Lucy didn’t understand. At home, a young person wouldn’t dream of inviting members of the older generation to what would surely be a raucous, boozy celebration, one that would probably include a visit to a tattoo parlor. “Really?” she asked.

“Yeah. I know it seems weird, but she’s quite insistent. She’s been making little treats all day. She calls them petits fours, but I don’t think they’re cake. And she’s got a case of champagne.”

“Well, I like champagne,” said Lucy in a doubtful tone.

“I’m afraid she’ll take it out on me if you don’t come,” said Elizabeth. “She can be really bitchy if she doesn’t get her way.”

“Okay,” said Lucy, thinking there were worse ways of spending an evening than drinking champagne and eating petits fours, whatever they turned out to be. And it would keep her mind off the present situation. “Who else is coming?”

“Tout le monde. That means everybody she knows,” said Elizabeth.

“I know what it means,” said Lucy, thinking that maybe she’d pick up some information about Chef Larry. If everybody in Paris was going to be there, surely somebody would know him, right?

Despite Lucy’s urging, only Pam and Ted were willing to venture out to the party. Sue was cooking up French bread pizzas in the kitchen, Sid was absorbed in a soccer match on TV, Rachel was relaxing with a novel, and Bob was busy with his iPad. So the Stillingses and the Stones made their way to the Métro station, stopping first at the Monoprix to buy a box of fancy chocolates for Sylvie.

The party was in full swing when they arrived. They could hear music and voices as they climbed the stairs. Sylvie greeted them enthusiastically with double bisous and graciously posed for the birthday photos Ted insisted on taking with his smartphone. Elizabeth shooed some young people off the futon so they could sit down, and before they knew it, they had been given flutes of champagne and plates of assorted canapés.

Lucy was savoring a stuffed mushroom when she noticed Adil and Malik standing together in a corner, and went over to talk with them. “Lovely party, isn’t it?” she said.

“Terrific,” said Adil, looking past her and scanning the crowded room.

“How is your friend?” asked Malik. “The one in hospital?”

“I don’t know. I wasn’t allowed to see him,” admitted Lucy as Elizabeth came by with a bottle of champagne and refilled her glass. Adil and Malik refused. They were drinking orange juice.

“Sylvie loves to entertain,” said Elizabeth with a touch of sarcasm.

“I like the Western way,” said Malik. “I like it that a woman can invite her friends for a good time.”

“But you wouldn’t want to marry such a woman as Sylvie, would you?” said Adil with a smirk.