Page 56 of The Greek Café

‘I have to stop myself from going into the shop too often,’ Athens tells me after the lady has left. ‘She sells the most beautiful things.’

We talk about her work next; the topic of Takis and the café has passed. And if it was for personal reasons, I have no right to pry, I guess. But something in me is desperate to understand him more.

‘Does Takis’s brother still live on the Island?’ I ask, just as our food arrives.

‘His brother died,’ she says. ‘In a boating accident. I take it you didn’t know?’

‘Oh my goodness, no I didn’t.’ I clasp my hand over my mouth.

‘Takis struggled for a while, as you can imagine,’ Athena tells me as we sip our wine. ‘He said he was done with the sea, which I can understand. It’s in his bones though. His father was a sea captain.’

‘Gosh, losing his brother must have been truly awful,’ I say, my heart going out to him.

‘The whole village felt it, but the support from everyone was incredible. I guess being part of a close-knit community has its advantages.’

I recall Takis was about to tell me something about Kato Petres Beach. I ask Athena if the accident had happened there.

‘It did.’

Our food arrives, pulling me back to the present, and I eat the most delicious kontosouvli as my heart goes out to Takis and his family.

The large, tender chunks of pork are beautifully charred, the inside flavoured with garlic, lemon and oregano. Alongside some tasty potatoes, salad and flatbread, the simplicity of the dish is brought alive by the Greek herbs that really make it sing.

Athena says her moussaka is equally delicious, and we are silent for a few moments as we devour our food. After our lunch, we explore some more, stopping at boutiques on cobbled streets to look at cool, cotton dresses and floaty scarves. I purchase a gorgeous silver bracelet and a silk scarf for my mum in the colours of the ocean.

All too soon, we are seated at a café on the harbour sipping a cappuccino as we await the arrival of our boat for the return journey.

‘It’s been such a wonderful day,’ I say to Athena as we head back towards Rhodes, the sea breeze a little stronger and requiring me to hold on firmly to my hat. I find myself thinking about Takis once more and the pain he and his family must have endured.

Back at the hotel, I spot Zeta, who inquires after my day out with Athena.

‘It was just wonderful,’ I tell her. ‘And Symi was every bit as pretty as I remember.’

‘Glad to hear it.’ She smiles.

‘Oh, and I never had a chance to tell you this morning, but I have received my tax number from the government – my European passport certainly helped, but I am sure you were also involved in speeding up the process, so thank you.’

‘It was my pleasure; you are my best worker,’ she tells me before she answers an incoming call on her mobile phone. She walks away chatting, a vision of loveliness in a long white dress and her usual immaculately styled hair and make-up. She looks so fresh, I wonder if she access to a fountain of youth that she drinks from regularly. Or hopefully, that’s what living in Greece does for you.

TWENTY-NINE

I’m about to get ready for bed, when I hear my mobile phone ringing. It’s Mum.

‘Hi, Mum,’ I say breezily.

‘Is that you, Erin? It’s Douglas here.’

My heart begins to pound. Has something happened to Mum?

‘Hi, Douglas, is everything okay?’ I ask, worried.

‘Well, I don’t want you to panic, love, but your mum has had a fall.’

I immediately start to panic.

‘It looks like she might have broken her ankle. I’m at the hospital with her now and she is being checked out,’ he informs me.

‘Oh no! Is she okay? How did it happen?’ I ask, imagining her ice skating and losing her footing – or doing something equally unsuitable for a woman of her years. ‘Is she in pain?’ I fire a hundred questions at him.