Not just me & you anymore (G!P)

C. 21

Thanks as always for your support and for reading; I remind you that the italics (therefore the first part of the chapter) is a flashback. The second part of the chapter includes big changes for Vivi!See you soon

I'll never admit it, but coming to the beach, in the middle days of August, to the Amalfi coast, with one daughter who looks like a jumping cricket and another in the womb who does nothing but move and fidget and dance the samba, may not have been the best idea I could have had. Part of me is reevaluating the idea that spending vacations in the mountains, or at the lake, in the peace and serenity of nature, away from too many people, is not that old. I will never admit it, but I am hating every second of this sand that gets everywhere or conversely of the terror of rocks and an open forehead from Maya or Viviana. I am hating every second of this unbelievable crowd of people going up and down and lining up at every place, whether it is the restaurant, the bakery, the bar, the ice cream cart or the doughnut cart. I hate the mass of tourists moving like a single herd that you can't break away from even if you wanted to, because you are now immersed in the current and can only follow the direction. I hate this hellish heat that doesn't let me breathe during the day and doesn't let me sleep at night. We are in a super hotel with every amenity and there is air conditioning that could fire so loudly to hibernate us all, but I don't want to keep it on all night because I am convinced it is hurting Viviana, I don't want to expose us to unbelievable term swings, and I don't even want to hear Maya's complaints that she could take any heat, but apparently the hum of the air conditioner is too much to tolerate. The nervousness I accumulate during the day is so great that in fact it does not even allow me to sleep at night. To aggravate the situation there is always Viviana, who despite having rented a double room, which would have allowed her to have a bed to herself, separated from the double bed even by a wall and a door, as if it were a separate but obviously communicating room, did not think twice about deciding that the best place to sleep was between Maya and me.

My only real comfort then is to stand on the terrace, which directly overlooks the sea, with ice water to give me relief and a gentle night breeze, which makes the heat slightly more tolerable.

M < my love...what are you doing here?> I barely startle, but remain motionless, back to the French door, which Maya closes slightly behind us, and arms resting on the railing.

C < I can't sleep..> I hear Maya nod, as she approaches me and rests a gentle hand on my back.

M < thoughts or heat?>

C < it's too hot..> I answer and she nods again, kissing my shoulder softly. She has learned perhaps through experience that I do not overly enjoy physical contact under these circumstances and so she pulls away, although I hear her dragging a chair not far from me.

C < you can go back to sleep if you want to..> I know she will be tired: if keeping up with my mood swings is a feat, keeping up with Viviana's astonishing adventures is a miracle, and at this time it is a task that rests entirely on her shoulders.

M < I want to keep you company, if you'd like..> she replies though.

C < okay..> I just turn my head to cast a glance at her: she has gone out onto the terrace barefoot, wearing only her boxers and the T-shirt she sleeps in. If it were any other time it would be an irresistible image in itself.

M < is there anything I can do to make you feel better?> she asks me. I take time to answer, because I don't know either.

C < shall we chat?>