Brigitte
Settling back into a routine after their holiday in the south of France was easier than Brigitte expected. Having Isabelle living with them was wonderful. The old mas was finally becoming her home with the promise of happy family times to come.
Part of her routine now involved walking to the village boulangerie for croissants every morning before returning for breakfast under the loggia. It was amazing how many friends she bumped into—friends she’d seen infrequently when she’d been running the auberge. Retiring to the village had been a good idea of Bruno’s after all. Life was good.
Isabelle’s morning sickness was slowly disappearing and she too was settling happily into her new way of life. Because the house she was buying was empty and the formalities were proceeding quickly, Isabelle was able to have access and to make a start on getting things ready to move in.
Bruno set to work clearing the garden overgrowth, cutting back brambles and pruning large lilac trees and rhododendron bushes. Brigitte mowed the lawn and organised some pots for the patio by the kitchen door.
“You will be needing some outdoor chairs and a table,” she said.
“Amongst other things,” Isabelle replied. “The list is getting longer by the day. There’s a large vide grenier this Sunday in Carhaix. Shall we go? See what we can find?”
Brigitte nodded. “Hopefully there will be a bargain or two there.”
Bruno declined to join them Sunday morning, which didn’t surprise Brigitte. “You know he’s never been one for this sort of thing,” she said to Isabelle as she slipped into the driving seat of their car. “Remember how he’d do anything to avoid the vide greniers your school held to raise funds?”
Isabelle laughed. “He was ace at making those wooden reindeers out of logs for sale at the Christmas bazaars though. Everyone wanted one.”
The streets where the vide grenier was being held were buzzing with busy stalls and people wandering around clutching recently acquired treasures. Isabelle soon spotted a stand selling new and almost new baby equipment and the two of them spent an enjoyable half hour selecting things. While they were walking back to put their purchases in the car, Isabelle’s mobile rang at the same moment Brigitte saw Lucas striding towards them.
“Thank goodness I’ve found you,” Lucas said. “Brigitte, I’m sorry but Bruno has taken ill.” He glanced at Isabelle listening intently to a message on her phone. “That will be Libby.”
“What’s happened?” Brigitte asked, trying to stop her voice trembling.
“Bruno had a suspected heart attack about half an hour ago.” Lucas put an arm around Brigitte’s shoulders. “I’d rung him to talk about the motor club meeting next week when I heard him collapse. Luckily I managed to alert the pompiers and they were there in minutes. He’s in hospital now.”
“I must go to him,” Brigitte said. “Which hospital?”
“For the moment, the one here in town as it was the nearest. I’ll drive you,” Lucas said. He glanced across at Isabelle. “You OK?”
Isabelle nodded.
“Libby said she’d wait at the hospital until we get there.”
Libby was waiting outside the main hospital entrance when Lucas drove up and she hurried over to them.
“Not being a relative I haven’t been allowed in to see him but they’ve said he’s stable,” she told Brigitte and Isabelle. “You two can go straight up.”
Libby watched the two of them disappear into the hospital before turning to Lucas.
“If you hadn’t phoned Bruno when you did…” She shook her head. “Doesn’t bear thinking about.”
“Then don’t,” Lucas said. “Just pray that we got him here in time.”