Not Giving Up on Forever

by Yana Stevelork

  They disunited the bonds from the unexpected proximity of his voice.

  "What the hell, Bernie!" Randall swore, slamming his fists into the water. "Tea your grandmother, what the hell do you want!"

  "Some tea, guys!" Bernardo had not even heard of all this audacity in his address and finally got to them closely. -I scream and scream! Are you deaf or wha'? What are you doin' here? Come, sister! Randy, some tea, go, Randy!"

  "Sister" was the manner to which Bernardo addressed Anna after she cured him of stomach pain one day and it touched him dearly. She called him "brother" and both obviously enjoyed the new status of a "family union".

  Only now Anna wanted to hit "brother" in the face with a shovel for him having no hint that his company was clearly superfluous.

  "Some tea, damn it!" Randall kept getting out of the water.

  Seeing how his "intimate part " got hard after a kiss in the water, he abruptly covered himself with a towel. Anna giggled.

  "Sorry about the kiss. I couldn't help myself." she looked down jokingly.

  "I'll think about it!" he grimaced, trying to walk so that his reaction from below was invisible to others in the valley. And there were many tourists. Very many.

  Randall rolled his eyes.

  "Where's your tea, brother?" he clowned about.

  "I'm not your brother." Bernardo replied, walking behind him. "I'm Anna's brother."

  "Where's your vaunted tea? My throat's dry."

  "From what?"

  "I was singing!"

  "What song?"

  "The berries song, Bernie. About berries."

  Anna burst out laughing.

  "I don't know that song. " she framed the guy.

  "I don't know either." Bernardo confessed. "Sing it again."

  Randall coughed.

  "Where the tea at? Don't torture my throat."

  "Tadaaa!" Bernardo was proud of himself. He pointed to a luxuriously covered tablecloth on the ground as they reached the top of the hill he led to, and you could already see the company craving for hot tea, honey, freshly baked cakes, and fruits, neatly cut into slices.

  "Paradise!" Anna was in raptures.

  "Almost. Been. Recently." Randall muttered through his teeth and smiled. "And now the song about berries!"

  And he sang some clumsy nonsense, in which every two seconds sounded Berry, Berry. Everyone laughed.

  Chapter 21

  It was a serene night. The stars strewed the sky and in the distance, the guttural sounds of frogs sounded. The mountains sank into the shadows and the moon shone generously on their tops. Trees merged in incomprehensible cloud forms, staggering and swaying in the wind as if slowly approaching giants. Everything changed shape to something mysterious and opaque.

  Anna shivered. Even sitting by the fire, she could not forget the pervasive cold of the night.

  Randall joined her and putting his arm around her waist, wondered:

  "What are you thinking, beautiful?"

  Anna gave him a charming smile.

  "A little bit of everything." she answered honestly.

  "Homesick?"

  "Not, really. It seems to me, I could live forever in this paradise."

  "You're just imagining it." Randall cleared his throat. "Even on idle existence in the one needs money."

  "Is that it?"

  "Is that what?"

  "The money. Every time there's a financial issue, you grow somber."

  "Stupidities." snorted the lad, drawing with a thread on the ashes from the fire. "I'm not gonna lie, my finances are tight, but it shouldn't worry you. That's not what I meant. I just explained that such vacations are just a self-deception that life is not a groundhog day, where you get up in the morning, go make money to spend it in the evening on something, just to get up again in the morning and continue in the same spirit, until you find yourself the same unfortunate partner. Together you'd make children to teach them to do all the same, while you can safely earn money for a decent funeral, or get a little rest, allowing children to earn for your funeral, because they will know perfectly well how to do it, and if you have not taught them, if not, they can always ask friends, or neighbors, or strangers, because we all live by the same pattern of this warped system.”

  "There's nothing you can do about it, Randall." Anna sighed.

  "I hate money." he grunted back. "I guess it's mutual because I never have any. But still, I am tenacious of life."

  "Is that why Bernardo's here?"

  "What?"

  "You invited him because it's easier to split the costs?"

  "Oh, nah. Bernie had nowhere to go these couple of weeks - he rents his apartment to tourists through the "Host Association Milan Tours".

  "Host Association?"

  "Yeah. This is a platform for young people. If you have your own accommodation in a tourist area, or close to the center, you can rent it to tourists. Unlike other sites, where users are mostly young people, students, or the creative elite. The owner can stay in the house and rent, for example, just rooms, or can leave, if it is his own property, and get much more money, as vacationers will be left to themselves, without the supervision of the owners of the apartments and they just love it, trust me. Bernardo rents out his dead mother's house in the center of Milan, so he's usually with me, and we share the money."

  "My, my. The Host Association. Intriguing." Anna responded admiringly. "Now I know why he's with us in such a... private journey."

  Randall raised an eyebrow playfully.

  "Aah... Now we know why you're so evil! Not enough... privacy!"

  "What? I'm not evil!" Anna pouted.

  "Of course, you are. You want me?"

  "What??" she did not expect such an impertinent question.

  "I'm kidding." Randall laughed as he touched her nose. "Didn't expect, did ya?"

  "I do!" the girl barked. "Didn't expect, did ya?"

  The next moment Randall was dragging her into the cabin, taking off both their clothes on the go.

  Chapter 22

  He covered her with kisses. Anna reacted to every impulse of his passion, and when he pushed her to the ground and entered her, she lost her mind. All the surrounding sounds dissolved, and the only thing she could hear was the frantic pounding of his heart.

  They were in such ecstasy that they became a single organism - moaning, writhing, wet with sweat. He changed the amplitude of movements sharply, craving time to try everything before the climax. He was in a hurry, and often Anna dug her nails into his back, making him moan with pleasure. He covered her mouth with his hand so that the screams would not wake either Bernardo or the German family in the tent nearby.

  But she could not help herself and screamed so loudly that all his attempts were in vain. Their sweet intercourse lasted long, and they both reached the top of pleasure almost together.

  "I love you!" Anna muttered at this very moment.

  Randall collapsed beside her. His breathing was short and his voice was hoarse. It covered his entire body in perspiration, but even in the moonlight, his eyes were shining with satisfaction.

  "I've been waiting for this." he muttered.

  "Have you!" the girl grimaced. "You can't tell. It's hard to know if you even like me or not."

  "Nonsense. Come over here." he pressed himself closer and pointed to her naked body. "How can you not like that?"

  "I hope we didn't wake Bernardo and those Germans."

  "Now would his famous tea come in very handy." Randall snapped.

  "I agree!" Anna smiled and kissed him a few more times. "I'll go fill the kettle with water, if the fire's still burning."

  "OK. Let's get dressed. Where are all the clothes?"

  They both laughed.

  "You took it off us on the way. If it doesn't have legs, we'll find it on the way back to the fire."

  "Go." Randall made a snide face. "Let's start naked and work our way up."

  And they went out of the tent. The stars winked at them as if indicating where to look for
things torn off at the beginning of something very serious.

  Chapter 23

  "You're so hot!" Anna whispered for the hundredth time, leaning over Randall's ear, who was lying in the tent, talking animatedly with Bernardo about oil prices and the upcoming political mayoral elections.

  "Thank you. So you are." he answered, embarrassed again. "So what I mean is the elections are..."

  She couldn't tear herself away from him. She thought she would never tire of these magnificent features, of this radiant smile and endless ridiculous topics that this handsome man likes to dwell on for hours. But still, it was after they had "it" that Anna, like all the girls, could not help but go back in time and compare everything with Mark.

  She thought of him only today, for the first time in days. She could not help comparing the two men's manners, their gestures, habits, manner...in this.

  Mark… He was different. He wasn't inherent to empty talk and endless jokes. They could spend hours discussing profound philosophical concepts, applied sciences, axioms, and theorems. If he was joking, it was rare, to the point, elegant even. A smile was, though not a luxury but definitely not a daily tool of communication with this guy.

  His attitude to money was also different. Mark did not idolize, but respected money, believed that it was necessary to achieve happiness, its main component - as without money one could not travel, maintain a family, raise children with dignity and give them a proper education, money was needed to ensure comfort in all areas - health, personal and social life. Because he never despised material side, sought to a rich life, state of shortage made him angry just as it did Randall, but this did not affect his relations with people - he always was kind and polite.

  In a relationship, Mark was gentle in all areas, kind and laconic. He was an excellent listener when Anna told without silence even on the most trivial themes, and never in life not was rude to her.

  Anna smiled at the memory. Where was he now? At work? Did he think of her?

  "...so I'm definitely for Pitti!" she heard the scraps of phrases, Randall blurting out, obviously on the subject of the mayoral candidates.

  "He's a donkey, your Pitti!" Bernardo retorted, chewing corn. "Four hooves and a tail! Only knows but promises! Hee-haw!"

  "I'm tired of listening to you, you're just a studge teapot! "Randall was joking. "Like your Spaghetti's better!"

  "Spinetti! And yes, sir, he is! He will set this city on its feet, you'll see!" corn was flying in all directions from Bernardo's full mouth. He flushed and waved his hands in defense of his candidate.

  Anna had fun looking at them. These dialogues were a must-see show. She no longer angered Bernardo's company, he was sort of completing the happiness. His English was a crazy mix of every possible accent in the world, and it was hilarious to listen to. They were like the invincible squad. She came and sat down beside Randall, her head resting on his shoulder. He turned to her and grunted:

  "Dress up. We're leaving."

  Anna was taken aback.

  "What? You can't be serious. Elections topic made you that mad?"

  "Collect things. We're going back to town today. I have a new plan."

  "How? When did you come up with a new plan and why am I only hearing this now!"

  "You're hearing it now because I'm telling you now. My friend called me. He has a luxury villa downtown and he's going away for a few days, asking me to look after it."

  Anna blinked her eyes in bewilderment, but the words were clearly to her liking. "Aaand?"

  "And we're going to "look after" his luxurious nest, ride a yacht and have sex all the time."

  "Randall!" Anna covered his mouth with her hand, looking at Bernardo in horror.

  His face didn't express any, even the slightest of emotions. He just looked at Randall and Anna and ate corn. To understand his brain is impossible but the fact that Randall "revealed" them so unceremoniously, was unacceptable and she glared at him angrily, not taking his hands from his lips.

  "Mmm, mmm! Mmm, mmm!" Randall continued to explain the details of the plan with his mouth closed.

  She took her hand away from his mouth in displeasure.

  "Here, so get ready."

  She laughed. "You're impossible. Ok, just give me a few minutes."

  And she went to pack for a new adventure. Villa... Mmm, mmm! Mmm, mmm! Sounded great!

  Chapter 24

  It was a real summer heat and the whole company, breathing heavily, wandered along the beach in search of a saving canopy of some inexpensive cafe where you could buy ice cream or cold soda.

  "Will he call anytime soon?" asked irritably Bernardo, exhausted from the heat.

  "Shut up, Bernie, you don't have to be part of this trip at all, unless you want to hold the candles when we..."

  "Randall, how about this place?" Anna was happy to change the subject, seeing a cheap coffee shop ahead. “Let's see the menu prices!”

  Randall was annoyed. They wasted three hours hanging on the Ligurian coast near Genoa and his friend didn't call, on top of that, his phone was no longer available at all. Randall kept dialing the number that sent him straight to voice mail. His shirt was wet with sweat, he felt tired and angry.

  "Randall." Anna called again. "Let's go to a cafe."

  "What? Huh? No, Anna. We'll come there later, I need to reach Archie."

  Bernardo cursed and separated himself from them. He lay down on the sand, ignoring the scorching sun and the hum of sunbathing tourists.

  "Your Archie is the donkey just like your under mayor Pitti! And actually, you are as well!" he shouted to Randall, who pivoted and walked in his direction, clearly with the intention of physical violence.

  "The only donkey here is you!" Randall cried out and fell on top of his friend.

  "Randall!" Anna squeaked and ran to separate them. "Randall, stop it, what kind of idiocy is that! He is not to blame! Enough!"

  In a minute a pair of huge bodybuilders in bathing shorts in one movement separated two skinny guys fighting. Everywhere there was laughter and whispering. Randall and Bernardo tried in vain to continue the fight, but the goons threw them far apart, confirming that they were both indeed donkeys. Anna was full of thanks for the help, and then she ran to Randall and attacked him now with her fists.

  "What's wrong with you?" screamed the girl, trying to return the blows to the guy's common sense. “Why you always transmit your problems on the others! Bernardo didn't deserve this, it's absolutely not his fault that your so-called friend turned off his phone and ignored you!”

  "I know." Randall was breathing heavily. He looked toward his friend who was standing in a group of some guys, probably explaining what had happened.

  "Why don't we just go home? What's the point of hanging around the beach waiting for Archie? Maybe he won't call you back at all. Are we just gonna stroll all day?"

  "He'll answer. You just have to wait. He..."

  "Delirium, Randall! I'm tired and hungry. I don't want to go to any villa anymore. I want to eat quietly and go to bed, this heat is simply unbearable. I don't understand why we've been walking around this beach with our luggage for hours!"

  "We can't go home, Anna!" Randall bawled. "Okay?"

  "Why not?"

  "Because it's rented out. I needed the money to entertain you."

  Anna was stunned by his manner of communication.

  "Entertain me? Thank you very much, indeed."

  Randall sighed and waved his hand dismissively. "Sorry, I didn't mean that."

  "I think that's exactly what you meant."

  "No. Listen. I thought the timing was perfect. While we are in the mountains, at my house, you remember that this is the house of my buddy, now tourists from the "Host Association" and we would split the bill as we are all in one game. And Archie promised to rent me his villa for a while and I don't understand what happened that he suddenly turned off the phone. I thought I'd give you a nice vacation at the bounty place."

  "So there's no "looking after the nest".
.."

  "Not exactly. Looking after, but for a fee. If you know what I mean."

  Anna weighed down on the suitcase. She felt weary.

  "What are we gonna do now?"

  "I don't know." Randall confessed.

  "Ah...Why cannot we..." Anna hesitated. "why can't we go to your house? Not to a friend's, but yours? You have your own place to live, right?"

  Randall smiled.

  "My house is very far away, Anna. I'm not from Italy, I'm just studying and working here. I'm Austrian."

  "What?" Anna even got up from astonishment. Never had the question of his residency even flashed the girl, for some reason was just sure that he was Italian.

  "Oh."

  "Oh?" Randall laughed. "Disappointed?"

  "No.. just wasn't expecting it." she confessed. "Now, much fell into place."

  Bernardo approached them. There was no trace of anger on his face. He put his arm around Anna and asked:

  "What's decided?"

  Randall rose and shook off the sand from his jeans.

  "I don't know, Bernie." he hissed.

  "I see. I'll be back." and Bernardo hastily withdrew, on the move dialing someone's phone number.

  "I'm sorry, Anna. I know it's all a mess, and you're tired and hungry. Here you go, this is the last of the cash that remained. I'll find more, later. Go to the cafe, buy something there."

  "And you?" Anna took the money hesitantly.

  "I'll wait right here. I'm dizzy." Randall replied calmly, kissing her hand.

  She sighed and went to the coffee shop. It would be a hard day.

  Chapter 25

  And hard it was. The whole company for a few hours more has been loitering along and across the embankment with boiled corn and potato chips in hand. Anna's fingers ached from the weight of the suitcase. The guys tried so hard to joke, but everyone knew that this couldn’t go on like that anymore.

  "Finally!" Bernardo cried out suddenly, pulling the ringing phone out of his pants and answering it.

  "Who's that?" Anna asked in a whisper, not taking her eyes off the Italian-speaking Bernardo.