Chapter Forty-one.

❝I kicked her belly and she cried with emotion. I made her put on 20 pounds and she was still beautiful and stunning. I made her almost die of pain and she gave a scream of joy when she saw me for the first time. I stole her time, left her sleepless several nights, and the passion only grew.❞

❝ I love you Mom. ❞

Narrated by Cibele:

I lean against Apollo's chest and only good, and happy, memories come to me. It's not that I ignored the bad memories now, but they were so insignificant next to the good things that Apollo brought me.

My chest accelerates with happiness looking into those blue eyes, close to the love that was hovering over me, and now my son there very close to me I was complete and with a heart grateful to God for all of this.

The nurse hands him to me in my arms, I let go of his body, and slowly approach him, showing a wide smile on my face, my baby is beautiful my heart races, I love his little hands, his cute little belly and I get emotional.

I observe every part of his body, his little tongue is so red and smiling. I feel my eyes swimming in tears, Apollo comes up behind me and makes a face. I hold him in my arms, and have no words to describe it.

This is exactly what my mother said when I asked "What did you feel when you held your son in your arms? Mrs. Julia smiled, and looked at me said that "There are no words to describe it" and she was right.

Pietro soon comes into the room and looks at me with rosy cheeks, and wet face. I see him with Amanda, and smiling, I point my head towards him calling him to come.

Pietro approaches slowly, I feel his hands trembling, taking Rafael's little hands, he asks if he can, and nods, passing our son into his arms.

I see Amanda approaching me - He's just like you! -She held out her arms, hugging me, with tears shining in her eyes - Scusate, Belle! I get emotional around newborn babies! Is he coming home with you?

(Translation: Scusate = Sorry)

I answer, wiping my tears and taking Apollo's hand - No, unfortunately. I just came to sign some documents, the doctor will release him tomorrow. - But she let us see him! - I say in a crying voice, and squeezing Apollo's hand - But between us, I don't want to leave him here another night!

Pietro is still speechless with him in his arms, he hums a song and sways a little, I smile. He sits down and stands there just looking at him, he looks at me sideways and gives a half smile.

I was missing Amanda, I didn't know how to tell Pietro about the engagement dinner tonight, so fast? Yes, we Greeks are in a hurry.

But honestly, I understand Apollo! Who wouldn't be in a hurry to marry this goddess here, aka: me.

I laugh, and I feel happy.

I want to grab Rafaelzinho and get him out of here, but the doctor arrives and asks us to leave. I lower my lower lips a little sad, but kiss him on the forehead before leaving and can't wait to take him home.

He sleeps like a little angel, and I love him so much. I say goodbye to both of them and bring up the subject of dinner tonight, and Pietro tells me that he is going, I feel happy, I want to have him there, in a happy moment. But I don't know if I'm asking too much.

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Iris left Pietro's house early, and went to a place she shouldn't have gone. She arrived crying at her house and opened the door in despair. She climbed one step of the stairs, which could be seen from the kitchen. Where her mother and aunt were cooking.

- My child! But what happened! said Tereza with her hand over her mouth, approaching Iris.

Iris' face was so wet from crying.

- Stefan wouldn't come to the phone, Mom! He's acting like I'm nothing to him, like I'm wrong. - She pointed to herself and walked to the kitchen, sat down, burying her fingers in her hair.

Tereza tries to make her calm down, but without success. Julia approaches her, pulling out the chair and sitting down in front of her.

Julia squeezed her eyes shut. - Tereza, leave it to me! If there's one thing I know, it's how to get over asshole guys. First, get your head up, you're beautiful and you need to get over dating a jerk! - He gestured with his hands, and put Iris's hair back behind her ears, and stroked her chin. But you need to focus on yourself more than ever. And tell this guy to fuck off...

- Watch your mouth, Julia," Tereza warned, blessing herself with her hands.

She wiped her tears and nodded, clearing her throat.

Julia smiled enthusiastically - Oh, don't you know? My grandson has been discharged, I left the hospital tomorrow. She went to sign some documents at the hospital with her fiancé. - Emphasized the voice on the last word. - We're having an engagement dinner tonight and everything!

- Apollo? So they're engaged? - He brought his hands to his cheeks. - That's beautiful, they're finally going to be together! - she said, pushing her hair away from her face.

She went up the stairs trying to focus on her aunt's words, even though Stefan's face was in her mind.

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...

Apollo and Cybele went to buy things that were missing for their engagement dinner.

They arrived home full of bags, and went into the living room, leaving the bags there.

- You know, we don't even need to formalize all this.... - He stretched out his arms to the flowers in the bag in front of him and stared at Cybele. - We've been married since we were six, I'm the father of all your Barbeis... He smiled and took the hands that had a flower in them and put them behind her ear.

Cibele flashed him a wide smile, and up her rosy cheeks. She sent him a passionate look.

- Yes, but not everyone was at that ceremony, and the bride had holes in her teeth, so it wasn't a very elaborate wedding... She gave a wry smile, and lifted her shoulders. - But it's no problem, I'll marry you again...

Apollo's eyes were bright, and with a frown

Apollo's eyes were bright, and he frowned. - I think it's great! I'm going to be the only man in the world who married the most intelligent, beautiful, charming, understanding, and stubborn woman in all of Greece! - he said, taking the frozen food out of the bag.

- Oh yeah? What do you want to do, cover me with compliments like that? She said, hiding her smile, and looked at him with narrowed eyes.

He knitted his eyebrows together and drew in a breath, saying: - My mother wants to ask you for forgiveness, but she doesn't know how!

- But of course I want to talk to her, I've known Miss Florence since I can remember, and I understand her. She only wanted the best for her son... And she thought Ali...

- Xi, don't say that name. - He looked away and smiled.

She let out a laugh, swaying and looking at him with sparkling eyes.

She burst out laughing, swaying and looking at him with sparkling eyes.

She walked over to him and put her hands around my neck and looked into his eyes. He smiled, batted his eyelashes quickly and kissed her cheek, tilted his face and ran the tip of his tongue over her cheek quickly.

- Apollo! You caught me off guard! She pouted, "You'll get it back!

Apollo approaches and pulls her by the hips, looks at her slowly, watching her and as if his eyes tell her how much he loves her.

- I can't wait to show you the surprise! He widens his eyes.

- I can't wait to see what it is! - He purses his lips together with a half smile.

- Not until later, after dinner! - He kissed her forehead and turned his head back down, kissing her cheeks and distributing kisses on her lap and neck.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, drew closer, initiated a kiss, and so they spent the afternoon.

It is already evening and the guests arrive for Dinner, while everyone else is having dinner. Cibele was wearing a tight black dress with long sleeves, and watching the dinner, Pietro had not arrived yet, she thought, taking a glass of wine and drinking it.

It's time for the speeches, and Izabel, a friend of Cybele's and one of the bridesmaids, comes into the hall to give her speech.

She holds the microphone, and pats it to check if it's on.

- It's on! - She gave a wide smile, and brought her hands to her mouth, coughing, "I'm very happy to be here today, seeing one of my two best friends engaged, and I'm even happier that they got it right on my wedding day! - She winked at them both and smiled. - I'm sure it will be the most anticipated wedding on this entire island! I know some ridiculous people have tried to separate you, people who should be ashamed of themselves and not be here! - She widened her eyes, looking in Iris's direction and raised the glass in her direct hand.

- But anyway! Let's toast to true love, the kind that can never be separated! - he said, raising his wine glass and looking at everyone.

Iris moistened her lips and moved away from the chair, still seated.

- I need some air! - she said to Julia who was beside her.

She walked around the room trying to dodge Izabel's cutting glances. She passed by the kitchen and at the end of it Laura Castro and Fernanda fontes were there, whispering. Iris still heard a little of what they were talking about.

- You realize it was for Iris, right? - Fernanda said while chewing a canapé.

- Of course it was! Iris has always been offered, remember when she was a teenager? Always with one and another. Izabel is furious that she went to Ricardo these days, can you believe it? -Laura retorted in front of Fernanda and put her hands on her huge belly of 8 months of twins - Surely she will end up like her aunt, alone, and full of children! Having to live the mother ... -she laughed.

Iris leaned away from the wall and swallowed dry, she didn't even feel anger, she felt bad to hear that from her so far "inseparable friends".

She was indeed happy for her cousin, but her heart was tightening because the image of Stefan was always in her mind.

She walks out of the restaurant and goes to the small hill behind her grandmother's restaurant, she needed a quiet place to think.

She is amazed, brushing her hair out of her face, when she sees Pietro sitting on the bench, staring out to sea. He sat with his legs swinging wildly, facing away from her.

- Pietro? What are you doing here? - She knitted her eyebrows together.

I'm having a strange and confusing night! - He looked at his watch.

She approached him with her arms crossed, stood beside him - Also, I must confess.

- Iris, do you ever feel like the worst person in the world? - He ran his tongue over his lips, and continued to speak in a broken voice, as if he were about to cry - Or alone? I don't know, it used to be just me and Amanda, and then I started playing and made friends in a way, but I became a jerk... - Her red eyes stare at the sea from afar.

She curls her mouth. - Yes, I have felt that way. And I still do, about today, no one believes that I'm happy for Cybele, that Apollo and I were in the past, but well... I don't think so," she tilted her glass, sitting slowly on the edge of the gray concrete bench, "I'm sorry you're feeling this way.

She stared at him from afar.

- Wait, you and Apollo? Wait for what? When? Pietro asks, frowning and turning sideways.

- Just one kiss, once. And it was a bad decision. Today I know I was never attracted to Apollo, but for what they had, I never had that with anyone. I've always been with one and another, you know - He frowned, and stared at the starry sky above them, and put a loose strand of hair behind his ear - I let envy blind me - He blurted out - Sorry, I ended up turning the conversation into a monologue.

- No, it's not a problem! I don't like monologues much, but I'd go to one of your monologues, no problem. - He lifted his shoulders and stared at her, running his hands through his hair, trying hard to smile, but failing.

His cheeks turned pink, but the blonde hid it and replied, "What's wrong with you?

- I was fired from Juventus! He said shaking his head, giving a bitter smile - But the worst is not that, Amanda found out that I was with her sister, while we were dating.... She hates me now, I'm an asshole. - She turns her face to the beach - And now I don't even know if I should walk into the dinner and bump into her! - She squeezed her eyes shut. - Oh Iris, I don't want to fall in love ever again! I don't know how to face them both in there.

She shook her head sideways, and gave a smile to the horizon - You can fall in love with someone in 3 minutes. And it can take three years to get over it, I know.... We're not in charge of these things, believe me! But you can choose to face all of this with your head held high, or dwell on what you did in the past.

Iris stood up in a furious and determined way. She smoothed her shiny gold dress and took two steps toward him. She smiled.

He frowned, and managed to smile, gave her his hand and stood up, walking to dinner.

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Pietro greeted everyone he had, quickly the bride and groom, and was soon walking over to Amanda, who was talking to Tereza near the dance floor. He interrupted the conversation, asking to be excused, Amanda rolled her eyes when she saw him, Tereza walked away leaving them alone.

- Pietro, I really don't have anything to say to you!

Her eyes rolled in orbits. As she looked at her dancing daughters, she waved at them, with a fake smile.

- Amanda, please... I know I was wrong, but after we became friends, it was hard for me to tell the truth. - He pursed his lips together, and realized that she wasn't looking at him, as if he wasn't there. Then he stopped in front of her.

Abbastanza, I can't take any more of your excuses, it has devastated me. Knowing that you betrayed me I always knew that, but with my sister? That was low even for you," she said, looking at him from head to toe, shaking her head, "Today I thank God for getting rid of you, for having met a real man.

(Translation: Abbastanza = Enough already! )

- I know! - I hate myself for it, but I'm trying to change, your friendship is important to me...

The blonde looked at him with a look of disgust, and her lower lip dropped a little. You can buy a thousand hospitals, do a thousand charities! You'll still be the same! Rotten. A scoundrel, liars- Her chin trembled as she uttered the words she turned around. She took three steps and turned her head back saying: - And I got tired of being the one who always cleans up his shit.

Something in Pietro broke him, he looked at her and his chest burned with sadness and anger, things like this wouldn't happen if he was the Pietro of old. What had he gained these months? He only screwed up, he walked over and said goodbye to Cybele.

Maybe Amanda was right, he was rotten, and he was a scoundrel. If that's what he was, then he wouldn't run away. He straightened the collar of his white shirt and ran his hands over the black suit he was wearing.

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The dinner was over, it was a beautiful party. And in the Grandmother's outdoor hall only the family had stayed for the "after-party", Cybele was a little upset and climbed onto the "stage" that was already being dismantled by Alexia and Paolo.

The sun was already rising, in the sky that was overcast.

- I-I mean, a word! - She swallowed dryly when she saw that everyone was looking at her - that I love this man! - She pointed with her index finger at Apollo. Because today I know the difference between a passion, and a love... Love arranges everything, passion gives a feeling of power, makes the ground shake, and our body sways. Passions mess us up, and love tidies everything up. Love brings security, tranquility. And this is what you give me my love, and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life by your side.

She brought her hands to her heart, and her eyes narrowed.

Apollo gave her a half smile, this was the woman of his life and he knew it. Her eyes burned with love, and everything around Cybele seemed to glow, even though the sky was cloudy, there was light, Cybele was his light.

His eyes were burning with love, and everything around Cybele seemed to shine, even if the sky was cloudy, there was light, Cybele was his light.

Little did he know that something would spoil the atmosphere of love and union...

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Meanwhile a nurse was walking along while singing "Your song by Elton John". She was hurrying because it was time to bathe the babies who were about to leave the incubator and go home.

She opened the door slowly, walked over to the baby she was going to bathe, and stared wide-eyed, standing open-mouthed in front of the incubation bed.

The baby was no longer there, she hurriedly looked at her chart, the baby on her list was 'Rafael Tiago Giorgiou Ricci'.

And my dear reader, as Apollo would say, it is bad luck to sing Elton John...