CHAPTER 2

Chapter 2

"Speaking of business interests..." she says, changing the subject for the umpteenth time since we’ve been sitting in the restaurant. She managed to drag me to the hairdresser before coming here to completely change my look. I was forced to say goodbye to my long raven hair and accept the platinum blonde 'kindly' recommended by Ele and her trusty coiffeur. Thinking she was joking, I dared to go further by asking for a peculiar colour, resulting in me now having a rainbow on the back of my neck. Yes, they took me seriously, and now I have multi-coloured hair, visible only if I tie it up.

"I've been talking to my cousin these days," she reveals, whilst poking an olive. "He has a little restaurant similar to this one out on the harbour, and he told me that if you're willing to work every now and then, you can start right away." She smiles, happy to have helped me. I look at her with a surprised look on my face. I part my lips to say something that might ruin the moment, but she interrupts me just in time. "At least you'll be able to buy yourself some more clothes or something. You'll at least be able to be independent and start a new life." She widens her smile in the hopes of making me feel her joy, but I feel like crap. I was ready to snap back at her, but she's doing all of this for me after I shut her out of my pain without hesitation. I'm such a bad friend.

"Thank you," I whisper and print a smile on my face. I really hope she can’t see its strained nature. The thought that I confided in her about something I didn't feel ready to is dispelling the surge of sweetness I was feeling.

"When you're free you could accompany me and introduce us, then we'll see." There's tension in the air, I can feel it. Something that gives me the impression I'm in the wrong place. Maybe she's not very happy with my presence, maybe I'm nothing but dead weight to her since I only have very few possessions on me and am relying on her entirely, but I really didn’t have anywhere else to go. I reach out my hand grabbing my glass and, before taking a sip, I speak. "Although I've never been a waitress. In fact, I've never worked in my life," I mutter. I'm afraid that this will penalise me.

Silly me… I'm twenty-two years old and after graduation I preferred to have a good time instead of looking for a job based on the skills I had acquired. But I guess it's normal that after so many years of studying one would want to have fun.

"I suppose it's just a matter of bringing plates to the tables without spilling them on the customers. I don't think it's that hard," she chuckles. I shrug and start eating, amused by her answer. If it were that easy, there wouldn't be a specific school for that line of work.

I only take a few bites before I feel completely full. I'm still not very hungry, after what she had prepared for me this morning.

"You know, I like you as a blonde. You look like a different person, almost unrecognizable." At these words, I look up at her and find her questioning gaze fixed on me. I guess she has a lot to ask me, or maybe she doesn't know how to point out that I'm not reacting seriously.

"We could find you another name," she whispers. I can't tell if his is a statement or a tease.

"This is ridiculous. My father will find me before I even manage to get out of this damn chair and, at that point, it will all have been in vain.”

"Giada, please stop moping. This isn't who you are, you're..."

"I'm not moping, I'm just angry as hell. I wanted to spend at least one day not thinking about what they did to me and instead it seems like that's all we can talk about. Let's just do what you say and see how long it lasts, okay? From now on I'll be Jade Kastis, born in Athens but of nomadic descent, is that okay?" I answer rudely just to get a moment of peace.

I cross my arms over my chest and roll my eyes. She doesn't answer, preferring to look at me with wide eyes. "The date of birth can stay the same, it doesn't change shit anyway." I lean forward and bang my hand on the table. "My father will find me and drag me with him to hell." As I say this, all the rage that had been building up exploded out of me. I look at her and see only fear. Hell, I'm so ungrateful. She's putting her soul into this and me? I'm ruining everything for her with my bad mood and pessimism that won't let up. I huff and drop my head forward. “Sorry. I can't seem to find the light. Everything is dark, so bloody dark, and it's making me furious."

"I'll do everything in my power to stop them from finding you. I promise." She reaches out her hand towards me, grabs mine and squeezes it tightly. "Maybe I know how to cheer you up. This time for real."

I find her determination truly unique. I hint at a smile to let her know I appreciate it even if it doesn't seem like it. Good thing she's here or I'd still be in my room moping.

"I'll introduce you to your employer. Maybe a new, smiling face could give you the right push to react. His cheerfulness is very contagious, he always puts me in a good mood and who knows, he might have the same effect on you."

"He'll feel so sorry for me that he'll hire me out of compassion," I grumble.

"Nonsense. You're magnificent when you're not having these ‘drama queen’ episodes. I swear, I wanted to slap you for the way you answered me just now." She raises her hand to call back to the waiter and have the bill prepared. "You'll see, he's wonderful and kind, as well as handsome."

"You're not trying to pin him on me, are you?" I blurt out amused. The way she talks about men always cheers me up. When necessary, she knows how to enhance people's qualities and make them more interesting than they actually are.

"As far as I know he had an affair with a married woman. I have no idea how it ended. The subject seems to be sensitive,” she reveals as she pays the bill. I get the feeling all of this is not leading to anything good. We get up and, in complete tranquillity, head for the car.

"Maybe the husband found out. Think of the scene. I couldn't be someone's mistress or even a betrayed wife. He'd be a dead man."

You can't blame her. Who would want to lose the love of their life because of an affair? Who would want to have to share their partner with another?

Yeah Giada, who would? You. You have been the lover of a man who turned out to have a wife expecting his child.

A few minutes pass before we reach the beautiful seascape enclosed in the caldera. After a few downhill bends we reach our destination. At least I think so, as we’ve reached the port, which encases a pretty little restaurant embellished by typical island colours.

"You'll see that you'll get along fine. He's an easy-going man and..."

"Man?"

"He's thirty-three, I don't think it's ideal to call him a boy."

Thirty-three? I thought he was our age.

As soon as I crossed the threshold of the restaurant, I was fascinated to find it completely different from what I had imagined. Even though from the outside it gives the impression of being tiny, inside the room is huge. The wooden tables which fill the space are embellished by beautifully decorated tiles and their legs are painted in that characteristic blue that I am beginning to adore. Everywhere you look, the atmosphere gives off Greek vibes.

"Electre Cospiris. Tell me this is not a mirage. At last, I can associate a face to the one who calls me at all hours, day and night, for comfort." A deep voice makes me turn towards my friend who, with a huge smile, welcomes her cousin by running up to him and hugging him tightly. "So good to see you again." I watch the scene in adoration.

"I show up every now and then. You know how it is, I’m constantly running around," Ele chuckles, pulling away from him.

As soon as I can see his face, I notice how handsome he is: brown hair, eyes identical to Electre's, slightly darker skin. Maybe it's all the time he spends by the seaside. He is a few centimetres taller than her and, although there are well-defined muscles protruding under his shirt, they are not overly pumped up. In fact, they are very pleasant to look at.

"Meet G..." Electre takes a few steps to the side to give her cousin a chance to see me.

"Jade Kastis," I interrupt her, holding out my hand before they can say anything.

His eyes settle on me, and he reaches out his hand to grab mine. A strange shyness pervades our bodies at the same time.

Electre was right, he's really beautiful.

"Pleased to meet you, I am Enea Cospiris, the co-owner of these four walls." He smiles at me in the same sweet, warm way his cousin does. He looks friendly, without a shadow of malice. I tighten my grip, afraid only that he might choose not to accept my application.

He reciprocates, making a pleasant shiver spread through my body. His hand is warm, smooth, soft, and pleasant to touch. He seems to get lost in my eyes, which makes me blush.

"This is the friend I was telling you about," Electre interjects, seeing us struggling. She taps him on the shoulder to get his attention and he, perhaps to lessen the embarrassment, pretends to be hurt. He releases his grip to massage himself. He turns to his cousin with a look of mock terror.

"Are you crazy, hitting me like that? You know I'm fragile. I could break into a thousand pieces," he says mimicking outrage before smiling at her in amusement.

"You're just dumb, not fragile."

"Okay, I’m sorry. Let's be serious for a moment: have you talked to your mother?" He inquires with a slightly worried tone. Ele immediately changes her expression. Her mother? I know that the weeks Electre spent in Bari were because of a huge fight with her parents. I don't know whether things have changed yet.

What a lousy friend I am, I didn't even ask her if she had fixed her problems.

"Funny."

"Do you need a job too my dear? I know they cut your funding and was wondering how you’ve been able to support yourself." he asks overpowering my friend's words, putting her in the foreground of what we came to do.

"No, you prick. I'm here for her, and I'd like you not to divert the topic onto me." The man casts a fleeting glance towards me, wrinkling his brow as if bewildered.

What the hell is going on?

"As I explained, she would like to stay here and support herself without asking her parents for help. You assured me on the phone that there wouldn’t be any problems." Enea turns back to her with a strange frown on his face. He grants her a tugged smile. He strokes his cousin's head just to mess her hair and take his revenge.

"Ele, are you okay? Mum's worried," he rehashes, ignoring me.

I never asked any questions about her family because the only time I dared bring up the subject, she specifically asked me not to pry.

"I'm fine. I don't need a job and I don't need them either, I already have people to support me." What? I thought she was working.

"Did you find a pimp?"

"Enea, please. We are not here to talk about me. Because if you really wanted to, then we could also talk about your little affair with that married woman." The expression on Enea's face turned serious. He glared at her while she looked back at him with an amused smirk on her face. She knows how to keep him at bay. It shows.

Enea turns back to me, pinning his amber eyes back into mine.

"Have you ever worked in this environment?" He stares at me with a serious expression, perhaps annoyed by what his cousin has revealed. I should look away, break this eye contact, but it's impossible. He seems to be able to dig deep into my soul and read my thoughts.

"Whatever, right?" He shrugs and glances at Electre, then back at me. I can feel my heart beating in my throat, and I can already taste a big laugh with an accompanying tease, if not a full-blown scolding for thinking I can work without experience. "All you have to do is write down what they order and bring the dishes to the table." He cuts through my thoughts, making me feel even more stupid and inadequate than I did when I arrived. I'm honestly ready to turn around and walk out of here without looking back if he turns me down.

"When can you start?" I swallow, incredulous at his manner. I try not to stumble over my words and sound like a silly little girl.

"Now, if the clothing is appropriate," I venture. I had never said that. Enea takes the opportunity to thoroughly square my body. He scrutinises every inch of skin that the shorts and tank top have left uncovered, and a sudden warmth makes me blush imagining things I shouldn't be.

I really do seem to have a problem with older men. Or maybe I just have a problem with men in general.

I look for Electre's help with my gaze, but she seems to be lost in thought. Maybe Enea's words made her think about her life.

"I don’t see any issues. You'll make many tourists happy," Enea retorts, twisting his mouth into a mischievous smirk. "But there's no ship scheduled for today. Tomorrow on the other hand..."

"Then it's done," Electre began, hitting her cousin on the stomach to get his attention. His interest in me seems to bother her.

"I know she's in safe hands with you," she whispers through gritted teeth. It came off as more of a veiled threat than a statement, as she lifted her head to look him in the eyes. He doesn't seem to mind so much, in fact, he smiles blissfully when his cousin stands on her toes and leaves a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you."

"Alright." He pulls her close, revelling in that contact. "I'll expect you tomorrow by eleven. It's supposed to be a full house. Are you up for it?" That smile and those very white teeth surrounded by full lips really are quite adorable.

Just like Raffaele's.

I nod and extend my hand towards him to seal the deal. I hope I can do it, keep up the pace required, not disappoint either of them or most importantly, myself. This is a good opportunity to pay Electre back for hosting me.

"Sure, I just hope I don't cause any damage and make you regret your choice." I chuckle just to get rid of the tension I'm feeling.

"Other than getting a table wrong or knocking something over, what damage do you think you can do? I'll be there to guide you, don't be afraid," he replies, grabbing my hand. Unexpectedly he pulls me towards him, heedless of his cousin, enclosing me in a hug. I don't move, maybe this is their way of doing things, of reassuring people, of... what do I know, I'm only trying to understand what their customs could be.

He takes a deep breath as he runs his face through my hair, as if he wants to remember my scent.

"I'll give you a hand and you'll see there won't be any problems. Don't worry about it before time. We'll face whatever happens together," he reassures me in a warm whisper, far too sensual for my liking.

My goodness, is everyone on this island going to be like that?

As soon as he loosens his grip, I slip away from him and this unpleasant situation that I'm not enjoying at all. I haven't given Enea the chance to think inappropriate thoughts, I haven't led him to believe I'm into it nor have I tried to. When our gazes meet, however, I notice from his expression that he has perhaps realised he went too far.

"Go home, get some rest, enjoy your last day of unemployment; I want you energetic tomorrow." He's back to being serious.

Will I ever understand men?

"Sorry girls, but I have to go back to the kitchen and get everything ready for tomorrow." He doesn't even give us time to say goodbye as he turns around and, with a few steps, vanishes behind a curtain.

Maybe I did something I shouldn't have?

I hope we can clear the air tomorrow and, more importantly, that he doesn't get involved to the point of making my job difficult. Resigned to the fact that it may be a trait of his character, I cast a glance at my friend urging her to leave the restaurant and go home, but she turns to the curtain behind which her cousin has vanished.

"Wait for me outside please, I'll be right there." She walks away looking anything but peaceful. I huff and head outside where a row of blue chairs, along with the slight breeze tickling my skin, await me. I sit on the only one kissed by the sun and bask in its warmth.

Why does everything suddenly seem wrong to me? Running away from home, invading my friend's privacy and life, almost forcing her cousin to give me a job and approaching him in the wrong way. And now, most likely, they're fighting because of me.

Man, I miss Raffaele. His hands, his kisses, his perfume, his attention, the dozens of red roses he used to send me before we secretly met. It seems strange to say, but even though he landed a low blow on me, two years are hard to erase in a few days. He was my first true love.

I feel a tear roll down my cheek until it sneaks between my lips.

"Here I am." My friend's voice makes my eyes widen. I turn to her, finding her head tilted and her brow furrowed, waiting for me to say something. I get up from my chair and put it back before reaching her and stopping a few inches away.

I can't make eye contact with her because I feel like I've done something wrong.

"Are you okay?"

I nod, but she surprises me by stroking my cheek, where the tear fell. Without demanding an explanation, she hugs me.

"Everything will be fine, don't worry," she whispers in my ear sensing my state of mind. I had a moment of weakness, looking at Enea I saw Raffaele and that hit me harder than I expected.

I nod again and take a deep breath, inhaling as much air as I can, and then blow it all out, exhaling the sadness with it.

"What did you say to each other?" I probe, hoping to get a sensible answer. "Let me guess, I was too cheeky for him." Electre chuckles. She grabs my hand and leads me towards the car, determined not to say anything. Or maybe not, since after a few minutes she starts ranting about what happened in the restaurant between Enea and me, glossing over the fact that I felt sickened by the whole affair.

"Nonsense. He probably only saw long legs and..."

"You think he's that shallow? His eyes were fixed in yours, he didn't even notice your body," she reveals. "Rather, what about you? Maybe you found something interesting in him."

What? No. If having him around for a few seconds reminded me of Raffaele, I don't think I could see him in the same way. Not least because he's certainly not interested. This wouldn’t even be the right time.

"Electre, please," I bellow. I don't want to hear about this. I just want to focus on work for now. I just want to earn some money so I can be independent. When I have recovered financially and emotionally, then I can think about other things." I'm not going to mix the two, it wouldn't be professional. Besides, I wouldn't even be able to do it right now. "I don't feel like throwing myself into anything with anyone. It's too soon, you know that. Besides, do you know how many people someone like him meets on a daily basis?"

"Do you have any idea how many people go to his restaurant? Anyone who arrives in Santorini. You can't live segregated forever."

She's right. I hadn't even thought of that.

***

"Home at last," I sigh as I cross the threshold of the flat. I theatrically drop the dozens of bags acquired because of Electre's compulsive shopping and run towards the kitchen.

After talking to Enea, we went to visit the centre of Oia where my friend looted every shop. I don't think she'll ever wear all those clothes, even though she has them pegged as 'must-haves'. We also managed to stop at a phone shop where I bought a new SIM card in Electre's name.

I'm so thirsty I could drain a lake and, even worse, I'm in dire need of a coffee. I wasn't even allowed to stop at a coffee shop to rest for a few minutes. The only break I was allowed was a ten-minute stop at the little bar where we got our takeaway dinner.

A light chuckle fills the small lounge and, when I turn around, I find Electre standing in the doorway staring at me.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're beautiful when you're happy?" She moves a few steps towards me and hugs me. But, in spite of her smile, her eyes are sad and not knowing why bothers me. I just hope it's not because of Enea’ behaviour, or mine.

When Electre arrived in Bari she caused quite a stir. She managed to make some of my friends hate her just because she didn't hold back her tongue. What she had to say, she said straight to their faces. Even Raffaele couldn't stand her. After Bari I kept in touch with her, but I don't really know how her life went on, if she found love or if she is still as much of a free spirit as she had always declared. I remember her smile though, proud, and bright, which she always wore at any cost. A smile that today, however, is different, as if it concealed truths she did not want to share.

"You're finally out of that room." She squeezes me tighter. "I never want to see you like that again. You have no idea how scared I was." As soon as she said those words, she pulled away from me, perhaps to gauge my reaction. Her eyes always have the same effect on me: hypnotic. Her hands caressing my cheeks and sliding down my neck remind me of moments I don't know if I'll ever relive. I sigh and look away from her.

"Enea sniffed me," I reveal, changing the subject. I do this because I still haven't recovered from earlier and can only deal with one mess at a time. I pretend to be offended by it as I retreat a step.

"Sniffed?" she chuckles. Her expression changes and I realise I haven't upset her.

"Yes, sniffed. It's not that..."

"Do you think he’s a maniac?" Her smile widens, but her eyes remain sad. "Enea is a good man. You just smell good. That's all." Electre walks past me, opens the cupboard, and grabs a couple of glasses.

"Okay. I trust you," I say under my breath as I watch her. Only now do I notice that the kitchen is equipped with so many items that I don't know the use of, but I assume that if they're there it means they can be used for something. At least I think so.

"Can I ask you a question?" I ask as she fills both glasses with fresh water. She nods as she turns to me and, leans on the counter and hands me a glass. "Who does this all belong to?" I look around, searching for clues regarding the owner, but there are none. Besides, the decor of this house is quite impersonal, but so rich in detail that it seems to have been made for an everyday life, not just a beach holiday.

My friend's eyes lower to the ground. Strangely enough, she is more dumbfounded than I’ve ever seen her. The subject seems to touch her deeply and I would love to understand why. Maybe help her. Something is clearly not right and being in the dark about it certainly doesn't make me feel well.

With one step I reach her, and she recovers, raising her eyes to me. She shakes her head and puffs out a soft giggle.

"You were saying?"

"You have to tell me how much rent for this place is." I choose to take it easy on her this time and not go straight to the point because it apparently upsets her.

"Do you want a coffee?" she suggests, changing the subject and I, of course, nod. Everything to do with this flat catapults her into another dimension. She doesn't want to talk about it, but I want to know, and I decide that sooner or later I will come back to the subject. After all, wasn't it her who told me that the landlord would like to meet me? And didn't he help her unhinge the door to my room?

She turns to the coffee machine, starts setting the various functions, inserts the pod and as soon as she picks up the cup, it slips from her hands. I try to help her, but she pushes me away. I don't say anything, I leave her to it and accept her silence. At least for now.

"Did I mention I'm really glad you got out of that room?"

"About a million times." Electre hands me the cup with the hot drink and I smile. She remembered not to add sugar nor milk, just the way I like it. "Instead, I was pleased to notice that my Greek still seems to be understandable."

"Your Greek is perfect," she reveals in a whisper as she watches the coffee fill her cup.

"Like your Italian coffee," I continue, trying to engage her and get her talking. "I like the way you decorated the house. There are so many things the function of which I don't understand, but I like it," I say hoping she finds my joke funny too.

"They were already here. Nothing you see is mine," she explains as the smile leaves my face. I reach out a hand towards her, removing a strand of golden hair to tuck it behind her ear.

"What's going on?" Screw it, I'm determined to see this through because I don't like her expression at all. She closes her eyes at my touch and stops breathing. I grab her cup and set it down on the kitchen countertop before turning her to face me. "What's going on with you? And don't say ‘nothing,’ I don't believe you. Was it Enea’ words?"

"There's someone in my life," she blurts out suddenly catching me off guard. "I mean, I'd like someone to be in it."

"And why does that make you so sad?" Usually love should not make you lose your smile.

"I'm invisible to him. I've tried everything: being sweet and compliant, inviting him out to dinner, here, or asking him to go to his house for coffee or a relaxed drink, but nothing happens. He doesn't seem to want to go on any dates. At least not with me, since he always finds excuses, work commitments or trips to Athens that take him away for days. Sometimes he doesn't even answer the phone, shows up the next day or forgets entirely. I barely managed to tell him about you and ask if you could stay. Not to mention the other night. I called him five times before he answered and came to help me open your door. Picture it, I was even sending him good morning texts, and you know how much I hate those." She runs her hands through her hair then freezes. Eye to eye. "Sorry, I'm coming right out and saying this to you."

I spent months after she left sending her a good morning message every single morning to keep in contact, the great thing being that she always replied. I never thought it would be annoying, maybe because I believed in our friendship and wanted to keep hearing from her. I smile at her for speaking the truth, but I don't want to rub it in any further.

"Do you remember how close we used to be and how we used to tell each other everything? I don't see why we can't be like that again." I caress her face in an attempt to comfort her. It only took a moment for the tables to turn; until yesterday I was the one who needed consoling, now she is. It only took a moment for our faces to come together and our breaths to mingle. Just the way it was so long ago.

"Thank you," she whispers. A smirk is drawn on her little doll face, warming my heart. If I’m not allowed to be sad, she shouldn’t have to be either.

"If he keeps making excuses, tell him I want to meet him in order to thank him for his hospitality and rescue. What do you say?" She opens her eyes wide and barely moves away, her expression that of someone who has been called out.

"How do you know it's..."

"Well, you said this is his house," I retort with a big smile, leaning her forehead against mine.

"Do I look that desperate?" I circle her shoulders with my arms to pull her to me in a comforting hug. I've never seen her so worked up over a guy, so I guess this is special to her.

"Nooo" I giggle causing her to react positively. "I'll sacrifice myself if you want though, maybe I'm the perfect excuse to unlock him" I say with a sigh. "Electre, I would like us to have a genuine friendship, one of those you see in movies. Best friends, just like we were in Bari."

"Also, because where else would you go?" she asks with a sly expression. "I don't know your exes and I don't think you'd ever go back to the man you were in a relationship with, otherwise you wouldn't be here with me."

"Oh, thanks," I snort. I push her away from me just enough to turn around and grab my cup. "For the record, I knew full well I wasn't going to get anything from him," I lie. "I liked the idea of having someone my parents didn't like."

"But..." She stares at me and interrupts. I can tell she's rethinking my acquaintances and, well, there aren't many who don't get on with my parents. When I notice a spark in her eyes, I nod.

"Raffaele: he’s the one." I reveal my secret because she was going to get there anyway. My friend's eyes widen, incredulous. "I know I promised you not to give in to his advances, but..." I close my eyes, squeezing them shut until I feel pain. I want to chase away all the memories I have of that creature, rid myself of that burden once and for all.

"I understand you," she whispers. "I would have given in too because, let's face it, we knew it would only lead to trouble, but..." Maybe she's trying to comfort me, to make me seem less foolish and naive. I just nod.

"Were you already dating him when we...?" I shake my head instinctively.

"What difference does knowing that make? You were the first for me and I could never forget you." I'm completely honest now. This is what I've carried with me since that day. "I looked to him in hopes of finding what I felt with you that night on the beach, and even though it seemed impossible at first to feel the same strong emotions again, he seemed really sincere and..."

"You had a crush."

"Worse. I fell in love. He promised me he would leave his wife to be with me and I believed him like a fool. Then I found out she was expecting his child and..."

"What an asshole." She shakes her head giving voice to my exact thoughts.

He was lying to me and can’t even be bothered to look for me now that I’ve run away. Maybe he's even happy that I'm gone.

"Giada, we must stop being sad over those who don't deserve us. Rather let's think about dinner, otherwise it will get late, and the food will get cold." Electre moves towards the coffee table in the living room where she had left the bags with dinner and starts to prepare.

"Just give me a minute, I need to do something," I say heading towards the room. At a fast pace I head straight for the suitcase and grab my beauty case which contains my contraceptive pills. I certainly won't be needing them for a long time, but I would like to finish the month before stopping.

When I grab them, I notice something’s wrong.

"Electre, what day is it today?"

"Thursday," she shouts in response. "Why?" Her voice is close now.

"How long have I been locked in my room?"

"You arrived on Monday" she reveals with a hint of doubt "Why?" I turn to her with the pills in my hand and, pointing to them, reply.

"I haven't been on the pill for a week." She shakes her head not understanding my bewilderment. "I usually get my period between the second and third day of withdrawal."

"Are you saying you're late?" Everything around me suddenly stops. No noise, no rustling is heard by my ears, just the pounding of my heart as I realise what’s happening.

"Honey, it can happen. The stress, the journey, the fasting your body has been forced into, it all contributes towards delaying your period." Mentally I'm trying to go over the last few weeks in Bari and when I last had intercourse with Raffaele, but it's all a blur.

"Giada." Ele's hands framing my face and forcing me to look at her bring me back to the present. "Trust me, it’s just stress. Nothing more." I nod, squinting. "If you want, we can go to the pharmacy tomorrow and get this thought out of our heads." The caress she gives me warms my heart but makes me feel sick again. I had finally managed to recover, fight, get back to living and now this. The biggest problem that could ruin my life forever.

"Come on, let's eat. You'll see that tomorrow, after you've rested, eaten a hearty meal and taken a relaxing shower, it'll show up."

"Okay. Give me a second and I'll be there," I whisper, giving her what she wants. I smile back and, as she leaves the room, I reach for the door, locking it.