When Strangers Wish

Chapter 4: Pledging Funds

The rising sun across the Mediterranean was a remarkable sight. As it ascended, reflecting the sea, it created a breathtaking combination of colors. Orange, red, gold, pink, and other tones mixed beautifully, painting the sky and the sea artfully.

But Luc barely noticed the view. Not having any businesses to attend to until after noon, he decided to hit the gym and catch up on his workout.

"Ready for the rowing machine?" Coralie asked as he took a breather after finishing his reps on the treadmill.

Coralie's sturdy frame was another sight to behold. It suggested she could bench-press three times Luc's weight without breaking a sweat. Besides her build, Luc chose her as his trainer because of her attention to detail.

The other trainers focused on the obvious, like weight, speed, and reps. But Coralie thought about the impact of the exercise in the future, not just right now. She noticed slight misalignments that could cause injury or impact his posture.

"Sure," Luc responded as he moved to the rowing machine.

Coralie adjusted the foot straps after he sat down, making sure he was good to go. "Don't forget the order," she said, referring to the proper exercise sequence. "Keep your back straight and tighten your stomach muscles," she continued.

Luc nodded as he gripped the machine's handle and started rowing. He experienced a little stiffness as the machine built resistance against his legs and back. This made his shoulders slouch as he exercised.

"Straighten your shoulders," Coralie corrected. She watched keenly, her sharp eyes spotting every ineffective movement.

By the final rep, his heart beat vigorously and his arms trembled. He felt his abdominal, oblique, and other muscles tightening up, and wanted to continue. But Coralie had other workouts planned.

"That's enough," she said. Her voice sounded low and a little rough from years of doing rigorous workouts and pushing her body as hard as it could go.

"It's time for the spin bike. And then, the elliptical." She went over to the bike and checked it, ensuring it was adjusted correctly before he got on it. Despite her formidable appearance, she moved elegantly, like a dancer.

As Luc prepared to mount the bike, she looked through the glass wall, noticing the sunrise. "What a view," she observed.

Luc followed her gaze, pausing his mount. "Inspiring, isn't it? It's always amazing." Then, feeling a bit energized by the view, he got on the bike and continued his exercise.

After working out, Luc grabbed a bottle of water and took a long drink. Then he sat on a soft leather stool to rest and let his body cool down. His legs felt heavy.

"So how's business?" he asked Coralie as she sprayed disinfectant on the bench press machine and cleaned it. The faint citrus flavor rose in the air, blending with the gym's mildly humid atmosphere.

Coralie stopped wiping. "Good," she said, managing a smile. "I recently signed a few corporate clients, so I'm not complaining."

"That's good," Luc said as he dabbed his face with his sweat-soaked towel and got up, preparing to leave the gym. But he could tell that Coralie could use more clients. "You know, I have a few business associates who might need your service. I can introduce you to them."

Her eyes lit up, and she smiled fully and said, "You'd do that?"

"Why not? I will," Luc responded. As he turned to leave the gym, he noticed her grinning from ear to ear. He couldn’t help but smile at her excitement.

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Luc stepped out of the bathroom feeling refreshed and invigorated. He had spent more minutes than usual in the steam-filled bathroom.

The stay allowed his body to ease off the tension from his workout. He welcomed the scent of the sandalwood bath gel, which lingered in his nostrils. He felt the warm, woody fragrance even after he wore his loungewear and headed for breakfast.

In the dining room, Elise served him grilled salmon. The meal included quinoa salad containing cherry tomatoes and steamed asparagus. After putting the plates before him, she served him a tall glass of cold-pressed green juice.

"I hope you enjoy your meal, as recommended by your dietitian," Elise said, smiling, partly taking a poke at him.

"I'll try, Elise," he chuckled, forking a piece of asparagus and feeling its crunchiness as he sank his teeth into it.

"Sometimes you just have to follow instructions," he continued, chewing a bite of the tender fish. "I enjoyed my workout this morning. I might as well stay on track so the gains can stack up." He drank his juice, not particularly liking it, but he kept a straight face.

Elise wrinkled her nose as he drank. She had tasted it while preparing it. And the ginger, added only to brighten the taste, was what she found mildly interesting. "Enjoy," she said, suggesting that she'd happily pass on that one.

As he was finishing his meal, the news anchor on the TV reported, "Heavy showers expected this afternoon..."

"Heavy rain this afternoon," he said, putting down his glass after taking a drink of water.

"Monte Carlo rain never gets tired," Elise chimed in as she began clearing the plates.

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The library was a true storehouse of knowledge and art. All of the shelves were packed with very valuable and hard-to-find books. They spanned all genres—biography, business, self-help, lifestyle, and also fiction. And the walls were outlandishly decorated with hard-to-find artwork that would make any museum envious.

The soft Persian rug, which spread nicely across the expansive library, accommodated a long mahogany desk for reading. As if the desk's reading lamp was not enough, the intricately designed chandelier provided more than enough lighting.

Luc rushed into the library to attend a virtual meeting. He had taken a quick nap after his breakfast. The sleep was revitalizing, much needed.

On getting to the desk, he turned on his laptop and tapped his fingers on the desk impatiently. It felt like a long wait, even though he knew it only took a few seconds for the computer to boot.

"Good day, Mr. Chevalier," the head of the children's hospital board greeted him. "We had a little technical issue connecting. I hope we are not late for the meeting." Luc could see the virtual windows with the faces of the other board members.

There were at least twelve faces. They included physicians, nursing leadership, finance officers, and community representatives.

And here I was thinking I was late. "Not at all, Dr. Mercier. I just logged in myself."

After they all exchanged pleasantries, Dr. Mercier brought everyone up to speed on events since their last meeting.

He then handed over the presentation to another board member, Sister Alice, who showed slides of the new ward's construction. "With the construction completed, we've started installing the modular incubators you funded. As projected, this should help improve our patient turnover by at least twenty percent."

Luc smiled proudly. "This is great. Well done!" he commended them.

The discussion then moved to talking about neonatal respiratory support. One board member recommended advanced high-flow nasal cannula systems to reduce readmission rates. A few others brought up the issues of technical manpower.

After they deliberated for a while, Luc inquired about the funding costs. He then said, "I'd like to pledge €5 million to cover the equipment and staff training."

An overwhelming feeling of relief and excitement filled the faces on the screen. "Thank you, Mr. Chevalier," was on everyone's lips. Dr. Mercier almost choked as he eulogized Luc. "We cannot thank you enough," he said.

"It's nothing," Luc replied as he leaned back in his high-back leather chair. "You are the ones doing the job. I'm merely contributing. You are the ones who truly deserve our thanks. Thank you so much for truly saving these children's lives."

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Luc and Remi studied an architectural design on Luc's tablet. The bold sketch of the pavilion filled the screen as their eyes examined the details.

Remi looked closely and saw a possible problem. "I think the overhanging roof section needs more support here," he said, pointing to the joint. "If you don't add extra support, the structure might not be able to hold the load."

Luc nodded, sitting back a little to get a broader, zoomed-out view. "I thought about using steel rods, but I feared that they would project and spoil the pavilion's sleek look," he said. "Could we put the support structure out of sight, above the ceiling? Will it work?"

Now, Remi sat back fully, appropriating the tablet and slanting it. He slanted it to the left and right to observe the structure from different angles. He then said, "Yes, that will work."

Handing the tablet to Luc, he said, "To enhance the design, you can build the lighting fixtures directly into the beams. It will keep everything clean and simple while providing great illumination."

They had met in Remi's studio, downtown. Once a stuffy and partitioned office space, the repurposed loft now boasted Remi's creativity. The open-plan design allowed huge amounts of natural light to enter through the exceptionally large windows.

Luc wore a clean, stylish white tee, blue denim, and brown suede loafers. He looked casual but impeccably stylish. Remi wore a charcoal crewneck sweater, black trousers, and shiny navy blue leather sneakers.

Their relationship was professional. They worked well together and trusted each other's expertise, but they weren't personally close friends.

Both men bounced ideas back and forth. They discussed the design extensively, including the motive for the building and its potential to be put to multiple uses.

After their meeting, as Luc was about to put his tablet in its bag, Remi, who was already standing, looked through the window and said, "It's about to rain. Why don't you wait it out?"

"I wish I could," Luc replied, now standing and thinking about his upcoming meeting with his financial advisor. He checked his watch. "I have another appointment."

Remi then called out to his secretary, who was at the front desk. "Rose, please bring an umbrella for Mr. Chevalier."

Moments later, after thanking Remi and Rose, he stepped out of the building, opened the umbrella, and set off for his waiting car.

But something diverted his attention.

He looked across the street and saw someone. In that instant, he froze.