"Who was that Priest?"
After Father Thompson finally left after being a painful nuisance, Althea posed a question when we were leaving the restaurant.
"Father Thompson? He's someone that my mother knew back in the day. When I was younger, my mom would leave me at his church whenever she was busy and couldn't find anyone to babysit me. So, I'd spent several days helping Father Thompson with his chores."
I chuckled in nostalgia. My former home was once a refuge for nuns to live in, so it made sense that we were near the local church. When I was a child, I'd spent many Sundays with Father Thompson and the other volunteers at the chapel, cleaning what little dust there was or helping out in the kitchen.
Thinking back… I'd probably learnt all of my cooking fundamentals from the church's kitchen.
"... I didn't know that you were a religious person."
"Me? No, that's a misunderstanding." I shook my head, denying Althea's claim. "My mother was the religious one. I was just dragged to church because of her. If I were to identify my religion… I would say that I'm more of an Atheist rather than a Christian."
When I was younger, I was most definitely a believer in the church. However, as I grew older and became exposed to different ideologies, my overall disposition changed. I read more, became educated about the benefits and demerits of religion, the history of the church… and when it came down to it… I made the personal decision to drop my faith.
"But you seemed to be very close to that Priest? You'd even agreed to visit him at the church..."
"Just because I don't believe in his religion doesn't mean that I won't respect the man." I smiled haphazardly. Like Althea, most people believed that atheists and religious people don't get along. While some aggressive Atheists wouldn't even think of stepping foot in a chapel, I wasn't that childish.
Besides, Father Thompson was a special existence in my heart.
"Father Thompson… I guess he would be the closest person to a real-life father that I had. He was always willing to help my family, even though he really didn't have to. My mother really trusted him, sometimes even more than myself."
I managed to pull out a bitter laugh.
"In fact… He'd even paid for a portion of my mother's hospital bills. Even at the very end, he insisted on helping prepare her funeral and was with me when we buried her."
The snowy day that we'd buried her… That image was engraved deep into my heart.
There weren't many that participated in that private affair. Only those who truly knew my mother came to pay their final respects. They would come up to me and give short speeches about how mom had changed their lives, but honestly… I couldn't care less about their sympathies.
I knew that they had the best of intentions, but I was an emotional wreck back then. I didn't care for their empty words.
Thankfully, Father Thompson was there by my side.
He made sure that I knew that I wasn't an orphan. If I ever wanted refuge, I could always return to his chapel, and he would make space for me. He'd even offered to pay for some of my tuition, even though it had been fully paid off by the scholarship I'd obtained.
Father Thompson, he… really was one of a kind.
"Whenever I return to visit her grave, I would often find it in pristine shape. Mom had many friends, but I doubt any of them would clean her grave. Given the circumstances, I'm certain that Father Thompson was the only one who would do such a thing."
Father Thompson was a nice man. He was close to every person that came to the church and even remembered all of their names after they passed away. Perhaps, the reason why he keeps staying in this rural and useless town was due to his lingering attachments to its residents. I wouldn't be surprised if he asked to be buried in the local graveyard as well.
And given his attachments… Father Thompson was likely the person that cleaned my mother's grave. It was the same for the other departed that didn't have any family left to visit them.
Even in death, Father Thompson was willing to remain their friend.
That's why the Priest was perhaps the person I respected most in this world.
"Wow… I couldn't tell..." Althea's reluctant face quickly blossomed into a smile. Haha, she'd must have been shocked by Father Thompson's earlier probing.
"You must forgive him," I laughed. "Father Thompson may be annoying at times, but he means no harm."
"No, he sounds like a delight!"
Althea chuckled as well. When the Priest had been interrogating her like a matchmaker at a marriage interview, the girl wasn't able to put on such an eased face. However, now that she'd known a little bit more about his background, Althea felt more comfortable with being in his presence.
"Hey, Desir?"
"Yeah? What's up?"
"... I know that it's not in our itinerary, but… could we visit your mom's grave?"
"Hmmm? Why?"
"It's just… Although I won't be able to meet her in real life, I hoped to at least pay my respects to the person who raised you."
Althea… Goodness, how on earth did such a pure soul come to be? When I meet her parents in the future, I must ask what they'd fed her growing up.
"I don't mind," I reached out and stroked my girlfriend's head. "I was thinking of visiting her on her death anniversary later this year anyway. I doubt mom would mind an extra visit in the summer. But are you sure? We do have quite a number of activities planned out."
"Hehe, it would be my pleasure!" Althea beamed, showing off her pearly white teeth.
Hah… Looking at her smile that would make the moon bow down in shame, I couldn't deny her anymore. Shaking my head, I smiled and said: "Alright, once our trip to the beach is over, I'll bring you to meet her."
"... Thanks, Desir."
Althea coiled her free arm around mine and leaned deeper into my chest. Breaking into a smile, I freed my arm and wrapped it around my beloved shoulders. Following my lead, Althea snuggled her head deeper into my armpits and allowed herself to melt into my body.
In the end, rather than immediately taking her back to the hotel, Althea and I lingered on in the neighbourhood, unwilling to part our bodies for even a fraction of a second.
❖❖❖
Today was an eventful day, to say the least. We'd travelled by train, watching the mountains and ocean as it passed us by. We checked into the hotel and bought some beachwear for Althea. I'd even brought Althea around just to tour my former home. Lastly, I was reunited with Father Thompson and was able to introduce Althea as my girlfriend for the very first time.
We were even cuddling under the moonlight after nine, the hour where all parents would worry about their children's well-being.
However, our short detour aside, eventually, we must retreat for the night. The moon was already hanging up high in the sky with the distinct sounds of cicadas chirping. If we'd stayed any longer, the darkness would make it hard for us to navigate our way back home.
Alas… That posed a different type of problem.
"D-Desir, I'll be showering now."
"Y-Yeah, see you in a bit."
I could hear my heart pounding rapidly as Althea disappeared into the bathroom I'd just used with her sleepwear and towel. Soon, the sound of water hitting the bathroom floor echoed through the thin walls, and a sweet aroma filled the stale bedroom.
Gulping, I pinched myself to stop my mind from wandering in the wrong direction.
I'd spend many nights with other people. Whether it was with Len when we went on holidays or student camps where we would sleep in tents. Heck, I'd even spent a night with a few of my female university mates when we went for our graduation trip.
However, this case was different. Althea was the woman I loved, much unlike any of the other girls I'd shared a room with. And tonight was a special night for both of us.
Yes… This was our first night sleeping in the same room.
Technically, Althea and I did spend the night together before. Back when we had our one-month trial period, the two of us lost track of time while cuddling and slept soundly soon after. However, that was because we were both full from dinner and in a cuddling stupor. It was more of an accident rather than a conscious act.
Tonight, on the other hand, was completely different.
We knew all along that we were going to be sleeping in the same room. We'd even prepared for it mentally. However, when the day itself came…
I couldn't help but to be in a nervous wreck.
It didn't take long for Althea to emerge from hot showers. And when she finally did… I could feel a tremble erupt through the room.
Hot steam followed the elven beauty out, making Althea seem like a goddess incarnate who had descended upon the mortal realm. One akin to that of fresh daisies and lilies, a sweet aroma whiffed out with every step that she took. And the final nail in the coffin…
"A-Althea, w-what are you wearing?"
"Y-You don't like it?"
"I-I..."
How could I not like it?!
Unlike her usual conservative outfits, Althea wore a thin satin nightgown. Its pinkish silver ascents wrapped tightly around Althea's perfect curves. Not just that, being a gown, there wasn't anything protecting her sumptuous, snowy-white legs. The dress ends were halfway between her knees and waist, making it rather revealing for a summer garment.
But, the detail that broke me wasn't the beautiful legs that I would love to taste or the tight body that I'd seen countless times before. Rather… It was the defenceless collarbones that her spaghetti strap allowed me to see.
If not for her straps, almost everything above her bosom was readily available for me to enjoy for my viewing pleasure. It was mesmerising…
I felt like the longer I looked at her gorgeous body, the more I was unable to control my own.
No, I can't let my lust overtake my judgement!
"... You look really charming, Althea."
"O-Oh! T-Thanks!"
Like myself, Althea was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. We were acutely aware of the meaning behind a couple sleeping together for the first time. However, neither of us were willing to break down that barrier just yet.
And thus, it was best for us to ignore that problem altogether.
"L-let's go to sleep. We have to wake up early tomorrow."
"... O-Okay."
Althea seemed disappointed by my decision but chose not to fight it. We both slipped into our respective beds, and I promptly turned off the lights.
Ba-dump… Ba-dump… Ba-dump…
My heart palpitated, and my face turned red hot. I was unable to see Althea's reaction with my back turned, but I was pretty sure that she was in the same state.
Our beds were but a metre apart. Althea's soft breaths and adorable snorts were distinctively audible in the silence of the night, making it hard for me to concentrate on sleeping. No, both of us found it hard to fall asleep.
Yes, we were in separate beds. And yes, there was a distance between us. But for some reason…
We were acutely aware that we were sleeping together.
Unable to resist myself anymore, I turned around and faced Althea's bed.
"Althea?"
"Y-yes!"
And sure enough, Althea wasn't asleep at all. Instead, she was wide awake, staring at my back like a vulture that wanted to eat its prey.
"You should sleep soon. Len and Sienna will be arriving early tomorrow, and we shouldn't keep them waiting."
"Then what about you? Why haven't you slept yet?"
"..."
"..."
We stared into each other's eyes in silence, neither willing to make the first move. However, it didn't take long until our facade was broken, and we both broke out in laughter.
Goodness… Aren't we a childish couple?
"Haha, alright, we really should go to sleep now."
"Alright," Althea chuckled as well. "Good night, Desir."
"Good night, Althea."
How weird. Just a simple good night was enough to warm my heart and ease my nervousness. I'm sure it was the same for Althea. I locked eyes with her until the girl finally felt her consciousness slip as she stumbled into the halls of Hypnos.
And soon after… I did the same.