Remember me
By Mallory Quinn
Chapter 11
"Juliet and Terrence"
Juliet was still locked in her bedroom and was refusing to get out. She was waiting for the time of her meeting with Terrence, but she decided to go ahead of time. The little house in the wood gave this sensation of peace… or was it because it was a place where she could be with Terrence? Why didn't Terrence find her? Why was it Neil who pretended to be nice and who had since then showed his true colours…? Oh… all that felt like a nightmare to her! She wanted to be "Jane Doe", "Sleeping Beauty", "Angel face" again; at least she didn't have any problems then. She was sitting on the couch and closed her eyes, waiting for Terrence.
She heard some noise at the door… Terrence! She looked at him a little relieved, and uncertain. Should she trust him?
- Juliet… hi, he said.
- Hello, Terrence.
- How are you?
- I've been better…
- Juliet, about what you saw last night…
- It's not my problem. You're free to do whatever you want.
- Juliet, it's not what you think…
- You know what I think?
- That I want to be with Eliza…
- Well, seeing you two in bed together might have given me a hint…
- I don't care about Eliza, I was putting up with her only to be near you…
Juliet felt relieved and happy.
- Really? She said.
- Yes, I'm interested in you…
- Terrence, did you know me from before? Were we friends?
- Juliet, you know I can't tell you anything, I don't want to influence you. You'll get your memory back in due time… What you saw with Eliza was a scheme from her to separate us…
- Separate us?
- I think she felt that I had feelings for you…
Juliet held her breath; did she hear him right? Terrence had feelings for her? Terrence approached her, made her stand up and said:
- Juliet, look at me.
She raised her head and her emerald green eyes got lost in his deep blue look. A look full of love that Juliet could feel; her memory may be gone, but her heart recognized the feelings of love. She wanted him to kiss her, what a strange feeling…
- I have real feelings for you, Juliet.
- You…
- I love you…
"I have real feelings for you" she had heard that before, with the same voice. But when? Where? We'll see that later… For the moment, she was waiting for Terrence to kiss her. "Kissed…"… "…I kissed you because I have real feelings for you," she heard in her head. Terrence's voice… he'd kissed her before! Her head was spinning a little but the image disappeared. She had Terrence in front of her his eyes full of love. She loved him… and that's a feeling she never felt for Neil, not even for a second.
- I love you too, Terrence, she finally said.
It had to be sealed by a kiss. Terrence remembered the first time, the slapping… this time he was going to do things right. Right? He hoped he won't feel like an idiot… He continued looking her in the eyes. Here goes nothing…
- Juliet, can I kiss you? He asked feeling weird.
- Yes, said Juliet in a whisper.
Terrence leaned and took possession of her lips, Juliet closed her eyes instinctively and tied her hands around his neck. She responded to his kiss with the feeling it was not the first time, that she had been kissed before by Terrence. Was that the reason she was feeling so good with him?
"You're thinking too much," she said to herself, "you're feeling the most wonderful sensations of the world, and you're worried about your memory?… later…"
The kiss lasted for a long time. Her mind, maybe, didn't remember anything, but her heart and her body were responding to the present and growing passion.
Eliza Reagan was passing by on a horse and saw the horses tied to a tree. She recognized one of them but not the other one. She got off her horse, attached it to another tree. She approached the little house and looked out the window and had the shock of her life! Juliet and Terrence in an embrace kissing passionately. The Bitch! Terrence never tried to kiss her on the lips, only on the hand, and Juliet didn't let Neil kiss her either, despite the fact he'd told her that they were engaged! To see "her Terrence" kissing Juliet and it seemed like they didn't want to stop, made her crazy!
"She's going to pay! That little slut! She stole my Terrence right from under my nose! She conned us with her look of lost angels!" she thought in her head.
The couple was still kissing and Eliza couldn't take it anymore. She had seen enough! She burst into the house and yelled:
- JULIET! TERRENCE!
The two lovebirds stopped and turned looked at her surprised.
- Eliza, said Juliet.
- Juliet, how dare you steal my Terrence?
- Correction, Eliza, I am not, nor I've ever been "your Terrence". I love Juliet.
- But you said that…
- I know what I said, but I'm sorry, Juliet and I, love each other…
- You little tramp! That's how you repay us? After we took you in, fed and clothed…
- Eliza, you really want to take that road? Asked Terrence.
Juliet didn't say anything, she let them talk, and she had all those images in her head, she was a little disoriented. Eliza was red with rage and she said:
- Wait until I tell my parents and the Great Aunt, they will lock you up…
- You don't honestly think that I'm going to let Juliet go back to your house? Said Terrence, she's coming with me. No one is going to force her to marry your brother…
- But Terrence, what about me? Said Eliza.
- You? Don't you have other suitors? One more thing, I was bearing with your unbearable company, for one person; Juliet.
Eliza remained speechless. Terrence took Juliet and left with her on his horse and they left there the horse Juliet brought that belonged to the Reagans.
- Terrence, you're really taking me with you? Asked Juliet still a little confused by the incident.
- Juliet, I can't let you live there anymore…
- But my clothes…
- I'll buy you other clothes.
- Ok, but what if they come and get me and force me to marry Neil, anyway?
- We'll cross that bridge when we get there.
Terrence knew that one of the solutions would be to marry Juliet to prevent her from marrying Neil, in case the great Uncle William didn't come in time to stop this fiasco. But Susanna… Susanna was fine, Juliet needed him. He took her to his place, the little apartment he was renting not too far from the theatre.
- Terrence you only have one room, said Juliet.
- I'll sleep on the couch, he said.
- Are you sure?
- Yes, I'm sure.
- I'm going to cook something.
- Ok, but we have to go shopping first.
- Let's go then!
They went shopping for groceries; they brought meat, chicken vegetables, cooking oil etc. everything they needed for the kitchen. Terrence was in seventh heaven; this was what he'd dreamed of for so long, coming back from the theatre, finding Candy waiting for him with a hot meal… But, that's what he had with Susanna… he had everything, except the woman he loved. They also bought a nightgown, the necessary for personal hygiene, a few dresses, shoes… they will buy the rest later. Terrence called Annie from the post office to tell her that he was now living with Juliet. They went back to the apartment and Juliet started to cook the dinner.
Annie went at the Andrew to get some clothes for Juliet and went with Patty and Archie at Terry's. They were surprised to smell the nice odour of the dinner.
- Hello, said Annie, it smells good…
- Very good, said Patty and Archie at the same time.
- Juliet is cooking dinner, said Terrence.
- What? But Candy always burned the food, said Annie.
- Apparently, Juliet knows how to cook, said Archie, incredible!
Juliet arrived with a big smile.
- Hello, everybody! You're just in time for dinner…
- But we don't want to disturb you, said Patty.
- Nonsense! Said Juliet, come on Annie, Patty, in the kitchen, come and help me.
The three ladies went in the kitchen to finish the dinner. Juliet had made some steak, fried potatoes and a salad. Annie and Patty were impressed:
- I was so bored at the Reagans' doing nothing. At the hospital, I spent my free time in the kitchen a lot, watching the cook.
- Oh, said Annie and Patty at the same time, they understood.
- Since I didn't remember anything, I said to myself that it was better to learn. It was funny, I felt good with the staff, like I'd been always there.
"That's because you're a nurse," thought Annie.
- You don't regret leaving the Reagans?
- Leaving? It was more like, I ran away… but no, they wanted to force me to marry Neil without my memory… I just hope they won't come and get me since the Great Aunt is now the head of the family and she has a say in my life, in the absence of my Uncle William. But a young girl shouldn't live with a man without being married…
"But you lived with Albert and you didn't care," said Annie in her head.
- So get married! Said Patty without thinking.
Annie hit her softly to stop her.
- What? Said Juliet, but…
- In the absence of your Uncle William, the Great Aunt Elroy is the head of the family and she wants you to marry her great nephew…
- You're Uncle William is very rich, said Annie, you're his adoptive daughter, so you're also worth a fortune.
- By marrying Neil, said Juliet, I form a sort of fusion with our fortunes, that's why they're insisting…
"Also, because they knew that if you recover your memory, you'll never marry Neil, even if you life depended on it!" thought Patty.
- But why now? Said Juliet, I promised to marry Neil when I get my memory back… Oh… wait a minute that's it, isn't it? If Candy comes back, she wouldn't want to marry Neil…
Annie and Patty didn't say anything.
"He who doesn't say word, consents," thought Juliet.
- Everything is ready, let's get the table ready, said Annie, by the way, Juliet, we brought you some clothes that were at the Andrew manor in Candy's room.
- Thanks, Annie, I left without notice. And anyway, I don't want anything from the Reagans…
Mean while in the living room, Terrence and Archie were talking.
- So you're living with her… said Archie.
- I took her today…
- You told her how you feel…?
- I had to, Archie.
- What about her?
- Juliet loves me too…
Archie remained silent, "Juliet"… Candy without her memory. Even without her memory, her heart had fallen in love with Terry… He wished he were in his place.
- Oh… but if her memory comes back, said Archie.
- I know, but it's not like I'm lying to her; I'm really in love with her.
- Not free…
- I know…
- Hey guys, dinner is ready, said Juliet.
They all went sat at the table and they ate Juliet well done dinner. They all complimented her on the dinner. If Candy burned food, Juliet was an excellent cook!
- Thank you for the compliments, said Juliet, to hear you talk it's like Candy didn't know how to cook? I'm right, am I?
They all burst out laughing.
Eliza went back to her place crazy with rage. That idiot Candy! And Terrence? He really had a good laugh on her behalf, again! She had to find a way to get her revenge… Susanna Marlowe… he told her that it was over. But he lied to her about his true intentions. Maybe he lied about Susanna too? Anyhow, she had nothing to lose….
Her bedroom door opened suddenly, her brother entered all panicked.
- Eliza, where's Juliet? She's not in her room or in the house.
Eliza had an exasperated sigh.
- Your pretty one, has left you, Neil.
- What?
- She left with Terrence.
- No, you're lying!
- Why would I lie?
- Grandchester? You're the one who brought him here! It's your fault!
- Your plan was stupid any way; she would've never married you with or without her memory… with mom and the Great Aunt forcing her hand…
- I knew they were going to ruin everything! I love her, Eliza.
- Well you should've taken her side, and not force her to marry you… she didn't even let you kiss her.
- I was making progress.
- I found her kissing Terrence…
- What?
- Yes. When I confronted Terrence, he said he was in love with her, that they were in love.
- Damn you, Grandchester! I'm going to kill him!
- And your little slut…
- Stop calling her that! I should've handled the situation differently, shit!
- We can force her to come with us… she's still the Great Aunt's responsibility…
- You know pretty well that's what the Great Aunt is going to do… Juliet, he said with a dreamy voice.
- Oh, put a sock in it! Said Eliza.
She was hatching a plan, a plan in her head, and a plan coming from Eliza Reagan, can never be good.
Juliet and Terrence were alone in the living room. She had taken a shower and put on the nightgown Terry had bought her earlier. She was sitting with him on the couch.
- Juliet, are you ok?
- Yes, I have a confession to make…
- Yes?
- When we were in the little house, while you were pouring your heart out to me, I had a flash, an impression of déjà vu.
- Déjà vu?
- Yes, like it wasn't the first time… and when we kissed… have you kissed Candy before?
Terrence looked at her with so much love. Was it the kiss that triggered the memory? There was only one way to find out. He approached her and kissed her passionately for a long time. Juliet tied her hands around his neck again and responded to the kiss with all her heart. Her mind was suddenly invaded with flashes, a lot, and more clear and when Terrence stopped kissing her, her head started to spin; all those images…
- You kissed Candy… and she slapped you… and you too! My God, talk about killing the romance! Said Juliet.
- I surprised her… said Terrence.
- You loved her… and she loved you too, even though she didn't want to admit it.
- I shouldn't have slapped her.
- She started it…
Terrence looked at her amused.
- You do realise that Candy, it's you with your memory?
- It's Candy who's lost her memory… I'm Juliet.
- Ok, Juliet.
- Is that why you asked me the permission this time?
- Yes…
- Oh… well you're making progress! At least you're more polite…
- If I had done it without asking?
- I wouldn't have slapped you, Terrence. It was good, very good.
Juliet was right, she wasn't Candy! Terrence burst out laughing and kissed her again. After a while, they continued talking.
- The Reagans are going to come and get you, said Terrence.
- Patricia suggested we get married, so they won't be able to force me to marry Neil if I'm already married and I would be your responsibility… but that's a little extreme, don't you think so?
- But if we're out of options…
- Terrence, I don't want to make you do something you don't want to.
- Juliet, I love you.
- You love Candy.
- I also love Juliet. My love is unconditional whether you're Juliet or Candy.
- I'm not too sure how to take that. But being with you, it's good. I had my first memory… because of the kiss, I have to say…
- If we continue, maybe you'll have other memories…
- What? Now you want to kiss me just to trigger my memory? She joked.
- We can mix work with pleasure…
- Now I'm "work".
- Juliet…
- I want to know.
- You didn't let Reagan kiss you…
- You wanted me to kiss him?
- No, but he told you that you were engaged to be married…
- That's just it…. If he had told me nothing, and court me… but he put a weight on me; the engagement. I didn't remember it… and as long as I didn't remember… I couldn't go further with him.
- And I came and I court you…
- And you were one step ahead of me. You knew what Candy felt for you, little sneak!
- I have to say that it's not every day that you get to hit on the girl you love again… But what about the big room… my apartment is tiny.
- There is no other place I would rather be than in your arms, I love you, British…
She kissed the man she loved. She knew Candy loved Terrence, she felt it with the kissing memory… Terrence was the happiest man in the world. He had put his New York life aside, to take care of Juliet. Juliet, he loved so much… he managed to make her have a flash, but a little part of him wanted to stay with Juliet. He was so happy.
- Terrence, she said between two kisses, I have to go… I'm sorry for taking your room.
- It's ok… I'm glad to do it.
She stood up to go to bed.
- Good night, British.
- Good night, Juliet.
The British was happy to sleep on the couch, he would sleep on brambles if it meant that he would be close to the woman he loved. He had been separated from the one he loved… it wasn't fair; two people so in love, who had their whole future in front of them, were forced to live separately… Then Juliet arrived… maybe she was the key of this complicated situation…