Chapter 41
Emilia’s heart beat so fast she thought it would leap out of her chest at any moment. Andreas had just whispered in her ear while they sat at the table, asking her to go to the beach for a stroll.
And now, they were ambling down the main road, passing by a long line of parked cars bumper to bumper, until they could find a space to cross the street to get to the beach.
They were chuckling, sometimes stealing glances at each other, and other times locking their gazes together as he spoke. Andreas was expressing his satisfaction for the big turnout at the opening. The long line of cars belonged to his guests, he was sure, as further down the street either side there were hardly any cars parked.
Passing by Perdika, they stopped short. The oddity made them both stare. It wasn’t just closed. It looked deserted. Like no one had been there forever and a day.
‘Are these spider webs on the chairs and the tables?’ Emilia said, pointing to the seating area. Everything seemed glued together with the stuff. The yellow street lighting made it glisten.
‘I thought they were open. I saw Takis earlier today. He was in my kitchen having a chat with Voula. I don’t like it one bit, mind you, but she used to work for them. I can’t stop him from speaking to her, I guess.’ He turned to Emilia. ‘It’s weird, though, that they operate a restaurant in that state.’
Emilia didn’t know what to say. The entrance was closed and through the large glass windows she could see darkness inside. Did Aleka close it down? Is that why Takis is visiting? Is he hoping for a job? She shook her head. ‘Who cares? Even if they never get another customer they deserve it.’
He captured her gaze, squeezed her hand in his and tittered. ‘We agree on everything. I like that.’
She laughed too, and they resumed walking. A little further, they finally found a place to cross the street, then strolled to the beach, and he led her toward a large pier. A few fishing boats were moored on it, as well as a stylish little yacht. The deep blue of its hull caught her eye as they began to walk along the pier, approaching it.
‘It’s a beauty, isn’t it?’ he said, following her gaze.
‘It sure is.’
‘Let’s hop on and take a closer look!’ he said, pointing to the wooden plank by their feet that made the yacht easily accessible. She gazed at him with disbelief, her feet glued to the ground even though he had given her hand a light tug. ‘What? You’re joking!’
‘Oh, come on! What better place to admire a starry sky than from the deck of a boat?’
She raised her eyes to the clear night sky. It was truly magnificent.
‘So romantic…’ he said, looking up too, and she had to agree. The waxing moon, high up in the sky, had an orange tint that was hypnotising. And so was the sea. It had caught fire along the trail where it mirrored the celestial orb.
‘It is beautiful…’ she whispered, still in a trance, but then, she remembered what he’d proposed and she shook her head. ‘But still! It’s trespassing. I won’t do it, I am sorry.’
‘It’s not trespassing if you have a key…’ He produced a heavy chain of keys from his pocket and jangled it mid-air. Giving a wicked grin, he added, ‘Oh! Did I forget to mention that I’m the owner?’
‘Wow! Is this really yours?’
‘Newly acquired. Second-hand, mind you, but I got a very fair price. I’ve always wanted one of these and dreamed of getting one when I retire. It came at the right moment. Come! Let me give you a hand!’
He helped her on board and she was silenced for a few moments by the stillness. The gentle sway of the sea under the boat felt like a mother’s cuddle. Her ears revelled in the soft plopping sound of the tiny waves hitting the hull.
Andreas, who had gone to open the door to the cabin, called her and she spun around. He was standing by a small metallic table and two chairs on the deck, beckoning. Come sit, my lady… Dessert is about to be served!’
‘Dessert? Really?’ she said, amused, as she sat down. ‘Is that why you tore us away from the party before we could have a piece?’
‘Everything has been orchestrated to perfection beforehand, rest assured, so you can enjoy the moonlight alone with me tonight. Is it bad that I asked Elise to conspire with me for your kidnapping ?’ he said with a chortle, making air quotes, then rushed inside the cabin.
She gasped when he returned with two full flutes. ‘Champagne?’ he said, handing her one of them.
‘Wow! You really pulled out all the stops to kidnap me in style,’ she said, making air quotes with her free hand.
He offered a sweet smile, sat down, and chinked glasses with her.
‘ Kaloriziko !’ she wished him, feeling elated. It was the typical Greek wish for all things new. ‘Enjoy them! Both Trata and your beautiful boat.’
‘Thank you,’ he said, and they took a few sips in silence for a few moments. Then, he excused himself and went back inside. He had a low light on in there, which allowed him to see but wasn’t intrusive where they sat. It streamed out to the front deck just enough for them to see each other in the semi-darkness.
Among the things he was opening and serving in there, she easily made out only one thing: it was a medium-sized covered tray, and she guessed Elise had brought it over earlier. Bless her, she had been serving all evening, and didn’t have the chance to sit for a moment and eat something herself, it seemed.
Surprising her, he came out holding two plates and two dessert spoons, which he put down on the table with a flourish. ‘Voila, Madame! Chocolate soufflé with whipped cream and strawberries!’
‘Oh my!’ said Emilia, clasping her hands together.
He seemed pleased. ‘I hope you like it. Voula made the soufflé, obviously. The woman is an angel, I swear!’
He sat close to her, and, for a few moments, they enjoyed their dessert, looking at each other, making appreciative sounds and giggling like teens.
‘Lucky me,’ she said after a while between mouthfuls, ‘having this special treat with you. You make me feel like royalty, thank you.’
He reached over and took her hand in his. ‘You deserve nothing less, Emilia mou .’
They joked about her ‘kidnapping’, and she laughed when he said there was no ransom in the world he would accept to ever give her back. But then, she sobered quickly, when he leaned in, and whispered, ‘The question is, Emilia mou , do you want me to release you?’
He was no longer smiling or jesting, and she felt thankful she had finished eating and wasn’t drinking either at the time, lest she would have swallowed something the wrong way and made a fool of herself.
Once again, she had lost herself in his eyes. The blue in them wasn’t visible in this feeble light, but there was a fire in them she couldn’t deny or ignore.
Without expecting a reply, he took her hand and led her to the back of the boat where only the moonlight shone – giving that heavenly glow that rendered her hypnotized.
The sea flowed gently, like an enchanted mistress under the celestial orb. Caught in the moment, Emilia imagined a silver ladder leading straight up to the moon at the end of the fiery path on the water.
As if he guessed her surreal thoughts about an attraction that could not be helped, he looked at her then and said, ‘I would give you the moon, Emilia mou , if I could, so that you will stay with me forever…’
His words surprised her, the boldness in them, and for a moment she wondered if, perhaps, he had drunk a little too much. How else can I inspire such romantic words, such a passion in his eyes? But then, she remembered how beautiful and young she’d looked in the mirror when she dressed back at home for this very night. Could it be there’s still a possibility for me to find happiness in love?
She didn’t have time to ponder upon it at all, though, as his lips came to press against hers then, and her unanswered questions dissolved into nothing.
Now, he was kissing her, with a fervour that caused her whole body to tremble, weak, surrendered. She had flung her arms around his neck, and her fingers were running through his hair now, caressing those flyaway strands that she’d been finding mesmerising every time he turned around to go, be it at his garden or his restaurant.
And now, all she could think about as she kissed him were these strands between her fingers. They felt like a trophy. Something well worth waiting for to finally have tangible inside her grasp. But… is it just these strands I am holding? Is this just a kiss? Or is it more?
Confirmation came as soon as he pulled away, looking as breathless and overwhelmed as she felt.
‘Emilia…’ he said, taking hold of her head in two warm, tender hands, ‘ Oh, Emilia mou . I haven’t felt this way for so long…’
Her breath caught in her throat and then he kissed her again, and she didn’t have the chance to tell him how happy she’d been to hear his words. Now, as his hands caressed the back of her neck and her shoulders, she wondered what she’d ever needed Lia for. She never had to tell him all those lies. So many lies, all for nothing… But I didn’t know. I couldn’t imagine until now that it was still possible for a woman my age to feel such a warm, passionate love. I don’t need Lia. I am decided. Oh, so decided… Happiness is now. At last, I realise… when it comes to true love, there is no age limit…
They pulled apart, an indeterminate amount of time later. She spoke first. ‘You sure know how to make a girl swoon…’
He looked deep into her eyes and said, ‘You can’t blame a boy for trying.’
She giggled. ‘I’m glad there are no youngsters within earshot to hear us refer to ourselves with “girl” and “boy”. They’d think we’ve lost our minds.’
‘You’re never too old to call yourself young. Youth comes from the heart…’ He took her hand in his and placed her palm flat over his heart. It made her own heart melt.
For a few moments, they stood silently at the stern, holding each other tight, her head resting on his chest. He smelled heavenly, his cologne giving off hints of pine wood and vanilla.
He spoke first to say, ‘How would you like to come for a ride with me on the boat one of these days? Now that Anja is here, she will be helping at Trata, so I can escape for an hour or two in the afternoons. We could go swimming in Firiplaka. And then, to Klima, to see those quaint fishermen little dwellings. I haven’t been in either of these places in decades, and they are my favourite corners of the island. I’d love to visit them the first time with you… after so long. What do you say?’
‘That would be wonderful!’ she said, looking up at him, her chin resting on his chest as he still held her close.
He kissed the tip of her nose and made her giggle. Then, she asked, ‘Is Anja staying long?’
‘She has three weeks off from her job, but I hope really hard that her love for Nakis will keep her here indefinitely.’
‘What does she do for a living?’
‘She is a hiking guide for a small local company. She leads small tourist groups across valleys and up mountain trails.’
‘Wow. Sounds amazing.’
‘Yes, it is… But don’t tell Nakis that. He loves this kind of thing too. That’s how they met, actually. In one of those trips.’
‘And what’s wrong with that?’
‘Nothing, of course… It’s just that it doesn’t bode well with our family dream to return to Greece and open a restaurant here.’
His mood had darkened somewhat. She could feel it. Peeling away from his chest, she looked at him in the eyes and said, ‘Well, I hope Anja will stay, so…your son… has all he needs right here.’ She didn’t want to say ‘Nakis’. It felt awkward how he insisted on calling Stefan that.
‘I hope so, too. She did help in the restaurant we had in Germany, so she has the experience. I only hope she likes the island enough to want to move here with us. And, who knows, they may even get married and give me a grandson!’
He chortled, his good spirits restored, and she slapped him on the arm playfully. ‘Grandson? Why grandson? How bad would it be if it were a granddaughter?’
He raised his hands in mea culpa, eyes igniting as he faked alarm. ‘Don’t get me wrong. A granddaughter would be just as amazing a blessing for this old geezer! But she’ll want to play with her dolls and won’t want to go fishing with Grandpa!’
She laughed. ‘Okay, actually, that makes sense.’
He squeezed her in his arms. ‘Or, you could be my fishing companion. Then, the kids can have a little girl, and I won’t be feeling so alone… during my fishing getaways, I mean.’
She locked eyes with him. ‘Your fishing getaways? Just your fishing getaways? Is that all you need me for, Mister?’
He laughed and leaned in for another kiss. ‘Come here, you…’ he said and took her lips, and she let herself melt in his arms.
When they pulled apart, his eyes seemed huge. ‘I want you to be my companion with everything , Emilia mou … What do you say?’
‘I say this sounds good to me. But… Don’t you ever ask me to fish. I get bored, just thinking about it.’
He laughed and squeezed her against him for a few moments.
‘So, does this mean you’re staying on the island? Are you decided, Emilia?’
‘Yes, yes… I believe I am…’
‘Oh good…’ He kissed the crook of her neck, then began to stamp with his lips a trail of sweet kisses from her ear lobe down her neck to the collarbone, making her melt with pleasure and delight.
‘My sweet Emilia… You taste sweeter than chocolate soufflé…’ he said and they laughed together, intoxicated with love.
Suddenly, his eyes ignited with alarm and he looked at his watch. ‘Shoot! We’ve been away for an hour!’
She laughed, her head still in the clouds, in a heavenly place of elation where she suspected, thanks to him, she’d be returning to again and again, from now on. She didn’t want to come back down to earth so soon, but it seemed they had to.
He took her hand. ‘Come on, let’s go back, Emilia mou … Before everyone starts to wonder where we are and realize we’re together. I can’t have your good name ruined, my lady!’
He howled and she followed him back to the front of the boat and to shore. Back to the restaurant, and the crowds.
Except, this time she wasn’t the same woman as before. Now, she was decided. One hundred per cent. And happy. Oh, so happy.