Page 101 of Grim

“I will indeed.” She then turns her gaze my way. “My Jean works so hard back there. It means so much to me to be able to meet with our guests and do all I can to make you feel right at home.”

“Well, I certainly have felt very welcome. I’m sorry. Did you say your husband’s name was Jean? What a coincidence. Didn’t Charles tell us that the original owner’s name was Jean?”

The woman nods, pleased. “Isn’t Charles delightful? He’s been with us for almost forty years now. Started as a busboy when he was just a boy himself.”

“His energy is infectious,” Rue says around another mouthful of food.

“And, yes, Jean is the fourth generation of Simones to man the helm back there. And I, of course, am proud to call him my great-great-great-great-grandson too. I’m Claire. Claire Simone.”

She extends an elegant hand toward Rue, and my eyes narrow as I scan the room. No one seems to be looking at her or reacting.

“Enchantée,” Claire finishes as Rue awkwardly shakes her hand.

We share a silent conversation across the table. Before Rue can ask what’s on both our minds, the woman turns her attention my way.

“And what about you, young man? Why aren’t you eating? Can’t we get you anything?”

I freeze, unable to move, let alone speak.

“I am not that hungry. Thank you.” The words finally form as the color drains from Rue’s face. “Did you say your lineage has been serving patrons in this place for four generations?”

“I surely did, handsome.”

“So, that makes you the original owner then?TheClaire Simone?”

“The one and only.”

“Which would make you no longer living.”

“Oh, I am very dead, dear,” she says with such cheerful conviction that it’s nearly startling. “But I can’t leave this place. Our legacy, our passion, our family—it’s still here. The warmth and love we’ve built are here in these walls. There’s nothing for me out there.”

Rue assesses the situation and decides to have another sip of her drink as she mumbles, “Another lost soul.”

Claire snaps in Rue’s direction, “Watch your tongue, girl. I am not lost. I have a purpose that ties me to this place. My babies are here. And we’ve built a refuge from the cold, dark world out there. Our doors are open, and our hearth is warm. Ready to fill up any road-weary traveler who may happen by.”

Rue smiles softly, dabbing her napkin to her lips before setting it next to her plate. “It must be nice to bear witness to all these moments, to see what a legacy of hospitality you’ve left behind.”

“It is, darlin’. I knew you would understand. I could see it in your kind eyes the moment you came in here.”

“Your family—can they see you? Charles? Any of the other staff?”

“Oh, no. I’ve been invisible for longer than I can remember now. Sometimes, I think about the promenades through the glades Jean and I used to take. Or the games of cards I would play with my sister Daisy in her courtyard. But every time I try to exit the building through the windows or a door, I simply cannot get beyond. Seems I was meant to stay here. Forever.C’est la vie, as they say.”

I scan the room again and see that Rue’s conversation has still not drawn any unwanted attention. I step into the conversation. “Forgive me, Claire, but when you died, wasn’t there a reaper? Someone to offer passage?”

“Oh, yes. When I choked on that pesky salmon bone at that table over there, a handsome gentleman in a suit not dissimilar to yours came to me and was so kind. Offered to help me ‘cross over,’ as he put it. But the restaurant, you see, and our family and the spirit of hospitality … I was scared and could not make it. Eventually, he said I missed my window and disappeared.”

“Do you regret it?” Rue asks gently.

Claire offers her a knowing smile. “Live long enough, my dear, and you’re bound to regret something.”

“Or in your case, unlive long enough,” I mutter without malice.

Rue glares at me and returns her attention to Claire. “It can be hard to let go. But moving on does not erase what you created. I mean, look around you, Claire. This place has left a lasting legacy. Your family’s name, your gracious hostess spirit. The flavors and aroma of this incredible food. It lives on, so you don’t have to.”

“I wish it were that simple, my dear. Some decisions change the entire trajectory, it seems.”

“Are you settled here, Claire?” Rue asks pleadingly. “Do you wish to still be here?”