Chapter 45
FORTY-FIVE
‘Please. Come inside.’
The young man steps into the café and when he spots Phoebe, his relief is obvious.
‘Nicos,’ she says, a shocked expression on her face. ‘I did not expect to see you here.’
‘Are you okay?’ he asks her.
‘Yes, I am fine. What are you doing here?’
‘I saw you leave the village earlier, but not returning. And then the storm started,’ he says quietly.
‘Were you watching me?’
‘Not exactly.’ He shakes his head. ‘I was working outside, bringing some things into the garage. I saw you across the road, carrying a bottle of wine.’
‘Did you think I was lying somewhere drunk?’ She half smiles.
‘I don’t know what I thought. It is very bad out there. I was worried about you.’
His eyes meet hers, and I glance at Takis.
‘I think you two need to talk,’ I say. ‘Takis, would you like to take a drink upstairs?’
I almost stumble on the wet stairs in my haste to escape the rain, and Takis takes hold of my arm.
‘We do not need any more accidents today,’ he tells me. His touch ignites something in me once more, as I have come to expect.
I push the key in the door and invite Takis to sit down.
‘Hang on.’ I place a furry throw on the sofa first. His top half is dry from his weatherproof jacket, but his jeans are soaked.
‘I’m sorry, I don’t have any men’s clothes here. But would you like to borrow a pair of my lounge pants?’
‘Do you think they would fit?’ he asks doubtfully.
‘I buy them quite large. I like them roomy, for those evenings I indulge in a pizza,’ I let slip.
I hand him the sweatpants and he heads into the bathroom to change. He emerges a few minutes later, looking much more comfortable.
‘Maybe they are not quite your colour,’ I say, smiling at him wearing the pale-pink pants.
‘Oh, I don’t know,’ he says, grinning. ‘And they do say real men are not afraid to wear pink. It looks as good as I remember in here,’ he adds, glancing around. ‘You really do have good taste.’
‘Thank you.’
‘And I love the view from that window in the daylight hours.’
‘It’s amazing, isn’t it? I am looking forward to seeing it change throughout the seasons.’
I take a seat on the sofa next to him, and we quietly gaze out of the window, sipping our ouzo, watching the occasional lightning flash light up the sky.
I have lit my one and only large church candle and we sit watching the light flicker, casting shadows on the wall. Outside the sky lights up with another flash of lightning, but it feels like the storm might be subsiding.
‘Are you alright?’ I ask Takis gently. ‘That was very brave of you today, including climbing onto the roof.’
‘You are welcome. Sorry I got a bit distracted at the beach.’
‘There is no need to apologise. You were a huge help. I am not sure we could have managed without you.’
He takes a sip of his ouzo.
‘I never thought I would visit Kato Petres Beach again, since…’
He takes a deep breath.
‘You don’t have to explain anything to me,’ I say. ‘If it is too painful.’
‘I want to.’ He looks into my eyes. ‘It is time I confronted my grief.’
‘Oh, Takis.’
‘I probably should have gone to the beach sooner. It may have helped me to process things. Instead, I buried it inside.’
‘It’s a common reaction,’ I say softly. ‘Sometimes it is too painful to face things, even though we must do so eventually.’
Takis nods slowly and my heart goes out to him.
A thunderclap strikes somewhere in the distance, as the worst of the storm has passed.
‘He died in a boating accident,’ he says suddenly. ‘He was with a group of friends. They took a fishing boat out.’ He takes a deep breath. ‘It seems they were very drunk.’
‘I cannot even begin to imagine the pain you must have suffered,’ I tell him.
‘I should have protected him.’ He reaches for his glass and knocks back the last of his drink. ‘He was my younger brother; I always looked out for him. He came along when my mother was older. She doted on him. She has never been the same since he died.’
I listen without interruption as he talks.
‘What happened?’ I eventually ask. ‘Unless you would prefer not to tell me.’
‘It seems they stopped near some high rocks and dived into the water. Apparently, it was my brother’s idea.’
He walks over to the window and glances out.
‘He hit his head,’ he continues. ‘His friends tried their best to save him, but it was no use.’ He speaks with his back to me.
‘I know you must be in pain,’ I reply as he gazes out over the rain-soaked forest. ‘But your brother went out with his friends. You could not have known what was going to happen that day.’
‘You are right. Of course.’ He turns to face me. ‘And I am getting there. Maybe it is time to talk more.’
He returns to the sofa beside me.
‘It must have been a big step going to that beach today,’ I say softly.
‘Yes.’ He nods. ‘I guess it was. I am pleased that John was okay, though.’ He smiles. ‘And that you were there too. And you know, I read somewhere that you must allow joy to sit beside grief from time to time or it can consume you.’
‘I get that,’ I say, thinking of the days my heart would ache when I would miss Dad, but then I would hear birdsong in the garden or the sound of a child’s laughter in the swimming pool.
He curls his hand around mine before he turns to face me. And then we kiss. The most beautiful kiss I think I have ever experienced.
We sit silently, afterwards, neither of feeling the need to say anything. I rest my head on his shoulder and we watch the storm outside fade into the distance.
‘Are you hungry?’ I ask a short while later as the storm continues to subside.
Takis smiles. ‘I haven’t eaten much today, so I guess I could eat something.’
‘There is food in the fridge downstairs that needs to be eaten,’ I tell him. ‘Just in case the power stays down for hours.’
I am surprised to see that we have been talking for over an hour now.
‘But maybe I will check how Nicos and Phoebe are getting on first.’
I tap out a text, and she tells me to come down and join them.
Takis and I enter the café to the sight of Phoebe and Nicos huddled around a candle. Phoebe’s face is tear stained, but when she sees us, she breaks into a smile.
‘This is Nicos,’ she says, introducing us, and he stands and shakes our hands.
‘I take it they are happy tears,’ I whisper to Phoebe as Takis speaks to Nicos.
‘Yes.’ Her face radiates happiness.
‘Right then. Time for some food,’ I announce. ‘Cold cuts, and some nice bread will have to suffice.’
Phoebe grins. ‘Sounds wonderful.’
As the storm abates, I check up on Ireta once more, who lets me know she is with her friend Georgios and that she is fine. She tells me Athena stayed in the town until the storm passed but will be home shortly.
‘I have plenty of food. Maybe you would like to join us,’ I offer to Ireta.
She thanks me and tells me she will be over shortly.
‘Georgios wanted to bring his ouzo,’ she tells me. ‘But do not worry, I told him no,’ she adds firmly. ‘I am too old to be getting the headache.’
‘Bring a flashlight too; the power might be down for hours,’ I tell her, praying that it won’t be.