Jo Goes To Paris

Chapitre Douze

It was no surprise to Amber when she returned to the hotel flat and found Johanna in  her sweatpants and her large cat shirt that said “I’m Purr-fect”. Even less of a surprise to see that she was holding her hair brush as a microphone and singing along “All By Myself” from the radio.

Without a single noise, Amber took her camera off her bag and took a picture of Johanna. The flash drew her attention to Amber.

“Oh…”

“Wow.” Amber said, leaving the shopping bags on the table. “I am so going to post this one on Facebook.”

Johanna turned off the radio, looking upset at her friend. “Do it and you’re a dead woman.”

Amber laughed and went to the kitchen.

“Did you bring the chocolate?”

“Of course, Jo. Check the bags. There is one only with your things.”

Johanna started looking for the chocolates, and when she found them, she got even angrier.

“AMBER!” She yelled.

“What? What’s wrong?” Amber asked, rushing  to the living room.

Johanna stood up holding something in her hand.

“What’s this?!”

“Hmm… Chocolate. You asked.”

“It is a Ferrero Rocher chocolate!”

“Isn’t it your favourite?”

“No, I hate it!” she screamed.

Amber raised an eyebrow. “So, you’re not falling for the sexy waiter?”

“No, no, no…” She shook her head. “No.”

Johanna sat down, sadly. Amber approached her, sighing sympathetically. “My dear, stop lying to yourself…”

“Well, what does it matter after all?” She asked. “He is most likely seeing many girls. I’m just one more.”

“Well, you don’t know that… Ask him!”

Johanna thought for a while, then she smiled.

“You’re right, Amber.”

Her friend nodded, relieved.

Johanna stood up. “And I will do it now.”

“Now?!” Amber gasped. “But why now?”

“Why not now?” Johanna replied impatiently. “I will go change.”

Johanna rushed  to her room, followed by an exasperated Amber.

“Jo, for God’s sake, it’s 9PM. What are you thinking? You can’t just show up at his place without announcing!”

“Why? Because he might be doing a young beautiful French girl?” She asked as she put on a dress. “I don’t care. If so, the better it is, since I will have a concrete reason to stay away from him and from France for the rest of my life!”

Amber hesitated. “Jo, think again.”

“No. I did not come to Paris to think. I came here to, for once in my life, act like there is no tomorrow. I wanted to follow my instincts, I wanted to feel a bit more like, you know, me.” Johanna said. “And I did. I do. I must do this. Don’t stop me now.”

Without giving Amber time to think of a good reply, Johanna left the hotel and ordered a taxi at the reception desk. The car arrived in five minutes, and she gave the driver the address she had already memorized. Her heart was racing as the taxi ran across the French streets.

“It’s now or never, as they say.” Johanna thought. “I don’t care what happens. I don’t care what happens. I don’t care what happens…”

The taxi finally reached its destination.

“Who am I kidding? I do care…”

Johanna paid the taxi driver and took a deep breath before approaching the front door. Every step was accompanied by a hundredthoughts of how that meeting would be, and none of them calmed her a bit.

“That’s it, then.” She took a deep breath and rang the doorbell.

As she did that, she noticed the yellow BMW parked behind Arturo’s car.

“Oh, no…”

Arturo opened the door, looking surprised. Johanna turned to him, and saw, inside the house, a beautiful blonde sat by his couch.