Black Widow | 18+

28 | Healing Over Time

'and here you are living 

despite it all.' 

-rupi kaur 

✥✥✥✥✥

When someone leaves their life behind, starts fresh, they often try and forget the person they once were, be it through changing the colour of their hair, their name, their entire identity. 

Not Artemisia though 

She had grown using who she once was as a platform to jump up from. In a literal sense she did this through the millions she had made, the beauty she possessed, and the job that came with being a mother and a business owner. The characteristics she possessed that stemmed from her painful past were not eradicated however, but embraced and used to her own advantage, and this time the results were healthy and normal. 

Her kindness had allowed her to make friends with everyone 

Her beauty had caused that same effect with men, but this time she saw dating as quite unimportant in her life, not because of her past, but because she had much more fulfilling things to focus on. 

Her intelligence had allowed her to make her own plans and effectively put them into action, and with that came her drive. 

Her drive had allowed her to open a school for disadvantaged children in Athens two years ago, where she now lived permanently. It took a lot to get the councils onside, and she had to make connections with the right people, but she did it, and it was one of her pride and joys to see other young children being nurtured in a healthy way. 

She took strength from the parents of these kids, working non-stop to provide as much as they could, but not only was she inspired by their ethic but also by their parenting. 

With the lessons she had learnt from other mothers and fathers that she had come across within the school, she parented her own child using their words of advice. 

Riccardo Davide Pericelo, Rico for short. 

His middle name had been a tribute to David, Riccardo had been chosen given it's meaning of strength, and his last name would remain Pericelo unless something got in the way. 

Artemisia wasn't thinking that far ahead, and she had stopped planning so far into the future because she realised how limited her life became when she did. Constantly worried, the incessant planning was a behaviour of the past to protect her from danger, and she was aware that there could be a day where that danger would resurface, but the relentless vigilance she put herself under wasn't serving her anymore. 

Now she spent time with her newly-turned five year old, and the only danger she cared about was the kind that threatened him. 

The two were beyond close, but not perfect. Artemisia saw a lot of Leandro in her son physically, but also in his nature. He was determined, and if he wanted to do something he would do his best to do it, even if his mother had told him it would only end in tears. 

Rico physically emulated his father, a little too much for Artemisia's liking when she was having a bad day, but he was growing to be a very strong and handsome boy. He was quiet in nature unless around people he trusted, but very protective of his mother and sometimes jealous when he saw her talking with the other kids at the school. He had his father's bright smile, one that made Artemisia so happy to see.