The Greek Villa: A beautiful and utterly addictive summer holiday rom com

Chapter 3

It seems Uncle Jack had far more money than anyone could ever have imagined. Turns out, he and Auntie Kathleen had been big savers, as well as investing in stocks and shares, seemingly with great success. The house they bought in the late nineties has almost tripled in price too.

All his assets are to be divided equally between myself, my brother Josh, and my parents, including the contents of the house. This includes Kathleen’s impressive gold jewellery collection that she had built up through her life. Jack was a lover of art too, and had purchased several valuable pieces over the years. All I can think of though is that I will become the owner of the silver owl after all. I am unable to process the amount of money I’m about to inherit.

‘I knew the house was worth a bit, and about the jewellery. Kathleen mentioned that before she died,’ says Mum as we sip drinks in a café not far from the solicitor’s office. ‘But all those stocks and shares? I had no idea Jack was into all that.’

Mum can hardly take it in. Kathleen was an only child, whose parents had long departed, and she insisted Jack’s family inherit everything. She had one cousin who she couldn’t bear to leave a single thing to apparently.

‘He always was a private man,’ says Dad, eyeing up some tasty-looking cakes in domes behind the counter. He orders a slice of coffee and walnut cake from a passing waitress, Mum and I declining having not long eaten breakfast.

‘We were never really savers,’ Mum laments as she sips her tea.

‘Not everyone is. At least you enjoy what money you do have, and long may that continue,’ I remind her.

With my windfall, I am determined to pay my parents back a little for their generosity towards me. They probably won’t take it, but at least I can offer. If not, I will make sure I spoil them.

‘Well, that’s true. We have enjoyed our life,’ says Mum.

‘Still enjoying it and hopefully for many more years to come.’ I smile. ‘And so you should, you have both worked hard all your life.’

My parents are forever updating their house, which is the smartest house on the street, and they are partial to a good cruise. They were also very generous when I got my first apartment, stumping up the deposit so that I could buy in a nice area. I tried to protest, being the fiercely independent soul that I am and determined to save the deposit myself, but Dad wouldn’t hear of it. He told me they would have paid to put me through university, but as I never went paying a deposit on a home was the least they could do for me. I know he didn’t mean it, but his comments unintentionally made me feel like a bit of a failure, even though I have a really good job in the Civil Service.

I drop my parents off, before returning to work at home, where seated at my desk in my second bedroom that doubles as an office, the walls covered in a beach scene, I gather my thoughts.

What am I going to do with all that money? Maybe I could decorate the walls with a new mural, perhaps a forest scene next time, and buy that ridiculously expensive, huge new sofa from that Italian interior place on the retail park. It occurs to me then that I could buy a new house. A whole freaking house! And no matter how much I try, I can’t get the thought of the little white house that I came across in Corfu with the Pros polisi sign outside off my mind.

I must stop this daydreaming, as my thoughts drift off to the possibility of owning a place in Greece and a slightly bigger one here. I could sell this place and add it to the small fortune that will soon be landing in my bank account. I could buy a new car, and not have to say a silent prayer that my eight-year-old Golf will get me to my destination without conking out. It cost me three hundred quid to fix after it failed the last MOT. I could buy a brand new one if I wanted to.

‘Oh, Jack, who knew you had all those investments,’ I say quietly. ‘Maybe you could have cashed some in, and we could have gone travelling together.’ I find myself looking upwards as my eyes fill with tears. ‘I’ll let you know what I’ve been up to, when we meet again,’ I tell him.

Whatever happens in the future, one thing is certain: I will be eternally grateful to my dear uncle Jack.