9. Au Revoir

9 Au Revoir Etoile and Stanley stood together beneath the Arc de Triomphe, a giant monument shaped like an arch in the center of the city. The lights of Paris twinkled around them. "I feel so small standing here," said Etoile. "I feel flat," said Stanley, "like usual." Etoile laughed. "Will you write me?" she asked. Stanley nodded. Then he said, "Maybe one day I can come visit by airmail." "I hope so," said Etoile. Neither of them said anything for a long time. "It's time for me to go," Stanley said at last. "Au revoir, Etoile." "Au revoir, Stanley."

She turned to walk away—and then she spun around and gave Stanley a hug and a kiss on the cheek. And in that moment, the evening breeze almost blew him away. One afternoon, several weeks later, Stanley and his brother, Arthur, were lying on their beds in their room, daydreaming of Paris.

Arthur groaned. "I would give anything to have one more Crêpe Stanley. I can't believe I ate all forty-six of them the night you got home." "Why don't you write Aunt Simone?" Stanley said. "I bet she could get Chef Lillou to send you some more." "Why don't you just climb in an envelope and go get me some more?" replied Arthur. "Why don't I flatten you with a bulletin board and then you can climb into an envelope?" teased Stanley. Stanley reached under his pillow, and pulled out the latest letter from Etoile. He never got tired of rereading her letters.

One of her paintings had been accepted into a special exhibition of young artists' work. It was a portrait of him called La Terre Est Plate: "The World Is Flat." He glanced up at his wall. Next to his bulletin board, he'd hung the T-shirt he was wearing the day they'd met—the one that she had painted on. He thought it was a masterpiece. He tucked the letter back under his pillow.

Arthur suddenly jumped from his bed and onto Stanley's. "I know how we can make more," said Arthur with a devilish grin, towering over Stanley. "Arthur, don't—" Stanley said. "S'il vous plait," Arthur said. "May I please have..." "Arthur!" Stanley giggled. Arthur leaped in the air and threw himself down on Stanley, rolling over his body like a rolling pin. "Crêpe Stanley!" he shouted.