Luxembourg calls

I walk, more like waddle, into the conference room that is now across the hall from the suite that Vin and I are in. At 8 months pregnant, I can’t walk far without tiring easily. As soon as I got passed the door, I raided the fridge for apple juice and chocolate chip cookies; my only craving during pregnancy….well, other than sex.

As soon as I have my goodies, I snag a sturdy chair and clumsily plop down. Looking around, I see only five or six people in the conference room. Before I can open my juice and cookies, my desk phone rings and I see a phone number coming up on my caller ID. The country code is from Luxembourg. I’m in deep shit. My French is horrible; I can’t speak Luxembourgish (the High German language) and my German sucks. I answer, speaking in English, hoping that whoever’s calling can speak English.

“Hello. This is United States FBI Agent Marguerite Guidicelli. How can I assist you today?”

“Bonjour, agent spécial. C'est la capitale du Luxembourg vocation. Nous avons un patriote italien ex ici qui contient des informations sur l'assassinat du pape. Quand pouvez-vous obtenir sur le prochain vol ici? (Bonjour, Special Agent. This is the capital of Luxembourg calling. We have an Italian ex patriot here who has information on the assassination of the Pope. When can you get on the next flight here?)”

“Je vois. Ma capacité à parler et comprendre le français n'est pas très grande. Parlez-vous anglais par hasard? (I see. My ability to speak and understand French is not great. Do you speak English by any chance?)”

“Bien sûr! My apologies, Agent. I have heard many great things about you; including the ability to speak many languages. I’m calling on behalf of Luxembourg, Luxembourg. We have an Italian ex patriot here who has information in regards of the Pope and the assassination attempt. Is there a way that you can get on the earliest flight here?”

“Sir, my health is of concern right now and has been kept under wraps lately. I’ve been married for 8 months and during those months, I’ve been pregnant the entire time. It is against my private physician’s decision to fly so late in my pregnancy. Please tell me that you can fly here with this individual. My team is one fourth of what it used to be and I am unable to send someone else in my place”

“I am sorry that you are unable to fly here. We were hoping that one day we’d meet the famous Marguerite, ahem, Guidicelli. I will fly there with the ex patriot. Whom shall I call in order to arrange everything?”

I explained that they can call Giovanni to arrange everything and that after the birth, I will, along with Vin and the babies fly to Luxembourg.

After this hour long conversation, I am now able to eat my cookies and now warm apple juice. I could always get a cold juice and replace the warm one back in the fridge but was too exhausted to. I took my time to process the call that I received and then I turned back to the phone and called Giovanni, asking him to rejoin myself, and Vin, in the suite.

A few minutes later, my cousin, my husband and I are in the suite discussing the call from Luxembourg. Other then Vin and Giovanni, I don’t trust many others. I ask Giovanni to step in and assist me with this part of the investigation because of his ability to speak both German and French. I’m thankful he agrees to help.

Once he leaves, Vin and I walk hand in hand to our room. I take off my slippers, pull the blankets back, roll onto the bed, get comfortable and pull the covers up. Vin joins me from the other side of the bed. He wraps both arms around me, kisses the back of my head and we both fall asleep.