First Love Lost - part 3
Alexis stood on the terrace of Christian's cave, perched more than 1000 feet above the ocean. It was a magnificent view. She could see the entire west side of the island. It formed a semicircle around the 7-mile wide caldera. In the center were the two small islands, the result of the actions of the "sleeping" volcano. The sun was setting between them. The sky and the sea were golden. That same gold reflected onto the whitewashed houses below. "Christian, I don't think I have ever seen anything so beautiful!"
Christian sat facing Alexis as she took in the sight of the sun painting the world below in vivid colors that were slowly changing from gold to pink to violet. He drank in the sight of her. She glowed. "I know I have never seen anything so beautiful!"
"The sun looks like a flame falling . . . " She glanced down at him and saw his focus was not on the sunset. She reached out and playfully tapped him on the side of the head. "You're not looking in the right direction. You're missing a magnificent sight!"
"I am looking in exactly the right direction. You are right. The view is magnificent."
She gave him a shy smile. "Stop it!" She reached out to him. "Come here and watch with me."
He took her hand and moved to stand behind her, his arms encircling her. He nestled his head on her shoulder breathing in her intoxicating scent. She relaxed within the safety of his arms. They stayed that way, both of them serene, until the sun extinguished itself in the ocean below.
Christian kissed Alexis' neck and gave her a gentle squeeze. "Are you hungry?"
"Mmm yes I am. What's that I smell? Have you been cooking?"
"You know me. I am always cooking. Tonight I have cooked something special for you. Come sit down."
Alexis sat at the table on the terrace. Two place settings had been arranged, along with two glasses and a bottle of wine. Christian soon returned with two steaming bowls. She peered into her bowl and smelled a familiar scent. "Clam chowder! You made clam chowder!"
"I made New England Clam Chowder! Taste it and tell me what you think."
Alexis took a spoonful. "Hmm . . . " She took another spoonful. "Mmm . . . " She started to take a third when he halted the spoon halfway to her mouth.
"What do you think?" He was impatient for her opinion."I think I can't believe I have found the best New England Clam Chowder on the face of the earth in Greece of all places!"
"Really?"
"Yes really."
"Do you think it would sell in Boston?"
"I think the people of Boston would eat it up. Why, are you planning on shipping it to Boston?"
"No I plan on making it in Boston."
"What . . . "
"I plan on making New England Clam Chowder in Boston."
"You're going to Boston to make clam chowder?"
"My work visa came through today!" He smiled.
"Work visa?"
"Yes, you need one to live and work in America."
"Work . . . LIVE . . . in Boston?"
He nodded. His smile was growing.
"But how?"
"Have you ever heard of Cafe Volakis in Boston?"
"Of course. Everyone in Boston knows Cafe Volakis. You know it's not really a Cafe. It's actually a five star . . . Are you that Volakis?"
"My uncle is that Volakis. We have been working to get me papers for a year and a half. They finally came today."
Alexis broke into a huge full dimpled grin. "Boston is less than 20 minutes from Cambridge!"
Christian's smile matched Alexis'. "I'm going to need a place to stay . . . "
"This is wonderful! This is great! This is amazing!"
"So you are happy about this?"
"Happy?" She stood up and ran to his arms. "I am so happy!"
She was in his arms again. He treasured these moments, to feel her, to breathe her scent. He never wanted to be without her. "I'm glad."
Christian slipped a tape into the stereo. Slow instrumental jazz filled the night air. He returned to the terrace and embraced Alexis from behind. "Dance with me."
She turned within his embrace and drew her arms around his neck. They began to sway with the music. They danced in silence, both content with their place in the universe. The instrumental ended and an old Sam Cooke tune started playing.
Darling you send me.
I know you send me.
Darling you send me.
Honest you do.
Alexis smiled at the sound of the simple love song. "You know, don't you? You know I requested this song that first night we danced."
"I saw you talking to the musicians." His smile was gentle. "That is when I discovered you could speak Greek. None of them speak English."
Alexis snuggled closer in Christian's arms. His touch excited her. "I was dancing with you and this song came to my mind. I wasn't ready to say what I felt yet. So I asked for this song. "
You thrill me.
I know you thrill me.
Darling you thrill me.
Honest you do.
Alexis looked up into Christian's eyes. "You do, you know . . . thrill me? I didn't really know what the word meant until I first saw you. Then I felt it, that afternoon when we talked, all evening when we danced. You thrill me. Every time I'm near you, it's thrilling. I love you so much it's almost unbearable." There were tears in her eyes
"I know." Christian began to kiss her neck, her shoulder, her chest. Baby soft kisses that led him to her mouth. Their lips touched and then parted. They began to explore each other with urgency. Alexis let out a soft moan as their tongues danced.
"Tell me there's a bed in this cave!"
Christian picked her up still kissing her. "I will show you."
Alexis awoke encircled in love. Christian's arms embraced her. The warmth of his breath at her cheek was comforting. His scent filled her lungs. She had slept in a semi fetal position and his body was a blanket of warmth at her back. As sleep began to fall away, Alexis stirred. She shifted to lie on her back, sitting higher in the bed. Christian, still sleeping, instantly adjusted to her movements. His arms encircled her waist and his head came to rest on her stomach. He sighed, then smiled in his sleep. Alexis ran her fingers through his hair and took in her surroundings. The dark wood of the furnishings contrasted with the whitewashed walls and almond carpeting. While the walls of the bedroom were the same color as the more modern parts of the house, they were solid rock. The room itself, except for the archway leading to the rest of the house, was carved into the side of the cliff. She had spent the best night of her life in a cave.
She kissed the top of his head and he stirred. "Good morning Fred. Nice cave you have here."
Christian snuggled closer. He loved waking up with Alexis as his pillow. He looked up into her radiant face. "Good morning Wilma." He kissed her lips and shifted to lie on his back beside her. He put his arm around her shoulder and then kissed her hair, taking in the sweet floral scent. "Did you sleep well?"
"Mmm yes!"
"Are you hungry? I will make us breakfast."
"I should cook breakfast. You made dinner."
"Alexis, can you actually cook anything?"
"No . . . Yes . . . Well, I'm developing a real talent for microwave popcorn. Does that count?"
"Since I do not have a microwave, it does not. I will make us something."
"You're making me feel guilty. You have to do all the work. I suppose I should learn how to cook someday . . . "
"No! I don't want you to ever learn to cook. That will be my job always. You will be the lawyer and I will be the cook. I love to cook! I love to cook for you!"
"But I still get to make popcorn right?"
"You can be in charge of all popcorn cooking. Popcorn and nothing else!"
"If you insist." She smiled, looked down and touched the delicate gold ring attached to the equally delicate chain that she always wore. It was her mother's ring. What would her mother think of this man who was rapidly becoming the center of her universe.
I think I have met my soul mate momma. Are you watching me from heaven? Are you happy for me? Did you send me here to meet him?
Christian noticed her mind drift off. He wanted to know where she had gone in her private thoughts. "Alexis, tell me about this." He reached out and gently took hold of the ring.
Alexis covered his hand with her own. "It is . . . was my mother's." She smiled but there was deep sadness in her eyes. "It's one of the few things I have left of her. She died when I was very young."
"I am sorry you lost your mother Alexis."
"My father too, but I really don't have any memory of him. My memories of my mother are feelings mostly, the feeling of safety in her arms, of happiness and always of being loved."
"How did she die?"
"She was murdered." Alexis' eyes began to cloud. "They told me it was some kind of robbery."
Christian pulled her into an embrace. He wanted to take the pain away. "I am so sorry."
"I was so alone after she died, Christian. I was sent to the Cassadines. To live on that dark island, with that awful woman. If it wasn't for Stefan, I think I would have died there." She shuddered in his arms. He held her tighter, gently stroking her back, trying sooth away the pain. "I don't know why I was sent to Helena. She obviously didn't want me. I think she actually hates me, although I have no idea why. Stefan got me away from her. He sent me to America. He freed me. I have a life of my own now because of him. Stefan was my only friend. Helena didn't care for him either and he was her own child. Her entire focus was on her first born, Stavros."
Christian stiffened a little at the mention of that name. The Cassadine Dark Prince, even in Santorini he was infamous. If she spent her childhood within his sphere . . . what horrors had she endured? It was unimaginable. "You are here now. You are safe and you are loved. I love you." He gently kissed her forehead. He received a small half-dimpled smile in response.
"I know. Thank you Christian. Thank you for being you, for loving me. I didn't think I could ever feel this way. I am so glad I came back to Greece."
"Alexis, why did you come back to Greece? You don't have the best memories of this place."
Alexis smiled. "I missed the sound of my native tongue. I wanted to hear Greek again."
Christian laughed. "And you have spent all your time here practicing English with me!"
"I have enjoyed every minute I've spent with you, even if I didn't get to hear much Greek."
"Oh my love," Christian spoke Greek in a deep quiet voice "you need only to ask and I will move heaven and earth to fulfill your every wish. You are the reason I breathe. You are the force that causes my heart to beat. Without you I fear I would die!" He buried his head into her shoulder and began kissing the base of her neck.
Alexis moaned softly. The sound of his voice, the touch of his lips brought an almost unbearable joy. "I am yours now and forever!" She ran her fingers through his hair and nibbled on his ear. "I love you so much!" She pulled him closer. He responded. They were primal. They couldn't get close enough, touching, tasting, exploring, needing each other. The morning sun crept across the floor to touch their tangled bodies. Breakfast would wait.
Alexis stood on the terrace of Christian's cave, perched more than 1000 feet above the ocean. It was a magnificent view. She could see the entire west side of the island. It formed a semicircle around the 7-mile wide caldera. In the center were the two small islands, the result of the actions of the "sleeping" volcano. The sun was setting between them. The sky and the sea were golden. That same gold reflected onto the whitewashed houses below. "Christian, I don't think I have ever seen anything so beautiful!"
Christian sat facing Alexis as she took in the sight of the sun painting the world below in vivid colors that were slowly changing from gold to pink to violet. He drank in the sight of her. She glowed. "I know I have never seen anything so beautiful!"
"The sun looks like a flame falling . . . " She glanced down at him and saw his focus was not on the sunset. She reached out and playfully tapped him on the side of the head. "You're not looking in the right direction. You're missing a magnificent sight!"
"I am looking in exactly the right direction. You are right. The view is magnificent."
She gave him a shy smile. "Stop it!" She reached out to him. "Come here and watch with me."
He took her hand and moved to stand behind her, his arms encircling her. He nestled his head on her shoulder breathing in her intoxicating scent. She relaxed within the safety of his arms. They stayed that way, both of them serene, until the sun extinguished itself in the ocean below.
Christian kissed Alexis' neck and gave her a gentle squeeze. "Are you hungry?"
"Mmm yes I am. What's that I smell? Have you been cooking?"
"You know me. I am always cooking. Tonight I have cooked something special for you. Come sit down."
Alexis sat at the table on the terrace. Two place settings had been arranged, along with two glasses and a bottle of wine. Christian soon returned with two steaming bowls. She peered into her bowl and smelled a familiar scent. "Clam chowder! You made clam chowder!"
"I made New England Clam Chowder! Taste it and tell me what you think."
Alexis took a spoonful. "Hmm . . . " She took another spoonful. "Mmm . . . " She started to take a third when he halted the spoon halfway to her mouth.
"What do you think?" He was impatient for her opinion."I think I can't believe I have found the best New England Clam Chowder on the face of the earth in Greece of all places!"
"Really?"
"Yes really."
"Do you think it would sell in Boston?"
"I think the people of Boston would eat it up. Why, are you planning on shipping it to Boston?"
"No I plan on making it in Boston."
"What . . . "
"I plan on making New England Clam Chowder in Boston."
"You're going to Boston to make clam chowder?"
"My work visa came through today!" He smiled.
"Work visa?"
"Yes, you need one to live and work in America."
"Work . . . LIVE . . . in Boston?"
He nodded. His smile was growing.
"But how?"
"Have you ever heard of Cafe Volakis in Boston?"
"Of course. Everyone in Boston knows Cafe Volakis. You know it's not really a Cafe. It's actually a five star . . . Are you that Volakis?"
"My uncle is that Volakis. We have been working to get me papers for a year and a half. They finally came today."
Alexis broke into a huge full dimpled grin. "Boston is less than 20 minutes from Cambridge!"
Christian's smile matched Alexis'. "I'm going to need a place to stay . . . "
"This is wonderful! This is great! This is amazing!"
"So you are happy about this?"
"Happy?" She stood up and ran to his arms. "I am so happy!"
She was in his arms again. He treasured these moments, to feel her, to breathe her scent. He never wanted to be without her. "I'm glad."
Christian slipped a tape into the stereo. Slow instrumental jazz filled the night air. He returned to the terrace and embraced Alexis from behind. "Dance with me."
She turned within his embrace and drew her arms around his neck. They began to sway with the music. They danced in silence, both content with their place in the universe. The instrumental ended and an old Sam Cooke tune started playing.
Darling you send me.
I know you send me.
Darling you send me.
Honest you do.
Alexis smiled at the sound of the simple love song. "You know, don't you? You know I requested this song that first night we danced."
"I saw you talking to the musicians." His smile was gentle. "That is when I discovered you could speak Greek. None of them speak English."
Alexis snuggled closer in Christian's arms. His touch excited her. "I was dancing with you and this song came to my mind. I wasn't ready to say what I felt yet. So I asked for this song. "
You thrill me.
I know you thrill me.
Darling you thrill me.
Honest you do.
Alexis looked up into Christian's eyes. "You do, you know . . . thrill me? I didn't really know what the word meant until I first saw you. Then I felt it, that afternoon when we talked, all evening when we danced. You thrill me. Every time I'm near you, it's thrilling. I love you so much it's almost unbearable." There were tears in her eyes
"I know." Christian began to kiss her neck, her shoulder, her chest. Baby soft kisses that led him to her mouth. Their lips touched and then parted. They began to explore each other with urgency. Alexis let out a soft moan as their tongues danced.
"Tell me there's a bed in this cave!"
Christian picked her up still kissing her. "I will show you."
Alexis awoke encircled in love. Christian's arms embraced her. The warmth of his breath at her cheek was comforting. His scent filled her lungs. She had slept in a semi fetal position and his body was a blanket of warmth at her back. As sleep began to fall away, Alexis stirred. She shifted to lie on her back, sitting higher in the bed. Christian, still sleeping, instantly adjusted to her movements. His arms encircled her waist and his head came to rest on her stomach. He sighed, then smiled in his sleep. Alexis ran her fingers through his hair and took in her surroundings. The dark wood of the furnishings contrasted with the whitewashed walls and almond carpeting. While the walls of the bedroom were the same color as the more modern parts of the house, they were solid rock. The room itself, except for the archway leading to the rest of the house, was carved into the side of the cliff. She had spent the best night of her life in a cave.
She kissed the top of his head and he stirred. "Good morning Fred. Nice cave you have here."
Christian snuggled closer. He loved waking up with Alexis as his pillow. He looked up into her radiant face. "Good morning Wilma." He kissed her lips and shifted to lie on his back beside her. He put his arm around her shoulder and then kissed her hair, taking in the sweet floral scent. "Did you sleep well?"
"Mmm yes!"
"Are you hungry? I will make us breakfast."
"I should cook breakfast. You made dinner."
"Alexis, can you actually cook anything?"
"No . . . Yes . . . Well, I'm developing a real talent for microwave popcorn. Does that count?"
"Since I do not have a microwave, it does not. I will make us something."
"You're making me feel guilty. You have to do all the work. I suppose I should learn how to cook someday . . . "
"No! I don't want you to ever learn to cook. That will be my job always. You will be the lawyer and I will be the cook. I love to cook! I love to cook for you!"
"But I still get to make popcorn right?"
"You can be in charge of all popcorn cooking. Popcorn and nothing else!"
"If you insist." She smiled, looked down and touched the delicate gold ring attached to the equally delicate chain that she always wore. It was her mother's ring. What would her mother think of this man who was rapidly becoming the center of her universe.
I think I have met my soul mate momma. Are you watching me from heaven? Are you happy for me? Did you send me here to meet him?
Christian noticed her mind drift off. He wanted to know where she had gone in her private thoughts. "Alexis, tell me about this." He reached out and gently took hold of the ring.
Alexis covered his hand with her own. "It is . . . was my mother's." She smiled but there was deep sadness in her eyes. "It's one of the few things I have left of her. She died when I was very young."
"I am sorry you lost your mother Alexis."
"My father too, but I really don't have any memory of him. My memories of my mother are feelings mostly, the feeling of safety in her arms, of happiness and always of being loved."
"How did she die?"
"She was murdered." Alexis' eyes began to cloud. "They told me it was some kind of robbery."
Christian pulled her into an embrace. He wanted to take the pain away. "I am so sorry."
"I was so alone after she died, Christian. I was sent to the Cassadines. To live on that dark island, with that awful woman. If it wasn't for Stefan, I think I would have died there." She shuddered in his arms. He held her tighter, gently stroking her back, trying sooth away the pain. "I don't know why I was sent to Helena. She obviously didn't want me. I think she actually hates me, although I have no idea why. Stefan got me away from her. He sent me to America. He freed me. I have a life of my own now because of him. Stefan was my only friend. Helena didn't care for him either and he was her own child. Her entire focus was on her first born, Stavros."
Christian stiffened a little at the mention of that name. The Cassadine Dark Prince, even in Santorini he was infamous. If she spent her childhood within his sphere . . . what horrors had she endured? It was unimaginable. "You are here now. You are safe and you are loved. I love you." He gently kissed her forehead. He received a small half-dimpled smile in response.
"I know. Thank you Christian. Thank you for being you, for loving me. I didn't think I could ever feel this way. I am so glad I came back to Greece."
"Alexis, why did you come back to Greece? You don't have the best memories of this place."
Alexis smiled. "I missed the sound of my native tongue. I wanted to hear Greek again."
Christian laughed. "And you have spent all your time here practicing English with me!"
"I have enjoyed every minute I've spent with you, even if I didn't get to hear much Greek."
"Oh my love," Christian spoke Greek in a deep quiet voice "you need only to ask and I will move heaven and earth to fulfill your every wish. You are the reason I breathe. You are the force that causes my heart to beat. Without you I fear I would die!" He buried his head into her shoulder and began kissing the base of her neck.
Alexis moaned softly. The sound of his voice, the touch of his lips brought an almost unbearable joy. "I am yours now and forever!" She ran her fingers through his hair and nibbled on his ear. "I love you so much!" She pulled him closer. He responded. They were primal. They couldn't get close enough, touching, tasting, exploring, needing each other. The morning sun crept across the floor to touch their tangled bodies. Breakfast would wait.