Read Online The English Lesson (The Greek Village Collection Book 11) by Sara Alexi - Free Book Online
Authors: Sara Alexi
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her dentist would reply that of course she loves her fiancé. This was a successful woman, who had studied in Athens and was bilingual, modern.
'No,' came the stark reply. Lost for what to say, Juliet asked, 'Does he love you?'
'No.' The second reply. 'But it will be secure, for both our families.' Even though these lives do not touch upon her own, the harsh reality hurt Juliet more than the drilling. So sad.
Traditionally, these arranged marriages work well. The women tend house and, on many occasions, love grows over the years and the couples are happy. Maybe she should not judge. But with Toula, the balance does not seem right. She has very little force, she is so soft, so gentle that it is all too easy to imagine her husband, whom Juliet has not met but knows by reputation, could easily and perhaps unknowingly bully her.
Juliet shakes her head as if to clear her mind. Relationships, love, it is the one theme that seems to cause as much harm as good.
Toula, on the one hand, is thinking hard about herself and consequently thinks she wants to be rid of her husband. Michelle, on the other hand, is thinking hard on behalf of Dino and thinks he should want to be rid of her for his own sake.
The whole dating, mating thing is too complex, with too many pitfalls, too much broken heartache. This is why she has stayed single so long. It is all so time-consuming, energy draining. Maybe a little loneliness is a small price to pay for a consistent life.
As for Toula, maybe two weeks in London will show her a different side of life. London will probably shock her. The question of independence no longer on feminine lips in the city. They live the lives they want and there are laws, now old laws, about discrimination. Emancipated woman of England are now thinking of others who are suppressed. They are the liberators now, largely unaware that it was just fifty years ago, less even, that there was no such thing as equality. Juliet can remember what it used to be like, and she is only fifty-two. Women may have not arrived yet but at least they are moving in the right direction.
With a heavy sigh, Juliet tries to let go of her strong views. Greece has all this liberation still to go through. It will take a generation or two to catch up. At the moment, many of the independent young women of Athens accept the subservient roles of their mamas and yiayias. It is not even only the yiayias and mamas. Just the other day, when Juliet was backing out of a parking spot in Saros, a woman had come driving round the corner at breakneck speed whilst chatting on her mobile and the two cars collided. Juliet's concern was whether the woman was injured. The driver’s door opened and a designer knee-length boot appeared first, followed by skinny fit jeans, complete with rhinestones adorning the pocket’s edges. The look was completed with a crisp blouse undone one button too low and designer bling filling the woman’s cleavage. Her hair was beautifully maintained and her makeup was immaculate. A modern woman.
'Are you alright?' Juliet inquired. The woman looked fine.
'Yes but…' She looked down at her dented car. 'What is it best that we do now?'
'I'll get my details.' Juliet opened her passenger door and then the glove compartment for her insurance documents.
The woman shifted her weight from one designer heel to the other and when Juliet starting unfolding the official papers, she said, a slight panic in her eyes, 'I think it is best we call our husbands,' in a whispering, breathy voice.
Juliet felt her mouth drop open and she straightened to look the woman in the face, wondering if she was making a joke.
'You have a mobile to call him, or do you want to borrow mine?' the woman said, offering the latest in technology to Juliet.
Toula is trying to jump that gap. Of course she would think she wanted to be free of her husband. For him just not to be around is a far easier option than everyone adjusting their thinking and their way of
'No,' came the stark reply. Lost for what to say, Juliet asked, 'Does he love you?'
'No.' The second reply. 'But it will be secure, for both our families.' Even though these lives do not touch upon her own, the harsh reality hurt Juliet more than the drilling. So sad.
Traditionally, these arranged marriages work well. The women tend house and, on many occasions, love grows over the years and the couples are happy. Maybe she should not judge. But with Toula, the balance does not seem right. She has very little force, she is so soft, so gentle that it is all too easy to imagine her husband, whom Juliet has not met but knows by reputation, could easily and perhaps unknowingly bully her.
Juliet shakes her head as if to clear her mind. Relationships, love, it is the one theme that seems to cause as much harm as good.
Toula, on the one hand, is thinking hard about herself and consequently thinks she wants to be rid of her husband. Michelle, on the other hand, is thinking hard on behalf of Dino and thinks he should want to be rid of her for his own sake.
The whole dating, mating thing is too complex, with too many pitfalls, too much broken heartache. This is why she has stayed single so long. It is all so time-consuming, energy draining. Maybe a little loneliness is a small price to pay for a consistent life.
As for Toula, maybe two weeks in London will show her a different side of life. London will probably shock her. The question of independence no longer on feminine lips in the city. They live the lives they want and there are laws, now old laws, about discrimination. Emancipated woman of England are now thinking of others who are suppressed. They are the liberators now, largely unaware that it was just fifty years ago, less even, that there was no such thing as equality. Juliet can remember what it used to be like, and she is only fifty-two. Women may have not arrived yet but at least they are moving in the right direction.
With a heavy sigh, Juliet tries to let go of her strong views. Greece has all this liberation still to go through. It will take a generation or two to catch up. At the moment, many of the independent young women of Athens accept the subservient roles of their mamas and yiayias. It is not even only the yiayias and mamas. Just the other day, when Juliet was backing out of a parking spot in Saros, a woman had come driving round the corner at breakneck speed whilst chatting on her mobile and the two cars collided. Juliet's concern was whether the woman was injured. The driver’s door opened and a designer knee-length boot appeared first, followed by skinny fit jeans, complete with rhinestones adorning the pocket’s edges. The look was completed with a crisp blouse undone one button too low and designer bling filling the woman’s cleavage. Her hair was beautifully maintained and her makeup was immaculate. A modern woman.
'Are you alright?' Juliet inquired. The woman looked fine.
'Yes but…' She looked down at her dented car. 'What is it best that we do now?'
'I'll get my details.' Juliet opened her passenger door and then the glove compartment for her insurance documents.
The woman shifted her weight from one designer heel to the other and when Juliet starting unfolding the official papers, she said, a slight panic in her eyes, 'I think it is best we call our husbands,' in a whispering, breathy voice.
Juliet felt her mouth drop open and she straightened to look the woman in the face, wondering if she was making a joke.
'You have a mobile to call him, or do you want to borrow mine?' the woman said, offering the latest in technology to Juliet.
Toula is trying to jump that gap. Of course she would think she wanted to be free of her husband. For him just not to be around is a far easier option than everyone adjusting their thinking and their way of
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