Rise from the grave

The drive was quiet, but not awkward, rather it was peaceful. The air was filled with calmness as we traveled through the countryside, horses trotting about in their paddocks and lots of trees. However, no matter the captivating environment, my mind seemed to wander back to last night, I blush.

I hear a chuckle and I turn with my eyes sending knives at him, "Don't say anything!" I groan.

"Thinking of something sweetheart?" He says suggestively, looking at me with such amusement and beneath that, lust.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I say cheekily, pursing my lips.

He nods and rolls his eyes with a stifled laugh, "Sure, sure,"

"Just but a sock in it!" I hiss, however, I continued to blush, hard…

*

Once we arrived in Alice Springs, we firstly decided to head to the town square, where we located a little flower shop.

A plump woman with rosy cheeks and bright, curly red hair looked up at us through her thick, multi-colored glasses.

"Hello, welcome to Ariel's Botanical shop! How can I help?" She questions, pushing her fingers high up her nose with her thick, stump fingers.

Her bright green eyes circle to me with a curious look, "Do you have any carnations?" I ask, my eyes skimming across the bundles of flowers planted around her shop.

She smiles, her eyes shining when Alex wraps his strong hands around my waist. "Alexandre and Evelyn, huh?" She pesters, looking at us with curiosity and amusement.

I nod, and raise a brow, "How do you know us?"

"Well your mother wouldn't stop talking about you and Alex, well, until you know," She answers, insinuating the end of our relationship.

I nod and my lips thin, I turn to Alex to see his eyes dart away. "Glad to see you're back together!" She chuckles awkwardly.

"What a turn of events," I chuckle, attempting to lighten the mood.

She laughs and smiles, "It's good to see you both again," she states.

I smile, "It's good to meet you, my mother always had the best flowers, now it makes sense," I affirm, waving my longhand upon the flowerbeds.

Alex chuckles, "I remember coming here one day to get flowers for mum," He reminisces, his eyes darting to the floor.

I take his hands into mine and rub them, the lady smiles, "I remember that," before she murmurs a little, "let me find your carnations,".

I turn to him, "Have you spoken to your mum lately?" I question

He looks at me with a cold yet surprised expression. I grip his hands tighter, comfortingly. He shakes his head, "I haven't for months,".

My eyebrows furrow, "Why not?".

"Couldn't forgive her after all she'd done…" He mumbles although restraint coats his voice.

I place a hand on his cheek, "Do you miss her?".

He nods, "Of course I do,". He glances at me with a grateful and sad expression.

"Then go contact her, I'm sure she's dying to talk to her only son again…" I respond, coaxing him.

"No, because then she'll try and separate us again…" He says coldly, looking into my eyes with hurt and anger.

"She did what she thought was best, she didn't want to lose her son… We should be mad at those who caused this!" I comment wisely, however, my mind shifted back to the moment years ago;

*"We need to break up or end whatever this thing is," He remarks…

"Whatever we are?" I spit.*

I shiver and shake my head, plonking myself back into the moment, the present. "They were the ones who affiliated themselves with a gang when they knew the troubles it brings!" He hisses, moving his face away from my hand.

"That was the past, we're fine now…" I say, attempting to convince myself but all I can think about are those unknown messages.

"Yeah with those stalker messages, I don't think so…" He murmurs, looking at me with anger and tiredness.

His eyes glaze and a softness forms in them, he plants a soft, loving kiss on my forehead before pulling me into him. "Come on, don't worry about it... It's my trouble." He says brushing our conversation off.

I sigh, not liking it but not protesting either. "I found the carnations!" A voice announces, beaming.

I look towards the origin of the voice, the florist smiles at me holding the bouquet in her hands, shaking it with enthusiasm.

I walk up to the register as she plots in the price, "$24.95,"

I pull out my purse as a shadowing presence comes behind me, grabbing my waist and pulling me towards it. "Here," he says nonchalantly, giving the florist his card.

"Thank you," she says, grabbing it with her hot pink nails.

"No worries," He replies, not looking at me glaring at him.

"Here you go!" She says, averting my gaze and passing the bouquet and card to Alex.

I mutter a thank you and as we pass through the door, I glare at Alex.

"I can pay for that!" I grumble, folding my arms and furrowing my brows.

"I know," he says calmly, a calmness that grates my nerves.

"Hmph," I groan.

"Are you mad?" He asks amusingly.

I gawk at him, my eyes looking murderous before I brush it aside and smile, "Nope," I say, trotting towards the car.

"Now that was freaky," he comments, smirking, his dimples prominent.

I ogle him, his light brown, tousled curls and his deep, caramelised brown eyes. His face angled, creating a sharp jawline and his soft, perfect-sized lips sitting there wanting to be kissed. My cheeks flush as I imagine him naked.

"Ogling me sweets?" He points out, with a chuckle and smirk plastered on his face.

"Definitely," I say without a thought before snapping myself out of the trance and shaking my head.

"I mean definitely not!" I blurt, backtracking.

He looks at me with such amusement and love that I melt in his eyes. "Okay, let's go to the cemetery please!" I announce, breaking the contact and sitting down in his black, leathered BMW.

*

The arrival at the cemetery made me nervous, I remember the day she was buried, since then I had never returned because of the engulfing and depressing memories that were brought out in me. We paved our way to her grave, she was placed in the center where the Roman Catholics resided.

"Are you okay to do this?" He questions, his tone sounding worried.

I gulp and nod, "Yes, I need to see her,". In a way I was trying to reassure myself, however, I failed.

Alex rubs circles on my hand as if he knew what I was thinking. I send him a signal that I'm okay by squeezing his hand twice. "I love you," I confess.

"I love you so much," He says, his tone coated with tenderness.

"Imagine if my mum saw us now, she'd murder both of us for causing her headaches," I chuckle, attempting to ease my nerves.

"Oh, she definitely would, especially me!" He says, sharing the joke and laughing until we reach THE grave, HER grave.

I touch the plaque, the one I had written years earlier, 'Devoted mother, cherishing wife, unforgettable friend. Lucia Giovanni,'.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here for this," He comments, apologising profusely.

"Hey, it's in the past, don't worry. You have a chance now," I remark softly, placing my small hand on his heated cheek.

He sighs and then begins talking.