Chapter Seven #2
Vassilis said nothing, but simply sat, sipping his beer and gazing out at the sea. His presence was comfortable, and comforting. Nina was surprised to find she felt no awkwardness at displaying her vulnerability to this man she’d just met.
‘Life is like this sometimes,’ he said at last. ‘These parts where you feel – floating, you know? No direction.’
Nina nodded. Yes, she knew all too well.
‘But this will pass. These times, they are a chance really, to think again, to decide again who you might be.’ He smiled, and despite her misery Nina’s heart stuttered.
‘You will find your way. And you know, if this little place don’t have enough for you, there are other places.
When you feel better, let me know. I will take you. If this is what you like.’
Nina smiled, her mind cleared of all images of her old life as she stared at this strangely charming man who had listened and not dismissed her feelings, as he offered to take her out. She decided that yes, this was probably what she liked.
‘When you ready. You tell me, I take you to all the best places.’ He smiled warmly at her, and Nina felt herself actually blush in response.
She was a mature and capable woman, she scolded herself, not some simpering teenager.
On the other hand, her spirits were certainly being lifted by this turn of events.
‘I know all the right peoples,’ he said. ‘I will show you the –’
Nina didn’t get to hear what Vassilis was planning to show her because Theo appeared before them, eyes wide with outrage, and began speaking in fast Greek that involved a lot of flinging his arms around.
Vassilis replied and raised his hands, palms up, to Theo, placing his half-drunk beer on the table.
Nina couldn’t understand his answer to Theo but she gathered from the tone and shrugging of his shoulders that it was placatory.
Vassilis followed a mollified but still grumbling Theo, turning as he left to flash Nina a grin that made her glad she was already sitting down; her legs had turned to jelly.
‘If you are free on Saturday, maybe?’ he asked over his shoulder. ‘It is my honour to take you out? If you like?’
Nina tried not to smile too hard. While Theo turned and looked more approvingly of Vassilis, who had really been nothing less than a gentleman.
She finished her beer, becoming accustomed to the taste, in not much of a hurry before returning to the cursed sander.
An hour or two later, as the sun sank into a rich apricot colour and painted the floors golden through the open windows, the room was done.
Everything, including Nina, was covered in dust. But she had to admit that the floorboards looked beautifully smooth; with a clean and a varnish they would be stunning.
She looked out of the window at the courtyard below, seeing it not as it was – with the grit and scraps of broken plants gathered in the corners, the rusty table and chairs and weeds wiring their way through the flagstones – but with pots of bright flowers and clean, pale wooden furniture resting on fresh white stones.
She made her way out there, still dreaming of how she would design it were they staying, and rested her hands on the stone wall, gazing down at the smooth, pale beach and turquoise waters below.
Shading her eyes, she saw two figures in Maria’s courtyard.
Maria herself was immediately recognisable even from this height, with the streak of white running through her dark hair and the boot on her foot.
The other person was taller, a man, Nina thought.
She squinted, but the sun was in her eyes and she couldn’t make out any details.
The famous grandson, perhaps. They seemed to be looking up towards her.
Or at least to the house. She raised her hand, but they didn’t respond.
Sighing, she turned away, leaning her back against the warm stone. She breathed in the balmy evening air, sweet with pollen and fragrant with herbs, and shook her knotted hair out over her shoulders; despite everything, she felt at peace. Perhaps she would stay for another week or two, at least.
She glanced over to the rickety chair in the now-shaded corner where Vassilis had sat, remembering the stretch of his flat, muscled stomach as he leaned towards her. Sweat prickled under her arms and above her lip; she needed to clean up.
Quickly, she showered and dressed, taking extra care to curl her hair into loose, shiny waves and to apply her makeup.
She put on a floaty dress and flat, pretty sandals; an elegant outfit that she could claim had taken no effort at all.
The smell of gently baking fish, tomatoes and garlic drifted up from the kitchen, making her mouth water; Theo was cooking Psari Plaki.
Nina hurried down to where Theo was pulling the food out of the oven, the sauce bubbling gently around the tender fish.
There was already crusty bread, feta and salad laid out on the freshly scrubbed table.
‘Your timing’s good,’ Theo said as he caught sight of her. She couldn’t disagree. Apparently she had a knack for arriving as soon as food was ready.
She couldn’t stop herself from glancing around the room and out into the hall. Theo smirked. ‘You look nice.’
‘Thank you, Baba.’ She laid plates and cutlery out, pretending she didn’t feel a small stab of disappointment.
‘Yes, but the Vassilis has gone home.’ He placed the dish on the table and they both sat.
‘I – what? I wasn’t even thinking about him,’ she said, tossing her perfectly coiffed hair over her shoulder and thinking once again about Vassilis’s muscled and just-hairy-enough chest. ‘Is he married, do you know?’ She tried to sound casual, but her cheeks flushed hot, betraying her, and Theo just smirked and raised his eyebrows.
‘Oh shut up,’ she muttered. ‘Eat your food, that’ll stop you talking. ’
He laughed, his shoulders bouncing, and she couldn’t help but smile at him, shaking her head. Then she took her own advice, filling her mouth with the delicious fish that melted away, the flavours of oregano and garlic building.
‘Mmm,’ she mumbled through her mouthful. ‘You really are the best cook, Baba.’
He shrugged and wiped his mouth. ‘I’m a good cook. But Maria – Maria is the best.’ He grinned. ‘And no. The Vassilis is not married.’