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“You know, the little bromance the two of you have going on just doesn’t sit right with me anymore. It was cute in the beginning, but it’s starting to freak me out, and I especially don’t appreciate being ganged up on,” I say with a pout, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Don’t be such a baby, Elise,” my dad says, rolling his eyes.

“Yeah, get your big girl knickers on and stop whining,” Rafael says, nudging my shoulder.

“It’s almost my birthday and this is what I get?”

“No, it’s almost your birthday and your two favourite people in the whole world are taking you on holiday in France. Now stop your complaining, we’re almost there,” Dad tells me, shifting his luggage into his lap as we prepare to get off the train.

“Ah, so I see her incessant need to ask are we almost there yet? ” Rafael says, raising his voice in a mock interpretation of mine, “is not a new development.”

“Definitely not,” Dad says with a deep chuckle.

The conductor announces our next stop, and the train comes to a screeching halt a minute later, opening the doors with a puff.

Beautiful sunshine spears through the train cars as we make our way to the nearest exit. Stepping onto the platform, we’re surrounded by passengers rushing by, pulling their children behind them or carrying their large shopping bags filled with designer items.

When in France, I guess.