"Let me look at your arms, sweetheart." I look at the red rashes all over her arms. "This is very easy to treat. It will not hurt at all so don't worry, okay?" I smile gently and apply Hydrocortisone cream to the affected areas.
"It's kind of cold," she states.
"Yeah, that's because it's been placed in an air-conditioned area. It doesn't hurt at all. Right?" I remark and ask. She shakes her head, and I finish spreading the cream then pet her head after taking my gloves off.
"Mommy, I need to go to the bathroom," she tells her mother.
"Madelyn, you see that hall down there?" I ask, and she nods. "Just walk down there, and you'll see a door with lots of stickers on it. That's the bathroom," I tell her. She scurries down the hall, and we hear the click of the door.
"Thank you again, Ms. Peres," Mrs. Flowers, Madelyn's mother, says. "Madelyn has been scratching the rashes nonstop. I was worried that her skin might peel off," she expresses tiredly.
"No problem, Mrs. Flowers. It's part of my job." I smile and look at the certificates hanging on my wall; a bachelor's degree and a medical school degree in frames. "All you have to do to make the rashes disappear is to keep applying Hydrocortisone cream. You could also use Calamine lotion for relief. I'll write down a prescription for Madelyn," I state. I take out two small tubes of the cream along with the prescription and give them to Mrs. Flowers. A few seconds later, Madelyn comes back, and they leave.
. . .
I unlock the door of my house. As I walk in, a strong smell of seasoning overthrows my senses. "Ken, are you cooking again?" I ask. I walk to the kitchen to see him in an apron cooking steak on the stove. "Why didn't you call to inform me that you were coming over?" I ask getting a cup of water.
"I did. You didn't pick up," he voices as he runs his hand through his hair. Man, that looks so hot. What? Don't judge me. He's my boyfriend of ten years. Yes, it's already been ten years. Shockingly, we're still not married even though we love each other like crazy.
"What are you thinking in that little head of yours?" He walks up to me and tilts my face up.
"You know I don't have my phone on me during sessions. It's always silent on my desk." I turn away. He chuckles then resumes cooking. A few minutes later, he sets two plates on the dinner table, and we eat.
If you're wondering why there is no sign of Owen, that's because he moved out three years ago. After I graduated, Aunt Carrie returned home, and Owen and I lived in this house for three years until he left to live in his new house with his girlfriend of three years, Lexie. Later on, he found out she cheated on him with some rich guy. I think he got a new girlfriend, but I'm not sure. He was pretty depressed for a while. "How's work these days?" Kendall questions.
"Oh, it's good. Not too stressful. What about you? Is the new project hard?"
"No, I'm almost finished with it," he answers. Kendall became an architect; his work is great, but it's taking some time for him to get known.
After dinner, I come out of the bathroom after a shower and see Kendall looking at his phone in my bed. "You're staying with me tonight?" I ask getting into bed. He realizes I came out of the bathroom and quickly turns off his phone.
"Yeah, I'm trying to be with my girlfriend more," he answers and pulls me closer. I pull out my phone and start watching wedding proposal videos. I love watching these because they're so cute...and maybe because I'm waiting for mine. In the corner of my eye, I see Kendall take out his phone and go through his messages with someone, but I can't see the name.
I return to my videos. "Wow...that's very sweet. Oh look, this next one is in Paris. They're in front of the Eiffel Tower. That's so romantic," I state.
"Vi, why do you love Paris so much?" he asks. I turn off my phone and cuddle closer to him.
"I love it because it's the city of love. I love it because they have the Eiffel Tower and the romantic lock bridge, and it's also because I see a lot of people being proposed to or finding love in movies there." I chuckle.
"Well, would you like it if we went to Paris this weekend?" he asks, kissing my hand.
"What?! No way! Really?" I gasp, looking at him wide-eyed. He nods, and I place a kiss on his lips. "But, wait, how? We don't have time," I ask, remembering our schedules.
"We're going to take my family's jet, so it'll be quick. We depart early and leave the next night. You'll have enough time to visit the Eiffel Tower and the Lock Bridge."
I clap with glee. "Thanks, Kendall," I express with joy.
. . .
I walk up the white stairs of the jet, gliding my hand over the smooth railing. "This is unbelievable..." I say, looking around the furnished jet and taking a seat on the cushioned seat.
"Why?" he asks, putting our bags in the compartments above.
"Well, I knew you guys had more money than the average people but not this much." I chuckle.
"Yeah, my mother had always wanted a private jet, so she decided to save up, and she finally bought it a few months ago." He takes a seat next to me. "Are you excited?" he asks, holding my hand.
"Yeah, this is a dream come true. Thank you so much! You're such a sweetheart." I kiss him on the cheek.
"It's kind of my job," he chuckles and kisses my hand.
"Uh-huh, a job, huh?" I ask, narrowing my eyes at him.
"You know what I mean, babe." He smiles.
"Wow, this is the first time you're calling me babe," I say in shock.
"Do you like it?" he asks.
"Whatever floats your boat...babe," I reply, smiling. By the time I look out the window, we're already in the clouds. We have departed without knowing. I could see the glimmering blue water and the lush green lands below us. Pieced together like a perfect scenery, which it truly is.
Several hours later, we get off the plane, and a strong, cool breeze greets us. It almost removes the floppy hat that is resting on my head. The first thing we do is check into our hotel, which by the way is fabulous and blows my mind away. Then, we head somewhere to eat lunch, for it was already 1:30 P. M. It took seven hours and fifteen minutes to fly from New York to Paris; we departed at five in the morning.
After having a picnic in the Champ de Mars located in the seventh arrondissement and below the famous Eiffel Tower, we start our journey around Paris. Our first stop is at Montmartre where you get to see breathtaking views. Next, we go to the Musée Rodin where there are a house and garden filled with works by renowned sculptor, Auguste Rodin; he's most famous for his sculpture 'The Thinker.' Then, like a lot of visitors, we visit the world's largest museum where the famous Mona Lisa lies, the Louvre.
For dinner, we go to Le Train Bleu located inside one of the six, large, railway terminals in Paris, Gare de Lyon. It looks magnificent inside, there are crystal chandeliers, grandiose sculptures, and shiny brass fittings. The fixed-price menu is about seventy dollars per person, and the a la carte menu is about ninety dollars per person, which is way too expensive. I make sure we split the bill because I don't want Kendall to pay for both of our meals even if he can afford it.
After dinner, we go back to the hotel to rest for tomorrow. I take a shower, and when I come out, I see Kendall talking on the phone by the window. He's quiet but not so quiet that I can't hear at all; he's laughing too. I know I shouldn't be paranoid because I know what kind of person he is, but I kind of am. I mean, I remember last night he was texting someone, and he obviously didn't want me to know who it was. I don't want anything to ruin this wonderful trip, so I try to forget about what's happening.
As I get into bed, he hangs up and slips into bed as well. I take out my phone and scroll through my Instagram feed. "Who were you talking to on the phone?" I ask. If I don't take the initiative to ask first, he won't tell me.
"Just a friend. I had to ask them something important," he replies.
"Okay, let's go to sleep." I put my phone away and turn around, making my back face him. He shifts closer and wraps his arm around my waist then plants a kiss on my bare shoulder. I shouldn't let this bother me so much. Nothing has happened within the six years we've been together, until now, but it's probably nothing. He would never lie to me.
The next day, I wake up to muffled sounds outside the bedroom. It sounds like a woman laughing, but I'm not too sure. Yes, the hotel separates the living room from the bedroom. I'm just about to get up when I hear the click of the door, and I pretend to be asleep. He enters the room, and I feel the part of the bed he's sitting on sink in. He lightly brushes the few strands of hair away from my naked face and plants a gentle kiss onto my lips.
"Violet, babe. Please wake up. It's already eight o'clock. If you sleep any more, there won't be enough time for you to visit all the places you want to go to. You know we're leaving tonight at ten," he says, caressing my arm. I slowly open my eyes and give a faint smile.
"I'm up now." I yawn. "There are a few more places I want to go to," I remark and head to the bathroom to freshen up before leaving. I choose a black and white, striped romper with sandals. I put my hair up into a messy bun and put on a pair of square-framed sunglasses. For breakfast, we go to Saint Germain des Pres and order some waffles along with coffee at Cafe de Flore.
Our first stop is at L'Atelier des Sens, where we take a quick baking lesson and make cute little macaroons that we get to take home. Then, after eating our sweet creations, we take a stroll through Paris' most famous street, the tree-lined Champs-Élysées. Our next destination is the Le Mur Des Je T'aime, aka the Wall of 'I Love You's', in Paris' eighteenth arrondissement, where 'I Love You' is written in 250 languages.
The last two destinations of the day, which I picked out, are the Luxembourg Palace & Gardens and the Pont de Arts Bridge or the Love Lock Bridge. We chose a small purple lock, wrote our names on it, locked it onto the bridge, and threw the key into the Seine river. It is said that you throw the key into the river to signify eternal love, and if you wish to break the seal you'd have to find the key.
As we walk back to the hotel, I ask, "Kendall, other than the two destinations I chose, why have you taken me to such romantic places in Paris?" He holds my hand tightly and looks ahead. He seems to be lost in thought.
"I thought you wanted to go to Paris just so you could experience the romance and love in the air," he says. I hold on to his forearm and lay my head on his shoulder.
"Yes, I did, but this somehow feels like a goodbye," I murmur.
"Would you be sad if it was?" he asks and looks at me, and I look at him. "Because...maybe it is..." he adds in and squeezes my hand very tightly. At that moment, I feel like I just got stabbed in the heart in all directions, but then everything feels numb, and I inhale deeply. We're already in front of the hotel room when I turn to face forward.
"Well, then that's your choice, and I can't do anything to change it." I unlock the door and walk in. I feel my eyes start to water, but I force myself not to feel anything. Sorry if I seem weak, but I'm a woman, and we have more emotions than guys.
"Violet..." he says and grabs my hand gently.
"Don't...don't try to make me feel better. Ten years, Kendall. Ten! What did I do? What made you have feelings for her? When did it start?" I question, and my voice trembles. I press the temples of my head and pace around the room confused. This time I'm not able to stop myself from feeling hurt, and my eyes start to water.
"Violet, listen to me!" he grabs my arm tighter this time.
"No! Please, don't touch me..." I yank myself free from his grip, but it's no use because he pushes me down onto the bed. He cages my head with both his arms, and his body is hovering above mine. His eyes filled with sorrow. I shut my eyes and cover my face with my hands.
"Listen to me, Violet. I was just kidding. I didn't mean to hurt you," he explains.
"What?..." I ask, my voice trembling and face still covered.
"I'm not leaving you. Ever," he replies and pets my head. At that point, I start to cry.
"What the hell is wrong with you?! You-You jerk!" I wipe away my tears and push him away then get up. "It's not freaking funny!" I shout.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know you'd take it so badly," he says sadly and sighs. He comes over and hugs me from behind then kisses my head. "Also, what do you mean 'her'?"
"The person you texted Friday night, called last night, and spoke to this morning," I explain.
"Oh, her. Don't worry, Violet. As I said, she is just a friend. Aw, my baby is jealous," he coos.
"Well, would you rather I not care?" I pout.
"No, I love that you're jealous because that means you truly love me." He turns me around and cups my face.
"Of course I do, you idiot," I say hoarsely and chuckle. "And for your information, if you ever make me cry again, I won't talk to you."
"I know, I know." He pulls me closer and kisses me with one hand on my lower back while his other holding my face, and I let my hands circle his neck. He kisses me several times then stops because he knows if we go on, we won't get to eat dinner.
For dinner, he books a Bistro-Style, Seine River, dinner cruise that lasts an hour and fifteen minutes for us. The food is delicious, the scenery is magical, and the atmosphere feels so romantic.
After our dinner, he says we have one more destination to go to. He blindfolds me and leads me by holding my hand. Everything is super quiet the whole time as we walk. A few minutes later, we come to a stop. He takes off the blindfold, and the Eiffel Tower sits in front of us. "You took me to the Eiffel Tower?"
"Yeah, you wanted to come right? It was very crowded this morning, so we couldn't come."
"Yeah, where's everyone? You'd think that there would be a bunch of people at night too," I remark. He shrugs, and we ascend the stairs. The journey is quite tiring, but it is all worth it when we finally face the beautifully lit city below us. "This is so beautiful."
"Not as beautiful as you," he adds in, and I roll my eyes.
"You're so cheesy, babe," I comment.
"Says the one who wanted to visit Paris because of what she saw in movies." He chuckles, and I jab him in the side with my elbow in disbelief. "Ow! Such a feisty woman." He laughs. Then, all of a sudden his face turns serious, and his stare adds to the tension in the air.
"What is it?" I ask, getting worried.
"I didn't want to be cheesy or corny, but I think you would've liked it this way." He reaches for his back pocket then gets down on one knee. When I finally realize what's happening, I cover my mouth in disbelief. "Violet Peres, we've been together for ten years, and in those ten years, I've regretted nothing. You've been the light in my life. You have shown me what love is. We have had our fair share of arguments before, but nothing we couldn't fix." As I listen, my eyes start to water, and tears roll down my face.
He continues. "In the time we've been together, I realized something. I realized, 'Man, I'm so lucky to have a girlfriend like her. She's smart, beautiful, and kind. Every time I look at her I feel my heart tighten' then it hit me. 'I'm in love with her. I always have. I love her so much that I would do anything to protect her,' and I decided 'I want to marry this woman and love her till we both grow old and die,' so I decided to do this. Violet Peres, would you make me the happiest man in the whole world and marry me?" He opens the box to reveal an engagement ring.
At that point, I'm full-on bawling in the spot. 'It's You' by Henry is playing in the background, and a woman comes out with party poppers in her hands like we're in a movie. I stand there looking between the two of them with tears in my eyes, and silence takes over. "Aren't you going to answer him?" the woman asks.
"I told him if he made me cry again I wouldn't talk to him," I reply, my voice cracking.
"Well, that's on you then, Kendall." She laughs.
"Gee, thanks, Hailey." He sighs and chuckles, still kneeling on the ground.
"Fine, fine. Yes! A million times yes!" I finally answer and wipe my eyes then the party poppers go off. He stands up and slips the ring onto my right ring finger then picks me up and spins me around. "Okay, okay stop. I'm going to get dizzy." I laugh, and he kisses me deeply.
"Ew! Get a room, guys." The blonde woman standing to the side shows a face of disgust.
"Is she the one you talked to this morning?" I ask Kendall, and he nods.
"Nice to meet you! I'm Hailey, Kendall's cousin." She winks. "I'm the one who set this up." She smiles proudly.
"How did you get the place to be empty?"
"She has her ways," Kendall says, smirking, and she gives us a peace sign.
Right now, we're back on the plane, and Kendall has fallen asleep on my shoulder. This weekend has been amazing and not what I expected it to be. I'm so happy he has finally proposed to me. Even though this might sound incredibly cheesy and cringey, I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with him. I wonder what our future has in store for us.
(Violet's Engagement Ring)
I'm finally finished! Just kidding! I still have more in store for you. For those of you who stay updated with the news or online updates about different things, I know that in 2015 the people of Paris took all the locks off the bridge because they were damaging it, but I really wanted to experience putting a lock on the bridge even if it was just in writing so please bear with me.