He never woke her, but she would hear him shuffle around the next room clumsily, inevitably stubbing his toe against the bed at the same angle every day. He would curse under his breath, trying not to wake her mother, search for his walking shoes and tie his laces in the dark. Then he would peek into her room. Anna would already be up.
As would Leopold, waiting for them both anxiously by the door. Shoes, and often coats, scarves, and mittens on, they would tiptoe out of the house.
The city and time were theirs when they went on their morning walks. Those often began in a silence they had never had to agree on. Quiet breaths and footsteps, his pace matched to hers. Neither would speak before they had turned the corner onto Vaugirard. He did most of the talking then, usually, leading the conversation and walk. Most of the time he spoke of mundane, weekday things and told her random stories.
Today, at the market, make sure you get two artichokes and a few lemons. Do not buy the strawberries. I know you will want to, but wait a week longer. They will taste much better then.
Did you reach the part where Phileas Fogg reaches Bombay? Non? You have been reading too slowly. I traveled to Bombay—they call it Mumbai now—and Calcutta, once.…
On their walks, he taught her to smell the rain in the air, to walk slower, to look up. She learned to recognize the different types of clouds, the trees, elegant façades that lined the streets of this city she loved, and all the shortcuts.
At six fifteen they would circle back and stop by the boulangerie, now open, that he liked. The baguette for breakfast, merci. Quick quick, they would hurry. The others at home would be up and waiting for them hungrily.
He would stop nonetheless to greet the gardienne as she swept the entrance of the building, pull yesterday’s crumbs out of his pocket to leave in the feed for her birds. Then they would take the stairs, a race of dog, girl, and man. The first to reach the top won the prize: the crusty end of the baguette.
Somehow, Anna and Leopold always won.