For Better And For Worse
Chapter 52

Maître Célestin and Stella enjoy the meal he had prepared.

Stella: hum, it’s really delicious! You are an excellent cook.

Célestin: thank you, I’m delighted. Hold !

He puts food in her mouth and she does the same. After the meal, they return to the living room to talk.

Stella: you never told me about your family.

Célestin: you never asked me.

Stella: That’s right, I’m asking you today.

Célestin: there are only four of us in total. Me, my little brother who lives in work and our little sister lives in a neighboring country and our youngest lives with the parents.

Stella: I see and what are they doing?

Célestin: my little brother is an engineer, my little sister is in communications, our youngest studies medicine.

Stella: wow, you guys are very diverse. Is one of you married?

Célestin: no, not yet.

Stella: what are you waiting for? You, for example, don’t you lack the means? You have everything to get married.

Célestin: you’re right, but means don’t buy love and they don’t allow you to find the ideal woman.

Stella: You’re probably right.

Célestin: However, I think I found it and her right in front of me. And if she wants to become my wife and share her life with me, let her say yes.

Célestin presents him with a magnificent ring in a small box.

Célestin: will you marry me?

Stella was very surprised and moved at the same time. Her heart is racing, she doesn’t know what to answer.

Stella: This ring is really magnificent, but don’t you think it’s very early?

Célestin: yes, but my heart is convinced that you are the woman of my life so I obey her voice.

Stella: you… will you give me time to think about it? It’s not that I don’t want to but I…

Célestin: I understand! Do not worry. Take all the time you need. Keep the ring, the day you’re ready, you now know where to find me.

Stella: thank you very much, thank you my love.

She hugs him. After that, he gives her a key.

Stella: what is it?

Célestin: double my keys, you can come whenever you want, it’s also your place now.

Stella: really, are you sure?

Célestin: yes, I’m sure.

Stella: ok, whatever you want. Thank you for your trust, it means a lot to me.

Célestin: you don’t stay with someone you don’t trust. Additionally, if we never trust someone, we will never know if they are trustworthy or not.

Stella: oh yes, I agree with you.

Célestin: well, it’s the end of my free time, I have to take you back.

Stella: Okay.

So, he takes her back to his hair salon. They say goodbye and he leaves but returns to her inside.

Célestin: in fact I… I have something to tell you, something that I have never told you but that you have the right to know.

Stella: what is it?

He walks up to her and k****s her on the lips. So they exchange a sweet k**s then they look at each other.

Stella: you said you only had one thing to tell me.

Célestin: oh yes, I love you Stella!

He is leaving at this moment. He gets in his car to leave before Stella says: I love you too, master.

She was very happy that evening, so much so that she wasn’t concentrating on working so she came home and found Isabelle. She still wanted to tell him about her afternoon with Master Célestin when the doorbell rang and she went to open it. It was Pastor Arsène. She greets him and lets him in. Isabelle greets him, gives him a seat and they chat while Stella brings them a drink.

Arsène: how are you, ma’am?

Isabelle: I would be lying to you if I told you that I’m fine, but I live with it.

Arsène: I understand what you feel ma’am and what you are going through. The other day I went to see my brother and he told me that your husband was admitted to the infirmary.

Isabelle: yes pastor, I have gone to see him three times but I am told that he is still in care. My heart is broken, pastor.

Arseny: I understand and I’m sorry for you but God asks us to call on him in the day of trouble and he will answer us (Jeremiah 33:3) so don’t stop praying and you will see that everything will be fine for your husband .

Isabelle: thank you pastor, every day I don’t stop praying.

Arsène: then believe in the fulfillment of your requests in your prayers. If you believe in them, they will surely come true (Mark11:24).

Isabelle: thank you pastor.

Arsène: well, I’ll have to leave you. Goodbye ladies.

They say goodbye to him and Isabelle accompanies him to the door before going back inside to talk. Stella tells him about her entire evening with Célestin.

Stella: today, Célestin brought me to his house. You won’t believe me, he has a big house and he cooks perfectly well.

Isabelle: hum, here’s a girl in love! What have you done ?

Stella: we ate, talked, he gave me the keys to his house and he asked me to marry him.

Isabelle: wow! And what did you answer?

Stella: I didn’t know what to say to him right away so I couldn’t say yes to him.

Isabelle: why?

Stella: I don’t know exactly but I think I was scared. Or maybe I wasn’t ready. In fact, I really didn’t expect it.

Isabelle: and you were right. Marriage is the last stage of a man’s life. In principle, once you enter, you don’t come out so you have to be really ready to take the step.

Stella: thank you for your advice.

Isabelle: you’re welcome. If not tell me, what do you feel about him?

Stella: I just know that I love him a lot but like you said, I have to be really ready before I take the plunge. I don’t yet imagine myself as a housewife.

Isabelle: okay but don’t hesitate too much, you never know.

Stella: okay mom.

Somewhere in life.

John, dressed as a vigilante, attacks two more guys who are dealing drugs to get their bags back. He brings them to Léon who puts them together in order to bring them to the brigade tomorrow morning.

Léon: It looks like you will make this your second job.

John: Yes, if necessary. There really is a huge amount of drugs circulating in the city. We really need to put an end to this.

Léon: yes but if we do it without stopping Gauthier, he will take over the business.

John: yes I know.

Léon: this is why it is necessary to wait for him to show up before intervening. So we’ll have him and his cocaine at the same time, which will put an end to all of this once and for all.

John: You’re right. Well, I have to leave you. Good night to you.

Leon: good night.

John leaves and goes home.

Fountain bar.

The two guys attacked by the vigilante return to the fountain bar and explain things to Corneille. He releases them and stands there, not knowing what to do being angry.

Corn: This vigilante is really starting to get on my nerves. Holy shit!

He joins Prosper.

Corn: search everywhere, find me this vigilante!

Prosper: yes boss.

He goes back for a drink.

Prison.

Tomorrow morning, Séverin stops Claire again at the entrance to the prison.

Séverin: excuse me Miss Claire.

Claire: What do you ultimately want from me?

Séverin: I assure you that our collaboration will be beneficial for both of us.

Claire: and I tell you that I’m not interested. I don’t need your help to win over the man I love so leave me alone and look elsewhere.

She enters and Séverin leaves. Claire arrives at the infirmary.

Claire: hello Krist, how are you feeling?

Krist: I’m fine thank you. Do you have the knife I asked you for?

Claire: yes, here it is!

She hands him the knife and he takes it.

Claire: I still don’t know what you want to do with it.

Krist: ok, I want to use you as leverage to force your father to tell me what I want to know.

Claire: Between my father and I it’s tense at the moment so I doubt your plan will work.

Krist: Even if it’s tense, it doesn’t mean he doesn’t love you anymore. So do you agree?

Claire: Okay, do what you have to do.

Krist: Good. Do you have tape or adhesive tape?

Claire: There’s duct tape in the drawer.

She takes it and gives it to him. Krist takes a chair and makes her sit on it.

Krist: It might hurt you.

Claire: Go ahead.

So he ties her with the adhesive tape to the chair then he takes Claire’s phone and dials her father’s number.

Krist: tell your father to come!

The director picks up.

Hector: yes darling!

Claire: Dad, can you come for a moment?

Hector: Okay.

Krist hangs up and clamps his mouth shut. He then turns behind her and puts the knife to her neck. The director arrives and enters. As soon as he saw his daughter in this state, his heart skipped a beat.

Krist: Stay calm and close the door! Woe to your daughter if you make a sudden move!

The director obeys the inmate.