The Princess and the Greek God

12 Reality Bites

*UNEDITED

“Can I stay here?” Roen asked again as I could only blink. My brain flatlined. “I know it’s too much to ask. Shameless too, after everything I did…that’s why…I’m sorry. It’s not enough to just apologize like this, but…”

“But you don’t want to go back to your father?” my brain has returned to its normal function – although partly recovered only.

“I have nowhere else to go. I only have two dollars in my pocket…”

“You have a big, fat bank account, Roen.”

“Which is what I earned from working in dad’s company. So technically it’s still his money…will you…let me stay here?”

I thought hard. What will Nadav do if he was here now?

“I understand if you don’t want to…”

“Okay.” I blurted out.

“Okay what?”

“Okay, I’ll let you stay, but only on one condition. You will work for me. That means I’m the boss. You will do whatever I say without complaining.”

“What exactly will be my job then?”

“This.” I handed him a frosted cupcake.

“”What? A taste tester? Piece of cake!”

“No, dummy! You’ll help me with the deliveries and cleaning the kitchen and some other random stuff I can think of.”

“This is payback for everything I did to you, isn’t it?”

“Say whatever you want, Roen. I’m the boss. You’re the employee.”

And he nodded, just like that, without arguing with me. ‘Something that will make him fall on his knees and beg.’ It was what Nadav said. Although he didn’t really do anything drastic, it was Roen who did this all to himself. Him and his pride.

“You can have that cupcake. And here are fresh clothes and a shaver. Bathroom is over there. You can sleep in my brother’s room.”

He nodded again and picked up the cupcake. He didn’t eat it, but just turned it around several times.

If there is one thing I will never apologize for, it will be this.

In a flash, my hand connected with his cheek; a hard, cracking sound filled the air as a flabbergasted Roen stared up at me, wide eyed in shock. Damn, my hand felt numb from that slap but it felt good to finally release all the anger inside me.

I was expecting Roen to retaliate, but instead, he apologized.

“I’m sorry, I really am, Isla. I don’t think that slap will be enough, though…”

Roen looked apologetic and sincere enough. At least he knew how to apologize.

“You’re right, but that’s all I need to do…apology accepted.”

Remember that everyone you meet is afraid of something, loves something and has lost something.

 

Roen is all those things tonight. He looked so defeated and broken. If only he would learn to swallow that damn pride of his. All of it.

It took a week of renovations in the shop; installing new equipments, replacing the furnitures and repainting. Yes, I lost the debate with Nadav. In the end, I had to admit defeat. He wouldn’t easily back down and I had to agree that he will take care of the expenses for the renovations.