Paint Me Red

Chapter 4 - Friends

Sometimes a stranger could become more than just a family, and they are usually called friends. Julian was not a friend yet; Paris had to decide the name for their relationship. Unlike Julian, who was still persistent about their past relationship, Paris was yet to confirm it true.

The often casual visits become a routine. Paris customarily unknowingly waited every evening for Julian. She had nothing to lose anymore, Julian being the only unknown string attached to her past.

Even when he mentioned their relationship, he did not use the past tense as if he still considered himself in a relationship with her which was impossible for Paris. She knew nothing about the guy.

He was stubborn; Paris's apparent indications to leave her alone bounced right through his brain and into the air he breathed. He just chose to ignore it. He was voluble, with a hint of cogent in his persuasive, a very admirable trait he possessed with keenness. Paris failed to remain hospitable as Julian discreetly introduced their past-present relationship to her. Julian astonishingly remained magnanimous towards her unforeseen reaction. He suffered the loss, too; he might not have lost his memory but lost the person he once considered close: Paris. It was way worse than thinkable.

"He's just a friend!" Paris replied to her mother's teasing gaze at her. They both stand in the kitchen, preparing frozen desserts for the family. Julian meant nothing to Paris, not yet: she lied to herself. She felt the urge to lie to her mother just for Julian to stay longer in her life. She was not pretending to remember anything about Julian in front of her family, but she could at least lie about their current relationship so she could hold the past a little longer.

The unbothered silence settled between them as Suzzan stared at Julian, who urbanely mingled right with the August siblings and agreed to stay for dinner.

"I mean, he could be a friend." Suzzan nodded mischievously. Minutes went by as they worked silently side by side.

"Where was he all this time?" Paris stopped to look at her mother and followed her gaze to Julian.

"You mean where was he when I was in the hospital?" she elaborated for her mother. Suzzan agreed and removed her eyes from Julian. Paris shrugged. "He said he visited me often when I was in the coma. He didn't know that I was staying here. Did you never see him there?"

"Not even once." No one really visited Paris in the hospital, considering her critical condition and because of the restrictions implied by the hospital on visiting hours, even her family was not allowed to linger much longer. Before Paris moved back to Florida, they kept her in New York's Centre Hospital for observations while fighting her coma. "What about Charles and Avery? You talked with them about him, right?"

"They know nothing about him either. They heard his name for the first time too." Paris met her mother's resembling grey eyes, which displayed confusion. "But they did say that I was distant from everything for a month before the accident."

"Why?"

"They don't know, Mom."

"Maybe what he says is true, and maybe I don't remember him seeing me in the hospital. I mean, it could be possible. What do you think?" Paris stayed unresponsive to the anticipated question; neither Suzzan asked anything further, knowing her daughter was as puzzled as herself. They just stared at the mysterious guest that they welcomed without hesitation, growing comfortable with the family.

Julian could suddenly feel his head heavy and turned around to find the person with such a questioning gaze at him, only to see both the mother and daughter already back to decorating the dessert, as if no doubts trespassed in their heads.