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As I stroll along the quaint streets, I pass several souvenir shops, and my thoughts automatically turn to Rhia. She would love this.
I wonder how she’s getting on. I’m tempted to ring her, but she never answers her phone during the day when she’s on a deadline.
My eyes are drawn to the shop selling vintage goods. Rhia has a collection of old-fashioned hairpins, and with her birthday coming up, I’m under a little time pressure to find one with a dragonfly for her. All my searches have come up with nothing so far, but perhaps I’ll get lucky today.
With great enthusiasm, I cross the road and enter the shop. They seem to have everything vintage here. There’s even a section just for pins—lapel pins, brooches, hairpins, hat pins, tie pins, stick pins, sash pins, collar pins. The mind boggles with how many types of pins there are.
Sadly, none of their hairpins are right for Rhia, but just before I turn to leave, my gaze falls onto something else.
Wow, this is crazy.
I bite my lip to stifle the excitement that wants to consume me. I didn’t find a present for Rhia, but the perfect gift for Tiero has just fallen into my lap. There was a reason this shop was calling to me!
With a wide grin, I make my purchase. I can’t wait to give it to him. He’s been so generous, and now he’ll have something to remember me by, too. Hopefully, he’ll like it as much as I do.
I spent the rest of the afternoon visiting the Greek ruins, the Temple of Apollo, and the beautiful Syracuse cathedral.
I love sitting in the quiet and ethereal space of cathedrals. They bring a deep calm that seems to permeate my every cell.
Letting the stillness and faint aroma of old tapestries and frankincense seep into my bones is my kind of meditation. When I close my eyes in these serene spaces, it’s as if time comes to a halt, and all the cares of the world float away. Sometimes when I open my eyes again, the sense of timelessness is so overwhelming I have to think about what century I am in… because really I could be in any era, back or forth.
Back home in Dublin, I visit Christchurch Cathedral every week. The thousand-year-old building with its gothic architecture has a very special place in my heart. After my parents’ deaths, it was my place of refuge, a sanctuary to hide away in. It helped me to center myself and find hope.
Above all, though, I love how small I feel in the large space. It puts things into perspective for me every single time. I wouldn’t call myself religious, but I appreciate the glorious buildings that were created over the centuries in the worship of God.
As I sit in the quiet Syracuse Cathedral, I can’t seem to settle into the meditative state I usually so easily slip into. I’m on edge for no apparent reason.
With a sense of unease, I look around. There are only a handful of people walking around, admiring paintings and statues.
Nothing seems out of the ordinary. Yet, the longer I stay, the more the hairs on my neck stand to attention.
I scout for the closest exit and spot a side door off to my left. A sudden chill travels through my body, and I cross my arms tightly over my chest. I get up slowly, and with long strides, I head towards the door.
Thank God it’s not locked, and I step out into the fresh air with a sigh of relief.
Just being out in the open relieves my tension. I gaze behind me at the door, half expecting a stalker to rush out hot on my heels. But nothing. The door remains firmly shut.
Am I becoming paranoid after my conversation with Alonso?
I take a deep breath to rid myself of my absurd thoughts.
The sky has turned a pinkish color, and I only realize now how much time has passed. I walk back to the seaside and sit on the wall in an open area, just to be on the safe side.
I text Fabio and let him know I’m ready to leave.
Please come quickly, I pray. I don’t want to be alone anymore.
The eerie sense that someone is watching me is lingering, and it makes my stomach turn.
I keep telling myself it’s Alonso, but my gut tells me otherwise. Alonso doesn’t give me the creeps, and I’m most definitely creeped out.
But who is watching me?
Chapter Twenty-Three
Ella
ThemomentIspotAlonso, I sigh with relief. I jump off the wall and walk towards him, and he guides me to where the SUV is parked.
