We donât want to speak to any Lynn Blanchett. Sheâs an ugly little duckling. Shoo, shoo!
âCan you get me a taxi?â I ask the concierge.
âCertainly. Where will you be going?â
âMuriel B. Office. Itâs somewhereâ¦â I point toward what I believe is the direction to the office. âThis way.â
âI am sure we can manage to find the address for you.â
He smiles. Or is that a smirk?
Â
Iâm furious. They took me away from home. They flew me across the Atlantic. For what? To forget about me like yesterdayâs favorite flavor?
And Nicolas? Mr. Backstabbing-Bouchez! Does he think that itâs all right to flash his pretty looks, his charm and his suave accent right in my face, just like that?
Mademoizelle Blanchett, yu are zooo delicioze, I wanta iit yu!
And now that Iâm really dazzled and want a taste of it, too, it turns out he thinks Iâm a waste of time and heâs gay! I am going to strangle him with his tie.
The taxi drops me off in front of the office.
âJust move, all right!â I say to the prostitute. Itâs the same girl. She must be leasing this spot. She doesnât dare to spit today. She feels Iâm about to blow and sheâs not willing to pay for it.
I press the intercom and cross the courtyard. Iâm not impressed anymore. Iâm not this ridiculous American girl that canât handle the glitz and glamour of it all. Iâm Lynn Blanchett, heir of the Blanchett empire! Lynn Blanchett, daughter of a genius! I am a complete bitch with a new wardrobe who is about to OD on caffeine!
I walk straight to the receptionist. I donât say hello, I donât say please, I donât say sorry, I donât say anything but âNicolas Bouchez! Now!â
âOh, he is out of the office.â
âLike hell he is!â
I donât wait for more lies. I head upstairs and make my way to his office.
âMademoiselle Blanchett! Please!â
I open the door to his office. Itâs empty. âNicolas,â I call. Heâs hiding. Coward! I walk to Murielâs office. Itâs empty too.
I make my way to the workshop. I push the door. Where is everybody? Where are all the punks?
Back in Japan?
Françoise Neuton looks up at me. Sheâs working on a new version of the dress that I trashed yesterday.
âCan I help you?â
Sheâs alone in the workshop and somethingâs up, because she seems too happy to see me.
âWhere is everybody?â
âIs it any of your business?â
âOh, believe me. Iâll make it my business.â
She takes off her glasses. She wants to take a better look at me.
âI talked to Muriel this morning. Youâre over, Mademoiselle Blanchett.â
What?
âDidnât they tell you yet? Mmm?â She brushes the dress with her hand. âDo you like it better now?â
âWhere is Nicolas?â
âOhâ¦He will be out all day, at the Carrousel du Louvres.â
âWhere?â He didnât even bother contacting me. He just discarded me as if I didnât exist anymore.
âIâm sure that you can meet him there. After all, itâs his job to tell you youâre out.â
I donât find the strength to strike back. I turn my back to her and focus on breathing.
âIt was nice meeting you, anyway,â she says. âIâve always admired your mother.â
I crawl back downstairs.
âYou were right, nobodyâs here,â I say to the receptionist. âCan you get me Nicolas on his cell phone?â
âSure.â She dials and passes me the phone.
âOui?â
âNicolas? How are you, darling? Lynn Blanchett talking here. You remember me?â
âYes, Lynn. I remember you.â
âGuess what? Iâm at the office. And guess what else? Nobodyâs here but me.â
âI know. Iâm sorry. I should have phoned you.â
âHow
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