meant as a compliment.
‘… who saved my boys from…’ His voice trembled. ‘Please, with your hands, thank them.’
As the room shook with claps and cheers, I glanced across the room at Niko and swallowed. Those deep mocha eyes met mine, a crease between the brows. It was as if time had rewound about ten years, to the day we alerted the neighbouring village to the forest fire that claimed Pandora’s husband. After unsuccessfully trying to extinguish it with buckets of sand, we’d got back on our bikes and raised the alarm. Like many inhabitants of a small island, Taxos villagers were at the mercy of the elements. Some had called us heroes back then but we never felt it, because the fire’s consequences had still been tragic, with the one death and several injured.
I looked back at Theo’s parents and blinked hard. The little boy’s mum had tears in her eyes.
‘To celebrate their bravery, now we eat,’ she said in a loud voice and opened her arms – cue another round of heartfelt hugs. Cosmo from the cycle shop pushed a shot of ouzo into my hand and squeezed my shoulder. I knocked it back before the catchy string music became louder and Cosmo took out his harmonica. Fashionable Pandora headed over with questions about where I’d bought my matching underwear, worn during the rescue. We chuckled that word about its stylishness had spread. On my return to England, I promised to send her some from M&S. Leila passed me a plate and Henrik slipped an arm around me as we headed towards the buffet table.
‘Mmm. This spinach pie is still the best, Sophia,’ I said, an hour or so later, after many conversations in Greeklish about where I learned to swim and my irrational fear of sharks. The combination of flavours and moistness made it a top quiche. The two of us sat at a table, whilst our men discussed the state of the Greek football team. Thanks to dating Henrik I now knew what constituted a good goal, although still faltered if asked to explain the offside rule.
‘It was your favourite as a child,
Pippitsa
.’ Sophia smiled before taking another bite. We both swayed from side-to-side, unable to sit still as Cosmo played a harmonica solo. ‘Of course, you enjoy fancier food in London, no?’ She eyed me up and down. ‘I hope you eat enough, with your busy job.’
I squeezed her arm. ‘It’s a good thing I don’t live with you, otherwise I’d be curvier than the most revered Ancient Greek goddess. In fact, this
is
the food of the gods.’
Sophia’s heart-shaped face beamed. ‘How kind – and you loved Grandma’s puddings…’ She stared at my cheeks. ‘She would rub yogurt into that sunburnt skin.’
‘Niko said the same,’ I replied and chuckled. But just like in the taverna on Saturday, when I’d laughed with her son, a strange expression crossed Sophia’s face.
‘He… Leila… they seem like a well-matched couple.’ I said and put down my fork. ‘Have they been engaged long?’
‘Over one year now. They told us just before Grandma fell ill.’
‘Could I see her, tonight? Or is it too late? Will she be tired?’
‘Of course. She is impatient to see
Pippitsa
too.’ Sophia grinned. ‘Did you bring scones?’
I nodded and stood up, my stomach twisting a little. How much would feisty Grandma have changed?
After fetching the basket from the buffet table, I followed Sophia up rickety stairs, just behind the bar. We came to a small kitchenette for the family and three bedrooms. The door around to the right belonged to Niko. I recalled the secret childhood tank containing two lizards, its floor lined with bark, plus a big piece of driftwood and bowl of water. A sign on his bedroom door had banned adults from entering his “private space”. Sophia must have gone in now and again to change the bed and no doubt turned a blind eye to the lizards, as long as they were happy and well-fed.
We stopped by the door to the left of the tidy kitchenette and gently, Sophia knocked.
‘I think
‘… who saved my boys from…’ His voice trembled. ‘Please, with your hands, thank them.’
As the room shook with claps and cheers, I glanced across the room at Niko and swallowed. Those deep mocha eyes met mine, a crease between the brows. It was as if time had rewound about ten years, to the day we alerted the neighbouring village to the forest fire that claimed Pandora’s husband. After unsuccessfully trying to extinguish it with buckets of sand, we’d got back on our bikes and raised the alarm. Like many inhabitants of a small island, Taxos villagers were at the mercy of the elements. Some had called us heroes back then but we never felt it, because the fire’s consequences had still been tragic, with the one death and several injured.
I looked back at Theo’s parents and blinked hard. The little boy’s mum had tears in her eyes.
‘To celebrate their bravery, now we eat,’ she said in a loud voice and opened her arms – cue another round of heartfelt hugs. Cosmo from the cycle shop pushed a shot of ouzo into my hand and squeezed my shoulder. I knocked it back before the catchy string music became louder and Cosmo took out his harmonica. Fashionable Pandora headed over with questions about where I’d bought my matching underwear, worn during the rescue. We chuckled that word about its stylishness had spread. On my return to England, I promised to send her some from M&S. Leila passed me a plate and Henrik slipped an arm around me as we headed towards the buffet table.
‘Mmm. This spinach pie is still the best, Sophia,’ I said, an hour or so later, after many conversations in Greeklish about where I learned to swim and my irrational fear of sharks. The combination of flavours and moistness made it a top quiche. The two of us sat at a table, whilst our men discussed the state of the Greek football team. Thanks to dating Henrik I now knew what constituted a good goal, although still faltered if asked to explain the offside rule.
‘It was your favourite as a child,
Pippitsa
.’ Sophia smiled before taking another bite. We both swayed from side-to-side, unable to sit still as Cosmo played a harmonica solo. ‘Of course, you enjoy fancier food in London, no?’ She eyed me up and down. ‘I hope you eat enough, with your busy job.’
I squeezed her arm. ‘It’s a good thing I don’t live with you, otherwise I’d be curvier than the most revered Ancient Greek goddess. In fact, this
is
the food of the gods.’
Sophia’s heart-shaped face beamed. ‘How kind – and you loved Grandma’s puddings…’ She stared at my cheeks. ‘She would rub yogurt into that sunburnt skin.’
‘Niko said the same,’ I replied and chuckled. But just like in the taverna on Saturday, when I’d laughed with her son, a strange expression crossed Sophia’s face.
‘He… Leila… they seem like a well-matched couple.’ I said and put down my fork. ‘Have they been engaged long?’
‘Over one year now. They told us just before Grandma fell ill.’
‘Could I see her, tonight? Or is it too late? Will she be tired?’
‘Of course. She is impatient to see
Pippitsa
too.’ Sophia grinned. ‘Did you bring scones?’
I nodded and stood up, my stomach twisting a little. How much would feisty Grandma have changed?
After fetching the basket from the buffet table, I followed Sophia up rickety stairs, just behind the bar. We came to a small kitchenette for the family and three bedrooms. The door around to the right belonged to Niko. I recalled the secret childhood tank containing two lizards, its floor lined with bark, plus a big piece of driftwood and bowl of water. A sign on his bedroom door had banned adults from entering his “private space”. Sophia must have gone in now and again to change the bed and no doubt turned a blind eye to the lizards, as long as they were happy and well-fed.
We stopped by the door to the left of the tidy kitchenette and gently, Sophia knocked.
‘I think
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