The Eiffel Tower
One year later, Ben was looking out his office window.
“I don’t know if I hate the time change or the colder temperatures more,” he sighed.
The gray skies were winning the battle against the sun. Ben’s world was stuck in a dullness that wouldn’t let any of the remaining fall colors bring any happiness.
Ben noticed the street in the distance. The pavement matched the grayness of the day so Ben knew there was moisture in the air.
“Doesn’t look like it’s raining,” Ben pondered, and he took his phone out of his pocket. Opening up one of ten weather apps, Ben landed on the radar page.
“Looks like some sprinkles came through, guess I won’t need my umbrella.”
Ben had a feeling of deja vu.
Lunchtime was coming up for Ben. As he turned around to get a little more work finished before heading to Roasted Aromas, he found himself looking at the digital frame on his desk.
The images were supposed to be random, but today they seemed to line up with various vacations Ben had taken. Some photos of Hawaii appeared, and when his picture of Rome from the Vatican cupola popped up, he recalled all of the stairs he had to climb. A picture of a canoe on Lake Louise made Ben recall how he found Banff, Canada, one of the most beautiful locations in the world.
For a short while a small smile emerged, but then the smile drifted to a wistful look on Ben’s face when the next image came up.
As he looked at the picture, he vaguely remembered a time when he said something about wanting to go to France. There it was, on his picture frame, in all its glory, “The Eiffel Tower” at the Paris Hotel, from his trip to Las Vegas a few months earlier.
Ben sighed
Miranda, meanwhile, was locking the doors to “Petit Délice Pâtisserie.” She turned to her left, gazed at The Eiffel Tower lit up like a beacon of beauty in Paris – Paris, France. She remembered the first time she saw The Eiffel Tower in person, nearly a year ago, rising into the blue sky. Then Miranda thought of her Nana, smiled, and started her walk home.