Vi Presento a Athea (Introducing Athea)

XXI

Note: *Italian translations are marked like this.

"Athea! Athea!! Athea, wake up!!"

She felt someone shaking her by the shoulders. Opening her eyes with difficulty, she first felt the bright sun coming in from the window, warming her face. Then, she saw the mess of chocolate brown hair hovering over her. The caramel eyes sparkled with the biggest smile Athea had ever seen.

"Get up, sorellina! It's be-each day!" Brie said in a sing-song manner, spinning around the room.

Athea kicked off her thin blanket, feeling her legs dangle from the bed as she sat up. She watched as Brie skipped out through the door, and got on her feet with a jump. After getting quickly dressed, she checked herself in the mirror, smiling with satisfaction at her outfit choice – even if to anyone else it just looked like a clash mess of colors and patterns. The large grin showed two missing teeth and a few ones who were just growing still.

She darted out of the room and through the house, her straw hat – hanging by its strap at her neck – banging against her back as she ran. Once she reached the kitchen, she saw her mom and dad packing up snacks to take with them. Patrick opened a large smile.

"He-hey, piccina!! Good morning! Excited to go to the beach?" He asked her.

"Yes!" Athea answered excitedly, jumping up and down with energy.

"Hai presto presto tutto il necessario? Bikini, occhiali da sole, il tuo salvagente?" Dianora asked her, putting the drinks in the heat preserving container. *Have you gotten everything you need? Bikini, sunglasses, your floaty?

"Ah, mio salvagente!" Athea remembered, dashing back to her room. *Ah, my floaty!

Abbiategrasso didn't have any beaches, but since Brie loved the sea, they would often take the car to Vesima, near Genoa. It was an around 2-hour trip and their most treasured getaway. The privilege of living so close made it so that they could visit on the off seasons, when the beaches weren't too crowded, which was not only good for Athea's anxiety and problems with strangers (which were more severe at the time), but also meant peaceful afternoons by the sea enjoying the company of loved ones.

Little Athea ruffled through her trunk looking for her float, and found the yellow deflated donut soon enough. She rushed to the kitchen with it, a heavy breath on her lungs, and smiled proudly at her parents and Brie, who were together around the cooler – her big sister trying to sneak a bite at some of the food her mom was preparing.

"Found it!" She giggled.

"Good job, piccina! Put it with the rest of the stuff, on the couch over there." Her dad nodded to the living room, where the rest of their bags were.

"Mamma is making bologna sandwiches for us to take!" Brie told her excitedly.

"Che! Che- che cos'è questa "bologna"?" Dianora looked at her wide-eyed. "Solo tuo padre mangia quell'abominio americano, questa mortadella tradizionale, come la faceva tua nonna, rispetto!" Her mom scolded Brie, who side-eyed Athea, and they both held back their laughter. "Tuo padre potrebbe esserlo ma tu non sei americana, devo continuare a ricordartelo, signorina? Ora, dillo bene: mortadella! Onestamente, è come se avessi dimenticato come si parla italiano!" *What! What- what's this "bologna" thing? / Only your father eats that American abomination, this is traditional mortadella, like your grandma used to make, respect! / Your father may be, but you are not American, do I need to keep reminding you, young lady? Now, say it right: mortadella! Honestly, it's like you've forgotten how to speak Italian!

"Bene, "mortadella", mamma!" Brie caved in and Dianora smiled along, not truly serious about her scolding. *Fine, "mortadella", mamma!

They headed to the beach not long after. It wasn't far away from the house they were renting, so after a quick walk they had already set down a towel on the sand. Their parents sat on either side and began laying down the food, while Brie and Athea ran to the sea, laughing.

"Gaah!!" Brie exclaimed as the water hit their calves, purposely making a funny face to make Athea laugh. "It's freezing!" She hugged her arms playfully as Athea laughed out loud.

"Mamma will be mad that you're talking in English again!" She teased her with a grin.

"Well, mamma isn't here, is she?" Brie looked at her with playful eyes as she slowly hunched down to the water. She splashed the cold droplets towards Athea, who let out a scream and retaliated. 

"Be careful, you two!" Their father shouted from where they were seated, noticing the commotion.

"Mettetevi i costume da bagno prima di bagnarvi i vestiti, ragazze!" Their mom warned them. *Put on your swimsuits before getting your clothes wet, girls!

The two played around for a bit more before returning to where they were seated. Despite the age gap, Brie went above and beyond for her little sister, shedding her pride and teenage angst to play with her as an equal every time the moment called for it, ever since she had been born. This made their relationship grow stronger each day, and Athea treasured Brie perhaps even more than she could ever imagine. Brie, as well, loved her dear sorellina with all her heart, and making memories with her and their family was the most fulfilling part of her life. She had never pictured herself as a big sister until Athea came around, and despite any controversial gossip or other people's doubts and snide comments, she suited the role incredibly well.

They ate their bologna – nay, mortadella – sandwiches, talked and laughed all afternoon. When the sun was higher, they shed their clothes and ventured into the sea, but the fun was short-lived because the waters were still far too cold. Once Athea's child energy had worn out a bit, the two would sit by the waves, building silly sculptures, rearranging rocks and looking for seashells as they talked – in those moments, Brie wouldn't "dumb herself down" to talk to a kid, but would instead treat Athea as an equal and talk to her as such... and that rendered them some of their most surprisingly deep and heartfelt conversations. To this day, the sight of the beach and the smell of the ocean reminds Athea of those long talks under the sun, with the waves hitting their feet.

"Girls!" They heard Patrick call out to them and Athea dropped the orange seashell she was about to place on top of their sandcastle. "The sun's about to set, let's head home." He shouted at the two from their seating spot. Athea looked up at Brie, who watched their dad with a squint in her eyes as the wind blew on her hair – she had a ponderous and taciturn expression to her sharp features. 

"Just a minute, babbo!" She shouted back. "Let's watch a bit of the sunset before we go!"

"Brie..." Dianora stepped up this time, beginning to scold her.

"Per favore, mamma!" She pleaded back, purposefully making puppy eyes at her. Athea watched the whole thing silently, eyes looking over from her sister to their parents. Dianora sighed and waved her hand around, which meant they could have their last few minutes, and Patrick held back a delighted laugh. *Please, mom!

Brie looked back at Athea, who smiled as soon as her sister's eyes were on her. The oldest opened a large cheeky grin, with wide, excited eyes and they both laughed. They watched the sunset, as Brie hummed along to a song their mother had taught them in their last music lesson and picked up the seashell Athea had dropped earlier, placing it on top of the castle and finishing it. Athea giggled and Brie opened up her arms, inviting her in. The little one snuggled closer into her sister's embrace, slowly falling asleep in her arms to the sound of the music she sang and the breeze of the dusk wind.

Athea never knew how they got back to the house, the feeling of her head on her sister's shoulder being the last thing she remembered from that day.