Chapter 47
DIMITRIS’S GRILL ROOM, RODA
‘I know you’re about to drop some bombshell by the way,’ Saffron said, mouth around a pork souvlaki stick later that evening. ‘You always bring me here when you do that and you always let me order whatever I want.’
Dimitris’s was not just about the takeaway options; it had been one of Faye’s favourite places for a relaxed meal since the very first time she’d discovered it many years ago.
Gyros pita, kontosouvli, Greek salad and desserts, with its white wooden tables and chairs inside and out, facing Roda high street, it was delicious, traditional comfort dining at its best.
‘I might have to stop you if you order another six souvlakia,’ Faye said, sipping at her Coke Zero.
‘Why? Maddie and I did so much swimming today!’
‘That’s great. So, she’s enjoying Corfu. Is it her first time here?’
‘Yes, she usually goes to Crete, but I think she likes it here better.’ She bit off a succulent square of meat and chewed. ‘But just tell me already what you want to tell me.’
Faye took a breath. Always lead with good news. ‘So, I might have found a little house to buy.’
‘What?’
‘Yes, Saff, it’s so cute, you’re going to love it. I mean, I haven’t seen the inside yet but I know exactly where it is. It’s on Almyros Beach, footsteps from the sand and—’
‘But you live at the hotel.’
Faye looked at her daughter. She seemed to be frozen mid-mouthful, eyes dewy. This wasn’t the reaction Faye had been expecting. Saffron appeared a bit like she would before an anxiety episode.
‘I know, but I told you someone is interested in buying it and—’
‘And you need to wait,’ Saffron said. ‘Because you don’t know what the person will want to do with the hotel yet. There is more chance of them needing someone to manage the hotel just like you are now, than anything else.’
‘I know, let’s hope so, but, Saff, you know I was always looking for somewhere more permanent to live. Somewhere to really call my own.’
‘You always said the hotel was your home.’ Saffron dropped the finished souvlaki stick to her plate.
‘I think I always said Corfu is my home,’ Faye told her.
‘You said you love the hotel.’
‘Yes, of course I do, but Saff, this could be a really great change and I want you to come and see the house with me because you’d have your own bedroom, no more sofa bed for either of us.’
‘I don’t want to see it,’ Saffron stated.
‘What? Why?’ This was not the reaction Faye had been expecting. She’d imagined Saffron being super-excited about being even closer to the sea than she was at Hotel Margaritári, helping her pick out some paints, choosing curtains and cushions, relishing their own space…
‘I need to call Dad.’ Saffron got up from the table.
‘Why? Saff, come on, we haven’t finished dinner yet.’
‘He called me earlier and I said I’d call him back and I haven’t yet so…’
‘Saff, you can call him after dinner.’
‘I think I need the walk.’
And without saying anything else, Saffron left the table and stepped out onto the street, heading to the right towards the taxi rank and the beach.
Faye picked up her drink again and took a swig, wishing it was something more than Coke Zero.
How had that gone so horribly? She knew that Saffron wasn’t the biggest fan of change, but this could be a good change.
Faye had always felt quite dependent on Dimitria and the hotel – those things had been part of her safety net – but she knew she was capable of standing completely on her own two feet now if she wanted to.
She reached for her handbag and took out the property details.
She smoothed the papers down and looked at the photos again.
Could she see herself there? Sitting on that terrace with a book and a glass of wine?
Listening to the waves hit the shore? Lighting a citronella candle to ward off the mosquitos?
It wasn’t Avlaki but it wasn’t far and maybe paradise could be found in more than one place…
She looked out at the Roda high street, tourists walking to and fro, sun-kissed in bright ‘holiday’ clothes, some with souvenir purchases in their hands, others with doggy bags from the generous Greek portions they couldn’t finish.
That had been her once and now she got to walk these streets every single day, in the heat of the summer like now, and in the winter, cooler, calmer, chilled.
But then someone else caught her eye. Saffron.
She was heading back towards the grill room and Faye could see from her daughter’s demeanour and expression that whatever had happened in those short minutes away from her was not good. Faye stood up as Saffron arrived.
‘Is everything OK?’ Faye asked.
‘No,’ Saffron snapped. ‘Everything is not OK. Dad has just sent me these!’
Saffron thrust her phone at Faye and Faye knew immediately what she was going to see. The Corfu News page. Those photographs.
‘Saff, please calm down, I was going to tell you but—’
‘Is that why Dimitria took my phone? So I didn’t see them? Because she said I left it in her apartment, but I know I didn’t.’
‘I don’t know anything about that,’ Faye lied.
‘Mum, what are you doing with him? He’s young enough to be your son!’
‘Keep your voice down.’
‘Why? Because you’re embarrassed? So you should be! It’s wrong! It’s so wrong! He’s not interested in you! He’s using you! He probably has mummy issues. You will be a fetish for him… you know what that is, right?’
Faye got to her feet. ‘Stop it, Saffron. Stop this right now. The only thing I’m embarrassed about is you acting like this in front of everyone trying to have a relaxing meal.’
‘Dad is so upset.’
‘Now you’re being ridiculous. Dad doesn’t care what I’m doing as long as it doesn’t affect him. And I don’t care what Dad thinks about anything I do either.’
‘Dad does care! I know he does! I told you that!’
OK, that was enough. She was not going to have this discussion here, in one of her favourite places, with all the other diners – tourists and locals alike – paying so much attention to everything. One of them even looked like they were texting notes.
‘I’m going to pay the bill and then we are going back to the hotel to talk about this like grown-ups,’ Faye told Saffron.
‘I don’t want to talk about it! I’ve told you how I feel about it!’
‘But I haven’t had a chance to tell you anything,’ Faye said seriously. ‘And that isn’t fair.’
Saffron had no response but Faye could see there were tears she was holding back, her cheeks flushed from emotion, not the humid night. Her daughter needed time to calm down. Faye only hoped the car journey back to Avlaki would be time enough.