56. Kennedy
Kennedy
CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
One month later
GREECE
The cool breeze gently blows my hair as the sea stretches out before my eyes, so beautiful it doesn't even seem real. As the yacht we're on slowly glides towards the island where Hades was born, I regret that it's already the eve of our return home.
I had seen many images of Greece on websites, but nothing that travel agencies try to sell us compares to the real beauty of the place.
Hades' island exudes a profound tranquility, and it was only after we arrived here that I realized how much I needed a break from the world.
We’ve been on so many trips. We’ve had lazy days of hiking and swimming in the sea. We’ve visited many beaches, where King had fun making castles while we lay in the sun, lulled by the soft melody of our boy's laughter. The olive fields where the olives that I love so much come from were a bonus, but I couldn't say what I like most about the country.
Every day, we take the boat out to the islands, and King loves every second of it. I don't think I'll ever forget the joy in his little eyes, so similar to his father's, when he got onto the yacht for the first time.
And our vacation was even more special because Hades was the best guide I could ask for. He told me in detail the stories of his people, legends about heroes, gods, and creatures that inhabit the universe of Greek mythology.
One in particular, which I loved, is the legend of Eros and Psyche.
I don't remember the full story, but I kept a summary of it in my memory.
Psyche was a mortal of stunning beauty who even aroused the envy of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty.
Her beauty, however, was the cause of her misfortune. People stopped worshiping Aphrodite and started loving Psyche instead. Furious, Aphrodite decided to punish her and sent her son, Eros, to shoot her and curse her to fall in love with the most horrible living being that existed.
Instead, however, Eros ended up being shot by his own weapon of love and fell in love with Psyche.
The first part reminds me a little of my story with Pam. I never did anything to make her jealous. She had everything; I didn't. The only thing she couldn't possess was Hades' heart, because that was mine from the first moment we met, and vice versa.
Thank God my saga has a happy ending, just like Psyche's.
Unable to fulfill his mother's wish, Eros visited Psyche every night, after making her promise that she would never try to see his face.
Curiosity and fear, however, ended up getting the better of her and made her break the deal. One night, while Eros was sleeping, Psyche lit a candle and saw him. He was beautiful. However, Eros woke up scared and, upon understanding what had happened, that Psyche had broken the agreement, he fled.
Desperate and regretful, Psyche wandered the Earth looking for him, submitting herself to a series of tasks imposed by Aphrodite, in the hope of recovering her lost love.
Finally, with the help of Zeus, who granted her immortality, they were together forever.
I feel Hades kiss the top of my head, bringing me back to reality. I'm sitting on the bow of the yacht, between his legs, and I have an exhausted King, completely asleep, on my lap.
"What are you thinking about, wife?"
"Psyche and Eros."
I intuit more than I hear his laugh.
"Our legends impressed you."
"Your country impressed me. I would like to come back often. We haven't even left yet, and I already miss it."
"The island will always be here—we can come as often as we want. For a long time, none of us did. It was where our Dad died. We had a good childhood, and then everything disappeared with their deaths. When Zeus married Madison and then Dionysus and Ares followed the same path, forming their families, little by little my brothers came back and rediscovered our roots."
“But not you,” I say.
"I had no reason to come. Now that I know you love my country, I do."
"If it brings back bad memories, we don’t need to return."
"King is half Greek." He pauses. "Some would say that because of his temperament, he's totally Greek."
"I can't disagree. So small and he already possesses the Kostanidis arrogance."
"The fact is that I want to bring our children here often, to immerse them in our culture. Learn about our ancestors."
"It's a good thing we have your side of the family, because on mine, I only have Mom and Beny," I say, referring to the man who married my mother but with whom I spent much less time than Ernest, "because regarding Balantine, I hope King never steps foot on the same sidewalk as him."
"Yes, I agree. Are you hungry?"
I look back."Why the change of subject?"
"No reason in particular. Just because you have a hearty appetite late in the afternoon."
"It's not my fault. Greek food is very tasty. I don't think I've ever eaten so much in my life," I confess, feeling ashamed.
God, the fresh salads, the moussaka , the souvlaki, and the baklava —they make me moan with pleasure as I devour them.
He doesn't say anything, and I can almost see the gears of his mind working. "Do you think you might be pregnant?"
I'm surprised by the question. With the excitement of the trip, I hadn't thought about it, but I stopped taking the pill the day after the wedding. In fact, I had only been using it for about three days and of those, I forgot one.
"Don't you think it's too early for us to tell?"
"I did some research. After about two weeks, we can test, but I didn't want to pressure you."
"Pressure me? I was the one who asked you to get me pregnant!"
"I really want this son or daughter, Kennedy. To give King siblings and be around for every second of your pregnancy."
"You shouldn't have said that. Now I'm going to be anxious until I take the test."
"I'll call the doctor, and he'll be there as soon as we get to the island."
"Really? This late?"
"I'm a Kostanidis, woman. My wish is a command."
I roll my eyes. "Your modesty and humility are beautiful ."
"It's just reality," he says with the arrogance that fascinates me.
A self-confident man is very sexy. Or maybe I find it sexy because I'm crazy about this Greek.
I watch him talk on the phone in his native language, probably to the doctor, and I vow to start learning some Greek too.
I have plans. I haven't given up on selling my art, and I've been working hard, even here. The entire island is an inspiration for my drawings.
Hades is already teaching our son some words in Greek, and I almost fainted at the cuteness of King calling his father “baba,” which is actually a word of Turkish origin, as Hades explained to me, incorporated into the Greek language as an informal way of saying “daddy.”
And yesterday, he taught him how to say “mama,” which means mom, and I swear to God I wanted to immortalize the moment.
"He said he'll be there when we arrive."
"And inflated your ego a little more, god of the underworld."
"That is your role, wife."
I laugh softly so as not to wake King. "You don't need my help—your fellow countrywomen already take care of it. They look at you as if they want to devour you."
"Are there other women besides you in the country, Kennedy? I didn't even notice."
"Good answer, sir. Excellent answer."
An hour later, I look from the doctor to my husband with teary eyes. "Is it certain?"
"Yes. Congratulations, Mrs. Kostanidis," he says with a thick accent. "Children are true blessings."
Minutes later, the man says goodbye, and the employee who will take him to the exit hasn’t even closed the door before I run into Hades' arms.
"We are gonna be parents!"
He holds me in a bear hug for a long time. I feel his heart racing against mine and the way his breathing seems shaky. "Thank you."
"Hey, we did it together. It wasn't exactly a gift," I try to joke, but I'm emotional.
"No, I meant thank you for giving me a second chance and the right to be the father of your child again. I love you, Kennedy."