Let's Find Forever | Herophine Fic

Out To Sea

HERO

Our babymoon in Santorini has passed by in a blur. I feel like I've blinked and we've come to our final day before we catch our flight home tomorrow evening. We've spent our time lounging at either the pool or beach, wandering around the museum and archaeological site, dining and meandering in the village and the other night, on about day ten, we climbed the hill our villa is located on and visited the small, quaint church at the top.

I'm not religious in any sense of the word, but the view spoke for itself as did the inner workings of the traditional church. I thought the view from our terrace was good but I'll admit it was beaten by the view from the church. We had a good view of a large portion of the island and everywhere below was lit up by a soft, yellow glow of twinkling lights. Even the sea with the few boats that were still out sailing away from the marina.

Surprisingly, it was Mila who asked to go inside the church to see the stained glass windows and elaborate tapestries. It was far from the simple exterior, it was traditional and honestly beautiful inside. Carefully painted holy figures lined the walls, resting on pillars overlooking the pews where we sat. Their eyes softly watched people go in and about their business in the church.

Like I said, I'm not religious and I'm not bringing Mila up to be religious either. The only parts of religion I suppose you could say are parts of our lives are to do with Sara. Saying a prayer to her, visiting her grave, pointing up to the sky before I play and telling Mila she's in heaven. Sara's funeral is the last time I was in a church, for her service before she was buried and committed to the ground.

Thankfully, Mila's too young to remember that dark, damp day. Not only because of her age but because she slept all the way through it. In my mind, I wondered if it was Sara who made that happen. A funeral is no place for a child just like a graveyard isn't but I needed her there for my own selfish reasons. She was my rock, my anchor, into the real world then just as she was all the years after until Jo's letter arrived. She very much still is now with Jo and her soon-to-arrive sister.

Being there was a stark difference to my last church visit. But our time sitting in the pews side by side in silence while our eyes wandered around, I felt nothing but complete and utter peace. Peace about who I was there with, my life, my career, everything. Complete inner peace. The only pull to reality was the echoes of those around us, wandering and going about their lives, visiting the church for their own reasons. We weren't there for a service or anything, we were just there because it was open. But I'm pleased we visited and I experienced the peace others talk about in places like that.

I always find the last few days of a holiday somewhat bittersweet. You know you're going home but you have just a few days left of being away from the usual life you call yours. You leave something you usually consider a paradise in comparison but you have your home comforts waiting for you too. I've always been so torn when it comes to going home after a holiday. But on this occasion, even though I've had an incredible time with my girls, strangely I feel like going home tomorrow is the right time to return. To return to our lives and prepare for our baby girl's impending arrival.

So, with that in mind, I've decided to do something today that we've not done since we arrived here. We've frequented the beach and pool, spending the majority of our days there. But today, because I didn't want to end our babymoon by the last day just being another one of the days on repeat, I've arranged a surprise. I've hired us a catamaran so we can spend the day together out on the calm, turquoise sea and finalise our tans. Jo's absolutely golden, her pregnancy glow shining through. Me and Mila, being as pale as we are, have a nice, subtle brown tint. I was worried she'd burn like I usually do but topping ourselves up with suncream helped. I have Jo to thank for helping me stay on top of it. She's a pro.