C'est la Vie: Mardi Gras: Ch. 03

“You two never get bored of this story, don’t you?” Clavier comments.

Amanda, who is sitting on the left of Clavier shakes her head enthusiastically and replies, “nope.” Calista shakes her head gently which resting on Clavier’s right shoulder.

“It’s a beautiful story, Clav,” Calista whispers.

“It’s just a fairy tale, nothing more,” Clavier chuckles.

“Yeah right,” Amanda teases in disbelief.

Brenda picks up the teapot and refill their cups.

“You haven’t told us what C’est la Vie means, Clav…” Calista lazily grumbles as she rubs her eye with the back of her hand.

“You two are just too lazy to google it,” Clavier jokingly remarks.

“We want you to tell us, Clav. Coming from you makes all the difference,” Amanda replies.

“I’ll go re-fill the teapot,” Brenda announces and excuses herself to the kitchen.

“Brenda! I’ll help you!” Amanda adds.

“Hey don’t leave me alone!” Calista exclaims and heads to the kitchen along with Amanda.

Without the three girls, the balcony seems quieter. The chirps of the crickets echo into the night. The candles in the lanterns flicker.

With his legs crossed in style, Clavier stretches for his tea cup and takes a sip of tea from the china, savouring the fragrance of the tea.

“Mmm… Ten years for the words on my palm to fade. How ironic… But that was when I was young and naive, right Zac?”

Zachary turns his head towards him and smiles.

“Feels like yesterday when I told you that’s life, Clavier. Such is life…”

The girls’ lively bickering rings in our ears.

(Mandy, don’t steal the mooncake!)

(What stealing, Callie? It’s just a small bite. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind.)

(Don’t play in the kitchen, you two! You’ll break everything in the here sooner or later!)

(Bren, you’re too strict and stiff sometimes. Have a mooncake!)

(Don’t force it into my mouth, Mandy! Now my face is full of paste!)

(Hey Bren, it’s Mandy who did that, why are you taking it out on me..?)

(HAHAHA so now both of us can extract our revenge on Mandy!)

(Noooo! I’m not gonna let you disfigure my face!)

(Too late Mandy~)

(Now all of us has cake on our faces!)

(We’re forgetting about those two outside!)

Their cheerful laughter resonates out from the kitchen, reaching the balcony.

Clavier looks back at Zachary and then turns his gaze to the starry night sky. He replies with a smile, “You’re right, Zac… C’est la Vie.”

The Mid-autumn festival is also a traditional occasion to celebrate family reunions. As the melodious laughters warm Clavier’s soul, he know that he is home.