Chapter 24 #2
‘I’m on my way,’ I tell her, before thinking I will grab a taxi on the main street.
‘I’m so sorry.’ I tell Christos all about Irene.
‘I would take you, but I have to be somewhere very early tomorrow morning, and you may be waiting for hours,’ he tells me.
‘Don’t worry, I understand.’
‘But at least let me pay for the taxi,’ he says, following me outside into the street.
I protest, but he pays the driver in advance as I step into the taxi, one of several in a nearby rank.
As we head off, I wonder whether Christos will bother contacting me again. Perhaps the stars are just not aligning for us to spend the night together, and maybe there is a reason for that.
I put that to the back of my mind as I think of Irene, wondering what I might find when I get there. I hope her injuries are not too serious, although Patsy did sound a little stressed. Poor Irene. It must be frightening spending time in an overseas hospital.
Despite the situation, I try to enjoy the journey, the roads quiet in the evening. We drive past a café at the top of a hill, the outside threaded with lights. A few people are drinking coffee at outside tables, their quad bikes parked up nearby, probably after a day out exploring.
Half an hour later, having driven through the serene, mountainous landscape, we are approaching the town, when I call Patsy and tell her I will be there shortly.
‘Oh, Mia, you are an angel. It will be so good to see you,’ she tells me gratefully.
I thank the taxi driver, and after enquiring at the hospital reception desk, I locate Patsy sitting at the bedside of Irene, who is sleeping.
‘How is she?’ I ask Patsy, who stands and gives me a hug.
‘We are waiting for the result of an X-ray,’ she says anxiously.
‘It seems her heart rate was very high, although the doctor did say that may just have been down to the shock of the fall. At least, I think that’s what he said.
’ She frowns. ‘He spoke so quickly some of it may have been lost in translation.’ She sighs.
‘I’ll see what I can find out. In the meantime, I will go in search of coffee, you look like you could use one,’ I tell her.
‘Thank you. I don’t think I want to sleep until I know she will be alright, so I might need it to keep me awake.’
After locating a drinks machine, I am striding along a corridor, when I spot a familiar face walking towards me.
‘Andreas? What are you doing here?’ I ask in surprise.
‘I have just driven a friend here. He injured his ankle during a game of football, thankfully it isn’t broken.’ He pulls a face.
‘Gosh, that sounds painful.’
‘For the team too, as he is our best striker,’ he tells me with a wry smile. ‘Actually, I am about to leave, as my friend’s partner is here with him now. Will you be needing a lift anywhere?’ he offers.
‘Thank you, but I think I want to find out how Irene is doing first.’
I tell him about Irene and Patsy being here after Irene’s fall.
‘Ah, the ladies you were with the other evening.’ He nods. ‘I am sorry to hear that. Is your friend going to be okay?’ he asks sincerely. ‘I am in no hurry, so I don’t mind waiting, if you need taking home.’
‘Actually, if you are in no rush, I wonder if you could ask the doctor exactly what is going on? Patsy seemed a little confused earlier.’
‘Of course. I will be glad to be of help.’ He smiles.
Back on the ward, a doctor is happy to speak to Andreas on Patsy’s behalf. The pair speak quickly, and I dearly wish I knew a little Greek.
‘Well?’ Patsy asks anxiously when the doctor leaves.
‘It is as you said,’ says Andreas. ‘The doctor thinks her blood pressure is raised because of her fall. She was a little shocked but thankfully nothing is broken. She will be kept in overnight for observation.’
‘Thank you, Andreas, that’s the bit I wasn’t sure about, although I know he said something about sleeping.’ She nods. ‘Talking of which, why is she so sleepy, have they sedated her?’ Patsy ponders, by which time the doctor has moved on to another patient.
‘I am not sure but maybe they have given her something to help her relax. It seems to be working, as her blood pressure appears to be going down,’ says Andreas, glancing at the machine she is hooked up to.
‘Have you had medical training?’ I ask curiously.
‘Hmm, not really, although I did once consider becoming a doctor. I helped to look after my grandmother too, and learnt a little basic knowledge, including reading blood pressure,’ he tells me.
’That was before I discovered I preferred making sculptures.
In preference to being a doctor, I mean, not to looking after my granny,’ he jokes.
I think about my own gran then, and how I also like to look out for her.
‘What a lovely thing to do,’ says Patsy as she sips her coffee. ‘Well, it looks like I will be spending the night here too, if Irene is,’ she says. ‘No sense in going all the way back to the apartment, to be here again at first light. Besides, I wouldn’t settle.’
‘Then let me ask if there is a guest bed. Or at least a more comfortable chair,’ insists Andreas, as he approaches a passing nurse.
‘What a lovely young man,’ says Patsy. ‘And nice thighs,’ she says, noting his strong legs clad in football shorts. I can’t help but laugh as I think of Irene’s comment about the side effects of Patsy’s HRT.
I try to imagine what Patsy would do if anything were to happen to Irene, and dearly hope she will make a full recovery. Patsy never had children, and throughout her life Irene has been a close friend as well as a cousin.
‘Here we are.’ Andreas returns a short while later, carrying a fold-up bed; a nurse behind him has some bedding and pillows. In no time at all, he has set up the bed next to Irene in the spacious room.
‘Oh my goodness, I can’t thank you enough,’ she says to Andreas. ‘Here, at least let me buy you a coffee or something.’ She peels a ten-euro note from her purse, but he holds his hand up in protest.
‘Really, there is no need,’ he insists. ‘I hope Irene gets well soon. I am sure she will,’ he says positively.
Seeing Irene settled, I take Andreas up on a lift back to my apartment.
‘Thank you so much for the help,’ I tell him once more as we head towards the hospital exit. We soon arrive at his Audi.
‘It was no problem. And it has me wondering why we keep running into each other. Perhaps it is written in the stars.’
‘What is?’
‘I’m not sure.’ He cocks his head to one side and regards me as he starts the engine. ‘But I think I quite like being in your company.’
‘You think?’ I laugh, realising that I feel the same way. He is just so funny and easy, and not just on the eye. I feel completely relaxed around him.
‘I am sure.’ He nods. ‘Is that better?’
‘Much better, thank you.’ I can almost feel the heat rising in my cheeks, and hope it doesn’t show.
‘So how much longer will you be here in Santorini?’ he asks as we make our way out of the hospital grounds.
‘For a few more days,’ I tell him, having decided when I booked that I would have just over a week here.
‘And do you have plans?’ he asks me as we join a main road.
‘My friend will be returning from her honeymoon tomorrow, so I will spend the day with her catching up.’
‘But the day after that? Maybe you are free?’ he enquires.
‘I could be,’ I find myself saying.
‘Then perhaps I could take you to the beach where I collect driftwood,’ he suggests. ‘It is my day off the day after tomorrow. Sometimes I find sea glass too.’
‘I like the sound of that,’ I tell him, imagining how lovely it would be to go beachcombing with him.
‘So you will join me?’
‘Yes, why not.’
‘Perfect.’ He smiles.
It’s late as we drive, and I stifle a yawn as I struggle to keep my eyes open, although that may be down to the alcohol I consumed earlier. The roads are quiet at this hour and, in no time at all, Andreas is dropping me outside my apartment.
He takes my phone number, and tells me he will text me. ‘Oh, and I will bring a picnic,’ he says to my surprise.
I head to my room in a daze. Have I just agreed to go on a date with Andreas? I’m not exactly sure how that happened, yet it felt so natural. And no date of mine has ever prepared a picnic.
I glance at my phone, and notice I have no messages from Christos to enquire about Irene.
Or if I even arrived home okay. I then wonder what on earth I would do if he asked me out on another date?
Do I really want to be dating two men? I stuff my phone into my bag as I get myself ready for bed in a complete quandary.