Chapter 31
THIRTY-ONE
‘I still can’t believe you have landed yourself a job here,’ says Irene the next morning as we pack our cases into the hire car. Thankfully, I hired a large car with a boot that can comfortably store our three cases.
‘Me neither,’ says Patsy. ‘But you go for it. I wish I had taken up more offers when I was young.’ She sighs.
‘The world was a different place then,’ Irene reminds her. ‘Once you had chosen your career path, that was that, you were pretty much stuck with it forever. I loved working as a nurse though,’ she reflects.
We had said goodbye to the staff at the Sea Breeze earlier, and are thrilled to see them standing outside the restaurant and waving us off as we drive past. I give a toot of the horn in response as we wave our arms out of the windows.
‘I will really miss that place,’ Irene says sadly. ‘Everyone was so lovely. The food portions were so large it was pointless trying to diet.’
‘Nobody watches their weight on holiday, Irene,’ says Patsy, lighting up a vape that smells of blueberries. I ask her to keep the window open as I am not fond of the smell.
‘I realise that, especially in a place like Greece where the food is so delicious,’ agrees Irene. ‘I will be joining that slimming club as soon as we get home though,’ she says with determination.
‘And I might actually have a go at quitting these vapes when I get home,’ says Patsy.
‘You would think it was New Year with all these resolutions.’ I laugh. ‘Although I can add to that as I resolve to concentrate more on my singing.’
At the airport, having dropped the car off, we wait around for our check-in desk to open and the pull to return to Perissa is so strong I almost walk off in search of a taxi, before giving myself a reality check.
I have no money to stay on here just yet, plus I am keen to see my family and to tell them that I have secured a singing contract and will be returning here in a few weeks.
I hope they will be happy for me, and maybe they will decide to take that trip to Greece after all and watch me perform. That would make me so proud and happy.
I’m sitting looking at my phone, when I suddenly hear a familiar voice call my name.
‘Andreas, what are you doing here?’ I ask as I stand to greet him.
‘I just wanted to say goodbye to you properly,’ he says, taking hold of my hand. ‘I felt I didn’t do that earlier.’
Irene and Patsy are watching the scene unfold, while pretending to hide behind the novels they are reading.
‘And I was wondering,’ he continues. ‘How would you feel about us spending some time together when you return?’
‘You came all the way here to ask me that?’ I smile, feeling thrilled by his presence.
‘So, what do you think then?’ he asks.
‘I think I would like that very much,’ I tell him.
‘You think?’ he says as he moves closer.
‘I am sure I would like to spend some time with you. Is that better?’ I say, my heart beating as he pulls me to him.
‘Much better,’ he says, before his lips finally meet mine. And the wonderful thing? I still get those tingles but without any feelings of uncertainty. I trust Andreas. It just feels right.
‘I am looking forward to you returning already,’ says Andreas as we stand together, his arms around my waist. ‘I hope you do not change your mind about returning, once you get home.’
‘Of course I won’t,’ I assure him. ‘Besides I don’t want to go breaching my first contract as a singer, do I?’
He gives me a final kiss, before our fellow passengers make their way to check-in, signalling that it is time to leave.
‘Bye, Andreas. I will see you again soon,’ I say, giving him a final hug before he departs.
Sitting on the plane, I am about to switch my phone to airplane mode, when a text comes through from Andreas, telling me he forgot to wish me a safe flight, and I smile to myself as I thank him.
Christos has remained silent since our impromptu meeting, which is unsurprising really considering what happened at his home.
Once more I think of how relieved I am that I never slept with him, despite the obvious chemistry between us.
Since meeting Andreas though, I have barely given him a thought.
Seeing him with another woman revealed his true colours, and despite my initial surprise, I am glad it happened.
‘Fancy a gin and tonic?’ asks Irene later when the drinks trolley trundles along the plane. ‘One last treat before the diet starts at home.’ She laughs.
‘In that case, shall we have some Pringles too?’ suggests Patsy.
Seated in our row of three, we sip our drinks and chat about the highlights of our holiday.
‘I have two really,’ says Irene. ‘Tasha and Owen’s beautiful wedding and lunch in that fancy house near the beach.’ And Patsy agrees.
‘Honesty really does pay off,’ she says, thinking of the day she found the rightful owner of the pretty necklace. ‘I still can’t believe they had staff to serve us food and drinks, I felt like a celebrity.’ She sighs with pleasure.
‘Oh, I agree,’ says Patsy. ‘I think I could easily develop a taste for the finer things in life, after trying that lobster.’
‘Maybe you ought to develop a taste for tinned tuna, it’s more in your price bracket,’ Irene says with a giggle, and Patsy playfully nudges her.
‘And remember me telling you we were offered a reward?’ says Irene. ‘Well, the owner managed to sneak a hundred euros into my bag, even though we refused to accept it.’
‘Did she?’ Patsy looks shocked. ‘You never said.’
‘How do you think I have paid for those extra cocktails?’ She giggles again.
‘Well, I imagine it was nothing compared to the cost of the necklace, I suppose,’ says Patsy.
‘And she is lucky that it was you who found it,’ I say to Irene.
‘How the other half live, hey.’ Patsy sighs.
Her comment makes me think of Andreas, and how he said that money isn’t everything and that it cannot really guarantee happiness.
I think there may be some truth in that, but I guess it depends on the individual.
Some people adore money and riches above everything else I realise, as annoyingly Christos pops into my head.
‘So how about you, Mia, what was your highlight?’ asks Patsy as she opens her tub of Pringles.
I think of all the wonderful experiences, starting with, of course, my oldest friend’s gorgeous wedding. Surprisingly though, Christos doesn’t feature in my top holiday moments.
‘The wedding, of course, not to mention the stunning scenery and the wonderful restaurants,’ I tell them.
‘Oh, and the Jeep safari. Lulu and I both really enjoyed that.’ I smile to myself.
‘But the night in the karaoke bar was a real highlight for me. It gave me the confidence to realise I really am a good singer, even if I say so myself.’
‘A great singer,’ says Irene and Patsy agrees. ‘Who has only gone and bagged herself a job in a piano bar in Oia.’
‘I know!’ I almost squeal.
I think then not of the time I spent on the luxurious yacht, but the day I spent with Andreas at the beach, and the delicious picnic he had thoughtfully prepared. I recall how he really listened as I spoke to him. And then, of course, there was that most surprising kiss as we said goodbye.
‘What’s the soppy grin for?’ asks Irene, which I didn’t realise I had on my face.
‘Oh nothing. It’s just that being here has reminded me that we really ought to use our talents and follow our dreams.’
‘I’ll drink to that,’ says Patsy and as we tap our little plastic glasses together, I look forward to the future with a new-found confidence.