Love Makes Blind

Little Elia Agostino was walking down the aisle in the small church in Parghelia holding hand with her mother and her nine year old brother. She didn’t quit understand what was happening, with only her five years of knowledge, but she felt sad because her mother kept crying and her brother looked so sad she just wanted to hug him.

But little Elia knew something was wrong because she hadn’t seen her father in a week, he always used to be there. Her mother had tried to explain to her that her father had gone on a journey and that Elia wouldn’t see him again for many, many years. But how could she understand? She was just a child.
Elia Agostino walked down the aisle in Parghelia’s local church. She had her right arm linked with her boyfriend, Paul Talley, arm and on her left side she was holding hands with her brother Darin. The small church was filled with people and some had to stand on the outside.

Elia felt scared as they came closer and closer to the front of the churh were a white casket lay with her mother inside. Elia wanted most to just curl together to a ball when she got that thought, but she only pressed harder on Paul’s arm.

There was so many familiar faces but Elia couldn’t remember their names as they walked by them. Everybody sat down when Elia and Darin did. It felt like the whole church room held their breath as the priest started talking. He talked about Mirella’s life.

From the day she was born to the young but wealthy Carlino couple; when she met Roberto and got married and had children; coping with her daughter’s blindness and then losing her husband; the move to America and learning how to stand on her own feet. Mirella was a role model for everybody. The way she had handled every adversity with her head held high and given her children a propped childhood without their father was admirable.

Then there were speeches – many speeches. Everybody wanted to say a last goodbye to the woman they had admired and loved so dearly. Elia was numb and didn’t manage to cry but she fought hard against the urge to go and rip the casket open and start CPR to save her mother’s life. Elia had to reminf herself that it was okay. She had said her goodbye to her mother. And she knew her mother was still watching out for her.

The ceremony ended and the procession continued to the cemetery. It was hard for both Darin and Elia to see their mother being lowered into the ground next to her husband. All eyes were on them the whole time and everybody was giving them their condolences.

“Are you sure you are going to be fine, Elia?” Nonna asked her and brushed her hand over Elia’s tear stained cheek.
“I’m sure, Nonna. Paul is looking after me.”
“I’ll check in with some food later.” She said and kissed her granddaughter goodbye before Elia got into the car beside Leah and Paul drove them home.

Paul Talley felt useless as he drove them back to the house. They had all decided that they wanted to go back to the house and be for themselves. Elia had come over the biggest shock and Paul could see some progress in her; but he could see that every time she smiled that it didn’t reach her eyes, they were still cold.

Darin decided that he wanted to talk to Elia so he brought her to the smallest living room.
“What is it you want to talk about Darin?” Elia asked as they sat down from across each other in the two couches.
“I just want to make sure that you are feeling okay bambina.” Darin said and furrowed his eyebrows in concern.
“I..- I’m getting there Dar.” Elia smiled weakly at her brother.
“And you are sure you want to live with me and Leah?”
“Yeah, mom wanted us to stay together and if you don’t have anything against it.” Elia felt a little insecure; maybe her brother and Leah wanted to live by themselves and live their own lives.
“Of course we want you to live with us! I told you that I’m always gone be here for you.” Darin walked around the table and hugged Elia.
“You’ve said that before.” She mumbled against his chest.
“I have kept it, haven’t I?” Darin kissed the top of her head as she nodded.

Elia spent most of the day cuddled together with Paul on the couch watching various Dvd’s and talking about everyday things. She wasn’t trying to forget about her mother’s death, she just simply tried to cope with it. She thought about Mirella’s last words to her all the time that Elia shouldn’t stop living and that she would be okay.

There was a knock on the front door and Paul kissed Elia’s cheek before he went to see who it was. It was the nice old lady from next door just wanting to give them a stew. Paul thanked her with a smile and closed the door. He sighed as he placed the stew on the kitchen table among the twenty other casseroles with different types of food they had received throughout the day.