House of Pearl, Sand and Shell by Esther Destratis

Author:Esther Destratis [Destratis, Esther]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-08-14T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 23

Monica

Giovanna had been Monica’s guest for a week now. She’d been more than just a guest, Monica felt she was an asset to her life. They spent their days with talking, long walks on the beach and reading in front of the fire. Monica enjoyed making breakfast for her and herself, bringing fresh towels to Giovanna’s room or making her bed. All the things that she hated doing as a young girl, she now loved so much more because it reminded her of a time when her family was still alive. Liam visited her every free moment and spoilt her with delicacies from the sea. They even repeated the night at the pub and this time Monica didn’t pay attention to the inquisitive and sometimes hateful looks of some of the villagers. She enjoyed the company so much that only now she noticed how lonely she was before all these people entered her life.

Despite that, she sometimes lay in bed at night and was scared of the future.

On a mild morning while Monica and Giovanna were having breakfast Violet suddenly stood in front of them.

‘I rang the bell, but no one opened the door and then I thought you might be sitting in the garden. Guess what I’ve got here!’, she said celebratory and showed them an envelope that she held in her hand.

‘Did the contractors give you the quote?’, Giovanna guessed.

‘Bingo! They gave it to me, instead of sending it in the mail. They finished the rooms today. I can really recommend them.’

Monica took a big sip of her tea. Suddenly her throat felt very dry. The moment of truth had come.

‘Okay, let’s do it’, she said and tore open the envelope.

Her sweaty palms stuck to the paper. Why did she even agree to this? How did she get herself into this!

‘So? What does it say!’, said Liam, who came around the corner behind the fence.

‘Honestly, I don’t know’, Monica admitted to stall for time.

‘Give it here!’, Violet, Giovanna and Liam demanded simultaneously.

‘I’m sorry ladies, but I think the only man here should have a look at it’, Liam suggested and took the letter. He put on his reading glasses.

‘Looks fine. A good offer. Now we have to find out if Giovanna really wants to pay the whole amount’, he explained and handed the quote over to her.

Monica’s heart almost stopped when Giovanna skimmed the numbers.

Hopefully she’ll say no.

‘I’ll do it, no problem at all.’

Monica’s last hope to prevent the inevitable slipped away.

Her legs gave in and she had to sit down.

‘Monica, what’s wrong? Are you okay?’, Giovanna asked immediately.

Monica took a deep breath. Her heart seemed to explode from all the excitement and summoned all her courage and said: ‘Thanks for all your help. It is … it means more to me than I can express. The extent to which you want to help me, even though we hardly know each other. It’s good that all of you are here because before you all are going to help me so selflessly, there is something I absolutely have to tell you.

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