Narrated by Pietro:
- Seriously, you really didn't need to bring me here, I'm fine. - says Cybele opening the gate door.
She stops and stares at me, with those almond-shaped brown eyes that honestly break me up.
- It's no big deal, after all, it's not good for you to be alone. - I give a half-smile, feeling my beard itch, scratch it, and look at her.
She rolls her shoulders, and shrugs them back. - Okay, good night then!
I say goodnight to her, and watch her turn and walk to the door, I step forward, but stop when I hear her say:
- Damn!" she says with the keys in her hands, huffing.
- Is something wrong? -I say, raising my eyebrows, frowning.
- Nothing, it's just that this is my mother's purse, she shrugs. - And this is the key to the restaurant, she sits down on the swing.
- Do you want to go back or? - I walk closer to the gate, and put one arm over the white wall of her house, looking at her.
She smiles. - No! These shoes are killing me! -She leans back in her seat, undoing her heels, and lifts her head. - I'll wait, they'll be here soon.
- Then I'll stay and keep you company," I look down. - What if I can? - I scratch the side of my mouth.
- Yes, you can if you want! - She shrugs her shoulders, and walks away sitting on the swing as if giving me space.
I give her a wide smile, and bring my hands to the small gate of her house, sit down beside her, and silence sets in as we stare up at the starry sky above our heads.
- But, did you have a favorite place here? - I gesture with my hands. - I mean this place is paradise, and everything is beautiful, but what is your favorite place? - I stare at this beautiful thing.
She lets out a deep breath, and her mouth curves into a nostalgic smile. - Well, I had a place, actually I stole it from someone. - She laughs and looks down. - You see, Apollo would always hide behind my grandmother's restaurant, whether it was to hide from getting a haircut, or doing math calculations, and I would always follow him, and it turned out to be our corner, where we always hid, and it has a beautiful view. - She puts her hand to her ear and plays with her earring.
- This is nice! I imagine you must have some great childhood memories. - I bow my head.
- Oh yes, quite a few! - She smiles and turns her eyes to the sky, but then looks back at me. - And you don't? - My beautiful black woman asks.
I take a deep breath and turn my eyes to her as I lean back in my chair, it was hard for me to talk about this, childhood.
- No, what to say not many happy ones, my father was always busy. - I give a half smile as I remember my mother. -But my mother and I did spend a lot of time together, and when I was seven they left, my uncle ended up getting custody of me, my paternal grandmother insisted a lot but it ended up with him! - I put my hand on my chin and say: "You know, before my mother died, I didn't even know I had an uncle, she didn't talk about him.
Cybele raises her eyebrows and frowns. - Really? Maybe it wasn't so close, she crossed her hands on her lap. - You know, I asked for someone too, my grandmother! It was awful, I always miss you, no matter how much time passes. - She squared her shoulders.
I feel the cold breeze brushing against my warm skin. I think she is cold, and then I take out my toothpick and charge her. She gives me an embarrassed smile, is it just me or do I notice her rosy cheeks? I think to myself as I look at her, watching her slowly.
- Oh, thank you! - She leans back against the swing. - Wow, I didn't know my mom was going to be so long! - She does, and I notice her eyes narrow. - You can go if you want! It's getting late!
She stares at me, and my heart squeezes, I don't want to go, I don't want to leave her.
- It's all right, don't worry," I move closer to her on the swing, which is wide. - Amanda told me that you gave your resume to the vogue girl! I'm glad, I hope you get it. - I look at her with a half smile.
- Oh yeah, she's nice, although I want to focus on the baby completely. - My beautiful brunette looks away. - But she presented me with a new catalog, and it looks amazing, some of my models would definitely fit in the show?
She bites her lips as she continues talking about fashion enthusiastically, I love the way she talks, expresses herself, even more when she talks about something she loves, she has passion in her eyes, I can tell.
After a few minutes, she looks at me with her eyes wide open.
- Oh, forgive me! I talk too much, and when it's about fashion. - She grabs the hem of her dress. - Do you like it?
- No, but I love to see how much you do.
She puts her hands on her shoulders, and I notice her eyes sparkle or look at me, and I'm sure mine do too. I take her hand and look into her eyes.
- I know, yes you should focus on the baby but don't forget what you also love, your drawings are amazing!
She thanks me, and continues talking, I pay attention to every detail of what she says, I put my left hand on my chin while I watch her talk, I like to pay attention to her, we start for a few minutes and she doesn't seem so elusive anymore.
To see someone talking about what they love is very good, even more so Cibele.
I even laugh at a joke that I let out my way, until I see her cousin and her ex-boyfriend approaching, and right behind them come her grandmother and her mother, with her sister.
We get up, and in short steps go to the gate.
- Well, they're here! - I said pressing my lips together, and with my index finger scratching behind her ear, "Thank you for waiting with me, and for listening to me talk so much about my course, and job... - She gives a half-smile and looks puzzled.
I hold out my hand to her, and say: "No need to thank me, okay? It's always good to hear your voice," I give her a bitterly missed smile.
She curls her mouth, almost forcing herself not to smile, and avoids looking me in the eye.
- Well, I'll see you tomorrow at nine o'clock, don't be late, I hate being late. - She points her index finger at me, pursing her lips together.
I hold up my palms and smile. - I know, I know, I'll be here for our appointment!
She straightens her shoulders, and quickly shakes my hand. I say goodbye to her family, and walk back to my hotel.
What have I done? I have ruined something beautiful, it's you, it's you, oh God it's been you since I saw you at the party. And I will spend my life looking at the silhouette of a girl who will never look at me the way you did. He thinks as he walks to the hotel.
Apollo sees everyone go in and Iris and he stop in front of her house talking.
- Okay, this conversation is very good! But I have to go. - Says Iris taking her hands off Apollo's shoulders, with a smile on her face.
He takes her in his arms and is a little drunk.
- Maybe, if you are free... We can go out. - He looks her in the eyes leaning over the wall.
- Apollo, no! - He lowers his head and the bun in his hair is undone. - She has pushed her hair away from her face. - You know, Apollo, I had this conversation with my mother and it made me realize things, I made a lot of mistakes! I made big mistakes, but I also know my value, and I see it a thousand times clearer now, I'm not a spare tire, I know what I have to offer, and all I'm worth.
He looks at her confused, silent, with frowning corners of his eyes, and walks away with his hands in his pockets.
She puts her hands on his shoulders. - And don't get me wrong, I know I'm the one who came to you, but I don't think we should have anything, ever! And I know you don't want to, it's probably the drink talking for you!
- Good night, Iris. - He lowers his head and walks away.
Iris feels relieved, she wanted to be someone better, and knew that she and Apollo would never happen. It wasn't meant to be, because when something has to happen it doesn't bring her doubts, or threaten her peace, she thinks.
It was not to be, because when something has to happen it doesn't bring you doubts, or threaten your peace, she thinks.
∴━━━✿━━━∴
But a beautiful day begins in Santorini.
And Cybele wakes up and as soon as she opens her eyes she runs to the bathroom, her nausea was getting worse.
Her mother imposes the door with her arms, while holding a yellow tray of breakfast.
- Oh dear I'm sorry, maybe the doctor will help with that today. - Julia says with a sad expression.
Cybele gets up slowly and flushes the toilet.
- Oh, thank you for breakfast. - Cybele says, putting her hands on her stomach and smoothing it, tears flood her face, and she can't control them.
Her mother places the tray on the bed with the blue trough and takes her hand.
- Honey, what's wrong? Why are you crying? - Her eyes widen.
- Nothing, she half laughs, "It's the hormones. - She wipes her tears with her blouse. - I'm fine, you know I'll take a quick shower, I have an appointment and shopping for the baby, busy day!
Julia scratches her hair, and restlessly sits up in bed and while swinging her legs bites an apple.
Cybele comes out of the bathroom in her bathrobe, wrapping a towel around her head.
- So, what did you two talk about yesterday? - Her mother asks, raising an eyebrow as she watches her daughter get ready.
- Oh, life stuff, about the baby, fashion! These things .... - She blushes while leaning in the mirror of her closet.
Cybele's mind suddenly brings her to the image of Apollo, she shakes her head and is distracted by the clothes in front of her.
- Are they coming back, or? Is he sorry? - Her mother twists her mouth, and takes another bite of the apple.
Cybele held her breath, and quickly let it out.
-I don't know, Mom, and it doesn't make any difference to me! - She shrugged, putting lipstick on her lips.
- Ah, but he should be! - she says between bites. - Not so that you can come back, but so that at least you two can have a good time together. - She throws her little finger in the air. - Why honey, you and him is one thing, now you and him and your son ah, that's forever!
- I don't even want to think about it. - But, did you see his uncle yesterday? Wasn't that guy anything like he described? - She raises her eyebrows and laughs, "Is he really bald? And did he have implants? Right, Mom?
Julia rested her palms on the bed, and tried not to think about anything, closed her eyes and lay down on the bed, she didn't sleep at all.
- Mom? Mom? Mom, can you hear me? - Cibele asks with a flowered dress and a red blouse in hand. - Are you okay? You look so stressed and tired these days! - Cybele raises her eyebrows, frowning.
Alexia knocks on the door to let her know that Pietro had arrived, she quickly goes downstairs to go to school.
-I'm coming down! Wish me luck! - Cibele says with her hands on her shoulders, and finger crossed.
Her mother fakes a smile, and lays down on the bed, and Julia falls asleep. But she opens her eyes when she comes face to face with Giovanni, even in her dreams he wouldn't leave her alone.
Cybele goes downstairs and avoids looking him in the eyes, she thinks that her heart beat too much yesterday and the butterflies in her stomach were still there, damn it! They were still there, she can't be too careful.
Pietro notices her avoiding contact, and couldn't blame her, just accept that things were not as they were before...
They go to the hospital...
∴━━━✿━━━∴
Paolo woke up that day facing the fact that something had changed inside him since last night, the way he saw Alexia.
Paolo was in the school across the street of his closet, when he turns his head to the right side and sees Alexia in the crowded hallway, coming up to him with a smile.
And the other people seemed to disappear and the boy looks at her with shining eyes, while she stops in front of him doesn't know what to say, and why he was feeling that way, something changed after Athena's wedding...
He couldn't describe it, but he was in love with his best friend...