Chapter 8
‘Yes, I am on my way to Milos now. The ferry just left Piraeus Port,’ said Emilia to Anita down the phone line. ‘I should be there just under four hours from now… Yes, the funeral’s this afternoon.’
Anita then started to relay the details of a bad night’s sleep, since her teenage daughter had caught a bug and had been coughing all night. Anita had woken up at three a.m. to make her herbal tea with honey and take her temperature. She was sharing even more unfortunate news now, relaying that a difficult meeting was scheduled for midday, and the road was full of traffic on her way to the office. She was already stressed and full of angst and hadn’t even sat at her desk yet.
For the first time as she listened, somehow, Emilia was astute to every negative word her friend uttered, remembering Esmera’s advice about the power of words.
Instinctively, Emilia’s mind drifted away, so she could disengage herself from those vibes that threatened to throw her off-kilter. She glued her eyes to the cobalt-blue sea through the large window and let out a soft breath.
The previous day, she had told Anita on the phone about Aunt Irini’s death and her planned departure to Milos the next morning, but had withheld all the information about Esmera and her gift. The spell had ended for now. She had awoken that morning to find she was her ‘crinkly’ old self again.
She never thought she’d be glad to see her crow feet and laugh lines in the mirror, but when she woke this morning she was actually relieved. She wouldn’t give a shock to the few locals who knew her on Milos, after all. Nor would she have to lie to them that she owed her young looks to spa therapies and top-notch anti-aging products.
‘I just cannot believe your aunt thought of everything!’ said Anita on the other end of the line, snapping Emilia out of her reverie.
‘Indeed! Who would have thought! When the notary told me my aunt’s prior arrangements even involved the notary booking me for a week in a B&B in Adamas, I actually gasped down the phone line!’
‘And about the ferry ticket? What’s that all about?’
‘No idea…’
‘So, you booked a single ferry ticket? Like the notary suggested?’
‘Yes. He said he’d explain everything when I get to the island… I guess I decided to trust him. To be honest, the idea of finding a reason, or even an excuse, to stay on my beloved island for a long period, sounds exciting. I’d grab half a chance to do that!’
‘Oh, how mysterious it all sounds! So delightful and thrilling! I cannot wait to hear more!’ Anita gave a laborious sigh. ‘It’s been such a long time since anything exciting happened to me! I envy you, girl…’
‘Thanks, Anita. I envy you too, you know that, for having a family, so… touché!’ joked Emilia, but, inside, she knew she had the better deal, at least today. Nothing more enthralling than returning to one’s homeland. And, full of possibilities too.
‘All right, Anita. I have to go and get myself a coffee and a bite to eat. I skipped breakfast to make it to Piraeus Port on time and now I’m starving.’
‘Ok, bye for now! Enjoy your trip and make sure to fill me in when you know more!’
‘Thanks, Anita. Hope your day gets easier in the office than you anticipate it to be. Talk soon.’
###
Emilia disembarked from the ferry onto the dock of Adamas, the port town of Milos. It was full of people waiting in line to embark.
Near the ferry, and to the side, stood a scatter of people, who looked like locals. As soon as Emilia and the other passengers disembarked, they began to approach eagerly. Some were sporting signs with the names of the guests they expected for the day in their hotels and rooms-to-let.
Others seemed less organised and approached Emilia to ask if she was looking for a room. She declined the offers and strode to a kiosk that offered tourist information to stand in the shade. The female clerk was busy talking to a young Italian couple in English. The couple didn’t seem to understand. Pointing to a map mounted on the wall, they began to speak loudly in their native tongue.
Having caught her breath from lugging her trolley bag all the way from the top deck, Emilia began to look around, wondering who was picking her up. The notary had said he’d send someone to meet her if he was too busy to come, so she wasn’t sure who she was looking for as she scanned the place around her. She’d read all the signs people held up earlier, just in case, but none had born her name.
Turning to look toward the road, she saw a burly man hurrying along, approaching the dock, and, immediately, she knew it was him. She didn’t know why, but perhaps it was the suit. Who wears a suit to visit the port on a warm morning unless they were a professional of some sort? It had to be him. If anything, she prayed it was. She felt stiff like a rock and needed to change from her sweaty clothes. Already, she was dreaming of sitting in a cool breeze somewhere, a chilled coffee in hand.
‘Miss Paschos! So sorry I am late!’ the man said when he approached, much to her delight.
‘Hello, Mr Roidis!’ she said brightly as she offered her hand. ‘I am pleased to meet you in person.’
He shook her hand, using the other to wipe beads of sweat from his brow. ‘It’s my pleasure, Miss Paschos. Pleased to meet you too!’
‘I must say, I am surprised you recognised me!’
The notary smiled knowingly. ‘I had visited your aunt in her home twice as we were getting the necessary paperwork together for her will. She had a large framed photograph of you and your late mother in her dining room.’
‘I see…’
‘Again, I am sorry I am late. I hope you haven’t waited too long.’
‘No, of course not.’ She pointed to the ferry. People were still disembarking in droves. ‘I just arrived.’
‘Ah, of course you have.’ He pointed toward the road with a gallant gesture. ‘Shall we? The hotel is very close. Just one street behind this coastal road. May I?’ He pointed toward her trolley bag.
‘Thank you, this is very kind, Mr Roidis.’
###
One minute later, they were standing outside a quaint, small-sized hotel. It had wooden window shutters painted in the typical Cycladic sky-blue hue. They were contrasted perfectly against the snow-white fa?ade. Flower beds with roses, marigolds and pansies on either side of the concrete path completed the idyllic sight.
‘Oh, my goodness, this is so pretty! Thank you for booking me here,’ said Emilia as the notary handed the luggage handle over to her.
‘My pleasure. I know the family that owns this place. Anything you need, ask them and they’ll do their best to accommodate you. And now, I’ll leave you to it. I’ll see you at the funeral this afternoon…’ he said, about to turn and go.
‘Mr Roidis, can I ask you something before you go? It totally evaded me to ask you on the phone, what with the shock of the news and the preparations I had to make at short notice…’
He approached again, his face eager. ‘Yes, of course. Whatever you need to know.’
‘How did my aunt die?’
‘Ah, I am sorry to tell you… She had cancer. Of the breast.’
Emilia was appalled to hear that. Immediately, the sting of guilt for having lost touch with her aunt Irini pricked her insides. ‘Cancer? Oh, my God… I hope she had someone to help her while she went through the treatment…’
‘That’s the thing. She refused treatment. The doctors urged her to have surgery and then chemo but she said no. Cut all ties with the doctors.’
‘Really? I can’t believe it. When was she diagnosed?’
‘About a year ago. So, she lasted this long without any treatment. And she’d been fine, except for the odd bad day, until two months ago or so… Then, her health deteriorated quickly. I’m afraid she didn’t listen to reason... But, having no children, she had no one to insist firmly on her changing her mind. We happened to know each other for years, you know, from the old days. She and my mother were school friends, here in Adamas… So, anyway, when she approached me, asking me to prepare her will, I tried to tell her she should have therapy. But you know what she said? “It’s up to God. I’ll let him decide for me.” ’
Emilia gave a soft sigh. ‘It sounds like my aunt, all right. She had a strong faith in God. Always trusted Him and her own instinct, to show her the way out of any difficult situation.’
Mr Roidis gave a soft sigh. ‘Bless her soul… Whether or not she made the right decision, she is finally at peace.’
Emilia gave a faint smile, then said, ‘Can I ask you, Mr Roidis, did my aunt have anyone to help her while she was sick?’
‘No, no one who really cared. She had no family of her own, as you know…’
‘But she does have a niece on the island. My cousin Aleka?’
Mr Roidis looked at her for a few moments, lips pressed together.
Emilia nodded encouragingly. ‘Aleka’s my first cousin. Her mother, my mother, and Aunt Irini were sisters.’
Mr Paschos nodded. ‘Yes, Miss Aleka Leros has been visiting your aunt from time to time, just to check on her. She may have run an errand or two for your aunt or washed the dirty dishes in the sink a couple of times… But that’s all. Your aunt could never have depended on Miss Leros to take care of her. I know I’m risking sounding unprofessional... But, as I said earlier, I’d known your aunt for years, so, for me, this is sort of a personal matter.’ He tilted his chin and added, ‘You’ll see your cousin Aleka at the funeral, no doubt. And she’ll be at the reading of the will, too. It’s just the two of you, actually, who are mentioned in it.’
‘I see. Thank you…’ said Emilia, feeling confused. Knowing Aleka, she’d have expected her to be all over her aunt while she was battling the disease. Aleka was the grabby type. Always bound to linger anywhere she’d be likely to gain something. At the house of an elderly, childless aunt battling cancer, for example. As modest as Aunt Irini’s tiny seaside house was, of course.