My Hero!

It is twenty-nine degrees Celsius in Santorini Island. Angelica Vasili is a Greek English teacher that lives in Athens. She came to a three-star hotel called Marizan Caves and Villas. Which is located near Oia Castle. She’s here for a two-week vacation with her three-year-old toddler named Lena.

Angelica is at the heated plunge pool, running clumsily as her foot slipped from her thongs and she fell into the arms of the Greek athlete runner, Stavros Zervos.

Her appearance has a classical blonde beauty, grey eyes and a fair skin tone. He grins broadly. “Are you alright goldilocks?” he asks flirtatiously hypnotized by her smudged blue eyeliner from the water.

She rose up tossing her wet golden hair away trying to see who just called her goldilocks. Her grey eyes and blonde hair radiated when she saw an irresistibly handsome man with amber eyes, short brown curly hair. His body is well built with manly muscles.

“No, I’m not I was running to rescue my little daughter. She is almost about to drown in the swimming pool!” she screamed with a pressured speech.

Stavros’s head fell into hopelessness. Yes, she is a mother with a child and maybe even married. But to him she was the most stunning women he had ever seen in his life. And nothing could change that he thought.

“Oh my gosh I’ll go and rescue her!” he yelled with urgent panic and dived into the water.

He ran so fast obviously he is a professional athlete runner; to save Lena who is still a little toddler. How can a mother leave her child unattended. Maybe she is a widow and being a single parent is tough he thought.

So, he saved Lena. She cried and coughed and spat the water out so she is stable now thanks to Stavros. Angelica lifted her up, kissed and hugged Lena so tight.

“Oh my God thank you for your help, ah…”
“Stavros”
“Angelica”
“You’re welcome. Lucky she was in the shallow area so it wasn’t very deep. And what’s the little one’s name isn’t she a princess?” he pinched her soft cheek and she really seemed to like it. She felt a sense of love and warmth towards him like a father after he saved her.

Lena looks just like the same version of her mother. Only difference is that she’s very skinny and short in height but she will be a dish when she grows up into a lovely lady.

“Lena”
“What a beautiful name, as you are”
Angelica stared in his amber eyes for a second and smiled.
“Thank you we appreciate it”
“Are you my mummy’s friend?” Lena asks
“I would if you want me to” he bends down caressing her soft cheek.
“So, what brings you to Santorini?”
“I’m here on a two-week holiday. I’m an English teacher from Athens”
“Oh really? I’m also from Athens too! I’m here for a holiday but I have to go back home for my marathon soon, I’m an athlete runner”
“That’s interesting no wonder why you ran so fast!”
“Yeah, I know” he chuckles.

The sunset went down and Angelica went back to her cave suite. Stavros thought about her the whole sleepless night and how wonderful she is. The next day is even hotter, thirty-five degrees Celsius. They collided into each other once again! As soon as she saw him her heart raced!

“Hi I was just about to go for breakfast. There’s no accessible dining room here in this holiday bay but there’s a restaurant nearby called Athenian house would you like to share company with me” he asks.

Angelica hesitated first but also couldn’t resist his charming attraction simultaneously so she couldn’t say no…

“Yeah, okay thank you for the invite”

They sat down in front of each other and began to eat and drink their halloumi toasts and Greek coffees. Stavros notices that her eyes are studying outside into a deep thought for a long pause. There is sorrow, grief and pain visible in her grey eyes. He wondered what it could be…

“Are you okay?” he asks with concern.
Before she could reply back, she broke down into tears…
He offered her a tissue from the box.
“I’m sorry it’s just that I haven’t been out with a man ever since… my ex-husband betrayed me”
“I’m so sorry you don’t have to do anything you’re not comfortable with”
“No, it’s okay. I’m just a bit too emotional. It’s been a year and I still can’t get over the cruelty”

Stavros stared in her eyes empathetically wondering what sort of cruelty could be done to a women so beautiful… Angelica looks restless and fidgety now due to her depression. He felt so much pity for her. A women should never be heartbroken because of any man.

“Hey what about you go back to your cave suite and have a rest. I’ll give you some time alone. When you’re ready, I would really want to spend some time with you and maybe even get to know you better”.

Four days passed and Angelica fed Lena but other than that she did nothing but cry and eat chocolate in the private cave house. When things got too overwhelming, she went to the sunset cave to watch the spectacular landscapes of the Caldera Volcano and Aegean Sea.

This was healing therapy for her crushed soul because she is so depressed from remembering that two men’s damaging brutalism. Until she realized that she should get up and shake off this miserable vulnerability. Because she must be strong for Lena too.

It is seven twenty-two in the evening and Angelica went to the Athenian house restaurant again to have a proper meal after four days. She just ate complimentary chocolate bars stored in her refrigerator so she was starving because she was in a down mood to eat anything.

She has this unknown magnetic pull for him so she enters and can’t help but scan her eyes to find him. She sees him sitting down at a table and eating Greek salad on its own. Of course, he must stay healthy and psychically fit she thought.
She walks towards him. As soon as he views her, he swallows that feta cheese and wipes his mouth with his napkin.

“Mind if I join you?”
“Yes of course have a seat please” He got startled from the excitement of finally seeing her again! And he is such a gentleman that he would even get up and pull the chair for her.
“I thought that you might be here”
“Yeah, I was hoping you would come”

He is so sweet and smooth that he couldn’t forget about her so he came to the same restaurant waiting for her to come one day!

“So how are you? Are you feeling better?” he notices that her under eye bags are bruised but it is starting to heal. But he loves her natural flaws it’s what makes her beautiful he thought.
“It was quite rough but I managed to pull through stronger”
“That’s good to hear”

She is feeling lightheaded so she ordered a steak with chips and hurriedly gulped it down. Stavros watched her eat quietly.

“Haven’t you eaten anything?”
“No didn’t have the appetite”
Poor thing he thought.

After she took the last bite, her blood pressure elevated. But suddenly, she felt nauseous after eating a heavy meal on an empty stomach. And all the chocolate she ate upset her stomach too. So, she had to escort herself to the restroom.

“Um excuse me sorry” she said and coughed.
“Are you okay?” he asked but she couldn’t answer because she already ran off.

She quickly threw up in the toilet and ran back to her room because she felt so embarrassed of puking in front of him. Stavros tried to find her but he couldn’t. She just disappeared for two days! And Stavros is so worried about her. He couldn’t get her out of his head.

During the time she shut herself out, she took care of Lena and did some more thinking and decided that, Stavros is a decent man. She realised that her love for Yanni faded away a year ago after that torment he caused her.

After she met Stavros, she also realised that she has fallen in love uncontrollably and she knows that he likes her too. It’s quite obvious by the way that he flirts with her. And how interested he is.

So, she wants to open her heart to him. She’s willing to risk it. Not just for herself but mostly for Lena. So that she’s not fatherless. Because a mother would do anything for her child.

On the other hand, she holds herself back so fearful to get dumped like trash again. Her heart says yes but her mind says no. Regardless of how hard it is for her to explain everything and trust another man, she went to look for Stavros and tell him everything about what happened and that she wants to give him a chance.

This was so hard for her but she is a warrior and he can be her saviour! So, she finally got the courage to present herself. After two days, Stavros finds Angelica hiding under a staircase.

“Angelica? Oh my God I’ve been so worried about you where were you! There’s no reception here this is a private bay please don’t disappear like that ever again!” he shouts and hugs her.

“I know I’m sorry I got food poisoning” this wasn’t true. The truth was that she was nervous to get in touch with him again.
“Oh, I hope you’re feeling better now”
“Yeah, I’m alright thanks”
“I thought about everything and I’m ready”
“Sure, I’d love to listen to your story”

Angelica exhales a long breath first and then begins to talk...

“It’s been a year and it all started when Alex destroyed my marriage with Yanni. He was a crazy tyrant in love with me. He threatened me. He said… if I don’t sleep with him…he is going to murder Yanni. So… he raped me”.

“I sold my body for his life. But Yanni took it the wrong way because of Alex’s lies he didn’t believe me. He thought I was with Alex intentionally so he kicked me out of my house on a cold and rainy night.” She said and cried her eyeballs out until her nose turned red.

“I’m so sorry to hear this. And thank you for trusting me and sharing your story. I would have believed you if I were Yanni if he really loved you. And he should have shown respect because you saved his life”

“Yes, this is what I expected to hear. I wish Yanni believed me and thought like you”
“To be honest, I really like you from the first day I saw you. I thought I’d tell you now that the time is right. But I won’t rush this. We can take this slow”

Stavros shockingly admitted it. And Angelica is in love with him too. She realised this the more that she went on dates with him. So, there’s no point of waiting she must move on. Lena also feels happy around him so why not?

“That’s okay I feel the same way too but I’ve had a bad experience with my ex-husband that’s why I was holding myself back”. This is the truth and she feels a relief after saying that.

Stavros couldn’t help but smile until his dimples got visible.

“I know I can understand your situation it’s not easy whatsoever”
“Yeah, I feel so ashamed to say this but I’ve been feeling so alone that I’m even struggling to take care of my daughter due to my long coming post-partum depression. And I can’t believe I forgot her there at the pool. But what about Lena do you accept a woman with a child?”

“There’s no need to be ashamed of anything. You’re so brave to admit things. You’re a strong mother and a woman. Besides you have me now. Your child is my child too she can even call me dad if she wants”

“Really? Many men don’t accept this so thank you so much Lena is going to be so happy. Yanni did no paternity or give any child support for her. You’re my hero, Stavros!”

“I’m so glad! All I want is to make you both happy. I promise you that, my feelings for you is so real. I won’t disappoint you again or abandon you midway like Yanni because you won’t be alone for as long as I live. So, you’re safe and secure with me”.

Right now, they feel closer than never before. Despite that their relationship and feelings began so fast, Angelica trusted him because she can sense in her intuition that this time, she can trust Stavros completely because he is different and protective unlike Yanni.

She felt the feeling of love for the first time after a year since she came to Santorini and Stavros is happier than ever to be with the woman he loves deeply and accepts to be like a father for Lena. He may not be her biological father but family is not about blood, it’s about love.

The couple are in the romantic cave watching the sunset from the balcony.
On the other hand, they’re watching Lena play in the heated plunge pool. She is so happy that she’s splashing her hands and feet in the water when she saw that her mother and Stavros is more loving and closer.

He shows so much attention to Lena just like a real father. He picks her up and twirls her around in circles!

“Dad please, stop!” she accidently said the word dad to him for the first time!
“Oh, um sorry I didn’t mean to say that”
“No, it’s okay you can call me dad from now on” he said and hugged her so tight.

Angelica watched them and smiled with love and happiness. She now has found her hero that loves her truly and a father for her child. So, she has everything she needs. What more could she want?