Well, of course, the romance caught me by surprise, how could I have ever expected that?

***

And Phillipe is so impetuous and generous and well, amorous. Certainly I'd never been treated that way back in America. No one there romances you with flowers or singing or jewelry and, and then, abducts you for a weekend of skiing in the Alps. Seriously.

He kept buying me beautiful clothes and insisting I wear them. We went to restaurants and the opera, museums and the football stadium. We even had private tours of the Paris Sewers, the waterfront and a, a canning plant I think he owns.

True, we did meet in a paint factory, after the accident.

Oh! Perfume? Yes, now I always wear perfume, Phillipe insists on it and well, it is a good idea, when you think about it.

***

Considerate, forgiving and always romantic, I guess those are his best qualities. Mmm, hmm. Well, he can be a bit, stubborn about any ideas he gets into his head. Our courtship, for example, I tried to talk him out of it, oh, yes. But he pursued me and finally, I guess, I just had to surrender to his love.

The last argument I could raise, you know, "We can't possibly get married, I'm a boy!" I said.

And Pepe said, "Cherie, petite chat, but of course! We can get you fixed."