chapter thirty four

⇊ FLASH BACK ⇊

Apollo's 18th birthday night, years ago. It was already night and he and Cybele were in his room:

"Do you think we'll have many children?" She clasped her hands in his and looked at him sideways.

The blonde chuckled, showing his white teeth — 5 At the very least! - He said loudly, looking at the ceiling.

She snuggled closer in his arms — What? - She widened her eyes and turned to the side facing him - We can't have that many children, a teacher and a stylist don't earn that well, do they? We have at least to have 2, 5 don't fit in the car.

— We bought a minivan — He laughed — I don't know but sometimes all my parents say 'get married, have kids and get old' Does life come down to this? — He took a deep breath and pulled the comforter higher — All I want is to travel around, collecting countries I visit, France, South Africa, Japan, launch a book, maybe teach in another country, climb mountains.

She listens to him silently, eyes closed fighting sleep. He takes her face and caresses with a wide smile showing his teeth, his heart is warm and happy.

He stroked his chin — But Ci, none of this is fun without you, I want to do this more by your side! He chuckled and leaned in closer kissing her forehead.

The girl is out and there is no sign of Cybele there.

- Sleep well my love! - He says lifting the blanket more over her, and closing his eyes.

She slowly opens her eyes and gives a sideways smile — Keep talking, I love sleeping listening to your voice!

- Ah, so you mean that you were listening to me and left me in a vacuum? He tickled her belly.

She spoke with her eyes closed, in a sleepy voice: — No! I was enjoying her voice is different! She placed her hands on his chest, and took a deep breath. — Only now I have to sleep, good night, beautiful birthday girl — she pouted, asking for a kiss.

He then ran his tongue over her face, licking her cheek.

— Ouch! Disgusting. - She pulled her head back and laughed - You caught me off guard but I'll fight back, she said wiping her face.

She starts to sleep, he is euphoric for the night he had. Apollo wanted that moment to freeze, and time stopped there, looking at Cybele sleeping in his arms.

⇈ END OF FLASH BACK⇈

After a weekend full of love; Apollo felt refreshed to go back to work that rainy Monday, he enters the staff room and Alice was there.

She placed her palms on top of the big blue table in the staff room — Sorry, I didn't see you were here! He took the bag off his back.

- It's all right! - He shook his head - I actually have to talk to you! He swallowed hard and adjusted his lab coat on the chair — Apollo, there's no easier way to say that, clasped his own hands — Apollo I'm pregnant, and the child is yours! She dropped her hands and smoothed her bangs.

Apollo looked at her with his mouth open, and dropped the blue coffee bottle that was in her hands, in disbelief.

Apollo stood still with his arms hanging over his body, pale — Wow Alice, I didn't expect it! We used protection." He spoke in a shaky voice.

- Yea! Apollo this isn't 100% right sometimes it goes wrong." She put her hands on her lab coat and straightened her arms.

Apollo was left unanswered, and looks up, amazed, but happy to find out that he was going to be a father. But he only thought about how he was going to tell Cybele that. His heart beats hard, the blonde doesn't know what to say.

Alice snorted — I don't want anything from you, I just thought I should tell you! - She said in an angry tone, and turned around taking a few steps forward.

He lifted the — Alice, wait! - He felt his throat dry - Of course I'll assume, he scratched his eyebrow - Stop by my house tonight, so we can talk!

She took a deep breath. - Yes OK!

That news dropped like a bomb in Apollo's lap, he never thought about being a father now. But know, dear reader, that was the lie that Alice would most regret having told...

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Another news that also fell like a bombshell for Cibele, Pietro's stolen kiss was in all the tabloids and the article said '' New affaire? Who is the mystery woman with Pietro ''

She walks downstairs with wet hair, wet skin fresh from the shower, and as she descends she hears a noise.

Cybele comes out of the room with wet hair, she hears the screaming and tucks her curls behind her ear.

- Mother! What's up. She poked her nose in the air and looked around.

Julia is facing the window, shaking her head with her hand over her mouth, when she hears her daughter, she turns around.

— Tereza's daughter, Iris told her she was pregnant and Tereza freaked out — Júlia scratched her brown eyebrows and took a deep breath — She's doing her best, Kalyva threw her things on the street! Good thing your grandmother went to the fair with Lexi!

(Translation: Kalyva = Shack in Greek)

Cybele put her hand around her neck and dropped the tablet on the sofa, walking to the front of her house.

- Aunt! Please come! She frowned.

"Cybele doesn't tell you that the daughter is mine!" - She spoke loudly and lifted her chin - You're a disgrace, only come back here if you're married!

Iris sobs from crying and brings her wrists to her eyes, wiping her tears away.

- Mom, please! Let me explain, we are already in the 21st century! - She emphasized with tears.

Her mother turned around and threw her clothes from the clothesline on the floor next to Iris, Cybele comes out and lifts her cousin off the floor, takes her hand on her face and cleans them.

"Come on, it's going to be all right!" Let's get out of here, let's go to the restaurant.

"You let me down, Iris, too much!" - Tereza shouted with her hand on her heart, and her angry expression, she turned around and walked towards the door, closing it hard.

The whole neighborhood looked at the situation, not understanding very well and they wouldn't even know, because Tereza gossiped about everyone but herself.

Cybele enters the restaurant that was still closed, taking the key that was in the back entrance, they enter Iris remains motionless, she pulls a chair from the kitchen and sits.

Iris can barely feel her eyelids or ears from crying so hard, her red and irritated eye stares at her cousin.

"This is all my fault! - She Licked her lips. - You know I told Stefan and he reacted super well, seemed surprised more well... But she, she - Iris lowered her head, and started crying again and brought her left hand to her nose rubbing it. .

Cybele stopped in front of the fridge and opened it, taking a cold bottle of water she placed on the table in front of her and walked to the cup holder, took a large glass and held it towards Íris.

She gave a half smile and took the glass, pouring water.

— I know, I understand! Nobody expects that kind of reaction - She shook her head, and then took her cousin's hand - But don't worry, Giágia will react very well! She'll be glad she's got another great-granddaughter around the house." Her mouth curved in a smile.

(Translation: Giagia = Grandma)

Iris's trembling hands took the glass and she tried to smile, drank all the water, then reached for the bottle to add more water.

- Look! Speaking of her, Cybele said smiling, hearing the rattle of keys.

Her grandmother enters the kitchen slowly and Athena arrives beside her crying, along with Alexia.

"But what are you two doing here in?" — Her grandmother, hands on her hips — But knowing is good! Sit down there and we'll talk, I want to hear you, the Giorgio women if you listen to each other they hug and love each other, I don't know what that cry is but I want to know move on! Her grandmother said narrowing her eyes.

The four granddaughters sit at the small, round white table in the kitchen.

Then one by one they start talking, Athena says she's going to leave her house, Cybele just tells the news about Apollo, and talks about her tight heart about her son, and Iris says she's pregnant and about what just happened, and Alexia talks about her father, and the fear of not going to the same college as Paolo, she is afraid of the distance afraid of finishing what she barely started.

Her grandmother listens attentively and sitting up she leans forward and stretches her hands to her knees — First, Athena my marriage to your grandfather wasn't perfect, you said there that you wanted a 'perfect relationship like mine and your grandfather's' ' — She took a breath — It was never perfect my daughter, your grandfather was boring, and stubborn! But what kept us together was love, and I'm not talking about forgiving and forgetting, and talking about problems and finding a solution together!

She looked at Iris: — My dear, it's going to be all right! Honestly you have your family, and I'm going to talk to your mother, and I think I should accept his invitation to go spend time with him, and Alexia, my long-distance love on this occasion is inevitable, but if your love is really strong , it overcomes distance. And Cybele I always knew that you and Apollo would make up.

"Now come here, family hugs!" Her grandmother stood up slowly, resting her palms on the table.

They hug each other, feeling like family again. This is what her grandmother wanted, all together it seemed like she knew something very seriously would happen...

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Apollo arrived at his house, desperate, his love for Cybele was very strong and their relationship had just come back and this bomb didn't seem real at all, it was crazy and made him sad and confused.

He feels guilty for feeling sad because the child, his child doesn't deserve this. If alice wasn't the one he didn't love the baby wouldn't be to blame. As soon as he arrived in the kitchen feeling his throat close up,

He found his mother puffing her cheeks in anger looking at him.

— Do you already know? He frowned his blond brows, and stuck his nose in the air!

"She called me just now!" — Dona Florence approached her son, and slapped his forehead with her fingertips — How do you get me pregnant with a girl, and sleep with Cybele? You're going to marry her!" He spoke loudly and firmly.

— Yes, you will! Because my grandson will have a father present, a complete family, she said, sitting down and picking up her cell phone on the sofa. — And she rose to Apollo's height.

It was the headline about Cybele and Pietro, Apollo feels confused. Yet he sits next to his mother and says:

"Mother, I can't marry Alice because of the child!"

—Oh yes, sacrifices are made for a child, Cybele plays with you! And you and Alice were so happy, you can go back to being that way! - She looks deep into his eyes, and puts her hands on her son's shoulder - You need to be strong and decide what's right for this child, she deserves to grow up with you on her side, not next to another.

"Mother, that's not going to happen!" — She put her hand on her leg and twisted her mouth — I love Cybele mother!

"And I loved your father too, whether it was him or you!" When he asked me to have that abortion!" She crossed her arms and got up from the couch, "And I didn't hesitate to choose you! And I will be very sad if you don't choose your family! She turned and left the room.

Apollo stretched his head on the couch, and a notification from Cybele, the message said that today she would go to the hospital with Pietro, to see the results of her baby's new exams, he took a deep breath and his mother's lines didn't leave his head.

He puts his hands to his face, and stretches his legs to think.

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Alice is resting in her room when Iris and her father slam her bedroom door, she takes off her headphones, startled.

— Alice, my daughter! I just wanted to let you know that Iris is going to spend some time with us! Stefan had a wide smile, and he was holding Iris's waist.

The blonde was embarrassed and tried to speak, but her voice failed: — Look, I promise it's only for a short time! You won't even notice my presence here! She smiled with red cheeks, she was embarrassed.

She played with the earring in her ear — Alright! Me and my dad were fine Iris, and I hope we can be friends! - Alice said with a smile - And as I'm also pregnant with Apollo we can keep each other company! Who knows, maybe they are born together!

Iris turned pale with what she'd just heard, and her mouth dropped open—Wow! Have you, have you, ever told him? She opened her eyes, and half smiled.

Alice knit her brows — Yes, why? Alice asked, placing the magazine on her lap.

"Nothing, nothing, just me!" I'm glad for you, she said waving and turning, walked down the halls.

Stefan goes after her, "Is okay? His hand went to her face, and he caressed her cheek slowly.

— Yes, I just don't know how my cousin will be with this news! Sorry, it's just that — He bit his lips — But just now that they were getting along, Apollo will have a child with another — he took a deep breath and scratched his nose — But God knows what he's doing, may he come with health!

- It's gonna be okay! Focus on our baby." He kissed her forehead in a heartfelt, light kiss.

She stood on tiptoe and kissed his forehead too, taking her hand and leading him to the bedroom.

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Alexia was in front of the Notebook, wondering whether or not to text her father, there was an email address in the present and so she didn't think too much.

And he sends her a message, she doesn't really want him to answer, she knows she would kill her mother just to send that, but she wanted to know something more about her father.