‘Then why won’t you wear it?’
‘Because putting it back on is not going to change anything.’
…
Alekos is quiet at breakfast. Despina makes up for his silence by telling Mum all about the restaurant and
the family in Greece and it’s left up to me to translate. Despina sips at a very strong mug of coffee and
tucks into a croissant thickly spread with strawberry jam. I butter my toast and reach across the table
for the marmite.
‘Alekos, you didn’t give Sophie back her ring?’ Despina asks. ‘You said you were going to give it to
her this morning.’
‘I know what I said, Mama.’
‘He did. But I’m not wearing it,’ I reply in Greek.
Despina puts her half-eaten croissant back on her plate. ‘Why not?’
‘Why don’t you ask Alekos.’
Mum takes a sip of her coffee and glances between the three of us.
Alekos stands up. ‘Because the ring was never lost on Santorini, Mama, and me telling you and
Baba the other day that I’d found it in the suitcase pocket was a lie. Sophie took it off and we have a
lot to talk about before she’ll be wearing it again.’
‘But I don’t understand… the wedding… what’s happened for you to feel like this Sophie?’
‘That’s between Alekos and me. And if I’m honest, our problems would have been a lot easier to
sort out if Alekos had come here on his own.’
Silence. Alekos leans his hands on the edge of the sink and looks out of the window. Despina fiddles
with the gold cross on the chain around her neck.
Mum coughs. ‘Does anyone fancy translating what’s just been said?’
‘Mum really, you don’t want to know.’
Alekos turns to face us and says in English. ‘I asked Sophie to marry me in July last
year.’
‘You’re engaged and you didn’t think to tell me?’ Mum says, glancing at my ring finger.
I hold my hand up. ‘Why I’m not wearing my engagement ring is what we were discussing.’
‘And why aren’t you wearing it?’ Mum looks at us. Despina, unable to understand,
scrapes her chair back from the table and folds her arms across her chest. ‘Do you love each
other?’
I look at Alekos. ‘Yes,’ we both say quietly.
‘Then what else matters?’
Despina pours herself another mug of coffee. ‘
Eiseh kakomathemenos
, Sophie.’
‘What did she say?’ Mum asks.
‘She said I was spoilt.’
‘Spoilt?’ Mum laughs and looks at Despina. ‘That’s one thing Sophie’s not. Opinionated, passionate,
angry, unforgiving, yes, but not spoilt.’
Despina frowns and stands up. ‘It’s not all about you, Sophie. You need to think about the people
who love you, my son in particular before you hurt him too badly.’
Alekos places his hand on her shoulder. ‘Mama, let’s go for a walk.’ He steers her out of the back
door and I watch until they disappear from sight.
Mum puts her hand on top of mine. ‘It’s your life, Sophie; I’m not going to say another word.
I can’t understand half of what she says but I think Despina says enough for all of us.’
…
The Globe
smells of roast dinners mixed with beer and log fires. It’s six o’clock and the last customers have
left and the waiting staff are clearing away. Despina, Alekos and I follow Mum out of the patio doors
and into the garden. Smoke streams into the air from a barbeque made from half an oil drum. Robert’s
standing over it turning sausages and burgers and wearing an apron with ‘I’m the chef’ written on it.
He seems to have invited the whole village as the garden is filled with people. Ben’s here, minus his
children who must have been picked up by Mandy. Marcy is chatting with another woman
from behind the bar. She looks relaxed with her usual scraped back hair loose around her
shoulders.
‘Ah, the birthday girl!’ Robert calls. Mum cuts across the grass towards him and we follow
her.
‘Happy Birthday, Sophie!’ Robert says, and pats my shoulder.
‘Robert, meet Alekos and Despina,’ Mum says.
He shakes Alekos’ hand but Despina insists on a kiss on both cheeks. She’s charmed by him. ‘A
English man cook!’ she says in broken English.
‘I can cope with hotdogs.’
‘Don’t put yourself down,’ Mum says. She touches his arm, briefly, but I notice the smile her gesture
brings to his face. ‘Can we help?’
Robert turns a row of skewered onions and peppers. ‘Absolutely not. All under control. Help
yourselves to a drink.’
‘I make salad,’ Despina says.
Robert looks at her, frowns and then looks at me. ‘Greek salad?’
Despina nods. ‘
To kouzina
?’
‘She means the kitchen,’ I say.
Robert shrugs and points her in the right direction. ‘Our chef’s still here…’ But Despina’s
halfway across the lawn. I catch Ben looking at me as she passes him. He doesn’t smile, but
holds my gaze. He’s talking to Marcy and she glances between the two of us and nudges
him.
‘So, Alekos,’ I hear Robert say, ‘how do you like England?’
‘I like it a lot,’ he says. I feel my cheeks flush as I turn away from Ben and back to Alekos warming
his hands over the barbeque.
‘Too cold?’ Robert asks.
‘Mum,’ I say. ‘I’m going to make sure Despina’s not bullying Steve out of his kitchen.’
She nods but doesn’t turn her attention away from Robert and Alekos.
I skirt the lawn to avoid Ben, and find Despina in the kitchen with her sleeves already rolled up and
Steve staring at her.
‘My name Despina.’
‘Steve, this is my boyfriend’s Mum,’ I say.
She’s opening cupboards by the time I’ve finished introducing them. Steve looks at her with his
mouth open.
‘I’m sorry,’ I say, as Despina brushes past him with a large bowl in her hand.
‘
Dhomates, pu ica
?’ she demands.
Steve’s cheeks flush red. ‘
Dhomates
? Tomates? Tomatoes?’
Despina looks at him and frowns. ‘
Ne
, to-ma-toes,’ she says really slowly.
He points her in the direction of the salad compartment and raises his eyebrows at me. ‘I need a
smoke,’ he says and heads outside. He sits on the same spot of wall where I sat with Robert the other
night. He takes a pack of Rizla and tobacco out of his apron pocket and begins to roll a
cigarette.
I sit next to him. ‘She’s my boss.’
‘She that bossy with you?’
‘With everyone.’
‘The best chefs always are.’
‘She works hard and doesn’t particularly like not doing anything as you can tell.’ I nod towards the
kitchen. ‘This is the first time she’s been away from the restaurant for more than a night for as long as
I’ve known her. I think she’s suffering withdrawal symptoms.’
‘Well, she’s welcome to it.’ He licks the edge of the paper and sticks it neatly down. ‘I’m going to
enjoy the sunshine, my cigarette and have a nice cold beer.’
‘That sounds like a plan.’
…
Despina’s salad is a hit and Robert’s burgers, sausages and chicken drumsticks are cooked perfectly. The
barbeque attracts like a magnet, particularly now dusk has settled and the warmth of the sun has
dispersed. Everyone’s gathered around the glowing coals, clutching drinks and plates of
food.
‘I like your family,’ Despina says.
‘Family?’ I say. ‘You mean Mum?’
‘Robert’s like family, isn’t he?’
‘No. I don’t know. I guess. To Mum maybe.’
She beckons me away from the crowd around the barbeque. ‘Everyone’s very welcoming,’ she
says.
‘You sound surprised.’
She sits down at a picnic table at the furthest end of the garden and puts her plate
of food down. ‘I am. I always think of the English as being very cold. Not easy to get on
with.’
‘What, like me?’
She shakes her head. ‘
Ochi
. I know our relationship has been strained this last year or so and we’ve
both said and done things that we regret. But I want you to know you’re a part of our family and we’re
glad… I’m glad to have you in it.’
‘It didn’t sound like that to me this morning.’
‘I’m only concerned about Alekos and his happiness. It’s only natural for a mother to feel that
way.’
‘I think it’s impossible for me to live up to your expectations.’ I sip my lemonade and watch her
carefully.
She frowns and looks away. ‘Lena says I can’t expect everyone to be like me and want the same
things from life.’ She taps her wedding ring with her red nails. ‘I only ever wanted a husband, a house
and children. And I got it all.’
‘In the same order?’
She studies me for a moment before turning her attention to her chicken drumstick. ‘In that
order.’
‘It’s not because it was what was expected of you?’
She shoots me a stern look. ‘No! I remember being fifteen and jealous of my older sister being
married and pregnant. She was twenty-one. I was twenty when I had Lena.’
‘Did you not want a career?’
‘What do you think I have now? I’ve always worked but my family’s come first. We’re lucky. We
have the restaurant, it’s a family business, more than my parents ever had or could have offered
me.’
‘But what if Lena and Alekos don’t want the family business?’ I say each word carefully, slowly,
ready to take it back.
Despina’s lips purse white for a second. ‘It’s there for them in ten, fifteen years’ time,’ she says, just
as carefully. ‘Takis and I have worked all our lives to give them stability and opportunity. They’d be
fools to turn their backs on it. Lena’s different, she has a husband with a good job, they have an
apartment, land to build on. It’s Alekos I worry about.’
‘Me too.’
She nods. ‘I don’t know where his heart is. Besides with you.’
Alekos is standing with Mum, deep in conversation, both with a pint in their hands.
‘My mother was one of seven brothers and sisters,’ Despina says. ‘Seven. And they had nothing.
Two bedrooms for all of them. Her Dad worked at Thessaloniki docks. Their place stank of fish. I went
there when I was small. The smell made me sick. I would have taken the opportunity Lena and Alekos
have without hesitation.’
‘The restaurant?’ I ask. She nods. ‘What makes you think he doesn’t want it?’
She looks across the picnic table at me. ‘Don’t mess him around, Sophie,’ she says quietly.
There’s anger in her voice. ‘If you don’t want him then let him go. He deserves to have a wife
that loves and respects him and wants what’s best for him. I hope that can be you… But if
not…’
I wonder how she’d react if I told her I was pregnant. Would she be more careful with her words,
more reluctant to warn me off? ‘Thanks for the advice.’ I swing my legs over the bench and leave her
sitting on her own.
Mum and Alekos are still chatting. I interrupt them. ‘Can I talk to you?’ I grab Alekos’ arm and
pull him away. ‘What have you been telling your Mum?’
‘What is wrong with you? Are you trying to start a fight?’
‘What have you told her about us?’
He sighs. ‘She asked awkward questions.’
‘You do realise what she’s trying to do? She’s guilt-tripping us into staying at
O Kipos
forever.’
‘Don’t be so dramatic, Sophie,’ he says. ‘Just because I talk to my Mum, it doesn’t mean that I
can’t make a decision for myself.’
‘Despina doesn’t need to know the details of our relationship.’ I clench my hands into
fists.
Despina and Mum are watching. I wonder if Ben is. Alekos runs his hands up the insides of my arm.
He leans towards me until his forehead rests against mine. ‘This hasn’t been a great birthday for you,
has it,’ he says.
‘I’ve had better.’
‘The first one in Greece was good.’
‘It’d be difficult to top that.’
‘When we get home, why don’t we sit down together with Mama and talk to her, tell her we need
some time and space, make her see things from our point of view.’
‘I’m not sure I’m ready to go home yet.’
He stares at me and loosens his hold on me. He shakes his head. ‘I don’t understand.’
‘I love it at
O Kipos
, but at times I hate it. I’ve fallen in love with it here, I’ve found what I used to
have in Greece, how I felt on Cephalonia,’ I say, gesturing towards the clear dark sky pitted with stars
and the trees behind us.
‘But I’m not here.’
‘Can I have everybody’s attention?’ Robert shouts from the other side of the garden. The
lights circling the lawn have come on now it’s dark. The barbeque is still glowing red and it
throws a warm light on to Robert’s face. ‘Let’s raise our glasses to the birthday girl. To
Sophie!’
‘To Sophie!’ everyone repeats as glasses are raised.
‘In the three weeks she’s been here she’s brought a breath of fresh air and Greek cuisine to
The
Globe
, and, most importantly, she’s been a great support to Leila.’ He looks straight at me and raises
his glass of red wine. ‘I hope you can stay a while longer.’
Everyone claps. Alekos leaves my side and walks back towards the barbeque.
‘Hello stranger.’ Ben appears behind me. He pinches my side and his touch sends shivers wriggling
through me. I glance at him and then at Alekos, safely in conversation with Mum, Robert and Despina.
‘You’ve been avoiding me,’ he says.
‘Not really,’ I say. ‘You’ve not come and said hello.’
‘Or happy birthday.’
‘Indeed.’
‘Well, happy birthday.’ He leans forward and kisses me, brushing my cheek with his
stubble.
I pull away.
‘So what’s the problem between you and him?’ He nods towards Alekos, sandwiched between Mum
and Despina. Alekos and I catch each other’s eyes. I look away.
‘Let’s walk.’ I don’t wait for an answer. I can feel people watching us. I don’t stop until we’re
outside the front of the pub. It’s quiet and dark, with only the lanterns throwing light on to the lane in
front. I sit down on the bench to the side of the front door.
‘What was up with you the other day?’ Ben asks. He sits next to me. Our thighs touch.
‘What do you mean?’