Freak of Time, History's Game ( I Medici Masters Of Florence)

Chapter 21

Alex became kinder than usual after their first desperate  kiss.
Elena agreed to delay her return, but she wouldn't have said him goodbye. She would have come back with him.

Her life had changed. She couldn't deny it. She even mentally thanked Vittoria for that. She almost drove her insane, but at least she led her to Alex.

Another amazing news was that Elena didn't have any other dreams on Vittoria since she left Florence. Maybe the prayers worked, maybe it was that city that drove her insane with its richness of history and ghosts.

She had so much fun with Alex. He was like her ideal boyfriend. But he was also a friend, a counsellor, and a big kid. She was almost afraid that he was just a dream, that he was hiding some skeletons into his wardrobe.

There was no perfection in the world. She was kinda waiting for a storm to destroy that peace.

"So will you tell me what happened? Why you left the city?" He asked catching her by surprise.
It took a moment to her to reply "It's so weird you'll laught at it".
"I promise I won't. If it made you leave, it shouldn't be something so funny".
"I don't know how to call it. Weird, stupid..".
"Just tell me. You know you can tell me anything".
She knew that right. If she could tell that story to anyone, it was to him.
She inhaled deeply  "You know that the flood made discover new old underground rooms. The archeologists found a portrait of Vittoria de Medici".
He widened his eyes shocked "Really? So she was real?".
"Yeah".
"So, what happened then?".
She was afraid of telling more, but she had to take the risk "It's mental. The fact is that she looked like...me".
"You're Vittoria?".
She raised her hands to interrupt him "No... Just look alike. I know it sounds stupid and incredible, but everyone noticed that. It brought me  to a mental crack. That's why I needed to go away, to clear my mind and forget this fool thing".
"You're so lucky. You look like a legendary woman" there was a light into his eyes that made her giggle.
"Not so lucky. It's a haunting story to me".
"So also Riccardo existed?".
"It's almost sure. I guess they'll find his portrait too".
"That's amazing. It's like discovering a new America" that was her same reaction at the beginning.
She smiled at that parallelism.
He took her hands "I won't let any ghost to haunt you. I can even become a ghostbuster for you. It can be even a cool adventure".
Elena laughed "I think you already did it. I feel like recovered from that odd thing. It can't hurt me anymore".
He smirked "I'm a hero".
"My hero" she corrected.
"So, my lady, are you ready to go back? With me?" He asked solemnly.
"I'm always ready, if you're next to me".

Florence was same as usual.
Elena felt like she never really left it. At least it couldn't torment her anymore.
She was full of energies and was ready to face anything.
First she called Marco to tell him she needed to meet him and talk about something important. But she lied to him on when she was coming back.
She wanted to walk freely in her familiar streets hand in hand with Alex. They had been in that same city, but it took so much time to meet each other.
Elena went back into her flat and checked her pc to show Alex a photo of the portrait.
"Wow, you're really like her. But you're prettier" he kissed her forehead.
She noticed her new mails and sighed "God, I have dozens of new emails. I clearly asked not to disturb me".
"Maybe it's something important" he innocently said, but soon focused again on the picture "The resemblance is so mind blowing. I'm stunned".
Elena opened ramdomly her mails in a small window and gasped. "What? They found Riccardo" she opened the link file.

They looked at a new photo and  both froze shocked.
She just murmured "Oh God".

It was impossible.
They stated at that picture for minutes, incapable of reacting.

Then Alex stood up and without saying anything he left.