Chapter Twenty-Four #3
When she got back to the house, she was thrilled to see a message from Blane waiting for her. They didn’t message every day, but she loved it whenever something came in from him.
Blane: Hey, darlin’. Had dinner with Brooke tonight. We finally talked about some stuff we should’ve talked about years ago. Found some baklava in town and brought her some. She loved it. Says she officially approves of Crete now. Wish I could’ve given her the good stuff.
That warm feeling settled somewhere deep beneath Bea’s ribs.
She was glad for him that he’d been able to talk with his sister.
She knew how heavily it had weighed on him that he hadn’t gone home to raise Brooke after their parents died, and she hoped whatever they’d said to each other had brought them both a little peace.
She started to write a reply, then hesitated. Perhaps she should wait until she got home later. She’d have more to tell him then. But she couldn’t resist.
Bea: Hello, darling. I’ll find a way to post some to you—as long as you promise to share with her.
She hit send and waited, but nothing came back.
When the screen eventually went dark in her hand, she set the phone down.
There was no reason he should answer immediately.
He had a life happening six thousand miles away from hers, just as she had one happening here.
But that didn’t mean she couldn’t wish, occasionally, that the two were rather closer together.
She gathered her things and picked up her keys. The little bee swung from its chain as she locked the front door and checked it twice.
Her lovely new little car was wonderful.
She loved driving it, and she was starting to feel quite confident now.
She’d buzzed down to Plakias the other day for candles, had been into the village several times, and it was so easy to park that she was beginning to wonder why Blane had made such a fuss about its size.
Today, on her way to the shelter, she slipped easily through the little gap between two parked cars and smiled at the memory of Blane muttering to himself in exactly the same spot while they’d waited for three rental cars full of tourists to squeeze through in the opposite direction.
There were, she thought smugly, advantages to owning a car you could see all the corners of.
At the shelter, Sabine greeted her with a smile. “Glad you could come. Was everything all right the other day?”
“Oh yes, everything was fine. I’m sorry I didn’t make it. I’m still getting settled in, and there was some paperwork left over from the purchase of the house that needed sorting out.”
“I’m glad you’re here now.” Sabine glanced toward the parking area. “Will your friend be coming?”
Bea tried not to let the sadness show on her face. “No, I’m afraid not.”
Sabine looked almost as disappointed as Bea felt. “I thought he might cheer up Sifis.”
“Oh!” Bea smiled as she remembered the little dog who’d taken such a shine to Blane. “Is he still here, then?”
“He is. It is hard to find homes for the dogs here, and when people come to visit, Sifis is not friendly.”
“Poor little thing. I imagine he’s lonely.”
Sabine nodded. “Did you like him?”
“I did. I don’t know that he was all that keen on me, but at least we had something in common.”
She made herself stop there. There was absolutely no reason whatsoever to explain to Sabine that Sifis had apparently fallen quite hopelessly in love with Blane, and Bea understood the poor little creature’s predicament rather better than she cared to admit.
“You want to come see him?” Sabine asked.
“Yes, I’d like that.”
They made their way through to the pens, and Bea smiled when she spotted the familiar cream-colored little dog with his tan ears and permanently unimpressed expression.
“What kind of dog is he?” she asked. “I meant to ask you before.”
Sabine considered him. “We think maybe Kokoni, perhaps mixed with something else. They are little Greek dogs. Clever, loyal. Usually very social.” She looked at Sifis. “He has his own ideas about that last part.”
Bea laughed.
Sabine opened the pen and let them in. Bea crouched down, and Sifis regarded her solemnly before giving one sharp bark.
“Well, hello to you too.”
He approached cautiously, sniffed the hand she held out, then sat down in front of her looking thoroughly unimpressed.
“I don’t think he likes me very much.”
“I do,” Sabine said.
Bea looked up.
“Normally he will not let anyone get this close.”
“Oh.” Bea looked at him again. “Then I’m honored.”
Sifis came a little nearer and sat staring up at her with that sullen little face of his.
“Oh, you poor thing.” She reached out slowly and ran a hand over his head. Her heart squeezed when he leaned his weight into her palm.
Sabine smiled. “Do you want to take him for a walk?”
“I’d like to, but don’t you need me to do something useful? I’m here to help in whatever way you need.”
“Taking him for a walk and giving him some time is a big help. There are many jobs here that anyone can do.” She nodded toward Sifis. “He is not one of them.”