Intertwined

World on Fire

Mia watched rain trace patterns along the doors glass pains, the droplets splattered in slow motion, shapes forming and water converging to trail miniature streams down the glass of the back door, that led to the garden. The morning was cooler than she had hoped. Maybe if she had woken up to warm spring sunshine and blue skies, there would have been less anxiety pulsing through her, at least she imagined that way. More rain drops hit the glass, two small circles formed side by side, sliding slowly along in parallel, before being separated by a larger spot of water, they went in different directions, until they both reached the frame, where water pooled together, and fell in a steady stream to the concrete step below.

Mia was so lost in the rain, in the thought of seeing her past in front of her again, of the losses and the possibility this reconnection could mirror those, that she missed the kettle click. She missed the shuffle of feet behind her, the sound of the tea and coffee being made. She pulled the wool throw tighter around herself, a memory of Niko settled in her chest, his birthday had been yesterday.

'Mia,' Charlotte's voice floated to her like a song, warm, tender and inviting her back to the kitchen and the day ahead. Slowly the redhead felt her feet on the wood floors, felt the fluffy bed socks on her feet, smelled the green jasmine tea with honey and the brunette's morning coffee. The floor creaked as she turned and went towards her fiancé, placing a soft kiss on her cheek, then resting her body against the gentle strength of Char.

They sat at the breakfast table, only the sounds of the rain, the steady flow of water down drainpipes, the patter of drops on windows. The silence of the house, a haunting of yesterdays and the tension of tomorrows, that one woman wanted to talk about but couldn't, while the other patiently waited.

'How's Bella this morning?' Mia's voice was a cracked whisper as she took a sip of her tea. She knew Charlotte had been on the phone to her earlier, she heard Bella's sobs when the brunette answered the phone. Mia had given them privacy, but she also left the room because hearing Bella's heartache set angry fire alight in her chest and she didn't want it spilling out in the wrong direction.

They had all done what they could to keep the black-haired woman as occupied as possible yesterday. Mia had set up two meetings with artists, Char and Marjorie had taken Bella shopping and then met up with Lily and Siobhan for lunch.

'She's hurting. She knows she has all of us and that she isn't alone, but she is hurting that he abandoned them,' the brunette's eyes were prickled with tears, 'We should check on her today sweetheart,' the redhead circled her thumb over Charlotte's hand. 'Lily and Antonio are over there today,' the brunette knew that Mia could do with some time with her Mama Liz, 'We could go there after I pick you up from work' the prospect of seeing her godmother created a small bright spark in the cloudy day.

***

Loukia looked at the email again:

To Miss Loukia Komninos,

We are pleased to offer you a position at the European Design Institute in the Bachelor of Fashion Design at our Florence Italy campus. Open Day for new students and their families will be July 15th ...

The letter had links to everything Loukia would need to sign up to her dream fashion design course, at her dream university campus, guides to local and campus student accommodation, materials, units for each semester and booklists. But as she looked across to the door of her parent's room at the hotel, she closed the email, wiped a tear and prepared to wake up her younger siblings. They needed to get ready for a trip to London Zoo, while her father took her mother to a doctor's appointment. They would meet in the afternoon and head to the reunion with her mothers' siblings.