Juliet was awoken in the middle of the night by a call from the hospital. She answered the phone. The Lady on the other side of the call said that Eli had woken up from his coma and that Juliet was welcome anytime to come see him. Juliet hung up immediately and jumped out of bed. She grabbed her robe and keys. She ran out of her bedroom and slid her sandals on as she reached the door.
"Where are you going at this time?" Asher asked from the hall behind her. His voice was filled with concern and drunkenness. She looked back at him. He had bags under his eyes and a bottle of Fire Ball in his hand.
Her fingers tightened around the keys in her hand, but she didn't answer him.
"Juliet…" It was the first time he'd called her by her birth name. "Where are you going at," He looked at his watch. "Where are you going at one-fifteen?" He looked back up at her.
She noticed how bloodshot his eyes were. Her eyes watered with regret and terror as she saw what he had done to himself.
"I-... I'm going to go see my boyfriend." She said. She tried to keep her voice from breaking as she spoke, but failed miserably.
Asher nodded slowly. "I almost forgot you were already taken…" He took a long drink of the fire ball. "Drive safe… please, honey."
He didn't flinch as he took another long drink, but she did. She nodded and walked out of the house.
The door clicked softly behind her. Asher sat in the hall- drinking the fire to quiet the storm she never wanted him to drown in.
She climbed into her car and slammed a fist against the dash board. Her tears finally ran down her face. She looked at herself in the mirror before wiping her eyes. "Grow up, Juliet." She snapped at herself. "He doesn't need you to comfort him, he's a grown man… And you said that you needed some space." She sucked in a deep breath and started the car.
Asher stood in the window, watching her leave. Some part of him wanted this to all be a nightmare, and that she would be sleeping peacefully in his arms. Asher laughed out loud at that thought. It's just the alcohol talking. This is why you haven't had a drink since… Since Clara. He thought to himself.
…
Juliet ran into Eli's hospital room and quickly made her way over to his side. Eli looked up at her. Confusion on his face. Juliet reached for his hand but he pulled away. "Who are you?" He asked. His eyes searched hers for answers.
"It's… It's me Juliet. Your girlfriend."
Eli shook his head. "No… No, I don't have a girlfriend."
She finally took his hand. "I'm Juliet. Your Juliet." She said, tears flooding her eyes.
"I'm sorry, but I never knew a Juliet." He said, his voice was apologetic.
She pulled her hands away and stepped back. Maybe this really is worse than if he died. She thought to herself. The one person… The one person who bound me to reality doesn't remember me!
She nodded. "I- I'm sorry sir, I must have got you mixed up with someone else." She lied. "Funny thing," She had to force a laugh. "You two look just alike." She wiped her eyes. "I'll leave you. I'm sorry for intruding." She turned away to hide her silent sobs from him.
She headed back to the car and screamed until her throat burned. She sobbed until her eyes were red and puffy. She hit her dash board again and again until blood stained her fists red.
…
When the sun rose, Juliet was curled up in the backseat. Her knuckles have stopped hurting hours ago, but her heart would need a lot more time to heal. Juliet reached into the driver seat and grabbed her phone. She noticed that Asher had tried to call her seven times.
She stared at the screen until it went dark then let it slip from her hands, like everything that's ever mattered to her. It didn't shatter like when it hit the floor. Not like when she did. She curled up tighter and was about to close her eyes, but her phone rang.
She picked up the phone and looked at the name on the screen. Asher was calling for the eighth time. The phone buzzed in her trembling hands. She wanted to block his number, to throw the phone, to disappear… But instead, she answered the call.
Asher's voice was urgent, and it scared her.