Oil on canvas – 5 x 7 inch – Unique work

A lovely name for a lovely town for a lovely family.

When Nathalie and her two children, Gabriel and Jade, left the south of France on an impulse—to start a new life, to flee unbearable violence—they were far, very far from suspecting that…

It is the middle of November; it is cold and pouring with rain. Nathalie has a meeting with an association at a café on the main street. The woman in charge has taken care of everything: housing and school enrollment for the children. Nathalie only had time to pack a suitcase and two bags. That’s it!…

As she steps through the door of her new home, Nathalie is overjoyed. A house right in the city center—all hers—spanning three levels. It is a home with character, recently renovated and not overlooked by neighbors, featuring a magnificent, fully fitted kitchen. There is a bedroom for her, one for each of the children, and even a TV area. It was love at first sight; she can hardly believe it. Yet, when she finds herself alone with the keys in her hand, reality washes over her.

The children are happy. As she prepares dinner—after picking up a few essentials at the Coccinelle supermarket—she hears them chatting and laughing. It had been ages since she had seen them so relaxed. She feels the same way. She no longer has to look over her shoulder, no longer has to fear shouting, blows, or… No, all of that is definitely behind her.

The association is amazing; they’ve thought of everything: beds, mattresses, sheets, towels, soap, shower gel… Everything is perfect for a fresh start. The three of them are too excited to go to bed. So, they decide to settle into the small upstairs room—which has an old TV, that works perfectly. They watch a rerun of Fort Boyard together. It’s entertaining enough for a family that has been through so much.

Gabriel and Jade eventually fall asleep in front of the TV. Nathalie lets them rest, covering each of them with a blanket. She then heads downstairs to her bedroom. But she cannot close her eyes; too many thoughts are racing through her mind—dark thoughts, too, likely out of habit. And yet, it is the next day’s sunlight that wakes her. A beautiful day lies ahead in Pont-Audemer.