When Strangers Wish

Chapter 5: The Unforgettable Gaze

Juliette stepped inside her flat, closing the door against the city's nightly bustle. The apartment's warmth felt pleasant, like a warm blanket, shielding her from the cold. Finally, some relief.

She pulled off her shoes. She removed her clothes and tossed them into a basket beside the bathroom door, then entered the bathroom.

She was exhausted. Antoine, the money, and her absent-mindedness still weighed on her mind.

The warm bath and jasmine soap aroma relaxed her, and the prospect of sipping a warm beverage sparked an intriguing preoccupation.

She entered the kitchen in her white bathrobe after taking a shower. Her hair was wrapped in a matching towel—not for looks, but to help it dry slowly without dropping water everywhere.

After heating the kettle, she went to the cabinet and got her favorite big mug.

She checked her phone for any notifications while she waited for the water. No alerts.

She placed liberal scoops of milk, cocoa, and sugar into the mug. She put the hot water in and stirred, seeing the ingredients dissolve into a creamy liquid. The tantalizing aroma had her mouth watering.

Carrying the cup to the dining table, Juliette called Claire to get an update on events at the shop. She couldn't return to the shop because she was soaked from being caught in the rain.

After the call, she grabbed the remote control and switched on her favorite TV show, happy with Claire's report. She then took a seat on the plush sofa cushion. Placing the warm mug on the armrest, she pulled her legs up.

She enjoyed the program, nursing the warm beverage, and felt even more at ease because of the warmth and comfort.

She remembered how the rain poured so abruptly, as if the clouds had burst, dumping the entire Mediterranean Sea over her in seconds. One moment, she was walking down the street with neatly arranged clothes and well-styled hair. The next instant, she was totally saturated, her hair a complete tangle, and her top clinging to her skin.

Though none of the other individuals under the awning paid her any attention, she felt exposed, as if she were naked. To relieve the shame, she recalled crossing her arms over her chest.

The memory gave her goosebumps, and a cold shudder crawled up her spine. How humiliating! She dismissed the idea and emotion with a shake of her head.

Her thoughts soon veered back to the incident, unable to stay still. They drew her to the exact moment she turned to see him across the street.

She vividly remembered the attractive man with an umbrella. He was heading somewhere but stopped the instant their eyes connected.

She remembered the amazing event. The street was busy. People were racing to get away from the downpour. There was a bit of chaos around.

However, the world and the commotion vanished as soon as their eyes met. It felt as though it was only the two of them standing close together and connecting profoundly.

Who are you? she mumbled into her cup, taking a big swig. She allowed the lovely, warm feeling of the drink and thinking of the stranger to embrace her, like a comforting blanket. She smiled, feeling incredibly happy.

The euphoria didn't go away. It persisted through the rest of the evening. Regardless of what she did, her thoughts kept returning to the stranger, replaying the incident and inexplicable connection. Even as she finally drifted off to sleep, his face, looking directly at her, was the very last thing she saw.

====================

Juliette's euphoria accompanied her to La Fleur de Rêve the next morning. As she went about her routine, the shop's fresh blooms and aroma seemed to excite her even more. The brilliant colors and fragrances of hydrangeas, tulips, and roses dominated the environment. They created a heady, stimulating atmosphere.

Claire noted Juliette's stride. Her steps were light and bouncy. She moved with an almost euphoric intensity. She also hummed a melody pleasantly and engagingly while she worked. She had even noticed her smiling to herself at least three times that morning.

"What's going on, Jules?" she questioned, setting down her watering can and abandoning the orchids half-watered.

At the counter, Juliette was arranging a bouquet when she looked up. The sight of Claire's face made her smile uncontrollably. She appeared rather envious and wistful, as though Juliette had gotten a giant box from Santa and she had nothing.

"Why is your face like this?" Juliette mocked, chuckling at her facial expression.

"Why are you this excited? And you are glowing. C'mon, girl, spill the goods." She stood akimbo, tilting her head as if to get a closer look at Juliette as she probed for secrets.

Juliette continued smiling and responded, "Oh, it's nothing, Claire, just a good morning."

But the sparkle in her eyes and her brilliant, irrepressible grin told Claire she wasn't mistaken. Juliette was up to something.

"Just a good morning, and you've been flushing excitedly all morning?"

"Wait, blushing? Seriously?" Juliette clapped both hands to her face, eyes wide. "So basically every customer who walked in saw me...?"

Claire nodded fully, staring into her eyes, trying to interpret what was going on with her. "You and Antoine made hot, steamy love last night?" she questioned.

"No, it's not Antoine," Juliette said. She answered so quickly as if to stop Claire from associating Antoine with the beautiful moment she was feeling.

But she knew Claire would not stop probing her until she discovered the truth. It would be best if I told her now and saved us both the trouble, she thought. "It's just... some guy I saw... yesterday," she said.

Claire's lips fell a little as her eyes got wide. She gasped, a shocked smile growing across her lips, and added, "Wait, you ran into a guy? Jules, are you serious right now?" Next thing, she let out a scream loud enough to wake the dead and clapped her hands like she'd just won front-row concert tickets.

She practically assaulted Juliette with a million questions: "Wait, you met a guy? Spill! Is he hot? Did he get your digits? What's his freaking name?" The words just spilled out, tripping over each other—she was basically vibrating with eagerness, hands flapping around like she was conducting an invisible orchestra.

Juliette chuckled, overwhelmed by the avalanche of questions. "Whoa, Claire, slow down. I—I don't even know his name."

Claire's shoulders appeared to lose their obvious excitement. Her hands, which had been making wild gestures, fell to her sides. Her eyes lost their eager radiance and took on a humorously disappointed expression. She let out a short, deflated "Oh."

Claire took Juliette's arm without saying anything further and led her to a plush chair. After they sat on the plush cushions, she leaned in close to Juliette.

Her silence was louder than any query, as she obviously wanted the complete tale. Juliette got the clue.

"Okay, okay," Juliette chuckled and stuttered as she began describing the incident. She started with the sudden downpour. She told her how she raced for cover and the humiliating feeling of her shirt clinging to her body. Then, she narrated the moment when her attention traveled across the street.

"And that's when... I saw him." Juliette's eyes glazed over slightly, immersed in the memories. "He was... Claire, he was... handsome. Tall, with broad shoulders. He moved boldly with his umbrella. When our eyes met, he stopped, as if someone pressed a remote and paused him. In that instant, everything—the rain, the traffic—all ceased to exist. His eyes, Claire, his eyes were magnificent. They seemed to be looking straight into my soul with such intensity. It seemed as though we stood side by side and we had known each other for ages. It was bizarre..."

"Oh my—" With a gasp, Claire raised her hands to her chest in an ardent, affectionate gesture.

Juliette continued. She explained every detail she could recall. Her words came out quickly and painted a clear image of the stranger. She described how the encounter kept replaying in her mind the previous evening, keeping her awake.

"Girl," Claire interrupted. She was astonished by what Juliette was saying and also worried about it. "You realize you're, like, fully dating someone, right?"

Juliette inclined her head questioningly. "But I thought you didn't like Antoine that much?" she inquired, a defensive edge seeping into her voice.

Claire flung her hands up without concern. "Yes, I don't, and I still don't, God forgive me." Her eyes had a pleasant shine. She started smiling broadly and truly, and the skin around the corners of her eyes wrinkled.

As her excitement subsided, she said, "But we don't even know the guy's name! How can we trace him so that you can revisit this experience? Girl, you should see how you are beaming!"

"What do you mean 'relive this experience'?" Juliette queried, a sudden worry in her tone.

With a strong voice, an austere face, and a cheeky sparkle in her eyes, Claire declared, "Yes, this guy must become your boyfriend!"

"Claire!" Juliette shouted. Her hand grabbed for a throw pillow, ready to launch it to stop Claire from spewing such 'crap.' But Claire, anticipating her move, was already on her feet, sprinting out to the back of the shop.

Her laughter filled the boutique, leaving Juliette alone with mixed emotions.