His Second Chance

Part 5

December 2013, Arrondisement de Reuilly

She did what she promised. She ran away. She left Rue Cler with her son. She left the life her mother planned for her. She was still in Paris, but much farther now from where she was before. Nobody knew her there. Nobody really cared, and she was happy about that. She lost all contact to her mother, and didn’t let her have any way of finding out on her whereabouts.

She still constantly sends stuff to her dad. Just simple cards or letters letting him know she’s alive, and healthy, and most importantly, happy. But she doesn’t put a return address in those letters because she knows that no matter how much she can trust her father, her mother will find ways to try and get her, and when she does, God knows what she could do to Julianna for running away.

She managed her time for work, and for little Jamie. At two months, he was quite the trooper. He would laugh more than he would cry, and Julianna always felt as if her son could understand what she was thinking or feeling. They had that connection that she never knew existed. She never felt that way with her own mother.

Julianna found a job as a chef’s assistant at a local bakery in Reuilly. Paris is known for its dining culture, and food has always been intriguing to her. She works for a middle-aged French pastry chef named Soléne who also owns the tiny apartment she shares with her son. When she’s at the bakery, Soléne’s fifteen-year-old daughter Lorenza takes care of Jamie.

With her apartment just a few blocks away from Soléne’s house, Julianna and Jamie has become almost like an extended family to them. They see each other every day and they have become really close. Soléne has been the mother that Julianna never had. She loved Julianna like her own daughter and Lorenza treats her like a sister as well. She was living in simpler terms now. Soléne was a humble woman who liked to live a modest life and she has influenced Julianna to appreciate that. She had no more expensive furnitures, huge apartments, and servants in waiting that her actual mother could give her, but she was happier, and contented.

This was by far, probably the happiest Christmas Julianna has ever had. She celebrated it with people who actually treat her like real family, and she had her beautiful son with her. It felt like all was right in the world.

Except, she missed Niall so much.

January 2014, London

Last December Niall and the boys won the 2013 Artist of the Year Award. It was one of the best awards to ever be given and probably the biggest that the boys ever had.

They were all so happy and overwhelmed at the same time. They have just ended their second world tour and released their third album, and now this.

It was one of the happiest moments they had together, much larger than the MSG Show. They were filled with pride and honor as soon as Liam held unto the trophy. It was a small thing, probably made of crystal, or plastic, but behind it kept so much more. It was tiny piece of synthetic material that held their loyal and supportive fans, their loving family, their talents, and of course each other.

It was a happy moment, and Niall wanted nothing more but to share it with Julianna.

After Niall’s breakdown to Zayn, he has started to change. He didn’t like what he became. He wanted to be better, and not mad. He wanted to be happy again. But he wasn’t going to be completely happy. Not until he finds Julianna again.

So this New Year, while the boys were counting down, kissing their girlfriends at midnight and what not, Niall was alone in the studio. Everyone was on the top floor of the building celebrating, and this part of the place was now quiet, dark and lonely.