By COLIN
by
Amber Koski
En France, avec amour
Number of:
Resolutions made during their marriage: 70
Years she’d lived in Virginia but dreamed of moving to Région Parisienne: 20
Resolutions met during their marriage: 0
Conversations had about “working on things”: 14
Countries she’d visited since the separation: 6
Consecutive days she’d not spoken to Colin since the separation: 3
Suitcases she packed: 2
Years she tried to learn French: ½
Hours spent in air: 12.50
Days before she spotted Charlotte giving tours at Château de Versailles: 0.5
Questions she wanted to ask: 10
Total espressos she drank at Le Sevigne hoping to see her: 4
Days it took her to ask Charlotte to dinner: “Veux-tu qu’on aille dîner quelque part?”: 7
Instances she tucked her wedding ring into the small zip pocket of her purse: 2
Languages they spoke (or tried to): 3
Servings of Foie Gras at Chez Lazare: 2
Tours Charlotte gave her of Versailles: 4
Drinks they spilled at the party in Rambouillet: 5
Bottles of Coteaux du Languedoc, Chateau d’Assas they shared: 1
Miles that separate their countries: 4,290
Bottles of Taittinger Cuvee Prestige, Brut Champagne she brought to their hotel room: 1
Nights they woke the neighbors dancing to “Amado mio”: 3
Days they spent deciphering spotty translations – sign-language charades: 3
Times she worried Charlotte would find out about Colin: 25
Americanos, espressos, chocolate-chip cookies Charlotte ordered for them: 20
Items used to eat Comté & La tomme de Savoie – tea spoons: 2, saucer plate: 1
Years since she last smoked: 8
Lucky Strikes she shared with Charlotte: 15
Lesson on how to open champagne: 1
Pillows thrown to the floor at dawn: 4
Times her mouth tasted like coffee: 13
Kisses she counted as Charlotte placed them down her spine: 58
Moments she thought of him: 2
Orgasms he had given her in their 6 years of marriage: 7
Orgasms Charlotte gave her each night: 4
Other women she’d slept with since meeting Colin: 0
Charlotte’s favorite apples – Royal Gala – that she brought her each morning: 2
Times Charlotte offered her hat and she took it: 0
Times Charlotte offered her gloves and she took them: 3
Songs Charlotte sang back to her in French: 4
Hours they spent sleeping: 12
Total hours Charlotte spent giving her soft kisses on her head: 10
Minutes she spent wondering why she never loved him this way: 39
Times she had to stop herself from saying I need you: 200
Times she said I want you with wine stained lips: 10
Chairs they took up as she waited for her flight home: 1
Minutes she stared in Charlotte’s direction as she walked out of the terminal: 13
Drinks she salted with her tears: 6
Flight attendants who asked “Is there anything else I can get you?”: 4
Repeat plays of Edith Piaf songs on her iPod: 8
Weeks she continued to dream of Charlotte: 10
Hours she spent, up to her neck in hot bath water that turned her skin into a continuous blush, as the faucet water rushed and steamed the small mirror she placed on the ledge of the bath so she could look at herself: 35
I love the initimacy of what is technically a list. Brilliant Amber.
Thank you so much Sally. Your insight is always welcome. I am lucky to have the chance to connect with such great writers.