Awakenings (Intertwined Souls Series Book 4)

by Mary D. Brooks

  “What’s that?”

  “I don’t know if that little life my wife is carrying is a boy or a girl, but if it’s a girl, I would like to name her Eva. Can I do that?”

  Eva nodded, not trusting her voice.

  “Lovely! We are leaving Larissa tomorrow to head back home, but if you give me your address, I will send you photographs of the baby.”

  “I would like that,” Eva said, and took Vangelis’ hand. He brought her in for another hug.

  “Thank you, my guardian angel,” Vangelis whispered in Eva’s ear before he walked away with his family, leaving Eva stunned into silence.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Eva blinked and smiled sleepily. Zoe was sprawled half on top of her, her red-gold hair fanned out over Eva’s chest and her face resting against her shoulder. The white sheet was pooled down to Zoe’s lower back, and her right leg was curled up over Eva’s. Zoe’s fairer skin contrasted with Eva’s tanned leg.

  Eva let her hand wander over Zoe’s smooth skin. She felt contented and safe with Zoe’s body against her. Their bare skins touching sent tingles up her spine.

  Eva could hear, albeit barely discernible, activity in the kitchen through the half-open window. A gentle breeze fluttered the lace curtain and just moved the drapes ever so gently. She didn’t want to disturb Zoe and didn’t want this tranquil moment to end. She was completely drained, emotionally and physically, from the previous few days. She needed this respite. Everything outside that door needed to stay outside even if it was only for a few hours.

  She looked down at Zoe and shook her head slightly. In her arms was the only person who truly understood what she was going to face in Germany. Tessa may be aware through her gift, but Zoe was the one who stayed up at night listening to her, holding her when the nightmares resurfaced or when she couldn’t sleep. It was Zoe who got up, despite her own tiredness, and asked her to teach her German in the wee hours of the morning so she would have something to do other than think. Zoe’s unconditional love and support kept her mentally strong, and she hoped she had reciprocated in her devotion to her.

  They both knew Larissa would be a minefield, and it had lived up to their expectations. It was tough, it was emotional, and it was completely draining. Germany was not going to be any different.

  The sound of the rooster crowing woke Zoe with a start. She raised her head slightly.

  Eva gazed down at her. “Good morning, my little naked drunk.” She kissed Zoe’s head.

  “Shh.” Zoe touched Eva’s lips. “You’re talking too loud.” She looked up again. “Am I hurting you?”

  “No, not at all,” Eva whispered in deference to Zoe’s apparent hangover. “I love having your naked body against mine. Don’t move.”

  “Good, I don’t want to move,” Zoe mumbled.

  She groaned at the rooster’s constant crowing and pulled the covers over her head. After a moment, she pulled the covers off and looked up at Eva, who was grinning.

  “You’re not wearing your brace.” Zoe pointed to Eva’s naked body. “Not that I’m complaining, but why did you do that?”

  “I didn’t.” Eva chuckled. “You did.”

  “Are you sure? Why would I do that?”

  “You wanted to touch all of me and the brace was in the way. You took off my dress, my stockings, my brace, and everything else.” Eva giggled. “You don’t remember, do you?”

  “No.” Zoe shook her head and winced. “Eh, I shouldn’t do that. It hurts.”

  “You and Maria were in a drinking contest with Theo and Tommy.”

  “I was what? Maria and I were trying to outdrink the boys?”

  “Oh, yes. Theo was egging you on and he got Tommy involved. It was so funny.”

  “You watched me get drunk? Why didn’t you stop me? You know I can’t drink more than a glass or two.”

  “I didn’t want to stop you,” Eva replied quietly. “We’ve had some rough days so I wanted you to have some fun.”

  “You didn’t get drunk.”

  “I had a glass, but I wanted to watch you enjoying yourself. You were drinking one glass after another, trying to beat Theo. Maria was trying to beat Tommy.”

  “Did I win?” Zoe sighed and played with Eva’s belly button.

  “Not exactly.” Eva tried to laugh as quietly as she could so that Zoe didn’t shush her again. “Maria threw up, but you continued until Theo gave up because you were not going to stop. You went dancing with him, Tommy, and Stella.

  “I danced?”

  “Oh, yes.” Eva nodded. “You, Theo, Tommy, and Stella were dancing in a small group. Tessa and I were enjoying the show.”

  “I don’t remember anything after Father H left us.”

  “As Earl would say, you were ‘off your face and down the gutter.’” Eva laughed and put her hand to her mouth.

  “I was drunk and dancing.” Zoe sighed. “Thank goodness I didn’t do anything more embarrassing.”

  Eva snickered.

  Zoe groaned. “All right, what else did I do other than get drunk, dance, and strip you naked?”

  “You also sang. I think poor Tommy was in pain because you were singing really loud and off key.”

  “Tell me that wasn’t in front of the entire village.”

  “No, that was in front of our family, which doesn’t count. You were singing ‘My Eyes Are Watching You.’”

  “Is that all?”

  Eva shook her head. “Um…no.” She looked away, trying not to laugh at the look on Zoe’s face.

  “Eva Theresa, you tell me what I did.”

  Eva turned back and giggled. “Um…you finished singing ‘My Eyes Are Watching You’ and then went on to ‘I Gaze Into My Love.’”

  “Oh no, no, no, no.” Zoe sat up in bed and covered her face. “No, no, no.”

  “Yes, yes, yes, and oh, definitely yes.” Eva chuckled. “Heidi and Helga were very happy. I mean they were very, very happy and standing to attention.”

  “Oh, Evy.” Zoe buried her face against Eva’s chest and laughed. “Oh, my god. I touched the girls in front of my future husband. My brother as well. They are never going to forget this.”

  “Heidi was upset you touched Helga more. You loved Helga a lot.” Eva guffawed. Tears ran down her face as Zoe groaned. “Theo wasn’t sure who to look at—the road or you.”

  “Wasn’t Theo drunk?”

  “He was, a little. Tommy was worse than you. He was lamenting the lack of good looking men in Larissa and trying to get Theo to stop as we passed some farmers.”

  Zoe fell back against the pillow and laughed. “Theo is never going to let him forget that.”

  “Theo was having a great time.” Eva giggled. “He was laughing so much it was a good thing he didn’t drive us into a ditch. Stella was kissing Tessa in the back seat until Tommy started to give a running commentary. He stopped when he realized he was watching his parents kissing. Then he started to kiss the back of Theo’s neck, which only got Theo laughing more. It was just hysterically funny. The back of my head hurt from laughing so much.”

  “Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god.” Zoe rocked back and forth. “Why didn’t you stop me from touching the girls?”

  “You were very determined.” Eva placed the pillow on her face and roared with laughter. “Oh, my goodness, Zoe, your hands were everywhere.”

  “Eva!”

  “Not my fault.”

  “I am never going to hear the end of this from my brother.”

  “It’s not just your brother.”

  “Or Tommy.”

  “Or Stella and Tessa,” Eva added. She snickered at Zoe’s wide-eyed look. “I think they all know how much you love Helga over Heidi now.”

  “Oh, dear God, please tell me I didn’t talk to the girls?”

  Eva nodded slowly, and grinned. “Theo wanted to know who Helga was and why Heidi was less loved.”

  “No!” Zoe buried her head under the pillow. “At least I waited till we got to our room to start undressing you, didn�
��t I?”

  “Yes, and then you decided to give me a private show. You danced the tsifteteli for me when we got back here.” Eva chuckled. It was one of the most erotic Greek dances she knew—a combination of belly dancing and some very suggestive hip thrusts and shaking. “You were very good. I didn't know you could dance it.”

  “It's my Eva Special.” Zoe grinned and ran her hands through Eva's hair. “Did you enjoy it?”

  Eva nodded. “Especially the part where you improvised. You took a shirt and used it in a very inventive way.”

  Zoe's grin broadened and she waggled her eyebrows. “Did I at least do this in our room?”

  “Yes. You dragged me into our room, slammed the door shut, and told me you were going to dance.”

  “You didn’t join me, right? I did have the presence of mind that you were hurt.”

  Eva shook her head and chuckled. “No, you wouldn't let me. You wanted the performance to be just for me.”

  “Did we make love?” Zoe asked, keeping one eye open and scrunching up her face. “Not remembering making love to you would be just horrible.”

  “Well.” Eva giggled. “You took off my dress, my stockings, my back brace, you gave Heidi and Helga some attention, thank you very much, and then you said you were too hot, kissed me, and fell asleep.” Eva laughed at the relieved look on Zoe's face. “I wouldn’t worry about not remembering doing that because I’m sure the boys will remind you about what you did to me in the car.”

  “Eva. Are you going to let them do that?”

  “Yes.” Eva giggled. “Theo just about killed himself laughing so much. It’s too bad you don’t remember the dance.”

  “It was a waste of a dance.”

  “I enjoyed it, thank you,” Eva whispered. She nuzzled Zoe’s neck. “You do know what you were drinking, right?”

  “Retsina?”

  “It was homemade Retsina. That was a potent brew. I was feeling it after one drink, so I don’t know how you managed to stay upright. I heard Theo say it would grow hairs on your chest.” Eva pulled the sheet away to look at Zoe’s chest. “Nope, no hairs.”

  They looked at each other and laughed.

  “Phew.” Eva wiped the happy tears from her eyes. “That was a good laugh.”

  “Sure beats waking up crying.”

  “That’s true.”

  “Well, I think our family knows how much I love all of you now.” Zoe giggled. “I can’t believe I did that.”

  “You needed that as much as I needed to laugh,” Eva said quietly. “Before I forget, I asked Theo to see if he could go to the house and see if your mama’s painting was under the rubble.”

  “Was it?”

  “No. Unfortunately the office had caught fire and everything was destroyed. That included the photograph I had of my mutti. I’m really happy that Mrs. Kalmias had that photograph,” Eva said as she wrapped her arms around Zoe.

  “I was thinking about this last night…”

  “Is that before or after the Retsina?” Eva teased as she tweaked Zoe’s nose.

  “Ha Ha. Before the Retsina.” Zoe rested her head against Eva’s shoulder. “I think I’m going to paint a mural of all those we have lost. It would be a way to honor them and never forget their faces.”

  “I don’t think we can forget them, can we?”

  “No, not really, but our babies won’t know them. If they see them every day, they will know who everyone was. It would be good for them to know their heritage.”

  “It would also be good for them to know how much they are wanted and loved,” Eva replied. “Maybe you can put your bedroom into some use other than a glorified storage room.”

  “I don’t know why we have to keep up that charade since the only people coming into our home are people we know.”

  “Just one of those things.” Eva kissed the top of Zoe’s red hair. “I’m going to be really happy to get out of here.”

  “I know this has been hell for you. Thank you for doing it for me.” Zoe snuggled against Eva and put her arm around her belly. “You didn’t have to, but you did it for me.”

  “It wasn’t all horrible.”

  “Watching me get drunk and lecherous doesn’t count.” Zoe giggled.

  “Oh, that was the best part,” Eva said as she faced Zoe.

  They gazed at each other for a long moment.

  “Those hands of yours are legendary.” Eva smiled broadly.

  Zoe pulled the sheet off them in one fluid motion and positioned herself on Eva’s side, her elbow bearing her weight. She entangled her fingers in Eva’s hair. Eva looked into Zoe’s eyes—they had darkened to a deep forest green.

  Zoe leaned over for a long passionate kiss and slid her hand down the soft skin of Eva’s stomach. She swirled her fingers with a teasingly light touch into the dark curls between Eva’s legs. She massaged and caressed Eva’s back.

  Eva moaned, felt her own need, and reluctantly pulled away. “Uh…n...no.”

  “I know,” Zoe said breathlessly.

  Eva heard footsteps and doors closing just outside their room.

  “Oh, I know,” Zoe said.

  “Oh god, love, I want you right this minute, but we can’t,” Eva said.

  Zoe groaned, rolled over, and found the bed sheet. Eva raised her head and grinned at Zoe.

  “You are such a beautiful, sexy woman,” Eva whispered.

  Zoe looked back at her with a bashful smile.

  “Come here.” Eva said, and crooked her finger.

  Zoe scrambled back in bed. She paused in tucking the sheet around. “I forgot to greet the girls.”

  Zoe leaned in for an intense and passionate kiss, while running her hands over Eva’s skin. Eva drew in a sharp breath and held it as Zoe barely touched the circles around her nipples. She released the breath with a small exclamation when Zoe, at last, pressed against the sensitive flesh.

  “Good morning, Heidi and Helga,” Zoe said breathlessly. She impishly looked up between Eva’s breasts and winked.

  “Whoa.” Eva fanned herself. “You are going to kill me.”

  “I forgot you are an old lady now.” Zoe giggled as she tucked the sheet around Eva. She looked around and found her singlet on the floor. She leaned over, nearly falling out of the bed, much to Eva’s amusement. She put her singlet on and settled back down next to Eva.

  There was a gentle knock on the door. They looked at each other and smiled.

  “Come in,” Eva called out.

  Stella entered with a tray and a towel draped over her shoulder. “I thought you two might like to have breakfast in bed.” Zoe made a face. “Or maybe not Zoe.” Stella put the tray on the dresser.

  She nearly tripped over the back brace lying on the floor on top of Eva’s dress and stockings. She raised an eyebrow, and a smile creased her face as she turned to Eva. “How are you feeling today?” She picked up the brace, the dress, and the stockings and put them on the dresser.

  “My back is feeling better,” Eva said.

  “Hmm. I would suggest keeping that on for another day to give your back some time to heal properly.” Stella sat down on Eva’s side of the bed.

  Zoe looked away, and Eva snickered when she realized Zoe was trying not to catch her aunt’s gaze.

  “How are Heidi and Helga this morning?” Stella asked.

  Eva shut her eyes and laughed lightly. “They are doing just fine.”

  “Good. We don’t want them to be ignored, not that Zoe will allow that to happen.” Stella ruffled Zoe’s hair. “You are just adorable. You both are.”

  “Thank you for your help yesterday.” Eva looked into Stella’s eyes.

  Stella cupped Eva’s cheek. “Darling, you did all the work. I just guided you through it. I suggest you both spend the morning lying in bed, just enjoying each other’s company. There isn’t much to do around here. I’m sending Theo to the train station to book our tickets for Germany.”

  “Zoe and I wanted to ask you a question and um…it’s been a little busy
over the last few days and all but…um…” Eva felt a little shy about broaching the subject with Stella.

  Stella smiled. “You can ask me anything you want.”

  “We want to have a baby and um… we wanted to know how best to do it.” Eva glanced at Zoe, who was intently studying a spot on the bed sheet.

  “I see. You want to know how you go about it.”

  “Uh… yes,” Eva said.

  “Well, you get a woman and a man and then you leave them alone so they can have sex. If everything works, nine months later you have a baby,” Stella joked.

  Eva grinned sheepishly. “We want to know how to make that happen without Tommy and Zoe… uh… having sex.”

  Stella nodded. “Ah, I see.”

  “We have been thinking about this and Zoe says her father used to impregnate the cows using a syringe.”

  “Hm. Yes, that is one way of doing it, but Zoe is not a cow. I wouldn’t recommend it. The only way to make babies is by having sex.”

  “Are you sure?” Zoe looked up at her aunt expectantly. “Are you sure that is the only way?”

  “Yes, I’m sure.”

  “Can’t we try it with the syringe? If that doesn’t work then—”

  “Zoe, you can’t do it that way. It just doesn’t work.”

  “We don’t normally discuss our sex life with other people,” Eva said bashfully.

  “I’m not just any other person—I’m your aunt and your doctor. I know you two are very private and I’ll respect your privacy, alright?”

  “Yes.”

  “You have to decide what you want to do, but whatever you decide, your aunt Tessa and I will support you. One more thing and I won’t mention this again. The next time we discuss sex and babies, I hope Zoe is pregnant.” Stella gave Eva a kiss on the cheek and went around the bed to kiss Zoe. She went to the door and stood there for a moment. “Twins run in the Lambros family.” She chuckled as she left the room.

  Silence descended on Eva and Zoe as they sat in bed. It was Zoe who spoke first. “I want to do it.”

  “No,” Eva replied softly.

  “Evy, I want to do this for us. We want children. Let me do this.”

  Eva leaned back against the pillows and closed her eyes. A mental image of Zoe in Tommy’s arms made her shudder. “I don’t want you to do it. I can’t stand the thought of you with anyone else.”