50 Shades Without You

Chapter 30

Jack's P.O.V

Ella's birthday had just passed. None of said anything about it but we all knew the toll we were feeling. In awhile it would be a year since she died. I was lost in thought when Claire snapped me out of it. "You okay baby?" She rubs my arms. "Yeah, it's just almost a year after.. you know" I nod. "Oh, I'm sorry" She gets quieter. "You should  get your bags.. it's almost time to leave" She smiles. Claire was a good girlfriend, she just wasn't- she wasn't Ella. My wife. I grab my bags and hers too. We were going to Paris for a fashion show Claire would be in. 

I honestly didn't even want to go. I know I'll see all the places Ella and I went and want to turn around and go home. But we got on the plane and we arrived. It was a boring flight. We got to the hotel and rested. But since her show was tomorrow we decided to go out, go to an art gallery or something. "Does this look fine?" Claire did a spin. I nodded and kissed her cheek. I liked art but it was just another thing that reminded me of Ella. 

"This is supposed to be a really nice gallery" Claire commented as we made our way in. After 15 minutes I was already bored. "Claire, can't we get some coffee or something" She hushes me. I sigh and turn around to find something to do. As I'm scanning the room I see Ella's friend, Alice. She's pointing at something and for a moment I think it's me. The girl next to her turns around and I'm stunned by how gorgeous she is. I know I shouldn't think that right next to my girlfriend. But she had this familiar beauty about her and I wanted to meet her. 

I wave to Alice and her eyes get big. She turns right around and says something to her friends. The girl and weirdly tall guy walk on but Alice turns back around and walks toward me. She says something to me in French and I remember she has a limited English vocab and I have a limited French vocab. I tell her sorry, I can't speak french very well in French, choppy as it was. She takes a deep breath as if trying to remember English and says "What are you here" before frustratingly sighing. I chuckle and turn to Claire to translate. Yeah, she speaks likes 8 languages. 

Basically "I" introduce Claire and tell her we're here for her fashion show. Alice seems anxious and tells Claire it was nice meeting her and nice seeing me again but she has to catch up with her friends. I tell Claire that we should meet them and Alice quickly rejects the idea. I mentally sigh because I want to meet that girl without it being obvious. Alice runs off and Claire drags me back to a painting.

Sabrina's P.O.V

Alice's panic doesn't go away as she looks back to Harrison and I. "You guys go on, I'm gonna go look for some money I dropped back there" She says very quickly. "Want me to come?" I ask, confused. "No,no. It's okay I'll catch up. Go on" She pushes us forward and Harrison and I just shrug, going with it. Harrison and I start talking about his work, he's an artist and photographer. "You should model for me sometime" He says with a grin. "Meh, not very good at it" I look back to see Alice walking toward us rapidly. 

"Hey, did you find your money?" Harrison asks. "Uh no it was only a few euros" She keeps walking forward, us following. "Why are you walking so fast?" I huff as I catch up. "I heard of this painting in this room" She slows down as we enter the next room. "Which one?" Harrison looks around. We were both suspicious but weren't going to push Alice. "Er this one" She points to a painting of a women with flowers growing from her eyes. "Yeah- it's intresting" Harrison chuckles and I laugh a little too. Alice's head automatically turns to me. I haven't laughed in- well awhile. "Whatever, stop judging my taste you...connoisseurs" She rolled her eyes. 

"You just don't have very good taste" I flip my hair around and the bun swings wildly, which by the way, feels really natural for a wig. Sometimes I forget it is a wig. Not the point. I was actually enjoying myself. But then I started worrying about Olivia and conviced them we head back. "I get it you have a baby" Harrison agreed. "We should stay here a little longer" Alice suggested. Her eyes were fixed on something behind me. "Actually you're right, Joe is probably overwhelmed." She took off down to the first room. 

I just laughed and followed her. Seeing her paranoid, for whatever reason, was funny. We got to our cars and I quickly hugged Harrison, telling him it was nice to meet him and then we left. That wasn't too bad. I did have work tomorrow though so I got Olivia and went home to eat. Joe said she was really good, which I knew because she is my daughter. I didn't even bother to check twitter or anything. I knew it'd just upset me and I was in too good of a mood for that. I watched Netflix until Olivia fell asleep. She really was so unproblematic. Not looking forward to her growing up though. 

The next day went on just the same as usual. Wake up, get ready, work, blah blah blah. But for some reason something in my drawer caught my eye. It was my wedding ring. I smiled as I looked at it but also felt that immense sadness in my chest. I decided to slide it on anyway. Not on my ring finger, of course. But on my pointer finger. I only worked three days of the week while Alice watched Olivia. So on the days I didn't work I'd usually just walk around parks with Olivia or go to the coffee shop and read to Olivia. It was always pretty empty in my corner. 

After work I decided to go to the shop and get my usual, relax for a moment before I get Olivia. I sat down in the same spot I sat in everytime. The door jingled as it opened with a new customer but I didn't look up from my book. 

Jack's P.O.V

Claire had to go to a rehersal so I was left alone with memories of this place. For some reason I thought of the coffee shop Ella and I would always go to. I didn't know if I'd even want to face it. Over my better judgement, I went. There were only two other people in there as I walked in. An old guy and a girl. I ordered my drink and they quickly had it ready.

I realized the girl here was the same girl from the art gallery. I should talk to her. "Hey, I think you were at the art gallery yesterday with Alice?" I rehersed in my head. No, that's weird. "Whatcha reading?" I thought. Cheesy. Something just made me feel like I needed to talk to her. My heart was racing. I hadn't been this nervous to talk to a girl since Ella. Actually, she kinda looked like her if you tilt your head. I made up my mind to just sit down across from her and introduce myself. I quietly sat in front of her. Maybe she knew Ella, or was related to her. "Hey, this may be weird but- I'm Jack" I smiled. 

((( BTW THIS BOOK WILL BE A BIT LONGER THAN THE LAST ONE BUUTTT REMEMBER TO VOTE N COMMENT XX))))