Faded Love [Mature Content]

C .11-Out of the Ordinary

Juliette arrived at her home and collapsed on the couch, tired. Fatigue overwhelmed her from the events of the day, whereas images of her night with a handsome brute were on replay, torturing her entire being.

Saturday morning rolled around. Juliette sat up from her bed and rubbed the exhaustion from her watery eyes. Barely got a full night's rest. She clasped her hands and covered her eyes. The small hangover from her extensive drinking reared its ugly head.

Juliette sighed.

She had planned to spend the day cleaning and doing laundry. Minor mopping and dusting. With her heavy workload and busy schedule, Saturdays were the only time she got any housework done. Well, for the last couple weekends that is.

Previously, no day at home belonged to her. No, she spent her weekends on calls with different clients and planning to rush renovations and building.

But today, nothing would stand in the way of her cleaning. Determined, she pushed her duvet from her body and stood to her feet in her silk two-piece pajama set. Rebecca had demanded she purchased it, and she was reluctant to comply, yet she did.

“Coffee, oh how I need you!” Juliette left the bedroom and walked into the kitchen, filling the coffee percolator with fresh water and some dark roasted coffee beans.

While she allowed the pot to brew, she retrieved a cup from the cupboard and lightly washed it under the running tap. The strong aromatic scent of the beans permeated throughout the interior of the house. Quite the therapeutic fragrance to calm any frantic nerves, or better yet, to clear your mind of any unnecessary thoughts.

The pot sang out with a whistle, notifying its completion and ready for consumption. Juliette poured herself a cup and took a whiff of the earthy and nutty aroma.

“Hmm.”

There is nothing like starting your day with a fresh cup of coffee.

Juliette grasped her fingers around the porcelain mug and walked to the window, taking a seat on the white wooden sill. It was peaceful to behold. The trees were still, and the sky was vacant of birds, yet it brought her a sense of calm and serenity.

***

So far, one hour into her day, Juliette hadn’t peeked at a screen. Not her phone, computer or even the TV screen. Since the phone battery died and switched off, it was out of sight and mostly out of mind.

Even at work, she liked to start her day with a meaningful chunk of work. It could be meetings with clients or presenting designs. It could be phone calls; checking on consultants to make sure they keep their required schedules.

Occasionally, it’ll be on the computer. And since today was about working at home, her focus was on her cleaning. However, her chunk of work was laundry; separating the whites from the colors, dusting the picture frames. Also, sweeping and mopping the floors.

That would be the highlight of her day.

Juliette viewed the first few hours in her day as free hours. Fearing if she laid around the house doing nothing, then it was a result in working on the computer or taking one business call after another.

Most of the work was completed, except for the laundry to be placed in the dryer. She had changed and made the bed with clean linens. Brushed the furniture and rearranged them to allow more light into the rooms. Basically, everything was now of a different décor and it suited her.

When the washer dinged, Juliette removed the wet laundry and stuffed the dryer to have them dried before she went ahead to folding them.

Light rap of knocks sounded on the door.

“Coming!” She called out as she rushed to open the door, only to find a sour faced Rebecca standing there. “You’re alive.” She announced monotonously.

“Um—yeah!” Juliette rebutted in a confused tone. Her eyes narrowed at the woman as she stepped further into her home.

“I have been calling and texting all morning.” Rebecca threw her bag on the couch and removed her jacket, handing it to Juliette.

While Juliette left to hang the jacket, she called back from the small enclosed space. “My phone died last night, and I was busy cleaning all morning,” reentering the room with her hands on her hips.

“You had me worried, especially since you thought it would be okay to leave with a total stranger last night. We left together and you left me for a man? Darn it Jules, I thought he had done something to you!” Her voice laced with concern and fury.

Slowly, Juliette took cautious steps to the couch. “I’m sorry!” She pushed one shoulder up while the other dropped. She took another step and casted her hands at her side.

“That’s not enough, Juliette. It wasn’t safe. How do you know he wasn’t a serial killer or r****t? Then what?”

“Did I say I’m sorry?” She closed the gap between them and wrapped her arms around her friend’s frame. “It wouldn’t happen again, I promise.” Rebecca relaxed some and wrapped her hands around Juliette tightly, fearing if she let go, then she would disappear at any given moment.

“Forgive me?!” She pleaded and hoped for forgiveness.

“No.”

“C’mon. I’ll make breakfast for the both of us?” She shuffled her eyebrows.

“Okay, but still no. You can’t do that again babe, you really had me worried.”

The washer dinged, alerting Juliette that the drying process was finished. “And I said I’m sorry. If anything, blame the alcohol.” She tried again with a small smile.

“I’ll forgive you this time.” Rebecca caved. It wasn’t her intention to be so hard on the woman, but her worry went from a mild to a super emotion when she called about an hour ago and didn’t get an answer.

“Let me take the clothes from the dryer, grab a shower and make us some breakfast.” Rebecca nodded.

Juliette pecked her cheek and ran off.

“You better make me some pancakes and scrambled eggs with bacon.” She shouted at Juliette as she scurried to the laundry room.

The woman wasn’t mad, she just couldn’t bear to lose another person she loves.

***

After forty minutes, they were having breakfast where Juliette had a second cup of coffee. “So, what are your plans for the rest of the day?” Rebecca questioned stuffing some scrambled eggs into her mouth.

She dropped her eating utensils and thought for a minute as to what she wanted to do with the rest of her day. Nothing came to mind; however, she knew she just wanted a quiet day. Maybe a day with Rebecca, just lounging around the house; watching movies.

After all, she had completed her chores.

“I actually have nothing planned.” Juliette finished the last of her meal and relaxed in the chair. Contentment filled her and for the first time in a long time, she felt amity.

It was a new feeling, yet she welcomed it all the same. She had been working so hard. Unable to slow down or take a break. Juliette couldn’t remember the last time she took a few days from the hustling and bustling of her busy schedule at work.

At nights, she came home. Then in the morning, she was gone again. Only to repeat the same process of the day before and the week before that.

Lazy and relaxation were two words that wasn’t in her vocabulary. All she knew was work and work harder. Proving herself to anyone wasn’t what she was trying to do. On the contrary, she just wanted to bless others with her designs and grasp the heartening smile on their amazed faces.

Rebecca dropped her cutlery on the plate, breaking Juliette out of her train of thought. She took another sip of her coffee, opened her mouth to say something but didn’t.

Once again, she opened her mouth and uttered the words that she had wanted to ask for a few weeks, “Will you go to visit my mom with me?”