Book 2 Chapter 31
By evening, the house had settled into a quiet stillness, even the sound of waves lapping over each other seemed distant and muted. On waking up, Yalda had pulled herself together, showered and gotten dressed slowly. She felt numb, her body was rested but she still lacked her full energy, and her mind was mostly hazed with thoughts.
Ioannis had asked how she was feeling and all when she woke up, he had returned to his MacBook ro finish up the work he'd been tending to earlier. It was mostly quiet between them, a peaceful type of silence in which nothing needed to be said. She let him work without distracting him, and he let her collect herself and her thoughts without bothering her.
And when he finally concluded his work, he spoke first.
“You look better,” he said.
Her gaze met his.
“I feel better,” she admitted, toeing the edge of the rug with her foot.
He closed the laptop and stood. “Do you want to step out and get some air? It's too quiet in here.”
Ah, so he'd noticed as well. She thought it had been just her, she thought it was her mood getting to her and not the ambience.
“Yes,” she replied almost immediately. “I’d like that.”
"Great. Get your jacket.”
Soon enough, they stepped out into the cool and quiet evening, Ioannis thought it was a bit too chilly to go on a walk so he decided they would go for a drive instead. The car was cozy and warm, and he drove with one hand on the wheel, while the other rested casually on the gearshift.
The drive was peaceful. The city lights flickered past the windows, the sky was dark blue now, almost black, the stars above shone just as brightly as the city lights. It was relaxing, Yalda found herself looking out the window like she was a depressed teenager doing something relaxing after such a long time.
"Are you hungry? We should get some food." He said.
It was only when he pointed it out that she realized she was actually getting hungry, her tummy felt quite light.
"Yeah." She replied.
"There's a place not too far from here." He told her. "Their chef knows his stuff."
She wasn't surprised really, it seemed everyone kitchen in Greece served heavenly dishes.
The drive went on, and after some time, Ioannis pulled into the lot of the restaurant. The entrance was lined with warm lights, the interior visible through the tall glass doors, there was something quietly elegant and intimate about it.
Dinner passed gently, the food was indeed heavenly and Yalda found herself eating down to the last bite. Ioannis watched with satisfaction a, he seemed almost impressed.
"You like it?" He asked, smiling.
She nodded.
"I do. It tastes so good." She replied.
"Want me to have them pack some for you?"
He was so thoughtful, so sweet. And she nodded, smiling almost bashfully.
In all her life, she'd never expected that a man like him existed; he didn't only love her, he loved her dog, her unborn child, and everything else she brought with her.
They wrapped up dinner and they packed up takeouts for Yalda, Ioannis made a joke about betraying Alina to which they laughed.
And when they stepped back outside, the air was cooler, Yalda found herself pulling her jacket tighter around herself.
"Wanna head back?" He asked her.
Did she?
She thought it through for a moment, she liked it out here, she liked the lights, the soft scent of salt on the breeze, she liked how the stars twinkled above. So, she shook her head.
"Let's stay for a moment longer." She replied.
He glanced at his wristwatch before nodded. It was a little after 7pm and the night was still young, it was just getting started actually and Yalda didn't want to miss out on when the city completely came alive.
It was nearing the end of November and people were already beginning to hang up Christmas decorations. From where she stood, she could see fairy lights shaped like a reindeer blinking beautifully. She realized she'd been missing out on a lot by always being indoors.
Ioannis gestured toward the side of the building.
“Come on.” he said taking her hand.
They walked a short distance, and then the space opened into a bridge, one which was a quiet overlook above the city. It gave her a better view of everything; the lights sprawled beneath them like a blanket of gold and white, blinking and stretching far into the horizon. Cars moved below like they were in sync, people walked along the sidewalks in small clusters, their voices drifting faintly through the air.
It was so peaceful, so calming.
“It’s beautiful.” she breathed.
Ioannis stared at her for a moment, took in the awe in her features, took in how relaxed she was, and then he smiled and nodded.
"It is."
For a while they said nothing. They simply stood side by side, watching the city breathe beneath them. Yalda felt something loosen in her chest; the lingering ache from the morning, the confusion from the hospital, everything.
She glanced at Ioannis. His profile was sharp in the dim light, his eyes were on the city, he seemed just as relaxed as she was, it was almost like he was noticing the beauty of the city for the very first time.
She couldn't even begin to describe how peaceful it was. But the peaceful silence was broken by a sudden vibration.
Ioannis’s phone buzzed in his pocket, once, then again. He blew out an exasperated breath as he reached into his pocket for it.
Yalda watched as he unlocked the phone, glanced at the screen, and she saw it, the shift in his expression. His brow furrowed in concentration and he suddenly seemed detached from the peaceful moment.
“I have to get this,” he said quietly. "Excuse me."
She nodded, though a knot formed in her stomach, she couldn't help but wonder who was calling and why Ioannis seemed so invested in their call. “Okay.”
He stepped away from her, far enough to take the call without her overhearing. Still, she could see him clearly. She watched as he lifted the phone to his ear, his hand slipping into the pocket of his coat.
“Hello,” she heard him say.
His voice was low, but there was a tension beneath it she couldn’t ignore. Yalda strained to catch more, but he spoke too quietly, and he was speaking Greek so her attempts we're pretty much futile. She watched his posture instead, she watched how his jaw tightened, how his eyes darkened.
Something was wrong and she could sense it.
The city lights below continued to flicker peacefully, but her heart thudded faster, uneasily. She wrapped her arms around herself, the cool air suddenly sharper against her.
After a few minutes, Ioannis ended the call. He remained still for a moment, staring out at the city, as though collecting himself. Then he turned and walked back toward her.
Yalda’s stomach dropped at the burdened look on his face.
She swallowed. “Is everything okay?”
There was a pause. Not long, but long enough for her heart to skip anxiously.
“It was Mariah,” Ioannis replied.
She blinked. Mariah? She hadn't expected that. And what did he look so burdened? She thought Mariah would be across the continent having the time of her life by now.
“She’s not doing very well,” he continued, his voice low. “And I’m… worried about her.”
Something inside Yalda tightened, perhaps it was because she wasn’t used to Ioannis sounding worried. He was always composed, always steady. Hearing that shift unsettled her.
“Oh,” she murmured. “I see. What's the matter?"
The wind brushed past them, carrying the distant hum of the city but it didn't seem so calming anymore.
"She's going through a lot at the momen; depression, anxiety, and all."
Ah, it sounded like her.
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