There were no guarantees where her recovery was concerned. As the time grew near, Cami had to live with that prospect, even though the doctor sounded reasonably optimistic. But the alternative of not undergoing the surgery meant her days would be numbered.
Except for their extended family in Nice, Cami and her mother had never told anyone that she had to have an operation, not even Helene or their coworkers. She was lucky to have this job and needed it too much to lose it. At her last doctor’s appointment, they had set the date of the operation for December 18, giving her the holidays to recover.
But what if she didn’t?
As the doctor had told her, every surgery held a risk. In order not to dwell on it, Cami worked harder than ever and determined to make the most of her life—until she couldn’t.
“You’re to park in front and go to the front door,” Helene explained. “Call me if there’s any problem. Now off you go.”
Since they had all the equipment they needed in their vans, they filed outside under a semicloudy sky. Cami got in the van with her mother and they started driving toward the verdant hills in the distance. The other van followed them. Slowly they wound their way serpentine style to the summit. How would it be to live up here in this glorious paradise?
As they passed by the entrance to the Fontesquieu estate and vast vineyards open for tourists, she eyed the impressive grilled gate with its gold ducal crest. Her mother noticed it too. “You probably don’t remember what your father said the last time he drove us around there years ago.”
“No, but I do remember all the times Papa took us there.” Passing by here reminded her of that special day when the handsome young man had smiled at her. “Tell me what he said.” She’d loved her dad and had suffered after he’d died.
“The Fontesquieu family lives at the footsteps of the gods.” Her mother shook her head. “I can’t comprehend their kind of wealth and never want to. All that money doesn’t bring happiness.”
“Probably not,” Cami murmured. At least that’s what you told yourself when you didn’t have it. Her wonderful mother had worked so hard all her life, turning to housecleaning after high school to make a living. She’d never stopped.
Cami had just graduated from Sophie Antipolis University in Nice with honors in business and finance. If all went well with the operation and recovery, she’d start work in January at La Maison de Chocolat Gaillard in their finance department where she’d interned during her last semester.
Guaranteed an excellent starting salary, she was determined to pay back the small balance left on her student loan and take care of herself and her mom. No more housecleaning for either of them! Of course, that all depended on the outcome of the operation.
After several turns, they finally reached their destination. The rose-colored two-story villa appearing through the lush greenery was so beautiful, it didn’t look real. Several sections of steps rose up the terraced landscaping to the main entry.
Cami pulled the van to a stop in front, thinking that the family who would live in this villa shared those same footsteps her father had once talked about. Feeling as if she’d arrived in a wonderland, Cami got out and started up the stairs with her mother. Before she had a chance to knock, the door opened.
An attractive blonde woman, probably a little older than Cami’s mother, smiled at them. “You must be from Nettoyage International.”
Her mother spoke first. “I’m Juliette Delon. This is my daughter, Camille.” Patrice introduced the others.
“Wonderful. I’m Arlette Gilbert. Thank you for being so prompt. Please come inside.”
Cami and her mother followed the woman into the foyer with its fabulous parquet flooring. A graceful winding staircase divided a salon on the right, empty of furnishings, and the sitting room on the left. The interior contained only two chairs and a modern-looking couch. Both rooms were set off with elegant wood carved French doors.
“Won’t you be seated?”
Cami sat on a chair next to her mother. The other three sat on the couch.
The blonde woman studied them. “The owner will be in and out. In the meantime he’s put me in charge and I’ll be here all week. I assume your manager has explained what needs to be done. I’ll take you on a quick tour of the villa and let you decide how to divide up your workload.
“After the tour, I suggest you drive your vans up the driveway where you can park in the rear between the garage and the outdoor swimming pool. I’ll unlock the back door so you can bring in your equipment. If you need me, you’ll find me here in the sitting room.”
Within a half hour they’d moved their vans in back and had made decisions of what areas to tackle first. Cami and her mother chose to clean the four bedrooms with en suite bathrooms upstairs, estimating it would take them several days. All five of them agreed to save washing the windows inside and out until their last day.
They carried their cleaning supplies upstairs. As far as Cami was concerned, this villa was a small palace. What would it be like to live here, to wake up every day to such luxury and beauty, to be able to decorate it the way you wanted and not count the cost?
Her mother shook her head as she looked around. “Just the upkeep on this place would cost a king’s ransom. I’m glad it’s someone else’s headache.”
No one could bring Cami down from the clouds faster than her practical mother. With a resigned smile, she noted that the villa had higher than normal ceilings. The owner had provided a substantial ladder. Being up high made it easy to clean with no extra stress on her heart.
Because Cami’s mother had arthritis in her shoulders, Cami insisted on cleaning those, plus the walls and moldings. That left her mom to do the hardwood floors and bathrooms. Their system worked and they got busy.
At noon they walked out to the van to eat their lunch like they always did on the job. Her mother turned on the news. They both liked to know what was going on. The radio would do when there was no TV.
After listening to the world headlines, they heard the announcement that France had lost one of the great vintners from Provence.
“Today France is in mourning over the death of le Duc Armand Fontesquieu, who will be laid to rest on Thursday on the Fontesquieu estate in Vence.”