WHO ARE YOU?

“Terence...!” Alexander called. He knew Terence never left the mansion. “I’m coming home.” Alexander finished his sentences and within seconds…

“Master!” Terence appeared near the cave. “I’m so glad to hear that!” There was undeniable glee in his voice and tone.

Terence saw Alexander had lost a lot of body weight, and his hair looked dry and grey, limp and not shiny as before, but still looked attractive. He’d bought clothes with him. He stretched his hands for Alexander to take them.

“Paris... S-she’s… alive.” Alexander even hesitates to even admit it. He could have made a mistake to believe cause Paris died in his arms; he remembered her body dispersed into small crystals.

“Are you sure, Master?” Even Terence asked doubtfully.

“My heart glowed.” Alexander touched his chest when he said that. “Could you... maybe sense her?” he asked Terance.

“Certainly, Master,” Terence said and closed his eyes, and began to meditate. Alexander’s heart was beating fast in anticipation. Watching Terence’s expression keenly. And when he smiled.

“Take me to her right now? I have to see her.” He ordered hastily.

“Of course, Master.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Paris had left heaven and landed on Earth.

The three mystical, magical-looking Angels were standing in front of a house. Paris had followed her intuition and had them grounded here.

Pauline opened the front door; she was about to leave to go to work when she saw...

“Paris!” She ran to her. “Oh my god, you’re here...” She reached for her daughter and hugged her. Instantly Paris felt the connection she’d had with this woman—she was home. “I’ve been so worried.”

“Are you my, Mom?” she asked.

Pauline frowned. “I’m always going to be your Mom, honey.” She grabbed her face.

“Where have you been? Six months, Paris?” she whimpered. “I thought something worse had happened. I’ve been living in hell and worried about you. I couldn’t even go to the police about your missing. I had to make things up for your job, friends, and family when you suddenly went away.” She quivered with a rasping cry.

“I’m okay. I’m here now, Mom.” Paris’s eyes watered; she hugged her back, reassuring her emotionally wounded Mama. Once Pauline composed herself, she wiped her eyes. “I knew you’d come back. I had full faith you will come home, Paris.”

“You called me Paris? Is that my name?” Pauline frowned again. At first, she couldn’t guess why Paris would ask such a silly question. Then her eyes sweep to the man and the woman standing in the distance.

“Hello, is there a place where we can sit and talk?” Aron, her father, spoke. Pauline couldn’t deny the man’s striking attraction, and the woman standing next to him. Both were as beautiful as Angels.

“I’m sorry, but who are you?” Pauline asked suspiciously of two adults standing behind Paris.

“They are my birth parents,” Paris said, introducing them. Pauline’s smile dropped, and fear took over her.

’Are they here to take away my Paris from me?′

“Oh.” Pauline reacted gloomily, but she quickly recovered and smiled. “Please come in.” She felt awkward, very awkward.

Pauline started on Tea. Then she looked at Paris; and how she always used to see Paris, more human rather than an Angel, but she couldn’t comprehend the other two Angels sitting in her living room; the vividness of these seems far rarer than ordinary, like dreaming in sleep.

Pauline had welcomed them into her house now, but Pauline wanted to clarify to her birth parents that Paris belongs here—on earth, and as her mother, she is entitled to guardianship and custody. Pauline felt that a crisis had come, and she was determined to fight for her daughter’s care if she had to.

Pauline confidently picked up the tray and brought it to the coffee table. In its own ironic way, she served Tea with slices of Angel food cake.

Everyone took a sip of their tea. Then Pauline started. “I love Paris. I love her more than anything in this world. So if you’re here to take away my baby from me… I-I won’t let you. I won’t allow you to take her away from me.” She went full mode in a fighting stance.

“We are not,” Priscilla spoke.

“You’re not.” Pauline blinked.

“I understand what you must have gone through. Losing a child had to be the scariest feeling in the world.” The two women couldn’t deny sharing the same feelings.

“As much as we want to keep her with us. She wanted to be here and stay on earth.” Her birth mother said.

“Angelina wanted to find some answers and insisted on coming back to earth,” Aron said. “Have you met her Mate?” The concerned father began with his inquiry.

Meanwhile, Paris had excused herself and began to explore the house while the three sat in deep conversation.

Her gaze began to rove around; across the room—to see something thoroughly.

Nothing. She remembers nothing at all. Everything was new; to see, feel, and touch. Everything felt different. ‘I have become a stranger to myself.’

Though everything was strange around her, she didn’t feel uneasy, not like how she felt up in the heavenly clouds.

Paris saw herself in many of the picture frames with Pauline, which allowed her to trust her intuition freely.

Ever since she’d appeared, Paris had a small pain tingling in her chest; she would brush the spot to ease the pain. She was looking for something in particular, a hope, a spirit—that one missing part of her life. She was almost certain it was here. She only needs the inspiration to find what she has been seeking.

Just then, Paris caught the sight of a man standing on the lawn from the corner of her eye. The hair on her back stood up. Daring, she followed her intuition again. She stepped out through the patio door and started to walk across the lawn toward him. As she got closer, her heart rate picked up. She felt a strong connection between intimacy and promise. She wasn’t frightened of him, though he felt like an intruder, but not a threat.

She was here. He watched her walk along the green path. Paris... beloved...

How I have yearned for you... longed for you... Angel...

She stood in front of him. Her narrow, intense eyes studied him. She was staring at the skinny man, who looked like he had been starved for months and could die at any moment.

While she was scrutinizing him, on the contrary Alexander couldn’t believe his eyes. Paris, his love has returned. His emotional heart was picking up on the excitement.

“Paris...” He called her name.

Paris clutched at her heart; the ripple of emotion she felt was so strong, she practically vibrated. She felt as if she’d touched this man, without physically touching him, their bond was now so strong, that only death could break it.

“Who are you?” she stared into his green eyes.

“Paris...” Alexander frowned. “You... you do not remember me?” his frown deepened, and his happy heart sank.

“No.” She gave him a rueful look.” I seemed to lost my memories. Who are you?” she asked him again. There was desperation in her voice.

“What kind of impression do you get from me?” he asked her instead.

She tilted her head to one side and studied him for a moment. “A man who knew how to please a woman’s way of love.” He smiled at her words, and Paris’s eyes fell on his delicious mouth. His lazy smile warmed her inside.

He caressed her cheek, his fingertips trailing fire as they slid over her skin, and down the curve of her throat. She shivered with pleasure.

She wondered if he always touches someone else like that, and they felt the same as her.

“I’d missed you, Paris.” He touched and caressed her right cheek. Something warm moved inside her, the tingling pain in her chest vanished and was replaced with an incredible joy by his touch. She leaned relishing his touch.

Both their hearts glowed.

“Did you feel that Paris?” he asked.

“Yeah! What did you do to me?” she asked worriedly.

“You’re going to fall in love with me, Paris.”

She mused and cocked her head to one side. “So confident. What if I don’t?”

Alexander took a step closer; a sinister smile playing on his lips. He bent down to her eye level. His eyes fixed on her.

“You already have Paris.” He said and he kissed her lips. She closed her eyes to feel his touch; the coolness felt refreshing against the heat of her skin.

She was as sweet as he remembered. Unable to resist her, he had pulled away from her.

Paris felt him leaving her lips. She opened her eyes quickly.

“Please, tell me who you are. I need to know you.” She placed her hand on his, so she could cherish the touch for a little bit longer.

“Try and remember me, Angel,” he said. “I need you.” He told her, there was kindness and hurt in his gaze. Alexander brushed his thumb over her bottom lip, and her lips parted on their own. Alexander wanted to kiss her again, deeply. He almost leaned in but stopped when he saw a woman standing at the patio screen door.

“I should go now.”

“No.” she felt a pang in her chest. “Please don’t go.”

Paris had no way of explaining the powerful impact he had on her. She felt she could easily trust this man and follow him wherever he takes her, even to a place she doesn’t know and she would follow him blindly.

“I’ll come again,” he promised.

“Please stay.”

“PARIS!” Her mother hollered. Paris turned to look at her mother. And Alexander whooshed out of there.

When Paris found he’d left, she felt immediate pain in her heart at losing his presence.

‘Please come back.’ She wished.

~*~

Priscilla and her mate were so happy with Pauline that they granted her long life for taking care of their Angel. It’s something she never expected from them in return, but Pauline appreciated the generosity greatly.

Before leaving, Aron reminded Paris. “Remember your promise.”

“And you remember yours, father.” And the two ethereal celestials left the earth.

Pauline thought to celebrate with her daughter later, now that there was no threat of her going back.

“Paris, can you boil some eggs for our lunch? I need to call the hospital. I want to spend some time with you today.” Pauline picked up her cell phone.

“Okay. Umm... how do you boil the eggs, Mom?”

‘Oh, boy.’ Her mother sighed. Paris has also forgotten how to cook.

Paris watched her mother with fascination, while she was preparing the egg salad; simultaneously learning. Pauline also had to show her how to use a microwave, and coffee machine.

When Pauline told her she was a chef at a four-star restaurant, Paris could feel the passion and wished she had never forgotten something she loved doing.

They both sat at the kitchen table, eating lunch. Paris was sharing her experiences, from up above the clouds.

“They’d named me Angelina,” Paris told her.

“You may be Angelina for them, but for me, you’ll always be my Paris.” Pauline giggled at the memory that came to her mind. “Did you know why I named you Paris?”

“I’m sure you’ve told me before, but I would like you to remind me.”

“Pari means “fairy” in Persian. When I found you, you were the tiny little beautiful girl I’d ever seen, and with a single feather tucked behind your back, I didn’t know if you were Angel or a fairy. Honestly, I didn’t care, and I named you Pari.”

“Then how did it change from Pari to Paris?”

“Just like your wings—hidden. I added the consonant ‘S’ at the end to hide the real meaning of your name on your birth certificate.”

“I’m so glad you’re my Mom,” Paris said suddenly. Pauline’s eyes welled up. To hide her emotion, she interrupted and picked up both plates to put them in the sink.

“Mom, do I have a dad?”

“No,” Pauline replied.

“Why not?”

“I never wanted to add any more complexity to our life. I couldn’t trust any men knowing your secret. It has always freaked me out, so I never went out on a date. However, I did get plenty of opportunities.”

“You should have, Mom. I want you to be happy and in love.” Paris probably wanted to say this before losing her memory but never got a chance to say it so boldly. Pauline looked at her, flushed with gratification.

“Mom, the thing you used to call your work, what is that thing called?”

“It’s called a cellphone,” Pauline said while washing the dishes.“Paris, why don’t you change your clothes, it’s weird to see you in a cloak.”

“Oh... What should I wear?” she asked.

“Ah, that’s a problem now, we need to go shopping, to buy you some clothes. Apparently, all your personal items and all your clothes got stolen from your apartment. Which by the way you no longer have. I’ve to break your lease. I couldn’t afford both the mortgage and rent.”

“I didn’t live here with you?”

“No. You had your own place, a job. You were an independent girl.” she said proudly.

“I’m sorry if I’m a burden on you, Mom.”

“No, Paris, don’t ever say that. I believe in you. You’ll come through this, honey. You’ll.”

“Oh, Mom.” She hugged her. “I love you,” she said with tears rolling down her cheeks.

She spent an entire day with her mother reminiscing about old times.

~xXx~