take to you and Dios the way I want them to.” Carla seemed deflated now that she had finally said what was on her chest. Atreus furrowed his brow.
“It’s going to be fine,” he said. “You love me, and they love you. They’ll be happy that you’re happy!”
“I know – I mean, I hope so. They’ve been my rock ever since my parents died . . .” Carla’s eyes brimmed with tears at the thought of her parents, who would have been so delighted by Atreus and his family. They had Carla at a young age, and died at a young age as well, so Mary and Charles were still sprightly for great-grandparents. But still, even Carla would admit that it wasn’t quite the same as having her father there to give away the bride, or having her mother with her as she shopped for a gown. Taking a deep breath, Carla set these feelings resolutely aside. Gran and Granddad are going to be thrilled , she thought. And Onella will be around, too, to fill the void .
The flight passed with blissful ease, as Dios slept quietly and Carla read a novel, her hand never leaving Atreus’s. In the cool luxury of the private jet, Carla found the silence calming, though it made it all too easy to ruminate on how their visit might go. Will they like him? Carla wondered, looking at Atreus, who absentmindedly checked his email beside her. Will they approve of Atreus, and Dios? Will they understand how this happened so quickly – how we fell in love so hard, so fast? Is it insane to expect them to be happy for me? Mary had sounded positively ecstatic on the phone, but it could have been all in Carla’s imagination. And what about when I tell them that I’ll be moving to Greece? That was the biggest question of all. Will it break their hearts?
*****
The Simpsons lived in Turnham Green, to the west of the city. As the trio approached the quaint bungalow, with its red-brown brick and white roof, Carla hugged Dios to her chest anxiously. This was the house that she remembered from childhood, from spending summer days in the garden with her parents and grandparents, from cozy Christmas nights spent huddled around the fireplace with cups of cocoa and Christmas crackers. Without her parents by her side, not to mention the addition of Atreus and Dios, her unlikely family . . . Well, it’s bittersweet , Carla thought, breathing in the wet clean scent of English air.
“This is it,” Carla said to Atreus. “I spent half my childhood running around this house. It’s been in the family for ages. I know it isn’t quite the villa . . .” She shifted Dios on her hip, and Atreus placed his hand on the small of her back.
“It’s lovely,” he said. “Just like you.” Carla took a deep breath.
“Okay,” she said to Dios. “Here we go!” The family approached the door and Carla raised her hand to knock. This is it , Carla thought. One rap on the door and my two worlds collide .
It was thrilling, and scary, but before she could go through with the motion, the door flung open.
“ Carla! ” Mary Simpson burst forth to embrace her granddaughter, followed immediately by her husband, Charles. A small, squat woman with a pleasant patrician face and a mess of curly white hair, Mary’s eyes were the same as Carla’s behind her wire-rimmed glasses. Beside her, Charles was taller, though hunched slightly, and wearing suspenders that ran across a belly suggesting years of pints at football games. Overwhelmed with joy, Carla found herself tangled in the arms of her only remaining family by blood. Mary was crying, and holding Carla’s face in her hands, although her granddaughter was significantly taller than she. “I can’t believe you’re really here, love.”
“It’s so good to have you home,” Charles added, positively beaming.
“Gran,” Carla said, pulling away and towards Atreus. “Granddad, this is Atreus Kostas and his son, Dios.” Carla held her breath, waiting for any sort of unexpected reaction to come her way.
“It’s going to be fine,” he said. “You love me, and they love you. They’ll be happy that you’re happy!”
“I know – I mean, I hope so. They’ve been my rock ever since my parents died . . .” Carla’s eyes brimmed with tears at the thought of her parents, who would have been so delighted by Atreus and his family. They had Carla at a young age, and died at a young age as well, so Mary and Charles were still sprightly for great-grandparents. But still, even Carla would admit that it wasn’t quite the same as having her father there to give away the bride, or having her mother with her as she shopped for a gown. Taking a deep breath, Carla set these feelings resolutely aside. Gran and Granddad are going to be thrilled , she thought. And Onella will be around, too, to fill the void .
The flight passed with blissful ease, as Dios slept quietly and Carla read a novel, her hand never leaving Atreus’s. In the cool luxury of the private jet, Carla found the silence calming, though it made it all too easy to ruminate on how their visit might go. Will they like him? Carla wondered, looking at Atreus, who absentmindedly checked his email beside her. Will they approve of Atreus, and Dios? Will they understand how this happened so quickly – how we fell in love so hard, so fast? Is it insane to expect them to be happy for me? Mary had sounded positively ecstatic on the phone, but it could have been all in Carla’s imagination. And what about when I tell them that I’ll be moving to Greece? That was the biggest question of all. Will it break their hearts?
*****
The Simpsons lived in Turnham Green, to the west of the city. As the trio approached the quaint bungalow, with its red-brown brick and white roof, Carla hugged Dios to her chest anxiously. This was the house that she remembered from childhood, from spending summer days in the garden with her parents and grandparents, from cozy Christmas nights spent huddled around the fireplace with cups of cocoa and Christmas crackers. Without her parents by her side, not to mention the addition of Atreus and Dios, her unlikely family . . . Well, it’s bittersweet , Carla thought, breathing in the wet clean scent of English air.
“This is it,” Carla said to Atreus. “I spent half my childhood running around this house. It’s been in the family for ages. I know it isn’t quite the villa . . .” She shifted Dios on her hip, and Atreus placed his hand on the small of her back.
“It’s lovely,” he said. “Just like you.” Carla took a deep breath.
“Okay,” she said to Dios. “Here we go!” The family approached the door and Carla raised her hand to knock. This is it , Carla thought. One rap on the door and my two worlds collide .
It was thrilling, and scary, but before she could go through with the motion, the door flung open.
“ Carla! ” Mary Simpson burst forth to embrace her granddaughter, followed immediately by her husband, Charles. A small, squat woman with a pleasant patrician face and a mess of curly white hair, Mary’s eyes were the same as Carla’s behind her wire-rimmed glasses. Beside her, Charles was taller, though hunched slightly, and wearing suspenders that ran across a belly suggesting years of pints at football games. Overwhelmed with joy, Carla found herself tangled in the arms of her only remaining family by blood. Mary was crying, and holding Carla’s face in her hands, although her granddaughter was significantly taller than she. “I can’t believe you’re really here, love.”
“It’s so good to have you home,” Charles added, positively beaming.
“Gran,” Carla said, pulling away and towards Atreus. “Granddad, this is Atreus Kostas and his son, Dios.” Carla held her breath, waiting for any sort of unexpected reaction to come her way.
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