Chapter 17
The crisp days of early autumn arrived and London felt unusually sharp and bright.
Cleo left the hospice where she’d recently started a new nursing job and fastened her navy jacket; though the sun was shining for now, it was colder outside than she’d imagined.
She’d taken the afternoon off to join Tash and Maya in a café overlooking the Thames. They’d intended to have their reunion much sooner, but they’d all been extremely busy. Basically, life had got in the way. They’d kept in close touch by phone and text, though.
Both Tash and Maya were already seated by the window when Cleo arrived, and she was momentarily taken back by their appearance.
Tash’s hair, once short, blonde and spiky, had grown a bit and she looked softer and less angular somehow, more relaxed.
She was dressed in a red, V-neck sweater and Cleo noticed she still had on the silver locket with a photo of her husband inside. But she wasn’t constantly fiddling with it as she used to do, nor nervously twisting the bracelets on her slim arms.
Maya’s dark hair was longer, too, and she’d had messy layers cut in, which gave her a laid-back, slightly bohemian air. She was wearing a brightly coloured, stripey jumper which would have been quite out of place in the formal office environment where she once worked.
Cleo knew she’d taken a new path, running a consultancy for ethical projects.
Each morning, she rose super early because she couldn’t wait to start the day.
She said she derived so much more satisfaction from doing something which made a difference to the world and really mattered, even though she earned a fraction of her former salary.
Tash, meanwhile, had finished writing a play and was doing a part-time scriptwriting course, along with some voice work.
She’d carved out a new niche for herself narrating audiobooks, and had told Cleo in their last call that she felt much more comfortable not having to perform on stage any more.
She hadn’t had a panic attack since the summer.
The three friends embraced warmly while outside their window, the sky began to change. It couldn’t seem to decide whether it wanted to brighten or drizzle, so it hovered somewhere in between – milky, pearly and indecisive.
The Thames carried that same half-light on its back, smoothing it into ripples and setting them loose.
Meanwhile, flocks of ducks and Canada geese bobbed about, seemingly without purpose. Perhaps they were hoping someone would pass by and throw them a few crusts.
‘God, it’s good to see you,’ Cleo said, settling in and placing her bag on the empty chair beside her.
‘You look well,’ Maya observed, narrowing her eyes at Cleo as if trying to fathom some secret.
‘I was thinking the same about both of you,’ Cleo replied.
They were interrupted by the waiter, who arrived to take their orders, and they quickly made up their minds – two salads, one burger, three coffees and a plate of the warm bread they could smell the moment they walked in.
They didn’t want to lose a moment longer of talking time than was strictly necessary.
While the women waited for their food, they chatted for ages about Crete and the people they’d met there.
Cleo mentioned she’d spoken on the phone to Marina and thankfully, Katerina had made a good recovery from her accident.
‘Apparently, she and Konstantin are in and out of each other’s houses all the time. They’re practically inseparable. Who’d have thought it?’
Maya laughed. ‘Maybe they’ll get married? I hope we’re invited to the wedding!’
‘Oh, I don’t think they’re romantically involved,’ Cleo replied with a smile. ‘They’re just friends. At least, that’s the impression I got from Marina. But maybe they haven’t told her the truth. I always thought there was still a twinkle in Konstantin’s eye and, of course, he does have form.’
Tash and Maya now knew about the strange conversation Cleo had had with Marina on their way down to the village. After Katerina and Konstantin had reconciled, Marina had agreed Cleo could share the information with her close friends, so long as they promised not to spread it far and wide.
‘I’m still wondering how Marina knew you’d be the one to bring the two old enemies together?’ Tash said quietly.
‘I don’t think she did,’ Cleo replied.
‘But she knew there was something you needed to do to help,’ Tash persisted. ‘Surely leaving Konstantin to look after Katerina when she’d fallen was that thing? After all, it was the catalyst which got them talking at last, and which finally ended their conflict.’
Cleo frowned. ‘I admit it’s odd how I just knew I had to take a step back and let them get on with it. It went against my instincts as a nurse but in that moment, Marina’s words came back to me and I was certain it was the right thing.
‘Marina’s mysterious, just like Katerina.
She was the one, remember, who told us we were going to face a big challenge and be put to the test. Well, she was certainly right about that.
But I don’t really believe in psychics and stuff.
Do you? I mean, the earthquake would have happened whether we were there or not. ’
Tash and Maya thought about this for a minute, then Maya gave a shrug.
‘You know, I used to put all my faith in facts and logic but since Crete, I’ve changed. I’m prepared to believe there’s something bigger out there than me, anyway.
‘Before, I thought I had all the answers. Now I realise I’m just as clueless as everyone else – and I’m happy with that.’
Cleo laughed and Tash joined in.
‘Here’s to cluelessness,’ Cleo said, picking up a jug of water from the table, filling three glasses and raising her own. ‘To Villa Ariadne – and to Crete.’
When the waiter arrived with their cups of coffee, they each took a sip, listening to the clink of cutlery and the murmur of conversations around them. After a few moments, Cleo reached for her white linen napkin and tapped it on the table.
‘So,’ she said, looking from Tash to Maya, then back again. ‘What else is news? I want to know everything. Who’s going first?’
‘It should be you,’ Tash said, nodding at Maya. ‘You’ve been shimmering since you arrived. What’s going on?’
Maya couldn’t hide her smile.
‘Well,’ she said, sitting up straighter. ‘I spoke to Adam.’
Cleo and Tash exchanged glances and an emotional charge zipped across the table.
‘Your Adam? Your son?’ Cleo asked.
Maya nodded. ‘The one and only.’
‘That’s wonderful!’
‘It really is,’ Maya said softly. ‘He called me out of the blue. We spoke for almost an hour. Actually…’ She looked down, fiddling with the handle of her coffee cup. ‘I think it might be the longest conversation we’ve had in years.’
‘Oh, Maya.’ Tash pulled a face halfway between relief and sympathy. ‘That must have meant the world to you.’
‘It did.’ Maya blinked rapidly. ‘He’s doing well, he says. University – they call it school in America – is going well and he’s playing a lot of basketball. He still lives with his dad but—’ she paused again and drew a steadying breath ‘—he asked if he could come and visit me.’
Cleo gasped. ‘That’s huge!’
‘It is,’ Maya replied. ‘And he wasn’t just being polite. He said he misses me. He actually used those words.’
‘I’m so pleased for you,’ Cleo said, reaching for Maya’s hand and gripping it. ‘Honestly, it’s been such a long time coming.’
‘It really has,’ Maya replied. ‘I need to sort some things out first – his flights, my work, making sure his dad knows. But yes, I’m hopeful it’ll happen soon, maybe over the Christmas break.’
‘Hopeful is good,’ Tash said warmly. ‘Very good.’
The waiter arrived with their food at last and they began to tuck in. After a few mouthfuls, Maya picked up her cup and inhaled the steam rising from it.
‘It’s funny,’ she murmured. ‘I spent years telling myself I was fine with the distance, that Adam was happier with his dad and I was too busy with work to be able to raise him properly. But hearing him say he wanted to visit made me insanely happy. It felt like a new beginning.’
Her eyes filled with tears and she wiped them with the corner of her napkin. ‘Enough of me,’ she went on, looking down at her plate. ‘Now, tell us about you, Cleo. Why are you glowing?’
Maya popped a forkful of food in her mouth and eyed her friend, who pretended to examine her nails.
‘Oh, nothing much has happened, to be honest,’ Cleo said airily.
‘Liar!’ Tash said immediately.
‘And a bad one at that,’ Maya added.
‘Fine,’ Cleo conceded, straightening up. ‘I’ve dipped a toe in the dating pool.’
Maya gasped and Tash squealed.
‘You absolute dark horse,’ Maya cried, leaning forward so as not to miss a single word of what was to come next.
‘I thought you were a bit frisky with that Achilles in Crete,’ Tash added, with a cheeky grin. ‘It was only a matter of time before you found someone here. But bloody hell, Cleo!’
Cleo held up her hands. ‘Before you get all carried away, I’ve only had a few dates. Just coffees, and one walk. Nothing dramatic. None of the blokes were remotely suitable. One had terrible breath and another droned on about his ex-wife and his bowel habits – sometimes in the same sentence.’
Tash nearly choked on a piece of burger. ‘Oh God, no. Stop – it hurts—’
‘But,’ Cleo continued, laughing, ‘I needed some practice. It was so long since I’d dated anyone, I’d forgotten how to do it. To my surprise, it was quite fun.’
Maya nodded. ‘Well done. You deserve some fun, after everything you went through with your ex.’
‘And Erica’s being lovely,’ Cleo added. ‘We’re getting on amazingly well.
I still have to be a bit careful about what I say or she might fly off the handle.
But she’s trying and so am I. It feels…’ She searched for the right word.
‘It feels as if we both want the same thing and we’re both prepared to do our very best.’
‘That’s beautiful,’ Tash said. ‘Truly.’
‘It really is,’ Maya added. ‘I’m so pleased for you.’