Love In Unexpected Places ✓

Chapter Twenty-Six

After we finished our meal, my father and Jean-Paul headed off into the living room while my mother and I cleaned up the kitchen.

After we put the leftovers into the fridge and placed the dirty dishes into my mothers' new dishwasher that she was given for Christmas, we wiped off the table and countertops before going into the living room where the boys were sitting.

Jean-Paul was talking about what it was like living in France. I could tell from the shaking of his voice that he missed it there. I could tell he was sad and that made me sad for him. I could only imagine how his mother must be feeling having to celebrate the holiday all alone this year.

After Jean-Paul finished talking about his life in Paris, about his childhood, and his mother, we crept up the stairs.

Jean-Paul had decided to take the room next to mine but I suggested that he stay with me for the night. After all, we had spent four very long months apart, and now that we were together once again, I did not want to be away from him any longer. Not even for a night.

After insisting that it would be okay he joined me in the guest bedroom, we began talking about anything and everything.

"After you left, I had never felt so alone. I thought I felt alone when I first moved to New York but the truth was I wasn't as lonely as I thought I was." I admitted. "I quickly made new friends and learned my way around the city. I wasn't alone very long after the break up with Max because that's the same day I met you." I took Jean-Paul's hand into mine. "But after you left I was lonely for quite a long time. Until I made a new friend named Bellamy. I showed her around New York and we became really good friends. But no friend in this world can compare to you. You're not only the love of my life, Jean-Paul, but you're also my best friend. I love you with my entire heart."

He cuddled up close to me and I laid my head down on his chest as he wrapped his arm around me.

"I'm so sorry I had to leave like that. My heart broke when I had to leave you, knowing all that you had been through. But I'm back and I'm here to stay," he whispered as he began softly rubbing my head with his free hand.

"Are you really staying?" I asked very hesitantly.

"Yes. When I went back to Paris after my visa was over I obtained an application to register for my permanent residency, he said. "They allowed me to come back after a few months so I can do an interview with them before they issued the green card. They told me it would take at least seven months if not longer to have the interview and will be able to get the green card. Then I'll be a permanent resident of the US."

My heart began breaking all over again. Not at the fact that he will ever leave me again, but at the fact that he had to leave his mother and she will be lonely for the rest of her life. All she had for years was Jean-Paul after his father left. As long as she had her son, she wasn't lonely. I felt like I stole her relationship with her son away from her.

"Ooh," I managed to whisper. I couldn't say anything else. I felt happy that he did that for me-for us. But I felt bad about him leaving his mother, too.

Not long after our conversation ended, Jean-Paul had fallen asleep. I looked at the time on the clock which read 11:00 PM.

I got out of bed as gently and crept down stairs as quietly as I could manage to avoid waking anyone up. The house was completely silent except a few snores coming from the bedrooms.

I made it to the front door and slipped out into the frosty air quietly without being noticed. I got into the car and drove to the store.

I had to get Jean-Paul a gift for Christmas. I knew something else I wanted to do for him, but I knew it would be a little while before that gift would be able to arrive. So I snuck out to a store that was open late on Christmas Eve so that I could get Jean-Paul a little something for Christmas. Had I been expecting his arrival before now, I would have already gotten him a present.