Chapter 28 - Chapter three...again

The next day, we decided to make a trip to our friend's vineyard, and so we all clambered into the decrepit old open-top jeep, all eleven of us squeezing into it, with Honda driving, and Marc sitting next to him in the front of the vehicle. The rest of us all piled into the back, completely squishing each other, reminiscent of the old days with, being shoved into the back of Sakura's combie in order to get someplace.

 

Luckily enough, the vineyard was only a twenty minute drive away, and so we soon arrived, and jumped out of the jeep. A morning of wine-tasting had been proposed, and so I climbed the steps to our friend, Mattieu's, house, and knocked on the door. Mattieu was the same age as me, and a tall and broad man, brought up on a farm in Brittany. He had claimed that the climate there hadn't suited him, and so he had moved to the South of France, and started a vineyard. He had then married a local girl, Taloise, and together they were very happily living on the vineyard, harvesting every year with help from friends and family. They had been a great help when we fist moved over.

 

It was Taloise that answered the door, and she greeted me with a kiss on either cheek, informing me that Mattieu would be down in a minute. We walked together towards the car, and i began to introduce her to everyone, first speaking in French, and then switching to Japanese, for those among us who did not speak French.

 

"Ana," Marc said, "Why don't we all just speak English, 'cause most of us know that?"

 

"Good point. Taloise, is that ok with you?"

 

"Should be fine," she answered in a thick English accent. We had all been taught English in schools, as it was an important language to learn, although those of us who were French spoke it with difficulty, our accents very strong. In fact, Yumiko was the best out of us at it, having lived in Australia for most of her life.



The morning was wonderfully spent, with the gorgeously hunky Mattieu showing us around his incredible vineyard, and then taking us into a barn, where we could taste the different vintages of wine, and also some of the organic win that Taloise had made. It was all incredible.



And then, in the afternoon, we all went to the beach again, this time with Tenshi and Mokuba joining us. It was yet again a warm day, and as well lay on the hot sand, or relaxed in the sea, we enjoyed ourselves greatly. Yumiko went off rock pooling, with Kaede and Sakura, and Yuula was looking vaguely bemused as she built things with sand.



Tea was sunbathing with Marc, and Duke and Yugi were having a heated conversation, whilst Seto held a conversation on his phone. Mokuba and Tenshi were collecting seaweed, and shells. Honda was setting up the volleyball net, with my help, and when it wall up, we shouted for everyone who wanted to play, to come and join us. A vicious game ensued, with Kaede almost killing Yuula; she whacked the ball at her head so hard.



We were home by about six o'clock, and Tenshi and Mokuba had returned to their hotel. Whilst I watched and helped to organise some food, Sakura and Yuula took the dog for a walk, as everyone else relaxed and chilled in the evening sun.



***



“AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!”



I heard shouting, and Chatte barking, as Sakura sprinted into the kitchen.



“Sakura, what's wrong?” I looked at her, “And where's Yuula?”



“AAAAAAHHHHHH!!”



“WHAT?”



“AAAHHH! The press attacked us. And so I ran screaming.”



“The press?”



“Yes.” She nodded, panting for breath, as Chatte bounced around her feet, thinking it wall all a game. “They're here to find out who it is that is staying with `Ana Osculaix, world renowned rider'. They want to know who the hell we all are. They started asking questions, and then recognised me, from that charity do, I helped to organise last year. So I turned, and ran.” She collapsed in a chair, “BUT I LOST YUULA!!”



At that moment, as I was looking panic-stricken, and Sakura was still recovering, Yuula walked into the room, looking very calm. “You didn't lose me. Those nice people were asking me lots of nice questions, all about where I met Ana, and how I knew her. And so I answered. And I told them everything I could.”



“YOU WHAT?!” I exploded.



“I told them everything I knew about you.”



“Everything?”



“Yes, everything. Stuff like, how your husband was a scary Honda and had Honda hair, and how you dance on tables when you're drunk, and…”



“Yuula, did they say what paper they came from?” I tried to speak calmly, and think rationally.



“Oh yes, they said they came from…”



I was on the phone to them within minutes, trying to bribe them. Eventually, we came to an agreement. They could spend some time among us, and get an article, as long as I could proof-read it, and check the content, and then they would burn what Yuula had told them, or give it to me to burn.



***



Piled into several cars, all filled with luggage, we drove to the airport, hopping on a plane when we got there, and allowing it to take us across the country, and to the centre, towards Paris, and a short stay with people from the press. We were to stay in a large hotel, and the press members would also be staying there.



When we pulled up in front of the large hotel, and checked into our many rooms, I asked the receptionist to let the people we were meant to be meeting to meet me in one of the lounges in fifteen minutes, giving me time to run up stairs and change into a low cut dress, that was white, and that had a clingy and 30s-style top, with wide straps, and intricate swathing in material over the bust line, with a large, yet very short, puffy skirt, that stuck out like a mushroom. Accompanying this with a pair of slightly high strappy white sandals, that increased my heart even further. Grabbing a small white clutch, I shook my hair out of its loose ponytail, letting the waves of very dark hair flow down my back.



I ran along the corridor, and jumped in the lift, asking to be taken to reception, from where I walked into the lounge in which I would meet the journalists. Putting on my most snobby and condescending face, I stalked into the room, and seeing the journalists, walked over them. There were three men sitting there, the youngest about the same age as me, the next about the same age as Honda, and the other maybe thirty, or a bit older. They all greeted me formally and introduced themselves, apologising for an inconvenience they were causing.



“Oh, do not trouble yourselves with such trivial matters,” I assured them, “It was no inconvenience. Please, let us sit.” I was towering over them, quite literally, and so they sat down quite gratefully.



“So, Madame, what had you planned to do whilst staying in Paris?” the man named Franc asked. He was the oldest of the three, and had a mean look about him, the ruthless one that sometimes seems to possess journalists. I would soon sort him…I was plotting to leave him with Seto. Heh!



“Well, tomorrow I decided that my friends and I would go touring Paris, maybe we will go to the Champs-Elysees, and do some shopping.” The designer shops were always good fun to get into, and with Seto, and me, we should get in.



“Ah, ok. And anything else?”



“I believe that I might send part of our group off on a tour. Maybe you could accompany them, and the other two accompany the rest of us?” the two younger ones looked like a lot more fun. And it would be hilarious to send this scary man out with the guys. My plan was set. “Yes, I believe that would be good. If you were to got with the boys, and Arnaud,” I indicated the youngest one, “and Luc,” the other, “were to come with the girls and I. I am glad that is all sorted. I believe we will see you at dinner this evening? There is meant to be a dance is there not? I shall see you then. For now, farewell.”



I flounced out of the room without so much as another word, not even waiting for their answers.

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