A Weekend in France Who: Richard Summerby and Susan Bones Where France When: Saturday + What: Richard and Susan get away for a little while Rating: Lets hope this one goes NC-17
Richard had managed to talk Susan into a couple of nice outfits, a few more in keeping with her usual style, a couple of cocktail dresses and one little black dress. Then it was shoes across the street. Richard knew most men didn't like shopping, but when it came to watching pretty girls try on sexy clothes and shoes, he was happy to spend the time. He asked Susan to bring the LBD and matching shoes with her, and apparated them both to Marseilles.
They arrived in an alley behind a small restaurant, the smell of the sea strong in the air. Richard took their bags up a staircase at the back of the building, unlocked the door, and tossed their bags inside. He then stuck his head in the back door of the restaurant and spoke briefly in French to someone before coming out with a picnic hamper in one hand. He took Susan's hand with his other and led her around to the front of the building where he hailed a cab for the short ride to a small beach across from the shipping harbor.
"This isn't really that far from my parents' townhouse," he said as they walked across the sand to the water's edge. "When I wasn't running the streets like a dockworker's hooligan child, I used to come here and watch the ships come and go. I'd wonder if I would be able to see where the ships went some day. Now, I get paid to do just that. Don't know if one really led to the other, but there you are."
Richard pulled a beach blanket out of the hamper and spread it for them. Then he got out a bottle of wine. "A fruity French to go with the location." He pulled the cork and poured the wine into two glasses that he produced. He handed one to Susan and looked off over the water for a few seconds before speaking the toast, "To absent friends." He took a drink from his wine and then turned to Susan, "I knew a little of Julie and Rose's dreams. What about you? What did you want to do when you grew up?"