Architect of paradise (PART I: Out of the Ruins)

17. Trip on the mountain

The door bell rings at 7.30 in the morning. I open the door and Lily stands in front of me with a back pack. She combed her hair high and her clothes are comfortable.

-"Good morning!" I say and she returns the salute. She gets inside and let her back pack in a chair.

-"Did you have breakfast?" I ask while I sit in the table and drink coffee with a delicious piece of honey pie that Mrs. Falcon brought me two days ago.

-"I am okay." She says.

-"I didn't expect this. I could never imagine that you would be close with Daniel." She says. 

    Indeed, her expression was really surprised when I told her about this trip on the mountain with Daniel and Tony. Well, I don't blame her. Daniel doesn't have a good reputation.

Her eyes are shining with expectation. She wants to know how we ended up together. I sigh and I begin to tell her our really bad beginning. While I was telling her what happened between us, I could see her surprise, excitement and satisfaction together with her worry, agony and sadness. Well, this was indeed a roller coaster of emotions, that somebody would feel from listening this story.

-"Then, are you in a relationship?" She asks.

-"I don't know. I know that he likes me but I don't think that I can respond soon. He is really patient with me but with his character, he will probably lose his interest in me."

-"Do you want to lose his interest?" This question is really tricky. I can't answer.

-"Why do you hesitate?" I can't answer this question either. I see her worry. I think that she has realized that the problem is not with the other person but something inside me.

-"I try to be used to his presence. I think he tries hard to approach me but the walls are really hard." I say.

-"Well, take your time. When you are ready, everything will come along naturally. When I met my late husband, I thought that time stopped. It was love at first sight. We both knew that we were perfect for each other."

-"Well, do you think that you can love another man beside him?"

-"I don't know. It is too early to know. I know that I am young and there are going to be opportunities. Even if there is going to be someone, he must accept my boy as his and he has to accept that I won't fall in love with him like I did with James."

-"You have some hard conditions." I say smiling.

-"Well, it is the only compromise I can give, otherwise I don't care if I remain alone until the end."

I am surprised of how resolute she is. From her appearance and mannerisms, anybody would think that she is a weak and feeble woman. However, she is quite strong willed. I think, she reminds me of...

The sound of a car is heard in the yard at that time, stopping me of think something of the past. I open the door. There is a black 4x4 track there. Daniel and Tony get out of it. Tony comes to say hello. I think that his smile is more wide when he speaks with Lily but maybe it is not.

    I catch myself to not be in good mood anymore. It is strange. There was nothing weird or strange with what I talked with Lily, but I am indeed in a bad mood. However, I don't want to spoil the fun of the others. Lily and I take our back tracks and get inside the car.

It is early in the morning. The atmosphere is cold with moisture and dampness. It is still winter. There is moisture on the tree leaves and in the ground without it raining. I had already noticed that from my morning jogging. I sit together with Lily at the back sit of the track. I have my gaze out of the window watching the greenery and the fields.