We Will Always Have Paris

Chapter Twenty-Seven

I awoke to hear Gerald's voice coming from the bathroom.

"No, its not you...well it is but...its not like that...Dev..." he trailed off, listening to to voice on the other end of the phone. I listened to this one sided conversation quietly, unsure if I wanted him to know that I was listening. Devon was his long time friend, and possibly his old girlfriend, who was starting a music career of her own. I had never met her, and I had no desire to do so. Finally, Gerald left the bathroom, ran his fingers through his hair, and came over to kiss me.

"Nice chat?"

"No." he laughed, "Devon's crazy."

"Oh." I hoped that that would prompt him to tell me more about it, but he didn't. "So what's the plan for the day?"

"Whatever you want to do."

"I want you to crawl back in bed with me..." I pleaded, pulling his arm gently.

"No Marilyn, I've got some stuff to do first."

"Humph." I sighed, "Well then."

I got out of bed and went down to breakfast. Most people were gone by then and Gerald did not accompany me. The Indiana sun was filtering through the hotel's high windows and I found a strong desire to sit down in a comfy chair with a coffee and write a few poems while I had the free time to do so. I ran back up to our hotel room and quickly grabbed my journal from Jessie, feeling a slight pang in my heart for using it even though we weren't friends anymore. I paused in the doorway, hoping that Gerald would ask where I was going or something, but he was talking on his phone again in the bathroom. He was speaking softly enough that I couldn't hear the words being said. I left.

Back downstairs I settled in to a chair by the window and set my notebook on my lap, pencil poised to write. Then, as words usually do for me, they flowed out.

In the dark, it is only he and I

We lie together in the early hours

Feeling the other's breaths against our skin

Knowing the comfort of each other's bodies.

In the light, there are others.

Others that I have been with,

And others he has been with,

And the regret of both that fill the bed.

In the light there is her,

A mysterious threat with dark eyes

Yesterday I worried nothing of her

Now, now I love him. And she clouds his eyes.

In the dark, we used to sleep together

Now we lie apart in the long hours

Feeling the absence of his breath

And knowing that all has changed.

"Y'know, he used to say that about me." My head snapped up, Devon Baldwin in the flesh had a cup of coffee in her hands bedecked in rings. "I see we have similar tastes in coffee. Apparently the same goes for men."

"Oh." She laughed at that, a gentle lifting laugh that filled the space around us.

"You are just like he described, although he forgot to mention how beautiful you really were."

"Thank you?"

"You're welcome."

This had turned into a very bizarre situation. Here I was with Gerald's ex girlfriend, writing poetry about her nonetheless, and having a relatively pleasant conversation with her as well.

"May I sit with you?" she asked, short blonde hair framing her earnest face.

"I suppose so." she sat in the chair adjacent to me, her sweet smile seeming sincere. I turned my head away from her lips and instead looked back down at my poem that was--partly--about her.

"You met Gerald in Paris, right after he and I broke up. Did he tell you that?"

"No. He did not."

"Don't be sour with me, or him for that matter, life is just that way."

"So I was not just a pity hook-up?"

"Not hardly. We'd been over each other for quite some time by the time he finally got around to breaking up with me. He didn't want me to wait around for him while he was in Europe."

"How polite of him." I watched as sadness filtered into her expression, "You still love him."

"Yes. Of course I do. How could I not?" she asked me softly, not really expecting an answer.

"I do not know." I gave her an answer anyways, hoping that that was enough to satisfy her. It wasn't enough.

"I think I'd like to talk to him, in person, if you don't mind."

I shrugged, "No. Go on ahead."

She smiled encouragingly at me, "It'll only take a moment." Then she left to go up to my room where my boyfriend was.

I waited patiently for one hour, two hours...three hours. She never came back down. I grew tired of waiting and I decided that barging in on their conversation would be appropriate. I was Gerald's girlfriend, after all.

When I reached my door I paused outside, hoping to hear voices. Instead I heard crying. It was Gerald, and that was what surprised me the most. I flung my door open, but not before I heard, "What'll Marilyn think? Catching us in here together?"

"Gerald." I whispered, slipping in between Devon and him, "My Gerald." I kissed his nose, wrapping my arms around him protectively. Devon saw this, and she must have known my love for him in that moment because she sighed.

"I'll leave you now Gerald. You don't love me like you love her. I see that now." she turned to me, "And you love him." she headed towards the door.

"Devon?"

"Yes?" she turned back towards me.

"You said something downstairs, about how Gerald used to say the same thing about you? What did you mean?"

"Oh that." she smiled wistfully, "He used to call me the love of his life." she left the room.

I returned to Gerald, who was now wiping his tears away and blinking up at me. I took his face in my hands and kissed him deeply.

"She and I had a whole conversation downstairs. I knew you two would be alone together." I told him.

"I wish you hadn't let her come up."

"I did not know better. You would not talk to me this morning."

"I was upset."

"I know." we sat in silence together for a while but then we laid down and cuddled together on the bed.

"I love you." he said after I was almost asleep.

"I love you."