Love In Unexpected Places ✓

Chapter Twenty-Four

It's been three months since the last time I set my eyes on Jean-Paul's face. We have emailed or called daily, but it's not the same as looking into the eyes of the love of your life and knowing everything will be okay.

It is now Thanksgiving. As much as I had hoped that Jean-Paul and I would get to spend Thanksgiving at my parents' house in Kentucky, that just wasn't possible. So instead, he's spending the day with his mom as she makes his favorite dinner and dessert. Jean-Paul had never celebrated Thanksgiving as the French don't celebrate. In fact, he didn't even know what Thanksgiving was until I told him. He just thought it was a day that Americans gather around the table to carve the turkey and eat as a family. Which he's not wrong.

"They should just call it turkey day" he had said before I explained to him why we celebrate the holiday. Then we both would break out into deep laughter.

Oh, how I missed Jean-Paul and his sense of humor.

I began to get my belongings packed and on the road to Kentucky. It would be about an eleven-hour drive. Enough time for me to let all of my thoughts run through my head...great!

I grabbed my bags and headed for the door. I took in my apartment one last time before putting my bags into the car and making the trip to Kentucky.

As I was in the car driving to Kentucky, I tried listening to music, but every song that came on to the radio seemed to be some kind of love song. It hurt my heart to realize that the man I loved is so many miles away and we wouldn't be with each other for the holidays.

I had been busy enough at work not to let my mind think so much about Jean-Paul. Belle and I have become good friends as well as both of us becoming close to Nina. It was only at night when my mind would drift off to think about Jean-Paul and how much my heart missed him.

Things did not seem the same after he left. I only hoped that he would find his way back to me very soon. I just needed to see him again and let him remind me that what we had was special and to remind me that we were perfect for each other.

I turned the radio off and drove in silence the rest of the way to Kentucky. My mind kept drifting back to Jean-Paul. I often found myself wondering if he missed me, the way I missed him. I was so afraid that even if he found his way back to me, much time would have passed, that things could never be the same.

Finally, after an eleven-hour drive on very little sleep, I made it to my parents' house. I walked inside and was greeted by hugs and kisses.

"I'm so glad to see you made it," Mom said.

"We sure have missed you," Dad chimed in.

We walked inside and I took my luggage into the guest room for the night. I joined my mother in the kitchen for dinner. My favorite cooking memory with my mom was definitely the time my mother and I surprised my father with his anniversary meatloaf he had wanted for dinner. The look on his face said it all.

I helped my mother peel and cut up potatoes, carrots, and onions to put into the roast she had been cooking for hours.

I whipped up the batter for the cornbread and we put that into the oven to bake.

Once the vegetables and cornbread were finished, it was time to eat. My father set the table, and I helped my mother take the food to the table.

We joined around the dinner table once again, holding hands and, giving thanks for our dinner. We put some food into our plates and began eating.

"I'm so sorry that Jean-Paul couldn't join us for Thanksgiving this year," my father said.

"Me too Dad, me too."