De Luca

𝐓𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐰𝐨

The next morning while Vanessa and I were outside in the glass garden finishing some last touch-ups on one of the flower beds Elias came around from behind one of the sandstone pillars.

His hair is wet loose curls falling onto his forehead, his hands shoved into the pockets of his black suit.

Vanessa stood up, and walked to Elias and wrapped him up in her arms holding him for a minute before pulling away and kissing his cheek. "I'll leave you to sort things."

He nodded and said something in Italian as she walked off. I stood up from where I was kneeling and dusted the dirt off of my hands.

He cleared his throat and sat down on the wooden garden bench, biting my lip I sat down next to him.

It was silent between us so I spoke up, "do you remember anything from yesterday?"

He shook his head looking down at his dress shoes. "But this morning my mother came to check on me and told me you were the one who cleaned my room and left those things by the bed."

I nodded looking down at his dress shoes as well, trying to find something interesting in them.

He cleared his throat again, "I'm sorry for what happened, I shouldn't have acted out like that."

I nodded, biting my lip.

"I don't think I'll ever let you know why I did it but I just want you to know that it was just some memories I haven't come to terms within a very long time, which is why I acted out."

I nodded as he looked up at me.

"And thank you for the pancakes, they were amazing."

I let a small smile fall on my lips, "your welcome" I said softly.

"And also for cleaning my room, you didn't have to do that."

"It's alright."

I met his coloured eyes, "how's your head?"

"Hurting like a bitch."

I giggled causing him to chuckle. He looked away from me and I was glad because something about looking him in his eyes while he chuckled felt too intimate.

"The garden looks nice."

I nodded, "It does, doesn't it."

There was a pause before I spoke again, "well hopefully you can put my name up somewhere so that your kid's kids will know that I helped." It was meant to be a joke but it only made the realisation of me not being here, later on, hit the both of us.

He chuckled dryly looking anywhere but me "I don't mean to make this conversation depressing but–" I cleared my throat, "– I would like it if you buried me somewhere in Italy, preferably on a hill overlooking like a forest or sea or something like that."

His head snapped to me, "Grace, your not going to die!"

I looked down at my shoes, "you don't know that."

"I do, you're the key to something very big. I'm not going to let you die on me."

I scoffed although he was trying to joke I didn't find it funny, "Elias," I said looking up at him in all seriousness, "just promise me that, promise me you'll do that for me."

He face turned blank and he nodded, "of course, of course, I'll do that for you."

I nodded forcing a small smile, "well I've been thinking about the fountain pond that we'll put koi fish in it, about seven of them I'm thinking," I said standing up, needing space between us.

He nodded rubbing at his forehead, "that sounds good."

"And we're definitely putting lotus's in it."

"That also sounds nice."

"Where's Andre I didn't hear him come ho-" quickly I caught myself, "come back."

"I checked on him this morning he's just sleeping."

I nodded, "that's good."

I sighed before smelling one of the new flowers we got.

"Is it getting boring here now."

I nodded, "there isn't much to do here."

"Well, what do you think about going to a winery tomorrow?"

I looked at him with a genuine smile "really!"

He nodded, "I own one not far from here."

"I'd love to go to one."

"It'll be my sorry gift."

I laughed lightly, "okay."

"I'll knock on your door, be ready by seven." I nodded smiling.

He chuckled looking at me with amusement, "okay then." with a single nod he turned around and walked away.