Independent lover

1.

There are several moments in life that feel unreal. Moments, when you feel like everything around you play a secondary role and it is only you and your thoughts. These satisfying short lapses of time are for me pauses. They allow me distance from this chaotic life that seem to be drawn to me.

Personally, one of those moments is the landing of a plane. I paused the music from my earphones just in time to hear the pilot announcing our landing shortly and reminding us to fasten our seatbelt. A flight attendant approached my cabin to take away the many glasses I had. I didn't realize how much I drank during the flight until I watched the flight attendant walking away with four empty glasses of martinis. One perk of flying first class is to not worry about the lack of service. Air France really knew how to treat their wealthy customers with astonishing advantages such as having a bartender on your floor.

Looking out the airplane's window, the clouds were beginning to fade away, and you could catch a glimpse of the dome of the Capitol.

I started my music again and my ears were gladly met by the smooth voice of Daniel Caeser.

I shut my eyes close to try and calm myself. I knew that I only had the 14 minutes of landing left before I had to face reality again.

And that's what I did. I cleared my thoughts and enjoyed the movements caused by the air holes before touching the ground and confronting life.

As I walked out from passport control, it didn't take me long to find my chauffeur holding up a sign with the name "Anna Ricoeur", my name. He already had all my baggages with him. After a polite greeting, we made our way to the car parked right outside the terminal.

The temperature was high for a late august in Washington D.C, the sun was dominating the sky. I've always liked this type of end of the summer.

My phone vibrated as we walked and a text from my aunt showed up on the screen.

"Welcome home sweetie"

Home, I now had to get used to call this place my home again.

Five minutes into the car drive, my phone rang again but this time, my mom's name showed up.

"Five martinis in a 10 hours flight?" was the first thing she said when I picked up.

"Hello to you too mother" I replied already annoyed.

"Don't start with the attitude young lady, why did I receive a bill for four alcoholic drinks on my name?"

Why was she trying to play the perfect mother now?

"Since when does the fact that I drink alcohol bother you? Didn't seem to be a problem during our countless meals at Le Fouquet's where I openly drank wine with you."

Le Fouquet's, another thing that I was going to miss from Paris along with all the Fridays afternoon spent on terraces in the Latin district drinking coffee with my friends until there was no more gossip to talk about.

But I guess I'll have to get used to it. As I did for my whole life.

It shouldn't bother me so much. I thought that by now, I was used to moving around.

See, I was born in Paris as well as my younger sister. Before my parent's divorce, we spend three years in Madrid for my mom's work, and it is before coming back to France that my mom left my dad. My sister and I had to get used to live every two weeks at my mom's. The rest of the time we were with my father. It worked out great until my mom met Oliver, my current stepdad, and decided to move to Washington D.C with him.

At this point, I was only ten years old and I had to decide who between my mom and dad I wanted to live with.

The choice was quick to make. I wanted to be successful in my future life, and I knew that if I went to the United States, I'll be going to a well renowned private school.

I guess that's what my mom and I have in common, our career will always come first. My mom sacrificed a lot to build her own empire and now, along with Oliver, she was at the head of three huge businesses. They were even in last year's issue of Forbe's 70 most powerful people. The name of Ricoeur had become very popular.

So, I left my sister and dad move in their little city outside of Paris and I followed my mother to the opposite side of the ocean.

Washington D.C had been my home for six-year before my parents decided to send me to boarding school back in Paris at the end of my Freshman year. I understood them, my attitude had begun to drift a little apart and my name began showing more and more on the cover of tabloids.

I guess being the daughter of one of the most successful CEO's had its perks but also its disadvantages.

But here I was, two years later, back in the capital, about to begin my Senior year.

"I knew I should've never let you come back to the USA, you just left France and you're already acting out." Said my mother.

"Mom calm down, it is just a little alcohol, whenever we are eating out you let me have a glass of wine or a cocktail" I said trying to defend myself. God why was she so stressed?

"You're right, I just...I don't know if you living away from us is going to work well"

"Mom we already talked about it, I'll be living with aunt Laura and everything will be fine. Moreover, I already started looking for colleges and you know that some spots in Ivy League colleges are reserved for students coming from St Peterly school"

It took a lot of effort to persuade my parents that it was best for me to return to my previous school in Washington D.C. Since my mother moved to New York City a few months back, my aunt gladly accepted me into her home. And to all of our surprises, St Peterly accepted me back.

"You're right, just promise me I won't hear about another scandal from you, especially if I find out in tabloids." She replied sounding serious.

"Don't worry mom, I won't destroy your reputation" I said knowing that's what she was really worried about.

The conversation ended with an exchange of Bisous and a few minutes later, the car pulled in front of the huge gates of Laura's house.

Home sweet home. 

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