Greece and Roses

Chapter Fifteen: Finale

"Hey." I turned to see Tasio making his way over to where I was sitting, the waves of the ocean crashing onto the warm sand.

"Hey."

He sat down beside me, as I stared off into the distance, not knowing how to react , before my emotions got the best of me and I felt my eyes well up.

"Hey, hey what's wrong?" My boyfriend said, as he glanced over to me, draping his arm around mine and pulling me into his chest.

"It's all going to be ok, I promise. We can do long distance and I'll always be the-"

"Long distance never works, Anastasios. I barely kept in contact with some of my friends here, when I was away, and now I'm forcing you to do long distance?" I sighed and buried my face in my hands, mascara dripping down my cheeks.

"You're not forcing me to do anything, Circe. I love you, and I will al-"

"What did you just say?" I said, as I yanked my head up to his line of gaze.

"I love you Circe."

A smile spread across my face, as I looked him in the eyes, lacing my hand through his. "I love you too." I said, as I laughed and he pulled me into a warm hug, feeling him smile against my cheek.

"And I'm not leaving. Not now, while everythings so perfect." A solemn look painted my face, as I realized what had to be done. "I'll see you tomorrow ok? There's still a way. I can feel it."

He gave me another smile, as I pushed myself up off of the sand, and began to sprint back to our house, the moon shining brightly as I ran. I could feel my sneakers tapping against the concrete, and my hair whipped my back, as I slowed down and yanked open the door to my house. My grandparents turned to look at me, and my mother turned her phone off, beginning to stand up.

"Where the hell have you been?!" She said, locking the door behind me. "It is almost twelve, and what, you have been out partying with your boyfriend? You can not just jump out windows, esý kakó paidí. You need to explain right now."

Fury painted her face, and I knew now was not the time to try to talk back. "I know Ma, and I'm sorry. But I think you need to explain as well. Why have you been cancelling our flights? Why haven't you packed?"

"It is not of your concern, koritsi." My grandfather interrupted.

"It's ok Dad." My mother sighed. "It's time to be honest."

She looked me in the eye, and sat down as Pandora crept down the stairs and took a seat beside me.

"For a long time after your father left us, I was heartbroken. I had no one, and I was not very financially stable. Last week, he offered us a place. He wanted to try again, and said that he would pay for the house. I wanted to go back, wanted for you to be able to get to know him, but I soon realized his intentions were not as pure as I had thought."

"I was torn between you having a father figure in your life, or staying here, with the rest of your family and friends. Truth be told, I never really planned on going back." She paused, and silence swept the room as she stared at her hands. "So it's your choice, Kamitza. I should not have lied to you, and I should not have made all these decisions without you two. But you and your siblings need to decide" now. Do you want to see your father? Or do you want to stay here?

I glanced at my sister, and although the answer seemed obvious, we were all silent for a long, long time. Finally, I nodded and she looked at our mother and the rest of our family with love. "We want to stay here." She said, as she looped her arm through mine. "Even if he was the richest man in the world, or lived right next door, he left us. He made that choice, and he will not buy us back."

"Besides," I interrupted. "We have all the family we need right here."

Mint gum poisoned my mouth with its sharp flavor, as I grabbed a magazine from my bag, sitting myself down at the metal table.

"Are you getting anything?" My mother asked me, as she flipped open her wallet walking up to the airport starbucks.

"Uh, sure. Just a matcha tea please." I replied, as I adjusted my neck pillow, trying to get a little more comfortable in my seat. I glanced up at the large TV placed along the ceiling, patterned with boarding times.

"Ma, ten minutes!"

"I know, I know." She walked over to where my siblings and I stood, Olympia holding Demos in her arm. "Everyone here?"

"Yup!"

We quickly jogged into the line to board the aircraft, the woman at the desk stamping each of our passports, and directing us down the metal tube that would lead us to our seats. I

quickly dropped into mine, pushing my bag over top of my head, in the carry on trunk, and flipping open my laptop.

Now, you may be wondering multiple things at this moment, probably confused and possibly even a little bit disappointed. Do not forget that relocating to another country requires a numerous amount of steps, from selling your house, to packing up the rest of your clothes.

But don't worry. I won't bore you with the boring details of that whole affair, as all I was concentrated on now was getting home to my boyfriend and my best friends, back under the Greek sun once again.

Now, as I sit and type this story on my flight back to Greece, and contemplate sleeping for the rest of the plane ride, and devouring both of my family pack bags of MnMs, the only thing that seems worth thinking about now, is the soft sandy beach I'll be sprawled out on before the day is over.

So I again, thank you, for coming on this adventure with me. And I remind you, that it's not over yet.

I can feel it.

                                                                                      ↣The End ↢