Page 36 of The Greek Café

‘I know. I had been made redundant, so I just went for it. I surprised myself.’

‘Good for you. Sometimes we only realise how brave we are when we have no other choice.’

I think about Mel’s suggestion to take a job other than a swim instructor or lifeguard. Glancing out of the window at the pool and the sun loungers beneath a brilliant blue sky, I realise how much I would have hated her suggestion of doing something else. (Apart from maybe running a café, it turns out.) Being near the sea is something I feel I was born to do. And there is nowhere nicer than Greece and its beautiful, warm sea.

TWENTY-ONE

Two days later, after my glorious morning swim, I head to the little café to meet Jack, and a small crowd of locals are watching a digger with interest as it lifts soil and bricks from the ground.

As I walk closer, two ladies mutter something in Greek. Just then, Ireta joins them.

‘Kalimera, Erin.’

She turns to the two women; one of them nods politely, the other eyes me suspiciously.

‘Kalimera, Ireta. I see there is quite the local interest here.’ I note the small crowd, as Ireta speaks to them in Greek.

Just then a woman of around my age appears and introduces herself as Athena, Ireta’s daughter. She is petite and pretty and shakes my hand warmly.

‘Pleased to meet you,’ says the dark-haired lady. ‘I am so happy you are in the process of buying the café. It will mean everything to my mother to see it up and running again. And of course, the locals. Many of them were hoping the café would be open once more.’

‘I can hardly wait to open,’ I tell her. ‘I have my job at the hotel, but I am close enough to keep an eye on the building work here.’

‘Of course – and any help you need with translation, let me know,’ she says kindly.

‘Thank you so much,’ I tell her gratefully. ‘Your English is very good.’

‘Thanks. I studied at university in the UK,’ she explains. ‘As a lawyer. I came back here after my marriage ended and my father died. I like to look after Mum. It works for both of us. I work at a practice in Rhodes town.’

‘Sounds like you have had quite a time of it,’ I tell her sympathetically.

‘Two years ago was the worst time ever,’ she admits. ‘But you get through it, don’t you? And being back here is healing.’ She smiles.

‘I can see how it could be healing.’ I glance around. ‘It is really nice to meet you.’

‘You too,’ she tells me. ‘I cannot wait to see what you do with the café – and the apartment upstairs. I imagine it will all look quite different. It was never really used as an apartment, more storage as we have a house in the village. Although when I turned eighteen, I did stay there for a while,’ she reveals.

‘You must come and have a look around when it’s all done,’ I offer.

‘I would like that,’ she says warmly.

I get the feeling Athena could easily become a good friend.

I chat to Jack, who tells me the ground to the front of the café will be flattened, and the stones laid in a traditional crazy paved pattern, which will make up the patio area. I at once picture sets of tables and chairs outside. Wrought iron, white or blue, or a mixture of both. I will have colourful plants in terracotta pots and place them about.

‘The patio should only take a couple of days. Then it’s on to the work on the inside,’ says Jack positively. ‘The whole thing might only have taken a couple of weeks had I not had other work on, but it’s going to take a little longer. I tend to dart between several jobs, such is the demand for builders,’ he explains.

‘That’s not a problem,’ I tell him. ‘I have my job at the hotel anyway. As long as it is ready for mid-September. I would like to be up and running then.’

‘No problem with that,’ he assures me.

‘Thanks so much for fitting me in. I realise it is rather last minute.’

‘It’s what I do.’ He smiles. ‘I am lucky to have a good team working with me. We make an early start in the summer, before the sun gets too hot. This project is just far enough away from the houses for them not to complain about the building work early in the morning.’

‘I never thought about that,’ I say, pleased that I won’t be upsetting any local residents.

I take the ten-minute walk back to the hotel ready for my shift that begins at ten o’clock, with a feeling of renewed excitement. Jack seems like the kind of bloke I can trust with the renovation, and I feel relieved that Athena seems so happy about the café being purchased.