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Christian took in the scene with an elated grin, then he saw Grace sobbing in Roxy’s arms and his face fell. ‘What happened?’
Grace tore free of Roxy’s embrace and ran to him. ‘Christian, take me back to Ithos, please.’
‘What’s going on?’
She shook her head. ‘Please, just take me, I want to go now.’
Shauna couldn’t stop her own tears from falling. ‘Grace, darling, I’m sorry …’
Demetrios stepped in. ‘Christian, please ask your mother and father to take care of Grace tonight,’ he said.
They watched as Christian collected up Grace’s things and gently led her to the boat. Roxy laid a gentle hand on Shauna’s arm. ‘Let her go,’ she whispered, ‘just for now. It will be OK.’
As Christian started the engine, Ariana ran to the boat. ‘Wait, you forgot this.’ She handed Grace the postcard, then reached her arms around her and the two girls embraced.
As the boat pulled away, Grace turned her back on the four people who watched her go. In that moment, Shauna thought her heart was breaking all over again.
‘Demetrios, that’s our daughter. How can we let her go?’
‘She knows we are here. All we can do now is pray that she will come back to us …’
Chapter 35
Demetrios fidgeted impatiently next to Shauna as they sat on the terrace of Níko’s taverna. ‘What if she has changed her mind?’
Shauna was feeling a huge sense of trepidation herself, but working herself up into a lather wouldn’t help anyone. As it often did when she was worried, her father’s voice found its way into her head: There is no better cure for old wounds than a bit of patience.
Initially, Grace had been hell-bent on taking the first ferry out of Ithos. It had taken days of patient mediation by Roxy, Christian and Ariana, before Grace had agreed to talk to Shauna and Demetrios, and even now they were on tenterhooks, wondering whether she would show, wondering if she would want to listen to what they had to say.
Shauna found it hard to believe she and Demetrios were sitting side by side, waiting for the daughter they’d lost. She could never have imagined the events of the past few days would lead them to this moment, but at the same time she felt as if it was meant to be.
‘Just try to stay calm, we don’t want to scare her off,’ she urged, with a composure that surprised her. Inside, she was anything but calm herself.
‘I know, I know, but what if she is angry with us?’
‘She has every right to be angry, and confused, and upset. We’ll just have to soak it up, however much it hurts. If we get defensive or argue, we’ll only drive her away.’
‘You are right.’ He looked at his watch and bit his lip, and Shauna couldn’t help laughing.
‘You haven’t changed at all; still as impatient and irascible as ever. Still wanting life to fit around you.’
He frowned. ‘That is unfair. Who wouldn’t be impatient in this situation? Besides, you too are the same … still getting under my skin, even now.’ His face softened. ‘I can’t pretend I mind, though.’ He touched her hand.
‘Demetrios …’ But before she could finish, she saw Roxy approaching from the beach path. ‘Delphine and Alex are having a playdate in the sea. Is Grace here yet?’
It was then they saw her, walking along the harbourfront with Christian, the two of them holding hands and talking quietly. She saw them, said something to Christian, and the two of them shared a brief kiss before she came running over. Shauna felt her pulse quickening as the girl approached. Grace was a total stranger to her, yet she seemed so familiar. It was almost like looking at another version of herself in a mirror. She had dreamed about this face thousands of times and now here she was, reunited with her daughter. Smiling, laughing.
‘Hello,’ Grace said, a mixture of shy politeness and inner confidence. ‘I’m sorry I’m a bit late.’
Shauna and Demetrios told her not to apologize, awkwardly stumbling over their words and speaking at the same time.
Demetrios spoke first, Shauna noticing that he had taken it upon himself to speak for both of them and decided to let him. ‘Thank you for seeing us, Grace, and for giving us the chance to explain.’
‘Yes,’ Shauna added, ‘I imagine you’ve got lot of questions.’
‘I do have some. But I wanted to ask first if you had any questions for me.’
Shauna was speechless for a moment, her mind a blank under the pressure of wanting to say the right thing, as if this was a test. Then, unbidden, the question that had haunted her over the years, that had tormented her and kept her awake on countless nights came into her head. She felt Demetrios squeeze her hand under the table and she was glad of it.
