Sure You can Come to the Baptism (But Just Stay Home for the Party)!

It’s the first Saturday in September and the weather is what September should feel like– cool and crisp.

I come downstairs for breakfast, in one of my favorite dresses, a dark blue blazer on my shoulders.

When I walk into the dining room, Armelle whistles, then says, “You look beautiful.”

I smile, excited to know that she likes me. At least, I hope she does.

“This afternoon is the baptism,” she says. “Why are you dressed for it already?”

“I just wanted to wear a dress,” I say, going to grab a plate and silverware from the kitchen, since a place hasn’t been set for me.

“Well, it’s lovely. As you know, I am going to be Albane’s godmother, so we will all go to the baptism together. Marine is, of course, having a small party afterward, but not everyone can go. It’s normally just for immediate family and the godparents’ families. Since you are not part of our family, I put some pizza in the freezer so that you can have dinner tonight. There are also DVDs in my office since our WiFi is down.”

“Thank you,” I say politely, tearing off a piece of the baguette and putting it on my plate. I eat silently as the girls and their father stare at me.

Later, as we are all preparing to go to the baptism, Armelle corners me and tells me I must treat the priest with the utmost respect, as if I wouldn’t have had she not told me to. She ran me through how to say hello to him.

“You say, ‘Bonjour Monsieur L'abbé’.”

“Bonjour Monsieur l'abeille,” I say quickly, not aware that I’m calling him a bee.

“No. Say 'abbé’.”

“Abbé.”

“Bonjour Monsieur L'abbé.”

“Bonjour MonsieuR L'abbé.”

She sighs and rolls her eyes. “There is no R in monsieur. Try again. Faster.”

“Bonjour Monsieur l'abeille.”

She shakes her head, obviously frustrated that I can’t grasp this simple concept.

“Try again.”

“Bon-jour Mon-sieur L'a-bbé.”

“Faster.”

“Bonjour Monsieur L'abeille.”

She sighs again. “You’ll do fine I guess. Go get an umbrella and take Pauline and Marie to the cathedral.”