Faded

Three completely unexpected things happened to Chloe Maddox when she turned twenty-five and it seemed to happen all at once; her younger brother Jayden confessed that he was gay, she found the perfect apartment to rent, and her grandfather told everyone who mattered to him that he had cancer. Sure, it wasn't all good news, but she hoped that everything else in her life from that birthday onwards would end up being more positive than negative...

Chloe ran a hand through her new shortcut hair, liking very much how it framed her face. Her friends Jessica and Riley had also convinced her to dye it burgundy, which took a bit of getting used to. The cutoff pieces would go to a charity for both adults and children who had lost their hair due to either cancer or some other kind of condition. Thinking about those people, her grandfather Joseph popped up in her mind. She decided to visit him, before going into work at the clothes and accessories store Green Butterfly. Her boss Danica wouldn't mind, she knew the situation.

Grandpa Joseph had lived for almost ninety years and seen two sons plus his wife proceed him to the grave. Chloe had only the best memories of him when she was growing up. He was the person who taught her how to ride a bike and also build a treehouse in the backyard, among other things. When they were younger, she and Jayden spent the holidays with him and Grandma Stephanie whenever they could.

She sent a message to Joseph, who responded right away. His grasp of new technology was admirable at his age. 'Hey. Got a spare minute for your favorite grandchild?' 'Always. Come on by.' The live in nurse Sophia answered the door. "Hi. How is he today?" "He's a handful, but I deal with it." Her grandfather was sitting in his comfortable armchair. He looked tired and thinner than usual, but his whole face lit up when he saw Chloe.

"You know, it's a shame Ryan is no longer here to appreciate the new hair. It suits you." She was quiet for a few moments. " Sorry, I really did like him." "So did I. I may have almost considered the possibility that he might be 'The One.' But when we split up, it didn't end on bad terms. He has a girlfriend and son now. We text every so often and Cassie seems okay with that, but as far as I know he hasn't been back since he left town."

She and Ryan Harris knew each other as kids but did not go out until high-school. He was her first serious involvement and for the most part it was good. They just wanted different things as they got older. Other girls had already walked down this path, but Chloe knew in her heart that she wasn't ready to get married and was always ambivalent about having her own children. A new long term relationship might be nice though.

Joseph wisely switched topics. "How is Jayden? I haven't heard from him lately." "Much better. That flu bug really knocked him on his ass. However a lot of his graphic design work could be done online so that wasn't am issue. He has his regular customers, plus some big name companies interested in his products. His partner Kyle was talking the other day about opening up his own dance studio, just down the road from Green Butterfly."

Her grandfather leaned back in his chair. "I wasn't always at ease with gay people, not how I was raised. Yet when Jayden came out, I was okay with it." "Jayden being gay was no real surprise to me. I had my suspicions. He's definitely more confident in his sexuality these days. He brought Kyle around to dinner." "How did Mum and Dad react?" "They saw their son was happy and couldn't help but approve his choice of boyfriend." "What about that apartment you found?"

She couldn't contain herself, waving her hands around and smiling as she explained. "It's on the second floor. It has an open plan kitchen, a lounge room and dining area. There is a bathroom and two bedrooms. I can afford the rent if I share with another person and the complex isn't that far away from all the places I like to be, including work. All I need is a roommate." "I heard cousin Gemma has left home. Maybe the two of you can work something out. " "That's not a bad idea. I'll give her a call."

###

Chloe was in the supermarket, shopping for groceries. She and Gemma took alternate weeks. Being roommates with her cousin for the past two years, had been a rather easy adjustment. Gemma was not a party girl, but she was fun to be with and recently signed up for online dating. She had a new guy to check out every other day. Of course she only replied to the ones who really caught her attention. She knew it was a waste of time to try and convince Chloe to make up a profile. Still her cousin seemed to be doing just fine as a single girl.

While turning a corner, Chloe came close to running over a child who had clearly taken off ahead of his parents. "Oops. Sorry lady." He was about seven years old. Looking at him more closely, he reminded her of someone. A familiar voice she honestly never thought she would hear again said "Thomas, what have we told you?" Ryan Harris was walking swiftly towards them. A blonde woman pushing a trolley followed behind. "Sorry Dad." " Too much energy, that's your problem kid." "I know, but you love me anyway." "Indeed I do."

He now stood not three feet from Chloe. "Woah, hey there. I didn't expect to see you today." "Me neither." For a moment she felt the flicker of the attraction she once had for him. But it soon passed and she began to relax. "You haven't messaged me for a while. How are you?" "Busy with work and looking after this little monster. We're here to visit my mother. She fell down some steps and broke her leg. We figured seeing Thomas might cheer her up a bit." The blonde took hold of the young boy.

Ryan introduced them. "Cassie, this is Chloe." It should have been awkward meeting her ex and his girlfriend. But she and Cassie at once began talking as if they'd already become friends. To her surprise and Ryan's, the women agreed to exchange numbers. Chloe watched the family as they paid for their stuff and exited the shops. Again she had that same kind of feeling; marriage and kids were never going to be high on her priority list. Not that Thomas wasn't adorable. But she still couldn't picture those things for herself.

Her phone rang. She saw it was her mother Lisa and immediately pressed answer. "Hey, are you free right this moment? " "I have groceries to put away, but otherwise yes. What's wrong?" "Bring Gemma with you to the hospital. It's Grandpa. He collapsed." "I'll be as quick as I can."

Doctor Roberts was straight to the point. "Joseph is awake. He came to in the ambulance. As you know his treatment has been more severe and the cancer has slowed its progress. However I would suggest we keep him in for at least a few days to make sure he can return home. I am well aware of Joseph's insistence that if it were finally his time to pass away, he would do so in his own house."

Gemma and Chloe sat by their grandfather's bedside. He was a little grumpy about being kept in the hospital, but really who in their right mind would enjoy coming to or staying in this place? "Can I get a drink? What I wouldn't give for some whiskey right now." "Probably not." "Damn. Hey, could one of you switch on the TV?" "Sure." "There was a documentary series I intended to record when I had the chance. I hope I haven't missed it."

On the drive back to their apartment, Chloe told her cousin about bumping into her ex-boyfriend. "Wow. Was it bad?" "No, not at all. In fact I may have a new friend. Cassie seems to be exactly as Ryan described her. They're a good match. A blind man can see how devoted they are to each other. I also predict that young Thomas is going to be a real heartbreaker when he grows up."

"I sometimes wish I could be like that with my ex. But he cheated on me, more than once. I can't believe I forgave him for it the first time. Maintaining a friendship just wouldn't work for us. " "Yeah, I can see how it might be difficult." "I'm glad Grandpa isn't ready to leave us yet." "Me too." "He has been alive for a long while now. I wonder if we will be as lucky." "Well, we can only cross our fingers and hope so, although as we have often learnt, the lives we live don't turn out the way we think they should." "Ain't that the truth!"

THE END