One Balloon Away

34

Renée's mother had taken her near the Eiffel Tower since her mood had been sour because she had failed at her history test. As much as she loved stories, the dates and places of historical events turned her mind bonkers.

"It's okay dear, it was just a test" her mother consoled her.

"I don't know. I'm the only girl who has failed it" Renée said as she sipped at her watermelon juice.

"Well, if it helps you, you should know that I was never the best student in my history class too" Adalie said, giving her a sheepish smile.

"What? Really mommy?!" Renée exclaimed as the mother and daughter erupted into a fit of laughter, as the sweetness from the crepe and cotton candy stalls blanketed the atmosphere, vacuuming away the bitterness. The graceful smile which painted her mother's lips made Renée ponder if she even needed an imaginary friend.

There were a number of fast food stalls dotting the Champ De Mars road, including various street artists displaying their unique talents as the crowd watched the stunning performances with awe. The iron lattice tower stood with utmost glory, beaming over the thousands of souls having the time of their lives as nostalgia creeped in. Puffs of bliss permeated the warm summer breeze, unaware of the toxic gas which was about to penetrate the air.

There was this one artist, Renée observed as he drew crayon pictures of the person in barely a minute, the sharp eyes moving back and forth between the model and the canvas while his slender fingers worked almost involuntarily. The way he was capturing hundreds of moments full of raw emotions with a single picture inspired Renée beyond explanation.

How could a single moment be so revealing and ruining at the same time?

One minute Renée was wondering about how art could be an extremely beautiful option for a career when she grows up and the next minute she could hear her mother's loud gasp, her handbag landing on the gravel with a thud as they witnessed Renée's father standing near one of the gelato booths with his arms wrapped around the waist of another woman.