Xandros and Ally

Chapter 18 (Ally): Under Your Spell

"This is the space we have for you," Rio was saying as we walked into a room that was about twenty by thirty. "It needs work, but you could hold classes in here as is, and the improvements and other work can be done in between classes. Not ideal, but our main building is already filled to capacity with the various programs and classes, so we needed to find you your own space so you can get started."

Zed and I looked around, feeling a bit overwhelmed. The room wasn't huge, but it was big enough to hold students, a piano, a drumset, and other instruments.

"Thanks," I said. "This will be perfect."

"A little paint," Zed said, "Acoustic panels, some chairs, stools, then the instruments..."

The alarm on Rio's phone went off, and he reached into his pocket, pulled it out and silenced it. "Got a class in fifteen that I need to prepare for, but I'll leave you to it." Then he grinned. "I suspect this room will be looking really different by the end of the day."

"Thanks again, Rio," Zed said, then once Rio was out the door, he started laughing. "Can a guy fangirl? 'Cause I swear to you, Ally, every time he's around I'm screaming inside that I'm hanging around Rio Hawkens."

Laughing, I shook my head. "Do you think we have enough money to get what we need?"

"I think Xandros will make sure you have enough --"

There was a knock on the door and Zed looked at me and I shrugged. I had no idea who'd be here. When Zed opened the door, Xandros walked in. Of course. Speak of the devil and he will appear.

"Heard this room might need some help," he said, sending a blinding smile my way.

I held my thumb and forefinger half an inch apart. "Just a little."

"I brought some people to help, if you don't mind."

Before I could respond, Zed jumped in. "Hell, yeah, we'll take any help we can get."

Xandros smiled at my cousin, but he looked at me. "I need to know it's OK with Ally first."

"Sure," I agreed. "I'm feeling overwhelmed at the thought of painting, so please, bring on the help."

That made Xandros smile huge. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

He went back to the door, and people started walking in. His mother, his cousin, an older version of Xandros, and at least twenty other people, many of whom were carrying bags and boxes. The last ones in were an an old man with a cane and a younger teen walking next to him.

They all looked to Xandros, who'd walked over to stand next to me. 

"Ally, Zed, I'd like you to meet my family.  Everyone, this is Zed and this is Ally, the woman I should have introduced to you a year ago, and that's on me for being too much of a coward to stand up and say this is the woman I choose. You can introduce yourselves to her throughout the day."

All of them turned to me and smiled warmly at his introduction slash confession, but I could feel myself blushing. Eleni came over and gave me a big hug. 

"These men like to make such big announcements."

That made me laugh and the tension was broken. Eleni clapped her hands. "Dimitri, Lino, go get the tables from the van and set them up so we can put the food out. Andreas, get Papous a chair. Girls, get ready to set out the food when the tables are up."

As everyone scurried to do her bidding, she called over another woman. "Thea, this is Ally. Ally, Thea's my sister and she's an interior designer. Have you thought about the color for this room?"