Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
Alex looked around the vibrantly painted restaurant for Sofia. The smell of fresh pita being baked in the kitchen along with verdant spices hung in the air like a cloud. Sunday lunch guests filled the popular Mediterranean eatery that Sofia had chosen.
When he told the hostess that he was meeting someone, he walked past her and scanned the large room for his sister.
“Alex, over here,” Sofia said. When he spotted her, an unexpected guest was waiting for him.
“Papa! When did you get back?” Alex exclaimed, hugging his father tightly.
“Well, I decided there was no sense being the owner and not allowing my employees to take over when my son shows up in town early,” Leonardo said gleefully.
“It’s a great surprise,” Alex replied as he bent down to kiss his sister on both cheeks. “Smells amazing in here.”
“Wait until you try their hummus,” she said as she waved to the server.
They ordered quickly and dove in when the hummus, labneh, and roasted vegetables arrived.
“Man, I've missed this so much. Not much Mediterranean food where I’ve been,” said Alex in between bites.
He saw Sofia nervously watching him like she wanted to say something, but pretended not to notice, knowing that she wanted to ask more about Aria.
“So, tell me about you running into Aria at the cafe,” Sofia asked, Leonardo looking on quizzically.
Shaking his head, Alex says, “Enzo owes me twenty euros. I’ll have to let him know he lost the bet for how long it would take you to bring it up, sis.”
Leonardo looked between Alex and Sofia. “Wait, who is Aria?”
Narrowing his eyes at his sister, Alex then turned to his father and shared the story of how he first met Aria.
“I met her in my fifth year of school. Every time I saw her, she was reading a book. Sometimes she would laugh out loud, and other days, whatever she was reading would make her cry. It was as if everything she read affected her deeply. But what intrigued me most was her scribbling in a pink notebook that seemed to be always with her. I, I wanted to know what she was writing. Sofia told me she was in her class, so she was barely sixteen, but so mature. It was the way she held herself. I noticed her long before she showed up at our house one day to study with Sofia.”
“Yeah, tell him how you used to bribe me to keep signing up for her to be my study partner,” Sofia said while sipping on her water, a smug look on her face.
Leonardo laughed and put his hand on Alex’s shoulder.
“I wondered where she was getting so much spending money. Go on, son,” he said when Alex looked ready to pummel his sister.
“It was only a few times,” he grumbled. “But I had to find a way to talk to her. I couldn’t understand why I was so nervous around her. I was eighteen and getting ready to head to university, but this shy girl stole all my swagger.”
“You didn’t have that much swagger,” Sofia said, dodging Alex’s grab for her nose.
“Yeah, well, what little I had was useless around her. When Aria smiled, it did something to my brain. When I asked around about her, everyone said the same thing. Aria was the kindest girl in school.”
“This is true,” Sofia said heartily. “Everyone spoke highly of her. She’d do anything to help someone in need. I can’t tell you how many times she shared her lunch or stayed after class to help tutor the younger students.”
“She was very quiet but when she felt passionate about something, she wasn’t afraid to share her views.
I overheard her debating in class about the deep meaning she found when reading some controversial book or other.
She had fire in her eyes, and it drew me to her even more.
She was different from any other girl I’d met. ”
“So did you ever tell her how you felt or ask her out?” Leonardo asked curiously, leaning in, completely taken with the story.
Sofia groaned. “I hate this part.”
Alex tensed up but answered, “The day I had finally gotten up the courage to ask her out, I heard Nicholas bragging about having done the same that morning. And for the next several months, I had to endure watching them walk through campus, hand-in-hand, falling more in love with each passing day.”
Sighing heavily, he sat there with the memories burning just as hot as the day it happened.
“That must have been really hard,” Leonardo said quietly.
Then Alex explained the cafe incident and the accidental kiss, adding the story of seeing her at the gallery so his dad was all caught up.
“Wait a minute. You kissed her?” Sofia said, her voice slightly raised, her hands held up in a wild gesture.
“Be quiet. Yes, it was an accident. I went to kiss her cheek and she moved. It was just a touch, but it must have scared her, and she ran to the restroom. Then you called, Papa, and I left. I had no idea I’d see her again at the gallery.”
“Sounds like this woman made quite an impression on you, son. Now and then.”
“Yes, she did. She has.” He was powerless to hide his broad smile.
“Called it,” Sofia said smugly, happily munching on her pita.
Leonardo couldn’t hide his surprised expression. “Son, this sounds like fate. You seem pretty taken with this woman. Could it be that my wandering albatross has found love at last?”
“I don’t know,” Alex answered. “At the gallery, she told me that she married the guy from school, Nicholas.”
“Oh,” Leonardo said with concern.
Alex cleared his throat and sat up a little taller in his seat.
“She also shared that he died in a car accident a few years ago.”
Alex heard his father’s light gasp and saw his eyes soften with compassion. Both Sofia and Leonardo reached out to hold Alex’s hands, placing them on top of each one.
“Son, you need to be careful. This changes everything. Please, take my advice and tread lightly. I can hear how much you like her, and I know you would never knowingly hurt Aria, but she may not be ready for a relationship. That’s a conversation you’ll have to have, in time.”
Alex heard the murmur of voices of the other patrons around him, acutely aware of two pairs of eyes trained on him as he tried to listen to his father’s words. He had spent the entire night before going over every word Aria said.
Hearing her cry in his arms had torn him to pieces. He instantly wanted to protect her, comfort her. He couldn’t lie to himself by ignoring the way she made him feel. Like he had told the guys, there was an inexplicable draw to her.
“Thanks, Papa. I would never do anything to bring Aria pain and if it means putting my feelings aside, I’ll do it willingly. But I have no idea what to do with these strong feelings.”
“You’re the only one who can say if what you’re feeling is actually love, but it’s a powerful emotion.
Sometimes it hits us like lightning. I also know you’ve been hurt badly before, so knowing you’re willing to open your heart to that possibility again does my heart good.
I know you’ll do the right thing,” Leonardo said lovingly.
Alex nodded and thanked them both, carefully changing the subject to his father’s trip and what the week looked like for them at the office.
An hour later, they paid the check and hugged goodbye, making plans for their next get-together, Leonardo and Sofia still navigating moving around plans with Alex home early.
Alex followed Sofia to her car but knew she wouldn’t let the conversation go so easily.
“Why didn’t you tell me about the kiss?” she asked as he stood outside her car, her tone more concerned than irritated.
“I guess I was still processing it all. Besides, the night we had dinner I wanted to talk about what you’re going through, not me.”
“I appreciate that big brother, but this is, well, it’s big. Are you telling me you have feelings for Aria? Again?”
Hanging his head, Alex replied, “Would I sound crazy if I told you I don’t know if I ever got over her?”
Shock registered on her face as her eyes widened.
“Alex, I thought it was just puppy love. I had no idea.”
Scratching his head, Alex replied, “Honestly? Neither did I. I had no idea what to do with how I felt back then. We were kids! Meeting and falling for Bella years later led me to believe that Aria was just that. A crush. But I’d find myself comparing them.
” His last sentence came out as a whisper. “I know, I know. I’m crazy.”
Putting her hand on his arm, she said, “No, not crazy. I don’t know, kind of sad.
Sad that you never got the chance to find out what could have happened.
And yeah, you were kids, but Aria and Nicholas found love back then.
They beat the odds and got married. It’s painful to know it ended in tragedy.
And I hate that you got hurt. Maybe this is your second chance. ”
“Yeah. But she’s hurting, Sofia. I held her while she cried for Nicholas. For the loss of what they had. It broke something in me and now all I want to do is be with her. Shield her from this pain. But I’m scared too, scared of being hurt again.”
Sofia blew out loudly from her mouth. “I, I don’t even know what to say. Listen to Papa, though. Be her friend. Be there for her and let the rest just... happen. You never know. This could be the beginning of a beautiful love story for you both.” Her eyes lit with hope as she hugged him.
“It won’t be easy. For either of us. Trust is, trust is going to be a hard-fought battle I think, for her and for me.”
Pulling back to face him again, Sofia’s eyes now lit with fire.
“Alex Rossi, not everyone is like Bella. I know Aria and I haven’t kept in touch, but I remember the same things about her that you did.
She’s one of the kindest, most beautiful souls I’ve ever met.
I don’t think anyone deserves a second chance at happiness more than her.
And you, you big idiot. You deserve it, too. ”
Alex chuckled as he kissed his sister on the forehead.
“Thanks. Not for the idiot part but the rest of it.”
He helped her into her car and watched her drive off.
Alex drove home in silence just as he had done on the drive there.