Love, Again?

Chapter Fourteen

As I was about to sit in the car the bell boy walked towards me with a flower bouquet in his hand. "Secret Admirer." I thought. But no, not possible in Paris of all places.

"Ma'am these just came in for you." He said as he handed me over the flowers.

"Thank you." I said, focusing on the note that tagged along with it.

This was the first time I was seeing something so alluring. Blast of all the possible bright colors in the world. Yellows and pinks and purples and reds. A complete contradiction to my current state of mind.

"Color your life darling. Gray is not meant for you"

                                                                                     -Your Secret Admirer.

Somehow, in midst all of the bullshit happening in my life this admirer of mine made me smile. I had given up on Sherlock-ing and finding out who this creepy stalker is. A stalker who managed to figure out what I need when no one else could. 

Funny isn't it? We come across hundreds of new faces every day, our brain being the smartass it is registers only a few. But what if there is that one person amongst the un-registered ones who just connects to your soul. Doesn't want anything from, doesn't expect anything from you. Not bothered by your looks, not bothered by your baggage. Just an assurance that you're not alone, when you've glutted down all your feelings in the deepest pit of your soul away from the world, an assurance that I can hear your silence.

This admirer thinks I'm living my life in the grays, but actually it’s not even gray anymore. I've turned in to a puppet that lets people; rather Ted and Elizabeth control her life. I don't even exist as a color anymore, forget tints or shades.

"Secret admirer? So you're in demand Kylie." Ted said as he snatched away and read the note, breaking the philosophical stride my mind was taking.

"It's none of your business Ted. Where are we going?" I said trying to change the topic. 

''Tuileries garden"

"Garden?"

"Trust me you will love it."

"Whatever."

And here I was. In the most romantic city of the world, not with my husband but with a long lost forgotten high school ex boyfriend who controls my life now. Keeping aside my crappy mood and constant cribbing which has become an integral part of my mind thinking I decided to let Paris enchant me. And it definitely did.

Classic French medieval style buildings, brick adorned walls, flowers in the balconies, cafes and bistros on the pavements, patisseries, wall art, guitarists, people cycling, people in high end cars, Louvre, modern art. This city literally has everything to offer.

We got out of the car and walked in to a huge plot covered with lush greens and fountains and murals. I sure did love this place already.

I decided to remove my heels and walk barefoot on the cemented way.

"Seriously?" Ted asked breaking the silence.

"Try it... oh but who I'm I telling this too, I momentarily lapsed out.''

Ted gave a me oh-you-don't-challenge-look. He sat down by the bench and removed his polished leather shoes like a school boy and joined me.

"You don't know me as yet Kylie."

"Trust me I don't want to.''

"i don't get it, why so much of hatred Kylie? That happened years back. Let it go."

"Let it go? I can think of forgetting what you did to me, but to my brother? Ha. Never."

"You know how I was Kylie..."

"How you were... you're still the same Ted. Nobody has given you the right to smack the hell out of anyone."

"Fine. Forget it. It was foolish of me to bring this up. So how is life?"

"Currently pathetic, thanks to you. Otherwise its none of your business."

"Can you just get over with the entire none of your business shit? I'm trying to strike up a convo here, the least I can expect is you to reply."

"Life is fine. Just the usual." I replied to avoid an argument.

"How are things with Jake?"

"Ummmm...."

"Come on Kylie, I'm doing my best to be nice here."

"Ok, you asked for it so here you go, we got married after my graduation. Both of us started working and I studied along with it. It was all perfect at the beginning. I looked after the house and he helped me. We went to office together, not literally but our means were same, we constantly texted each other. He would surprise me for lunch at times. I would make him dinner. We snuggled up. He watched black and white and romcoms with me. I played with his Playstations. We split the bills. The sex was amazing, it still is, but occurs rarely. Everything was perfect ultil we got promoted. We started working off our asses and started ignoring each others. The entire give-me-my-space which couples ask for, naturally came to us. The office anger found its cleft at home. Things which we didn't give a shit about initially started bothering us; his wet towel, my heels, his files, my laptop, his takeouts, my food, his beers, my wines, and so on and so forth. All of this sorted itself out by longing silence of spending the night in different removes and frantically apologizing the next day. We had vowed never to turn in to fighting 40 year olds, but I guess it was coming to us at 25 itself, I mean......."

Ted grabbed me and pulled me by the waist; his strong masculine hands cupped my face. He looked in to my eyes and kissed me right away. It was just two second kiss before I pulled myself away.

"That was the only way I could shut you up..." He said.