Bruges,(or Brugge as it spelled in Belgium) is pronounced Brooshz. It is an enchanted city and the inspiration for this story.
*
The streets of Brugge were quiet. Summer had settled in, and a blazing August had sent many Belgians to the shore in Oostende for holiday.
Jillian Treger could hear the click of her heels echo on the centuries old cobblestone. The day was turning dusky, and the lights that shone on the churches and restaurants frequented by tourists had begun to shed a muted glow onto the cut stone. Water gently rippled through the canals that were the veins and arteries of the city. Jillian could understand why Brugge was sometimes referred to as the "Venice of the North."
As a financial analyst for a large investment firm, Jillian spent most of her time in New York City parked behind her Dell laptop. When it was announced that the quarterly staff meeting for her division would be held at a company location in Brugge, Belgium, she was ecstatic. What a lovely destination for her first trip to Europe!
As she turned onto Sint-Amandsstraat the delicious aroma of chocolate invaded her senses. It seemed every other quaint shop in the medieval town was a chocolaterie. The molds displayed in the windows varied from flower petals and woven baskets to panties and corsets, all intricately made with white, milk and dark chocolates. The heavy glass door of one such establishment still hung open, and she stole inside.
The shop was full of sweet treats. Candies, toffee, caramel and chocolates were all exquisitely displayed, and some were already gift wrapped. The glass display case running the length of the counter was full of candies. Jillian strolled its length to see what had been made fresh that day.
It wasn't long before she was greeted by a cheerful female voice. "Bon soir, Mademoiselle," an elderly woman said to her.
"Bon soir," Jillian replied with a smile. "Parlez vous Englais?" Jillian knew only French basics where the language was concerned and had no hope of carrying on meaningful conversation with the woman.
"Yes, I do," came the reply in a heavy but very understandable accent. One of the reasons Jillian had been excited about going to Brugge was the fact that most Belgians spoke several languages. It was not unusual to encounter men and women that spoke German, French, English and the native language, Flemish.
"Thank you so much." Jillian said to her. "I would love several pieces of your darkest chocolate."
"Of course my dear." The woman smiled as she spoke. "Are you here on holiday?"
Jillian kept looking in the glass case as she made conversation. "No, I'm here working. I decided to take a walk this evening to see the city at night."
The old woman winked when Jillian made eye contact with her. "Brugge is a magical city," she said. "Anything can happen here."
Jillian smiled at the woman and paid closer attention to her face. She was old, but there was something youthful about her eyes that made her take notice and stare for a few seconds. They were a light cornflower blue, and very clear. The skin on her face was lined and leathered, and her teeth were a bit stained and uneven. Yet there was something bright and sprightly about her demeanor that didn't quite fit.
Curious about the woman, Jillian began asking her questions like how long had she lived in Brugge, did she own the shop, how long had she owned it, and so on. The woman's eyes twinkled as she answered the questions, working as she spoke to gather the chocolate Jillian had requested.
"You know," the old woman remarked coyly, "it has been my experience that dark chocolate lovers harbor deep and secret desires."
"Well," Jillian answered her playfully, "I have been know to harbor some secret desires, like all women I suppose."
"Yes my dear," the old woman's face crinkled a bit, "but some of us have a natural talent for making them come to life. I suspect you are one of these women."
Jillian smiled at her and thought briefly about her secret desires. She had always easily attracted men and had done most everything she thought she wanted to do sexually. She never thought of herself as beautiful, but she had to admit that sometimes she believed in pheromones. She'd been hit on countless times in the grocery store wearing no make up, bed head and old sweats. Her friends teased her that she had a "Fuck Me" sign on her forehead that only the male species could read.
The old woman caught Jillian's eye and asked her if there was anything else she wanted. Jillian thought to herself that that was all the chocolate she wanted, but she was thinking she would love one of her secret desires to play out on this lovely European evening. "No, Madame," she replied to the woman, "what do I owe you?"
"Seven euro fifty sil vous plait," came the response. "And, on your first bite, think about your desires. Many wonderful things come to pass in Brugge." With that, the old woman winked, took her money from Jillian and drifted into the back of the store.
Back on Sint-Amandsstrat Jillian once again took in the sights. She loved the sound of the echo her shoes made, as well as the varying chatter and music she heard as she passed the dozens of bistros and beer bars. She saw a string quartet playing in a courtyard a block ahead and found a bench to sit on so she could sit and listen. Without thinking, she reached her hand into her bag and removed a piece of the chocolate she had purchased.
Just as her teeth were sinking in she remembered the old woman and stopped. Giggling to herself she decided she would indeed think about a scenario she would love to have happen to her while she took her first bite. Sex with a woman? A threesome? Jillian was adventurous and playful so she began to think out of the box. Something public. She had never been watched during sex. She had always thought it would be fun to be the sole object of attention, say, at a sex club. Then she thought why not combine the threesome with the club scene?
As Jillian bit into that delectable first bite of 77% cocoa dark chocolate she saw the most luscious vision in her mind. Then she heard the most luscious voice and she had to think hard about whether it was in her head or real.
"Mademoiselle? May I sit?"
Jillian was stunned. A man she would place in his mid-forties, very good looking and apparently alone was asking if he could share her bench. "Please," she gestured. "I've just been taking in the sights."
"As have I," he replied. He sounded American to her. "This is my last night here on business," he continued. "Finally made it out to see the city."
Jillian made small talk but all the while she couldn't help thinking there was something special in the works. This man wore no wedding ring and was just her type as looks go. His grey eyes were set perfectly by his salt and pepper hair, his jaw was very square and his lips looked ridiculously kissable inside a perfectly trimmed goatee. They introduced themselves and she found herself using his name as she spoke. Tom.
Perhaps 45 minutes went by and Jillian found herself on her way to a bar for a cocktail with her new friend. Again, she was struck by his mannerisms -- holding the door for her, his hand guiding her by the small of her back, finding her a seat at the bar while he stood until another opened. They talked of movies and books, theatre and travel. As the moments ticked by she could feel the eye contact intensifying and she found her hand grazing his often. As she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror behind the bar she couldn't help but notice they were a handsome pair.
As Tom was ordering their 2nd round of drinks she heard his name being called. She turned toward the voice and saw tall blonde gentleman making his way through the crowd towards them. Tom turned and instantly smiled. "Mike!" he grinned. "Didn't think you were going to make it out!"
Tom introduced Mike to Jillian and explained he was Mike's boss. He had stayed late to finish up loose ends before their flight back to the States the next afternoon.