Born Of Ashes

Chapter Twenty-One

“So now that we’re back,” Alex said. “Where are we staying?” Alex shifted his bag on his shoulder.

“My place,” I muttered gazing over the cobbled streets that run along the canal and the ivy that wrapped around some of the houses. The sun blazed above and people walked the streets and couples kissed on the boats. I sighed.

“What do you mean your place?” Alex asked as he followed me down the narrow street.

“I have a house just down here,” I said remembering.

“Where are we going,” Aletta chuckled in her tick accent, my hands covering her beautiful eyes. “Robbie,” she giggled as she stumbled along the narrow street.

“We’re nearly here,” I whispered softly in her eye grazing my lips against it as I did. I stopped her in front of a sand coloured brick house with high arching windows and a balcony overlooking the canal. “You can open your eyes now,” I said taking my hands away.

“What am I looking at Robbie?” she smiled.

“Our house,”

“What really?” she threw her arms around me.

“It is this one,” I flicked through my keys looking for the rusty old one. The outside of the house hadn’t changed in the past year apart from the dusty yellow colour of the bricks had been bleached more by the hot sun and the flowers that grew in the hanging basket had all but died.

“Is this where...” Alex trailed off as I shoved the key in the arching wooden door. It always stuck I though as I leaned against it

“Oh Robbie,” Aletta chuckled. “You always puck the places in Venice where the doors don’t work,” she giggled kissing my cheek as I struggled with the lock.

I shook my head giving the door a final twist and hearing the familiar click. “Yeah it is,” I muttered making my way into the dusty hallway. I gazed over the picture filled hallway, Aletta’s face smiling down at me.

“I don’t think we should stay here,” Alex commented looking at the pictures.

“Why?” I shrugged.

“Because this place in swimming with your almost ex-wife,” Alex said following me into yellow painted kitchen at the end of the hallway. That was the first place I always went to because that was always where I found Aletta, her chocolate curls tied into a messy bun as she stirred pans on the old hob, her laughter filling the air as I kissed her temple.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath of old air. The house hadn’t had visitors since I left.  “It is fine,” I muttered plugging the kettle back in and filling it with water before putting it on.

“No mate it’s not,” Alex shook his head. “You have Iris, so why are you coming back here?”

“Because I have some unfinished business here that’s why!” I snapped. “Remember who I am Alexander,” I bite back a growl.

“And Robert remember who I am,” Alex barked back. “I was the one who stopped you jumping if you remember,” he growled. “Now if you don’t mine where is my room?”

I sighed shaking that time from my head. “I am sorry Alex,” I sighed.

“Its fine Robbie,” Alex sighed.

“This place always put me in a bad mood,” I sighed. “tea?”

“Yeah,” Alex nodded as I grabbed two mugs from the cupboard. “If it always puts you in a bad mood, then why have you come back?” Alex dumped his bags down and sat at the small table. The kitchen was tiny and could only fit a small table for two, a candle sat in the middle with a dead red rose in a vase.