Chapter 16 #2
‘I do, don’t I?’ She stops walking and faces me.
‘And you’re right, if I had given a handout to Chloe that wouldn’t be the case.
She has her jobs, she ought to save for the things she wants.
Maybe she has learned a lesson, me saying no,’ she reflects.
‘I think it’s time to close the bank of Mum and Dad for a while.
Well, Mum mainly.’ She rolls her eyes. ‘Although I would never see either her or her brother in a fix.’
‘Of course you wouldn’t.’ I smile. ‘You are a good mother.’
‘Thanks, although I do let them walk all over me a bit. You made realise that,’ she admits. ‘I do like being needed, but I know they ought to be a little more independent. Besides, they won’t be living with me forever, so I’d better get started on making a life for myself.’
‘That’s the spirit.’ I link my arm through hers. ‘Let’s start with some shopping.’
Weaving our way along the crowded, narrow paths, we pass dozens of white buildings selling all manner of things and jostling for space.
Juice bars and cafés rub shoulders with fashionable boutiques and jewellery stores, some with their wares displayed outside on small wooden tables.
A couple are peering at rings through the window of a jewellery store, their hands entwined.
As we descend some flat steps, we come across a shop with baskets outside containing traditional holiday souvenirs such as straw donkeys and fridge magnets.
There are even T-shirts bearing the logo ‘I love Santorini’ with a little red heart at the centre and we both laugh.
I spot tea towels and ships in bottles, when a snow globe catches my eye.
‘My gran loves a snow globe,’ I tell Lulu as I retrieve one from the basket and head inside.
‘In fact, so does Mum.’ I backtrack and grab another one.
I buy Dad a wooden backscratcher with the word ‘Santorini’ painted across and with a shoehorn on the other end.
Given all the huffing and puffing Dad does when he puts his shoes on, I’m sure it will come in handy.
We shop until we drop, although mainly window shopping, me taking photos here and there and loving every second of my day out with Lulu.
‘I’ll just nip in here and grab us some more water,’ says Lulu, so I tell her I will pop to a shop next door for a sunhat. I stupidly forgot to bring mine with me, and I can already feel the effects of the burning sun on the top of my head.
After browsing in the shop, I select a plain straw hat and head to the till to pay.
‘I think I will need this in these temperatures,’ I say cheerfully to the guy behind the counter. ‘Especially in this heatwave.’
‘It is always very hot in July,’ he tells me. ‘Although it is a little hotter than usual. Probably due to climate change,’ he says as I pay for the hat and my receipt chugs out of a card machine.
‘Do you think so?’ I ask. There have been many discussions about this in my household back home.
‘I am sure of it,’ he insists. ‘Although it is hardly surprising with all the planes, and ships full of diesel making their way across the globe. Speaking of which’ – he glances at his watch – ‘a cruise ship will be descending on the island shortly.’
I would be quite happy to continue the conversation with the handsome shopkeeper, but a small queue has formed behind me, so I say goodbye.
Strolling along, I stop intermittently to take photos of my surroundings.
‘Imagine staying there.’ I point out a house to Lulu as she hands me a bottle of water.
We both glance down at a white, super cool house that looks a bit like a cave. ‘They have their own private swimming pool too,’ I say.
‘Not that private though, is it?’ reasons Lulu as we spy a couple below, stretched out on sunbeds next to their pool.
‘I still wouldn’t say no.’ I eye the luxury accommodation enviously, although I take her point.
‘I won’t be a sec, I just need to nip in here,’ says Lulu, indicating a nearby pharmacy.
I wait outside and the view is so stunning below, I perch myself, somewhat precariously, on a wall, and pout in preparation for a selfie. The camera wobbles a little, so I place one hand firmly on the wall to steady myself.
Just then, I notice a good-looking guy striding towards me.
‘Would you like me to take the photo?’ says the Greek guy from the shop earlier. ‘It is quite a long way down.’
‘Um, sure, if you don’t mind,’ I say, handing him my phone. ‘And I guess you are right, it is a bit of a drop.’ I smile.
‘Although maybe you would have had a soft landing,’ he says, a smile on his face as he glances down at the path below.
I take a peek and see that I was sitting on a wall directly above a load of donkey dung.
Lulu returns then, and raises an eyebrow at me when she notices me chatting.
‘Maybe your friend would like to be in the picture too?’ He turns to Lulu.
‘Let’s take a few of Mia alone, for her Instagram page, then, sure, I will get in one,’ she tells him.
‘So, are you a social media influencer?’ asks the guy from the shop.
‘I guess I am.’ I grin. ‘Although not as big as some I know. My followers are definitely growing though, so I’m happy.’
‘And do you want to be rich and famous?’ he asks me candidly.
‘Erm, maybe I do,’ I answer just as honestly. ‘Isn’t that what most people want, deep down?’
‘Not necessarily,’ he disagrees. ‘Being rich is not a guarantee of happiness, which is far more important, I think.’
‘Said no poor person ever,’ I retort and he shrugs.
I give my best pose as he takes several photos before he takes some of Lulu and I together, before handing me back my phone.
‘Thank you.’ I smile.
‘No problem,’ he says, returning the smile before he disappears.
I watch him walk off, dressed casually in chinos and a rumpled blue-linen shirt, displaying the kind of look that says understated money.
Maybe he isn’t still living with his parents, unable to afford a deposit for a mortgage, then he might think twice about money not bringing happiness, or at least some sort of independence.
He has a vaguely familiar look about him but maybe he just looks similar to a lot of Greek men I have encountered, with his dark-brown eyes and well-trimmed beard.
I am staring after him, thinking how handsome he is, when he glances back and smiles, so I busy myself with my phone.
‘All sorted?’ I ask Lulu. ‘Actually, are you okay, what did you need from the pharmacy?’
‘Yes, fine, don’t worry, I just needed some painkillers. Of all the times to get monthly cramps.’ She pulls a face.
‘Oh no. I hope it doesn’t spoil your day, we can head back to the apartment if you like?’ I suggest.
‘No, I’m not going to let something like this ruin my holiday, I only have a few days left here.’ She pops two tablets from a blister pack and swallows them down with a glug of water.
‘Right, let’s explore one more street, then we can find somewhere nice to rest and have some lunch.’
‘Now I like the idea of that,’ she says, linking arms with me.
We walk full circle and end up outside the gift shop I nipped in earlier for my hat.
Outside, wind chimes crafted from wood and seashells flutter gently in the wind. Tiny windmills made from metal and wood are displayed alongside glass sea horses on wooden shelves inside an old boat standing upright, making a unique display case.
‘Let’s make this our last stop, shall we? I barely had time to look around earlier,’ I tell Lulu, who agrees and follows me inside.
A treasure trove of jewellery and gifts greets us, many in the colours of the sea, and there behind the counter is the bloke who took my photographs.
‘We meet again.’ He grins. ‘The woman I saved from certain death.’
‘That’s a little overdramatic, don’t you think?’ I say, although I can’t help laughing.
‘She was about to disappear over a high wall before you arrived,’ he explains to Lulu, who had a puzzled look on her face.
I tell her about me almost losing my balance on the wall, and how he came to the rescue.
‘And yet I don’t even know your name,’ I tell him.
He introduces himself as Andreas.
‘Hi, Andreas, I’m Mia and this is my friend Lulu,’ I say cheerfully.
‘Nice to meet you too, formally that is. Anyway, welcome once more and take a good look around. I am sure you will find something that takes your fancy,’ he says, meeting my gaze.
‘I’m sure I will.’
‘Were you two flirting?’ asks Lulu as we peruse some tasteful-looking blue wine glasses.
‘No. At least I don’t think so.’ I laugh.
‘He seems nice though,’ she says, before sliding her fingers over a silk scarf, artfully draped over a piece of driftwood.
‘He does. He’s quite funny, too, which I like,’ I find myself saying.
‘Hmm. You haven’t forgotten about Christos already, have you?’ she teases. ‘It’s like speed dating, although you are probably too young to even remember that.’
‘Oi, I know what speed dating is.’ I nudge her playfully. ‘I’m just saying he seems nice, that’s all.’
‘If you say so.’ She raises an eyebrow.
‘I do. Besides, he was probably just being friendly in the hope that we will buy something from his shop.’
‘You’re probably right, some of the stuff in here is gorgeous though,’ she says, glancing around and taking it all in.
Lulu buys some silver earrings as a gift for her daughter and a shirt for her son, after asking a fashionable-looking guy around her son’s age if he would wear the shirt and he confirmed that he would.
I select a honey drizzler made from olive wood, as I love to have honey and Greek yoghurt when I am back home. As Lulu looks at some more jewellery, I admire a few wooden sculptures. One is the face of a man who is stroking his face with his hand.
‘Do you like that?’ Andreas appears at my shoulder.
‘I do, yes, it’s quite eye-catching.’ I stand and admire the sculpture, while Lulu is eyeing up some candles.
‘Thank you. I actually made that myself,’ he tells me proudly.
‘You did? Wow, it’s amazing,’ I tell him honestly and he thanks me again.
‘I love a wooden sculpture. I bought one for my friend as a wedding present,’ I tell him, thinking about the gift I brought for Tasha. ‘Is it the face of someone you know?’ I can’t help asking.
‘Actually, yes, it is my father,’ he reveals. ‘Even though he doesn’t see my art as proper work, but merely a hobby.’ He shrugs.
‘Really? Well, I think it’s wonderful. You obviously have a real talent,’ I tell him sincerely.
‘Thank you,’ he replies.
‘I’m afraid I can’t resist,’ says Lulu, approaching us with a scarf and a chunky blue candle containing sea salt and sage that I spotted earlier. ‘It is a gift to myself,’ she says as she plonks it down on the glass counter.
‘Good to see you treating yourself,’ I tell her.
‘I second that,’ says Andreas as he takes Lulu’s payment. ‘In fact, feel free to treat yourself as much as you like,’ he says with a cheeky grin.
Just then, the tinkle of the doorbell can be heard as a steady stream of customers file into the shop.
‘Please excuse me,’ says Andreas as he hands Lulu her bag of shopping. ‘These people will be from the cruise ship. I may be very busy now.’
So you don’t like the pollution from the cruise ships, but you don’t mind the ringing of the tills? I think to myself, but for some reason, I stop myself from saying anything.
As we are about to leave, a young woman arrives and joins him behind the counter. They chat to each other in Greek, as the throng of day trippers make their way around the shop, searching for gifts.
‘Can we get that lunch now, I’m starving,’ I ask as we leave the shop with our gifts.
‘Yep, let’s go,’ says Lulu.
‘Thanks again,’ I say, but Andreas is busy serving someone else and barely glances up as we leave. It was nice to chat to him and he seems happy creating sculptures and selling some in his lovely shop. Maybe there’s something to following your passions and having a simple life?