Wow! that's a big part... sorry...
Part 19I was walking down the street now following the path that was leading to Mr. Banner’s house where I would meet Eric. I had stopped thinking all the things that were torturing me inside, I didn’t want to ruin my moment with him, though I had to talk to him not only because I had promised to Jessica to do it but because it was the best, who knows, maybe Eric was thinking about the same thing with me, maybe he had find a way through this. Incredible, but who knows?
I arrived at the house and as always I went inside from the back door which was leading to the kitchen and I was surprised that it was so silent! Usually this place was full of children’s voices.
“Hello??” I shouted in order to break the silence “Mr. Banner? Eric?” I shouted again moving myself forward. No answer, so I went to sit to one of the couches in the living room next to the kitchen and I was waiting for them.
As I was sitting there my eye caught some photos that were in front of me on the wooden furniture above the fireplace. I stood and I got closer to see them better. The first picture I saw was an old one considering the colors, it was showing a little boy sitting on the balcony’s stairs in front of the house. It was a beautiful boy about 4 years old, I realized that I had seen that picture before and I’d believed that the boy in the photo was Justin-one of the Mr.Banner’s twins, though it was unlikely not to pay attention to it because of those so bright blue eyes who was staring at you, but I had never looked at it carefully to see the differences between that boy in the photo and Justin himself! The boy wasn’t Justin, definitely not! He looked like him but he was not him! And then finally, it came like a bomb! I knew who he was! The bright blue like the ocean eyes, the gorgeous smile with the perfect white teeth, the light brown hair… but of course! It was him! Eric! My Eric!
I took the picture in my hand and I looked closer. It was unbelievable how beautiful he was even then! He was like un angel, the only thing he was missing was the halo!
I chuckled with my own thought and I put the photo back.
I started scanning the photos in the furniture one by one no wanting to miss anything that could show me his perfect face. There were so many old pictures. Mostly Mr. Banner’s family, one with his wife Veronica, one with his wife and their twins Justin and Mary, the twins alone, Mr. Banner’s brother- Eric’s father- with him, Eric’s father and mother together in their wedding, Eric with the twins… and then…one picture, shiny picture, different from the others. It was a photo which was showing a girl about 16-17 years old, she was stunning! So beautiful that it hard only to watch at her, she was in a place where seemed like a paradise! She was standing under the blue clean sky, behind her was a magical view with tiny houses and the whole blue see after them, probably she was in Greece, I guess… but she, she was something unusual! Her perfect slim body was covering the picture while her long blonde hair was falling in both sides of her neck till her waist, her smile, what a beautiful smile! It was like it caught me thousands of pisses, such a dazzling smile…and then her eyes… two familiar eyes, beautiful of course, beautiful was not exactly the word though… striking maybe, Eric’s eyes! Because she surely was Eric’s sister! Coldness came through my veins causing me goose bubs. That beautiful creature was dead! How could God let this terrible thing to happen? Life is not fair!
I took her picture in my hands “she is so alike him!” I whispered and then suddenly two warm hands came from behind me and closed my eyes bringing with them his intoxicating perfume.
“Caught ya!” he murmured to my ear softly and I turned to face his marvelous face, still holding the photo. His hands caught my face and he led forward to kiss me. His lips were soft and gentle against mine.
When I began to lose my breath he pulled back looking at me with his crooked smile.
“I missed you” I said and I hugged him using all my strength hoping he could stay there forever.
“I missed you more” he said back and kissed the top of my head.
“Where were you? I have been calling but no one answered me”
“Sorry babe, I was having a bath” he answered apologetically.
“Hmmm… and why you didn’t let a note on the door
‘I ‘m waiting up stairs’ to know?” I said perversely crossing my arms around his waist.
He laughed and he kissed me once more, then he unlocked my arms and coughed the photo from my right hand.
“What’s that?” he asked smiling but when he looked at it the smiley face all vanished and his place took a depressing one. He closed his eyes as he tightened his lips.
I touched his hands which were holding now the photo “is this your sister?” I asked looking at him.
He took a deep breath “Yes” he answered calmly though I knew something was burning him inside and I wanted to know what that was! It was the right time to tell me, finally!
“She is beautiful!” I said half smiling and I looked the photo.
“Yes.. she was!” he corrected me and put the picture back to its place.
“So what was her name?” I asked gently.
He hesitated and then half smiled “Amelia, but we called her Amy” he said and shrugged.
“Pretty name.. like her” I smiled.
He nodded.
“How old she was in that picture?” I asked pointing her.
He sighed “She was 17” he answered and looked away.
“Oh.. it was her last…” I continued
“Yes” he answered still having his stare away.
“How she d…-”
“Please Carol can we talk for something else?” he interrupted me as he close his eyes again. His face was in such a pain that I couldn’t resist.
“Why?” I said stubbornly.
He looked at me confused “Why not?”
“Why is it so hard for you to speak about her? You seem that you love her so much then why is it so hard?…”
“Carol please, leave it” he said still with the same mood.
“No! Eric this isn’t fair! You know everything about me! Everything! Have you ever thought what
I know about you? I mean if she was such a huge part in your life then I want to know her! I want to love her too! Am I asking too much?” I said frustrated.
“Why do you always want to know something more? Can you just live with what you got? Don’t you have fun with the way things are?” he asked me irritated from what I had just said.
“Have fun?? Is that what you th…Ugh! Forget it! You missed the point.” I groaned and moved away from him to sit on the couch.
He stayed there for a little while and then he came and sat beside me.
“You’re right… I’m sorry” he said and handled my hand “Do you forgive me?” he said as he pulled himself down so that he could see me in the eyes and when I saw him he flashed the bright smile at me.
I couldn’t help it so I smiled too “Okay..” I said and I interrupted him when he was about to speak “Eric I love you… and I’m interested in everything that has to do with you but.. if you don’t feel like telling me those things you don’t have to.. I don’t want to force you and I’m sorry I yelled at you before, but I was kind of.. you know, I didn’t know why you couldn’t talk about her, I still don’t know but I will understand if you don’t want to…- ”
“Shh” he shushed me touching my lips with his finger “It’s not that I don’t want to talk to you, but i- I can’t!”
“You..-”
“But I will!” he interrupted me and then he continued taking a deep breath “she was like the most crazy emotional cheerful girl in the whole world!” he said and he smiled as I was staring at him carefully “she was one of those girls who like to tease everyone, jumping around all the time, asking a lot of questions and laughing with their heart about simple things! She was one of the kind! I often got irritated by her attitude when she was breaking in my room and starting annoying me with her childish actions, I used to call her ‘parasite’ ” he said and he laughed. “but we were like the best friends, I was telling her everything, so did she – except of that night- and we were like twins though she was a year older than me” he hesitated for a little and then he sighed and continued “I will never forget the day the twins born! She was so touched! We were in the hospital and she was there the whole time during their birth, she was crying like a baby, I had never seen her crying! I know, it’s weird but I really hadn’t! I was the one who was teasing her then, I laughed so much that day” he laughed again “but she didn’t tell me anything, she was looking at the newborns happily and she was crying when she told my aunt that she wanted to be their godmother!”
I was amazed “And what she told her?” I asked curiously.
“Yes of course! She couldn’t say no neither if she wanted to!” he said and we both chuckled. “But she didn’t manage to be…” his eyes closed again painfully.
I sighed and it was like something punched me on the throat, I understood why it was so hard for Eric to speak.. I didn’t even know her and I felt like that.
We both stayed still for a while when I broke the silence “How she died?” I asked more clearly than ever.
“It was the middle of the summer 2 weeks after we had moved for the usual typical holidays in that town and she had met…-”
His tremor voice was interrupted by the front door which suddenly flew open and showed up Mr. Banner carrying his shopping backs in his two hands.
“Hey kids!” he said as he let himself get in.