One Summer with the Sinner (Monteverde Series 5)

6

Chapter Six

ALEXIANA CALLISTO

               When I was seven years old, I remember telling my mother excitedly that I made a friend. She stroked my hair affectionately with her soft warm hand and asked me what his name was. I scratched my head for a non-existent itch as I told her I already forgot. Her melodious laugh filled the entire living room as she scooped me up and placed me on top of her legs.

               "I'm pretty sure his name starts with a V, Mom."

               "Let's call him Victor until you remember. How did you meet him though?"

               I have always loved my mother's attentiveness. It doesn't matter whether my stories are about school, friends, movies I'm interested to see, or future plans. Ever since my siblings and I were young, she always makes it a point to know what's going on in our lives no matter how busy she is with clients and the family business.

               "I met Victor while I was biking outside. I saw his toy helicopter crash down and I thought how sad that must have made him, so I sang him a song. He said my voice is beautiful and that I might become a singer one day. Do you think I'll be a singer one day, Mommy?"

               "Of course!" Her eyes twinkled with unspoken pride. "I'm sure you'll turn out to be such a fine woman one day, Xiana. You can be a singer, an artist, a businesswoman, a doctor, or whatever you want to be. Mommy will always be here to cheer for you. But for the time being, you're still my little baby."

               I hugged her and she hugged me back.

               "You have a crush on Victor, don't you?" she whispered on my ear.

               "Mom! No way! I'm too young for crushes!" My eyes widened as I pulled myself back. She reached forward and pinched my chin.

               "I won't tell your Dad."

               My shoulders relaxed and dropped. I looked down on my fingers as I fidgeted with my nails. After a few seconds of silence, I finally nodded. "Only a small bit. A teensy-weensy bit."

               "It's normal, baby. When I was your age, I had a crush, too. He was my schoolmate and I admired how studious he was. He always copies the notes our teacher writes on the chalkboard. He recites often."

               "But you didn't marry your crush, Mommy!"

               "Goodness, no. I didn't marry that crush. But your Dad has been my longest crush. When I first talked to him at the school library, I was suddenly struck with the realization that he was the one I wanted to build my family with. You know what, you will encounter a lot of crushes who will make you feel tingles down your spine, but it all boils down to the one person who will make you feel like life, no matter how hard it can be sometimes, is worth living. That's how you'll be able to differentiate having a crush from falling in love."

               I frowned at her, not having understood her point at such a young age. She always tells my twin and I things like this. She told us before that she would not like to be the kind of mother we keep secrets from. So, instead of discouraging us from having crushes and evading our questions about love and relationships, she would always encourage us to share our thoughts with her.

               She said awareness, and not avoidance, is what kids and teenagers need to educate themselves about the intricacy of feelings.

               "For every crush, you will learn something new, like a lesson. Is there something you learned when you met Victor?"