Mikalo's Fate (The Mikalo Chronicles) (21 page)

"But one day it came to an end, her hand promised to another, a very good man, a man she was being forced to marry. But a man, alas, who was not me."

He grew silent, the memory of that day still strong.

"And in those two tiny rooms overlooking the sea, we shared our last kiss, our last embrace, our last touch as lovers. Her tears on my cheeks as I held her tight, so very tight.

"And then she was gone, through the grass, down the path, away from me. I did not have the strength to watch her go."

I waited patiently, letting his tale find its natural end.

"But those feelings, that love, it does not die. Even when there are others you share your days with, have children with, the memory of what might have been is still alive, never going away.

"And now she is gone."

I pulled him close, wrapping my arms around him.

"I spoke with her," he said, his voice now thick with emotion. "Called her and told her about you, about your love for Mikalo, and what a wonderful person you are. I said I saw her in you, her strength, her willingness to fight for what she wanted. How stubborn she is, or was.

"She listened. She hesitated. And then she agreed that yes, perhaps, yes, this marriage would be good."

I was stunned.

"You called her?" I asked, his arm once again 'round my waist.

He nodded.

"But of course," he said. "The same reluctance her father showed to our love she was, by mistake, I believe, showing to you and Mikalo.

"I did now want you to feel the pain of a love denied for the rest of your life. So I reached out and shared my thoughts, my memories, my opinion. And she listened, as I knew she would."

"So she was open to the wedding. That last night when she and I talked, she was saying it was okay, wasn't she."

He nodded.

"I spoke with her after I saw you in Paris. And the day after that, or maybe the day after that, Nicia was dead."

A small shake of the head, his expression suddenly sad.

"I come her to celebrate your new life with Mikalo only to be one day too late to celebrate the life of the woman I loved."

We had circled back to Mikalo who had sat talking with Deni and Damen.

"Now it is time to let you go," Radek said as our swaying slowed. "But, first, a gift: Mikalo's companies are safe for now. My Mara, she is ill and in need of help, help she is now receiving. And I will continue to do what I can to protect his businesses from whatever crazy plan she has to buy them.

"You need not worry about that," he finished with a wink and a smile as he released me, returning me to the arms of my husband.

"Thank you," I said to Radek, Mikalo's hands now around my waist.

And with a small nod and grin, the dapper old man, a true gentleman, tipped an imaginary cap and turned to go, disappearing into the shade of the small restaraunt.

He watched me, my husband, as our bodies found their rhythm.

"All is well?"

I nodded.

"Your Nona, she was quite a woman," I said.

"Yes, she was," he said, his voice soft.

"She had agreed to our wedding, you know," I then said.

He stopped, rolling my words through his mind.

"This is not a surprise," he then said. "My Nona would have celebrated the love I felt for anyone, if it was real and true and was a thing I would fight for.

"It would have had her blessing, I believe, even if it was a new love."

A new love, I thought.

Funny. My love for Mikalo felt old. Very old. As if I had carried it with me my entire life, and maybe many lifetimes before that, waiting for the right moment to let it find itself, have its own life, its own breath, its own beating heart.

I snuggled into Mikalo's chest, the music still playing, the warmth of him surrounding me, the sun dipping low, the scent of the sea in my nose.

And out of the corner of my eye, I saw them.

Pressed close, his muscular arms around her waist, her hands laced around his neck, his dark hair resting against her blonde curls, they danced slowly.

A moment later, they stopped, their bodies now still, the world around them lost in the beating of their hearts as she raised her lips to his, his large fingers gently cradling her chin, this new relationship declaring its love with a kiss.

She was in love.

I watched her sitting on the bed next to my suitcase, the beginning of my trip home just an hour or so away.

"I don't know," she said again, strands of blonde falling into her eyes as she wiped away more tears.

"I mean," she continued, "I don't even know him and I don't think I could live here on an island or even in Athens and I don't think he'd be happy in New York, so, I don't know, maybe we could settle in Rome or maybe Paris or something, but it's all just so ..."

"Stop, stop, stop," I said, sitting next to her, her hand immediately in mind.

"You don't need to jump that far ahead, Deni," I then said. "Forget all that and focus on right here, right now. What does your heart say?"

"But it's more than ..."

"No," I said, interrupting her. "What does your heart say?"

She took a deep breath. A very deep breath, her chin trembling with more tears.

"I'm in love," she finally said.

I waited, silent, allowing her to speak.

"And I'm scared," she continued. "I don't even know him."

"Okay, what do you know?"

"He's younger than me, he's educated, but still really rough around the edges, he's really good at construction, he has tattoos, he really loves his mother, he, oh, I don't know, he's very smart and isn't afraid of a good argument and he has a lot of energy and a lot of very simple ambition, you know, not wanting a lot, but still, he has goals, and ... "

"No, no, no," I said with a small smile. "Deni, stop. Take a breath.

"What does your heart know?"

She paused, looking toward the window as she gathered her thoughts.

My Deni, in love. With Damen.

I did not see this coming.

What with the wedding drama and the sudden passing of Nona and the drama with Caugina and then the surprise wedding, well, it was easy to miss.

She spoke, her voice sounding weak and scared.

I gripped her hand tighter.

"I know that when I see him I can't speak. The words, they just disappear and everything I say sounds stupid and clumsy.

"I know when he kisses me my legs melt. Like, my knees buckle or something. His lips just do something to me, something I've never felt before.

"I know when we make love ..."

She stopped, suddenly embarrassed.

A squeeze of her hand let her know it was okay. She was safe with me, her secrets my secrets. No judgment here. Only love.

She continued.

"I know when we make love, it is unlike anything I've ever experienced. It's beyond what it's ever been. It's ... well, it's almost indescribable. I cry. He cries. I feel so free, so satisfied. So loved and adored.

"Do you know he finds my body beautiful?" she suddenly asked, turning to me.

I nodded.

"Your body is beautiful, Deni. And so are you. You're gorgeous."

"But with him, I really feel it, Ronan. They aren't just words, just empty compliments. With him I actually feel beautiful and desired and sexy."

She paused again.

"Listen," she then said, "I know that I really don't know this man, that I have so, so much to learn about him, about us, but I know that I find myself hoping for a long time with him. Maybe a lifetime."

A long pause.

"You're in love," I said.

"Shit," she quickly said.

We laughed.

"So, now what?" I asked, knowing what the answer would be.

"I'm staying here," she said, her voice small.

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Yeah," I said. "Okay. It makes sense."

"I guess it does," she added. "The divorce is moving full steam ahead, but I don't need to be in New York non-stop for that to happen. And there really isn't anything, other than you, for me back there.

"I could hang out in Greece a little bit longer and see where this goes."

"Yes," I agreed. "That makes perfect sense."

"I just feel guilty leaving you high and dry," she then said, the tears spilling down her cheeks again.

I gathered her in a hug.

"Don't," I said, my lips near her ear. "I'm going back to work, Mikalo is setting himself up with the American branch of his business, the house is being renovated which is going to take forever, I think. There's a lot happening. This is a good time for you to go ahead and take some Deni Time, you know?"

A quick nod from her.

"But still ..." she said.

"None of this means I won't miss you terribly, you know," I said.

"And I'm going to miss you so very much," she agreed.

"But, no," I quickly said, swallowing back my own tears and failing miserably, "it makes perfect sense. It really does."

She sat quietly, my friend, unsure, afraid, desperately in love.

"Deni, listen," I said, her hand once again in mine, "I'll be fine. It's more important that you be happy. That you take this step, follow this through, and see where it goes. I don't want you to wonder 'what if?' for the rest of your life.

"This is a great thing," I then said, assuring her. "Embrace it, run with it, work with it, see where it all goes."

Her hand squeezed mine, her eyes watching me, her cheeks stained with tears.

"Don't be afraid," I said, my eyes on hers, a grin on my lips.

"Your story's just beginning."