Alleviate

15

She was unsettled and wanted answers, I could make out. Her eyes were looking straight at Athelio, her hands were frustratedly playing with the hem of her shirt.

"Eve, I need you to trust me," Athelio started slowly. His voice was calm, it tried to console the tension in the room.

"Athelio, I didn't know you slept with prostitutes."

The sentence came out as a small burn, and I could feel myself wince slightly. Athelio sighed, choosing to keep silent. I could see that he didn't want to respond to her statement.

But a few moments passed by before he decided to choose his words.

"Not with Camilla I haven't."

"Then what is she doing here, Athelio?" I could hear hurt in Eve's voice and strangely, I felt a sort of compassion for her.

I didn't know what it was, but I could make out that the woman greatly cared for Athelio. And now she felt a sort of betrayal. It was intuition, an instinct of mine that spoke to me subtly. Perhaps she felt a sisterly care for him, perhaps it was different. Maybe she cared for him as a woman does for a man romantically, I could never know. I never intended on being caught in between the friendship or relationship of two people, and I was starting to contemplate leaving the room quietly.

"May I leave?" I softly ask.

Eve looked at me, her eyes still in a strangled state of shock, her hands brushing back her hair behind her ears. Apart from that, I wasn't further acknowledged.

"As you can see, Eve," Athelio started, walking slowly towards her, "Camilla is quite young."

His hands motioned towards me and Eve turned to him.

"But why would she be here with you?"

I knew it bothered her, and I didn't want it to because I knew she cared for him and he cared for her just as much. I didn't want to stand as an obstacle between a communion of two people.

"Because she's so young, she's disturbed Eve. I feel— I feel like she needed me somehow.. and I needed her too."

At his last line, Eve's expression changed—it hardened. I knew Athelio's response would not be welcomed, but he meant to be honest with her. I could see that. But now she didn't look so vulnerable or shocked anymore; she was more reserved, her face turned cold at his words. My own stunned wonderment at his words made me look at him, puzzled. Why would he say needs me too? Especially to someone who may feel more deeply towards him.

"Athelio, I need to leave."

"No—stay, please. I didn't mean it in a way that would offend you. I didn't mean it like that." I heard slight desperation but I also heard exhaustion.

There was no reply. She started to gather her things; putting herself together, straightening and smoothening her dress out. She was ready to leave but Athelio wasn't ready to take her to the door.

The quickly built animosity between them didn't become any better. Athelio had failed in an attempt in making Eve understand what I was to him, maybe because he didn't know himself. The idea of that scared me a little. He was but a client of Delilah's only, right? I couldn't see him as anything more. I didn't feel the need to, I was damaged.