Chapter 322

Julie’s point of view

Jake encircled her waist with his hands to exchange the embrace quietly, and a warm smile sketched upon his face as he said: "Stella... "

Stella distanced herself from him a little and clung to his shoulders with a reproach filled with tears and joy, saying: "Where were you hiding throughout these years, Jake, by heaven’s sake? I lost my composure and my mind in your long absence!"

He turned his gaze away with quietness and steadfastness to conceal his secret, and patted lightly onto her palm, saying with a perfected and studied lie: "It is the pressure of work and long travel, Stella... do not worry."

And suddenly, by coincidence, the look of Stella’s eyes shifted in the hallway to move in my direction, so she noticed my presence standing in silence, watching the scene in isolation. She released Jake quickly and retreated a step backward in embarrassment, a cheerful, good smile sketching upon her face as she said with a warm welcome: "Oh... hello, Julie, I did not notice your presence."

I moved my head quietly to exchange the greeting with her and said with a light, faint smile: "Hello to you, Stella... it’s alright."

Stella turned to Jake again rapidly, her eyes shining with joy and happiness, and she said while clapping her palms together with spontaneity and a childish excitement: "My brother Mike just informed and notified me now that you indeed came to the town... and I did not believe myself. I came running from my hair salon without thinking to see you with my own eyes!"

Jake looked at her with a warm look filled with gratitude, saying quietly: "Thank you, Stella, because you came to see me and reassure yourself of me."

Stella stepped with lively strides filled with activity toward the inside, and headed with her entire body toward the living room, then threw herself over the sofa with extreme comfort. She turned her head toward Jake standing in his place at the doorstep of the door and said: "Jake... come and sit beside me so we can talk and make up for what we missed."

But Jake did not move a single step from his place; rather, he extended his hand with coldness and drew his black coat hanging on the peg, and ground out with quiet and expressionless facial features: "I am sorry... but I am going out now, Stella."

Stella knitted her eyebrows in visible sadness and tightness, and rose with her torso, saying in disappointment and bitterness: "Why will you go out the moment I arrive? Won’t you stay with me even for mere minutes so we can talk regarding your absence? I have not seen you for four whole years!"

He wore his coat with rapid, steady, and highly measured movements, and said with artificial regret: "I am truly sorry regarding this... but I must go out in an urgent manner now. We meet later."

He turned his body with total coldness, and with wide steps left the doorstep of the entire house and closed the outer door behind him quietly.

Stella exhaled with tightness and intense fury, and looked at me with withered and sad facial features, saying with heartbreak: "He is clearly evading me as usual, Julie... he has never changed."

I advanced toward her with quiet steps and sat on the wooden seat opposite her. I knitted my eyebrows in surprise and wonder, and asked her with curiosity: "I do not truly understand... why does he evade you in particular while you are his close friend and waiting for him?"

Stella became confused in a sudden and noticeable manner by my question, and her palms moved with tension and anxiety over her knees. She turned her sight away from me, saying with stammering and disturbance: "He... he simply does not like many questions regarding his private life, and knows very well that if I sat with him, I would ask him hundreds of questions about his mysterious absence, his work, and his destination; for this reason, he prefers flight."

I tried gently to soften the charged atmosphere and distance the sadness from her, so I said quietly: "It’s alright, my dear, let us leave him... do you want and prefer to drink any juice or coffee?"

She jolted from her place with great speed to leave, and adjusted her leather bag over her shoulder, saying with haste and anxiety: "No, I truly have no time... I will return instantly to the hair salon, for today I have many customers waiting for me to style their hair."

I also rose from my seat to bid her goodbye at the door and said with recollection and interest: "Fine, Stella... I will come to you at the salon after hours, for you know, of course, that I will sing in the evening at the hotel’s grand party, and I must prepare with your assistance."

Her eyes ignited with love, and she advanced to wipe my shoulder gently and with sympathy, saying: "Of course, my dear Julie... come at any time and I will beautify you and make you like a queen as usual."

I smiled to her with gratitude: "Thank you so much, Stella... I don’t know what I would have done without you, indeed."

She waved her delicate hand, heading toward the door to depart: "Goodbye now, beautiful, see you there."

I moved my palm bidding her goodbye quietly: "Goodbye."

The moment she exited and the door closed, a sweeping feeling of comfort, calmness, and peace truly engulfed me, sweeping through the aspects of the entire house, since the cursed and provocative Jake was not here near me to provoke me with his insolence and spoil my mood.

For this reason, I preferred and spent my entire day secluded inside my room in peace. When the time for my official singing segment at the hotel approached and arrived, I headed with rapid paces toward the closet and drew a dark navy-blue, long, highly luxurious, and classy dress, and elegant high-heeled shoes. I placed them carefully and with caution inside a cloth bag designated for clothes, then left the house with hurried strides heading toward Stella’s salon for beautification.

I arrived at the salon indeed, and instantly Stella seated me with welcome on the revolving chair and before the large mirror. She began with her professional, agile fingertips placing the warm, quiet makeup cosmetics on me, and styled my long brown hair in stunning wavy strands (waves) cascading behind my shoulders softly.

She distanced the last brush from my face and looked at the mirror with total pride in her work, saying with excitement: "We have finished indeed, Julie... you look stunning! The dress, will you wear it here in the back room or at the hotel?"

I looked at the wall clock with apprehension and fear of delay, and rose from the chair with speed and haste: "Yes, I will wear it here certainly, there is not enough time left for me... I am late indeed and I must hurry."

I entered the small changing room, and wore the long blue dress with extreme caution so as not to spoil the makeup, and bent slowly to lock the clasp of the high-heeled shoe with my fingers. When I exited in my full elegance, Stella gasped in total admiration and sweeping infatuation, and placed her palms together on her cheeks, saying with an infatuation that took her mind: "Oh my God, Julie! You... you are beautiful, highly glamorous, and attractive!"

I smiled to her with a slight shyness that reddened my cheeks: "Thank you, Stella... I must go instantly now so that I do not get reprimanded. Call any taxi car for me, please, quickly."