Santorini Paradiso Ch. 11

She expected a blow up. This would certainly ruin everything. These beautiful, powerful men would be furious with her for allowing such a thing to happen. How could she be so careless? Next would come accusations that she was somehow trying to trap them into responsibility. Her panic effectively closed her off to their minds – she felt a hollow ringing in her ears.

But then, like a miracle, they were pulling her gently into their embrace. No one was yelling. Someone had turned off the water and she was being coaxed back around and lovingly folded into two pairs of strong arms.

A fluffy robe was being wrapped around her and they were leading her out of the shower and back into the bedroom. She could hear deep vibrations, and realized they were actually talking. Elena forced herself to surface – to focus.

"Are you alright? How do you feel?"

"Do you need something? A glass of water?"

Her wide eyes looked from one brother to the other. Their faces were etched with wonder and concern. There was no anger. No recrimination.

"Elena, agape-mou!" Petros was looking searchingly into her eyes, his hands brushing the wet hair from her face. Adonis sat beside her on the bed, and pulled her to him, pressing his lips to her temple.

She tried to speak, but had to clear her throat. She tried again: "You're – you're not angry?" Her voice sounded very small, even in her own ears. Adonis hugged her closer, sighing.

Petros looked so surprised and incredulous, he almost laughed: "Angry?"

He and Adonis shared a look between them. Elena heard them think to each other: 'She doesn't know, does she? Could it actually be true? Dare we even believe it?'

"Could what be true?" She asked, looking from one to the other. "What don't I know? What do you mean? Believe what?" she asked, her voice very shaky. Petros dropped his head into her lap almost worshipfully. Adonis swore softly and ran kisses from her ear to the base of her neck.

They both straightened. "First, we have to ask you - - why do you think you may be pregnant, agape-mou?" Petros rose from the floor and sat on Elena's other side on the bed as he posed this question.

Sighing, Elena blushed, explaining about the birth control pills, the vomiting and her theory that the previous day's fainting spell had been another sign.

They were both silent, intently listening to her as she spoke. They were very still, each seeming to be deeply contemplating her words.

Petros finally ventured nervously: "And there is no possibility that it would be anyone else – I mean: we are the only ones you've...?"

Elena nodded, sighing: "There's been no one for many months – no one since my break up with Michael. In fact, it had not even happened for a long time with him. I'm not sure why I stayed on the pill, but it just seemed easier to stay on it even though I wasn't... active... before now." She realized she was babbling and trailed off miserably.

"But you are not sure yet? This could be a false alarm." Adonis said, finally. His voice was very flat, as if he was carefully controlling it.

Elena nodded mutely, her eyes cast down, assuming that he – that they both – wanted this to be the case. She imagined that anyone in their position would be completely freaked out by such a life-altering complication.

Some people never want kids even when in a normal relationship, much less what they had between the three of them. And given all she'd come to learn about their dramatic origins, their immortality, their centuries-old struggles with pain and loss, Elena was sure that this was the last thing either of them would choose. She didn't even like to think about the fact that she'd only been in their lives for a matter of days.

'What a fuck up I am', she thought miserably to herself.

And just like that, the goddess's voice was back. 'Will you stop the running internal monologue already, and just listen to them for five minutes? Honestly!'

Elena frowned, thinking back: 'Oh, that's just perfect. Nice of you to show up now. There's no need to be so rude, I'm only human.'

The lady snidely replied: 'Oh, yes? Is that what you think?'

This called Elena up short, but she had no time to probe further, because Adonis was speaking to her.

"When can we know for sure? Can we do a test?" She sensed a sort of suppressed excitement in him that she couldn't fathom or understand.

"Yes, how long do we have to wait to find out?" Petros added, tucking a damp lock of hair behind her ear. They both looked – what was it? Eager, for some reason.

Elena shook her head, feeling stupid now. "I think we probably need to wait another week or so – but to be honest I have no idea... this has never happened to me before."

'Ask them how they are feeling – go ahead!' the goddess urged. Elena's throat was dry and tight. She felt both men trying to comfort her, and was amazed at how patient and forgiving they were being. She could not stop trembling and felt very cold.

"H—how upset are you? I swear, I did not do this on purpose and I'm normally very, very careful about protection. It's just that – well, this was all so unexpected between us and I was swept up..." She stopped talking as Adonis nudged her chin so she looked into his eyes. Nervously, she met his gaze and was confused by his expression.

"Elena, agape-mou, it would be a miracle. We don't want to get our hopes up too high, too soon, but if you carried one of our children—" He stopped, seeming to be overcome. A tear ran down his face. He leaned close to her and kissed her forehead, her cheek, and put a tender little kiss on the corner of her mouth. She was having trouble believing what she saw. It was not how she would have expected this to turn out.

She looked over at Petros, who reached out a rather shaky hand and smoothed her hair as he added: "You have no idea, my darling girl, what this would mean to us. We have never – never – been able to conceive children before now. And also – there is something else..." The brothers looked at one another, and she heard them exchange: 'just tell her...'

The goddess said, this time sounding rather kindly: 'hold on to your knickers, little Elena...'

"The prophecy we've been referring to: it is about us finding a woman like us – one with divinity in her blood. That we would be bound together – in a seamless trinity – and she would bring forth to the world a new generation of our line. A line that would be..." He paused, looking at Adonis for help.

"The birth of our children would mark a new beginning. The emergence of a people who had many of the powers of divinity in them. A sort of..." He struggled for the words, "Advanced species... part man, part god."

Elena allowed this to sink in for a few moments, and then slowly she lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. This couldn't be about me... she thought. Mother of an advanced species...!

'And why not?' the goddess replied.

'They said "a woman like us – with divinity in her blood" – so it can't mean me because there is nothing like that about me.'

The goddess was silent, waiting.

This confused Elena even more. She persisted: 'What are you saying?! Are you trying to tell me that I am descended from –- no, I would know that, wouldn't I?" She was shaking her head. This could not be possible. She felt completely normal.

'Do you?' The goddess asked, softly. 'How do you know what normal feels like? Haven't you always felt a little apart? Separate from others as you grew up? Think about the stories your Aunt Sybil used to tell you. Think about that awful day when you lost your parents... Think carefully Elena...'

She crossed her arms over her face, hiding her eyes from the stark white ceiling, trying to block it all out. Adonis and Petros lay down on either side of her, pressing close to her – sharing their warmth and attempting to comfort her. Elena knew they were as stunned as she was. Probably more so, but she needed time to sort through all of these feelings. Time to sort through yet more earth shattering information. She willed herself to be calm.

The sound of the sea and gulls outside punctuated the stillness. Somewhere nearby someone was playing a recording of a Puccini opera, in which a soprano was singing an aria in beautiful, plaintive Italian.

She felt the brothers tentatively slip her robe open and they each placed a large, gentle hand on her abdomen. The weight of their warm hands on her belly felt so real - so sure and grounding.

Elena realized that she wished this was all true, suddenly. She wished that she was 'the one' and that she was carrying one of their babies. She wished that she was blessed with the bloodline of the gods, like these gorgeous, sexy, kind and remarkable men.

Because then she could stay with them. They could build a life together. She would never be alone again. She shivered, slightly, when this notion formed itself. It was too dangerous. Too much happiness would only tempt Fate, and why did she – of all people – deserve it? Better to be realistic.

Nothing was that easy, she thought.

'Oh my dear,' the lady said, her voice a little sad: 'No one said this was going to be easy...'