Alleviate

13| treze

The next morning, memories of last night slid into my mind, giving me a warm tingling feeling that I've never experienced. This room was colourful, although it lacked any pictures- it just had paintings, but it was still far more cheerful and ornamented as compared to the rooms back in Villa Mimosa which were dingy and grey. There was a pleasant scent and I could see a small pie on a tray placed on the study table at the entrance of the room.

I decided to take leave it there instead of doing anything else. It was surely meant to be eaten and looked delicious, but I didn't feel comfortable with eating it.

Coming down the stair case, I went to the kitchen. Athelio had woken up earlier than me and he was feeding Shasta, while talking to Lucia. I entered the kitchen. It seems that they had been talking for a while before my arrival.

"Athelio, I believe you can do it. Just talk to Eduardo, he'll somehow pull her through," Lucia said, putting on her apron.

"Yes, but now? With the scandals going on, there aren't going to be any police raids happening. There's too much corruption involved, to add to the chaos," was Athelio's response, looking somewhat distressed.

Lucia let out a sigh. "If you can't save the whole tree, at least save a branch."

I had not a clue what she meant, but I blankly stared at their exchange of words as Lucia functioned in the kitchen and Athelio sat on the floor next to Shasta and continued to feed her slowly. He stayed quiet for sometime before looking up to me and smiling, but still remaining silent. I thought of greeting them but Athelio seemed to be in an anxious state of some sort, in deep contemplation, while Lucia was working at a furious pace, too busy to be interrupted.

She briskly turned around and looked down at him, "why don't I look after her today and you drive to Eduardo's office?"

"You'd do that Lucia?"

"Of course I would, don't be ridiculous," she replied. She then looked at me, with her greyish silver hair in a tight bun. Her wrinkles were creating soft cracks on her face, especially around her eyes when she smiled. But she seemed to have a graceful ageing process, which happens to the type of people who are accepting of the change. "I grew up in Villa Mimosa, I'll do what I can for the helpless who were unfortunate enough to grow up there like me."

"I'll leave for his office soon, he's open at eight," he said, getting up from the kitchen floor and washing his hands. He passed by me and muttered, "morning Camilla."

"Don't forget to take some money with you," Lucia said, "nothing ever gets done without it."

Before I could reply he went up stairs and out of sight. I stood, still slightly confused, and I looked at Lucia with a puzzled face. The only one who seemed to be
content in the moment was Shasta, who was falling asleep.

"What is happening, if I may ask," I chimed in.

"Athelio is trying to get some work done," she answered. Her tone was polite but didn't allow me to further instigate the matter.

"Would you like some breakfast?" She chirped, suddenly sounding far more cheerful than she did a few minutes ago.

"I'm not hungry, thank you," I said, surprising myself. I had an appetite, but I didn't feel like eating. I was still wondering why Athelio looked so anxious when he passed by me. Had something gone wrong? Was he all right?

I caught myself thinking about how worried I was for him, it felt slightly natural but simultaneously it felt odd. I could get used to the idea of being worried for him and at the same time I could still feel odd every time I thought about his well being.