Time: Present Day

Location: Paris, France.

At breakfast Amanda said, "Are you sure you don't want me to come with you, Mum? I wouldn't mind seeing Peter again myself. It's been so long."

"No, thanks darling, but I don't think Ed would ever speak to me again if I delayed you further."

Carter watched three of the most important women in his life as they enjoyed a meal of croissants, jam and cream and savory ham and swiss cheese. Michelle had gone in to look after the shop to give Margot a break. Margot wanted to take them to the airport for some reason she couldn't really fathom, she hated driving, especially to De Gaulle airport, parking there was horrendous. Yet still she had volunteered, so Michelle had in turn volunteered to open the shop for her.

As it turned out, by the time they had arranged for an interview with Cardinal Margate, it had been a few days in the organising. Amanda had decided to go home, after Ed had asked her for the seventh time when she was coming back to work. He was furious with her because the very week that Layla had left to join the AfterDark team she had dropped everything in his lap and left to join her mother in Paris.

The only saving grace was a foiled terrorist plot in Paris that she was able to give him a first hand report on, with an interview with the Parisian Police Commissioner and the head of the investigation. It had had a bit of a human interest angle as well which he was able to pass on to Layla as the investigator who had discovered the plot was none other than the Commissioner's son. This had bought her a couple of extra days but now his patience was running dry.

Carter saw his mother smiling as she thought that she wasn't the only one who had scored after the police interview. It was only a week but apparently Louise had romantically entrapped the hapless Claude de Vrise in a lover's trap, a trap he appeared not very interested in escaping. In fact, for a man who's work and sometimes very life depended on accurately analysing and predicting human behaviour, he seemed to stumble headlong into her trap. It was so swift and deep a trap that Amanda wasn't at all sure who had trapped who.

The women gossiped about Michelle and it wasn't long before Amanda raised her concerns about Mal and Layla with her mother. Monique said, "Why don't you leave them alone Amanda, Carter is gone. They're young, let them enjoy each other if that's what both of them want. Life is too short to tamper with people's feelings."

"I should not interfere? Is that it, Mum? Really, I should leave them alone like you left Amelia and Peter alone all those years ago. No, Carter is hardly cold in his grave and she's out gallivanting around with his best friend. It's not right, and I intend to put a stop to it."

"I know what I did was wrong, and even you don't know the half of the lengths I went to to keep them apart. What it's cost me emotionally. Every day I'm tormented by the fact that had I done things differently my little Amelia might still be alive today, and by extension maybe even Carter.

I just don't want my children to fall into the same trap I did. Deception is an incidious master. Lies breed lies until you convince yourself that it's for a good reason, sometimes to the point where the lies become your truth. You act like you believe until you actually start to believe, then you are lost. It's all downhill from there. One day you wake up and discover as far as the truth is concerned you may as well have Alzheimer's. Thank God I had someone to confide in," Monique admitted.

"You mean Dad?" Amanda said.

"God no, not your father - Father Dan. Tomorrow, I hope to right some of the wrongs of the past. At least the ones I had a hand in."

No more was said about either matter until Amanda's final call came and she departed. Margot and Monique were in a bar in the airport lounge. Marhot studied her sister then asked, "How come you didn't want Amanda tongo with you? I'd have thought that you might need moral support. She could have gotten a direct flight from Rome and been in Sydney only a few hours later than she will be now.

"There are some thongs I'll be discussing with Peter that I don't want Amanda to know about...not yet anyway."

Margot thought that over for a minute and then said...there's something you're not telling me either...isn't there.

You're hiding something from me...come on out with it...you know I'm clairvoyant....it's something about your body....you're worried about your body.....but you look fine...sensational for your age I'd...I saw the way Michel De Vrise looked at you...you teo didn't have a fling when you were here duting the Princess Di investigations did you?"

"No...no..nothing like that..he is very charming but I am happy with Jean...I won't stuff that up in a hurry...not for a fling anyway."

"Well what is it then? Come on you can tell me...we three have always told each other everything...ever since we were babies!" Margot pleaded.

"So long as you swear not to tell Amanda...she's got enough on her plate at work and at home already. You swear?" Monique demanded of her.

"Oh..alright I swear. Now what's eating you?" Margot didn't know why she used that phrase..she had never used it... ever before..she didn't care for the way it sounded either.

"Margot...I have cancer."

Margot dropped her glass..it made a loud bang as it hit the glass table but didn't break.

"Shit...Monique..that's awful...what sort?" Margot asked with concern.

"Breast cancer...I found a lump 13 months ago...before you ask..it's stage 4..nothing they can do...it has spread now into my lymph nodes and I have spots in the liver." Monique said resignedly.

"But there must be something they can do...chemo...radiation..something isn't there?" Margot had this drowning man feeling.

"No....it's alright Sis...I've spoken to Don several times...he explained the options..with this diagnosis it's a matter of quality of life. I've made a decision to have fun for however much time I have. I don't want to waste that time sitting in a chair hooked up to chemicals. I hope you inderstand my decision because I know Amanda won't..neither will Jean..that's precisely why I haven't told them." Monique said, "And now I guess you know why I'm going to confront my demons and visit Peter.....and why Amanda couldn't be there."

Just then Monique's flight was called. Relieved Monique hugged her sister and said, "Bye Sis."

"Er..don't go...stay here with me...let's spend some time together...please." Margot said, "What about Michy does she know?"

"Yes...she knew almost as soon as I did...it's a twin thing...you know."

See you when I get back..we'll have a few days before I have to go back home...we'll talk more then...wish me luck." They kissed. Margot wiped away a tear as she waved Monique au revoir.

And so the three sisters set off on their separate journeys..Margot driving off home..Michy on her way home after closing the shop...and....Monique on a flight to Rome....to the Vatican...to redemption.

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Chapter 47 - The Three Sisters.

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