Chapter 24 #2
The expression of mild horror on Giannis’s face confused her for a moment.
‘Oh God, he’s standing right behind me, isn’t he?’
Giannis nodded, and Suzie felt a hand grip her shoulder.
‘Good to know where I stand, Suze.’
‘You weren’t meant to hear that.’
‘You don’t say.’
Suzie willed herself not to go red. She needed to dig herself out of this one, pronto.
‘Gianni has said that he’s happy to go on a couple of fishing trips with you before you leave.’
Christian gave the man opposite him a thumbs-up.
‘That would be great. I’d love that. I’ll get your number from your mother, and we can arrange it.’
‘Sure.’
Panos moved under the large, faded umbrella too, bringing up the rear, and slapped Christian on the back.
‘This guy knows a lot about farming. We’ve had quite a chat about organic methods, amongst other things. He’s going to come back soon and see the whole production.’
Suzie could see that Panos was already under the Christian spell. Just how long was the man planning to stay on the island? She’d hoped it was just a few days more at most.
Lydia had silently joined the party.
‘Any more coffee for anyone? And I’ve just taken a batch of biscuits out of the oven.’
Christian put up his hand.
‘I’d love one more, and the biscuits sound fabulous. But I don’t want to put you to any trouble. I’m in if there are any other takers?’
Christian’s eyes met hers, and she mouthed the word ‘creep’ out of everyone else’s eyeline, although Lydia was beaming with joy. Did the woman ever take a break from the stove?
Panos and Giannis gave an enthusiastic ‘yes’ as well.
Seated again, with warm biscuits and hot coffee, Christian looked at each of them in turn.
‘Thank you, all of you, for being so welcoming. I know this is a difficult situation. But I hope, somehow, some good can come out of this, and we can find a way forward. Giannis has kindly agreed to come out deep-sea fishing with me, which is one of my passions, and I’d like to get to know him better without treading on anyone’s toes. ’
Panos nodded several times, and Lydia covered his hand with hers.
Suzie felt the weight of Giannis’s gaze across the table.
‘I have explained to Mama that I will never be able to call you father, Christian, and I hope you can accept that. I only have one baba.’
Panos beamed with pride, but Suzie could see the hurt in Christian’s eyes, although he recovered quickly and managed a nod.
‘Fair enough.’
‘But I think there is a way that you can become a little more involved with our family…’
Everyone at the table leant forward to hear what Giannis was about to say.
‘I wasn’t going to tell you all today; I was going to wait another couple of weeks, but as we’re all here, it seems appropriate. Kat is pregnant…’
Before he could get any further, Panos had enveloped him in a bear hug, and Suzie rushed round to the other side of the table to hug her son too.
‘That’s wonderful, Gianni mou. How far along is she?’
‘We’ve passed the three-month stage, and she’s feeling well.’
Lydia came in for a hug of her own, and Christian settled for a handshake.
‘Obviously it’s still early days, but a baby is something we’ve wanted for a long time. Mama! Stop crying.’
‘I can’t help it. I’m so excited.’
‘Sit down, everyone, please.’
Christian reached for her hand under the table and squeezed it.
‘So, as I was about to say, although I cannot call you Baba, Christian, we would be happy for you to be a pappou, a Greek grandfather, to our baby, along with Baba obviously and Kat’s father. A new beginning for a new generation.’
Suzie tried to stop the tears. But one look at Christian and she was off again. He had tears in his eyes too and was struggling to speak.
‘Thank you so much. I would be honoured to be a pappou to your baby. It is very generous of you and Kat to include me.’
Panos stood up one last time.
‘This calls for a toast.’
Lydia was already in the doorway, with a tray of shot glasses and a bottle of clear liquid.
‘It’s mastika, a liqueur from my island, Chios.’ She banged her chest with her fist. ‘We drink it to celebrate, to commiserate, any reason really.’
Christian got up to take the tray from Lydia and passed it to Panos.
‘That’s my kind of drink.’
Suzie watched as Panos poured great big measures for them all.
‘Yamás! To new life!’
Suzie rose from her chair with the others.
‘Yamás!’
As one, they clinked their glasses, and Suzie was heartened to see the love in Giannis’s eyes directed at her. It would take a long time to heal the wounds she’d unwittingly inflicted on him, but a new baby was a great start.
After another round of shots, which Suzie turned down, as she had to work later, Christian had finally said his goodbyes and nudged her arm.
‘I’m hoping this one here is going to give me a lift back to town.’
‘This one here? Watch it.’
Away from the farmhouse, she and Christian kept quiet by unspoken agreement until they’d turned onto the open road.
‘We’re going to be grandparents! Can you believe it? Hip, hip…’
Christian had to shout to be heard above the sound of the wind through the open roof.
‘Hooray!’
Suzie’s voice flew up and away behind them like an unfurling ribbon.