.”
He flipped through the pages.
“So, what do you recommend? I don't want to seem so hopeless when it comes to literature?”
“Start from the beginning.”
“And?”
“Actually pay attention this time.”
André smiled.
“I'll try.”
His gaze shifted.
He noticed the document beside the register.
Nuit des Arts et Lettres — Catering Proposal.
His eyes narrowed slightly with interest.
“Le Jardin d'Hiver?”
Anna immediately slid the paper beneath another sheet.
“You read too much.”
“I happen to know the venue.”
“Then you know it's none of your business.”
“I didn't say it was.”
His smile returned.
“I'll be attending on Friday.”
Anna's stomach gave an annoying little flutter.
“Good for you.”
“Perhaps I could help with the setup.”
“We'll manage.”
“You're very determined to reject my help.”
“I've only known you for twenty-four hours.”
“Twenty-four hours and one umbrella.”
“Which you abandoned.”
“And somehow it led me back to you.”
Anna stared at him.
He seemed pleased with himself.
She shook her head.
“Anything else?”
“Yes.”
He leaned against the counter.
“Black coffee. Two pains au chocolat.”
Anna raised an eyebrow.
“Anything else?”
“Not unless the manager is offering.”
From behind the espresso machine, Lizzy suddenly became very interested in the coffee machine.
David picked up a cloth and began wiping an already spotless glass.
Anna narrowed her eyes.
“One black coffee and two pastries coming right up.”
She turned away.
“Mr. Hamlet.”
Behind her, André laughed.
And for the first time, Anna found herself smiling too.
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