Final answer:
Mercedes decided to live in Paris, influenced by her life's parallels with her friend Zora and the allure of starting anew after her separation from Wynne.
Step-by-step explanation:
Mercedes had made plans to live in Paris after considering how her life had mirrored that of her friend Zora's and coming to terms with her separation from Wynne. Despite feeling a kinship to New York, the unspoken pull of adventure and her growing realization that her future may align with Zora's leads her to conceive this idea.
However, she is not entirely certain of the why or how but finds the prospect an answer to the need for a change and a new chapter after the war.
Mercedes had decided to live in Paris. In the text, it is mentioned that Mercedes plans to go to Paris and live there. She sees her life paralleling with Zora's and feels that Paris is the place for her. She also mentions waiting until after the war to go to Paris.