Authors: Brenda Grate
“No. No, I’m not ready for that.”
Her words didn’t seem to disturb him in the least. It was almost like he had the inside scoop on her wants and desires, that they didn’t match what came out of her mouth. Jen crossed her arms.
“Maybe we’ll meet up in Greece,” Dimitri said. “How long are you staying?”
“I think Mom planned for a few weeks.”
“Then you’ll come back and see me?”
“Of course.” But Jen’s words sounded empty, even to her. Dimitri didn’t look like he believed her. For some reason it didn’t concern him, though.
“Even if you don’t come back, we’ll see each other again. I feel we’re meant to be together.”
“What do you mean?” Jen asked. “How can you say that? We’ll be a world apart. And how can you know what’s meant to be?” Jen clenched her fists, frustrated at his unflappability.
“I’ve always believed that when I meet my wife, I’ll just know.” Dimitri talked as though he spoke about the weather.
“Your wife?” Jen nearly screeched the word. “Your wife?” She got to her feet and stamped a foot on the floor. “You are so … so … presumptuous.”
She walked over and grabbed the door handle, wrenching it open.
Dimitri grabbed her from behind. She hadn’t heard him move. He spun her around, and her mouth fell open in shock. No one had ever handled her that way before. He held her so tight she couldn’t move if she’d wanted to.
“Now listen, woman.” He spoke quietly and controlled, but she could tell he was riled. “I don’t know how soon you’re going to be my wife, but I know it will happen. I’m willing to give you all the time you need. I think Greece will be a good place for you to find yourself.”
“What …” Jen sputtered.
“Everyone has issues they have to deal with, so I want you to go deal with them. But remember, I will always be here. I’ll be here or on Crete waiting for you, no matter how long it takes. I accept you as you are. I know I want to be your man. And that’s where it stops.”
Jen stared into his eyes, flabbergasted. She honestly didn’t know what to make of him. She’d never met a man so confident and yet without cockiness. He truly believed what he said. She realized that he would
actually
wait for her.
Dimitri released her and stepped back. “If you don’t come back in the next year, then I’ll be back on Crete waiting for you.”
He walked over to a small table beside the kitchen entrance.
Jen didn’t move.
Dimitri walked back over and handed her a piece of paper.
“All I ask is you promise to keep this at all times.”
She glanced down at what looked like an address on the island of Crete.
“This is my home. You are welcome anytime, Jennifer.” He pressed the note into her hand and closed her fingers over it.
“I promise to keep this,” she whispered.
Dimitri pressed his lips to hers. It was the most beautiful kiss she’d ever received, laced with possibilities, fate, desire and … goodbye.
Chapter 23
The car was packed, the tickets and passports stowed and everything ready for the trip. Jen sat in the passenger seat waiting for Emma to finish locking up.
Emma turned the key in the deadbolt as her cell rang. She smiled in relief when she saw it was Brad. She’d been calling for weeks until his roommate answered and said he was away on an assignment and had forgotten his phone.
Forgotten? Or left?
“I’m sorry I was out of touch for so long. I …” Brad hesitated, then rushed out with, “I think I just needed to get away and deal with what was happening with you and Dad.”
“I understand. I really do, although it would have been nice to at least know you were okay.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“Well, what’s done is done. I’m sorry you’re too late to come with us, though. We’re leaving just this minute.” Emma climbed into the front seat. “It’s Brad,” she whispered to Jen.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
“I emailed you the information, and the ticket number. Didn’t you get it?”
“I didn’t open your emails,” Brad mumbled.
“We’re going to Greece.”
“Greece? You going to Grandpa’s house?”
“Yes. I’d really love it if you could join us there. Even for a few days.”
“I would love to, Mom, really, but I’m just about to go on another assignment and I’ll be gone for at least six weeks. It’s the Antarctic this time and I’m really excited to do this shoot.”
“You got the assignment you’ve been waiting for.” Emma beamed. “Good for you. Will you at least promise me to keep in touch?”
“I will and I’m sorry. I won’t do that again. Love you, Mom. And I hope you have a great time in Greece.”
“I’m sure we will. If anything changes or you get finished early, feel free to join us. Just call me and I’ll book you a ticket.”
“I will, but I can book my own,” Brad laughed. “I have my own money now.”
“I know. I guess a mom just can’t help wanting to be a mom even when her kids are all grown up.”
“Love you. Email me and this time I promise I’ll read it.”
“Are you okay with everything? I know the divorce was a shock.”
“Yes, I’m okay now. I think you will be much happier. Talk to you soon.” Brad made a kissing sound and hung up.
Happier? Why would he say that? I was happy. Wasn’t I?
Emma started the car. She’d think about his words another time. For now, she was going to enjoy the trip and let everything in the present fall away until she returned.
She’d signed the papers. The divorce was pretty much final. Alan had also signed without a whimper. As they left the lawyer’s office, she’d strongly suggested that Alan get a second opinion about his diagnosis. He’d agreed, so Emma felt she’d done what she could.
Crispin had been at the appointment, but hadn’t said much. She’d been both sad and relieved. He’d tried calling her after a couple of times, but she didn’t answer, so he’d finally stopped. He’d sent her all the final paperwork via courier, so their work was done. He’d not sent a bill, but Emma sent him a sizable cheque. She hoped, but didn’t believe, he would cash it.
Pushing aside thoughts of what might have been, Emma switched on the radio.
“What would you like to listen to?”
“Nothing,” Jen mumbled and turned her head to look out the window, much like she’d done as a fractious teen. Actually, pretty much the same as she’d done when she was five.
Emma suppressed a sigh and drove in silence. She hoped once they arrived in Greece, Jen would open up. It was a faint hope, but it kept her going.
The wall of heat assailed them as they exited the Athens airport. Emma groaned as sweat collected under arms and across her back while they waited for the taxi. It was at least a thirty-minute drive from the airport, but she didn’t relish trying to figure out the local transport system.
While waiting for her luggage, Emma overheard a woman and her husband discussing how easy it was to get around Athens on the Metro. Since Emma had always had her own car and had never even taken the bus, she still didn’t think she was equipped. Jen tried to convince her to be adventurous, but she was too afraid to consider it. Jen was now irritated with her and hardly speaking. They were off to a great start.
“When is the taxi supposed to be here?” Jen griped.
“They said it wouldn’t take long, so we just have to wait. We’ve only been out here for five minutes.”
“Well, it feels like half an hour. I can’t believe how hot it is.”
“It
is
Greece, Jen.”
“I know that,
Mother
, I just had nothing to compare it to.”
Emma pulled her suitcase toward the outside wall of the airport where it looked cooler. It was a little cooler, but the breeze couldn’t reach her anymore. It was going to be a long hot summer. And it was only the beginning of June.
Jen joined her. She pushed her suitcase up against the wall and leaned on it. She fanned her face and pursed her lips.
“Bet you can’t wait to swim in the sea,” Emma said with a smile.
Jen turned her piercing blue eyes to her mother. She didn’t say anything.
“What’s going on with you?” Emma asked. “Why are you being so hostile?”
Jen’s eyes widened. “Hostile? I’m not being hostile.”
“Oh, really? You haven’t smiled at me once or made a single positive comment about me bringing you on what most people would think is a dream trip. We’re in Greece. Aren’t you happy about it or the least bit grateful?”
Jen dropped her gaze, but the blush highlighted her pale skin. “Yes, I’m grateful. I’m sorry I don’t seem to be. I don’t mean to be rude to you, Mom. I’m just going through something.”
Emma’s heart softened. “Do you want to talk about it?”
A taxi pulled up beside them.
“Ah, Mom, look down there.”
Emma leaned out. A line of yellow cabs waited a couple hundred meters away.
“There’s a taxi stand up there,” Jen said.
“Oh, I thought I had to call one.” Emma shrugged.
They grabbed their suitcases and moved toward the taxi. Emma wondered if Jen would ever open up to her, if they would ever have a relationship like she’d always dreamed of having with her daughter.
The taxi smelled of new leather. The car was a BMW, something she’d never seen as a taxi back home. It looked well cared for, polished and shined up as if the driver were picking up a celebrity. Emma wondered if they’d just gotten lucky or if this was normal for taxis in Greece.
She greeted the driver in her minimal childhood Greek.
“Kalimera.”
He turned with a surprised look. “Kalimera. Ti kánete?”
Emma thought for a moment, then it came back to her. He’d asked her how she was.
“Kalá, eseís?”
“Kalá,” he responded with a smile.
She shrugged. “That’s all I really remember. My grandfather was Greek.”
“Ah, you have good accent. Nice you Greek girl.”
Emma nearly laughed, but caught herself. She hadn’t been called a girl in a long time.
“Can we go?” Jen snapped. “It’s hot in here.”
Emma told the driver the name of their hotel, The Tempi, which the website said had a view of The Acropolis. It was still hard for her to believe she was in Greece at last.
On the way into the city she stared out the window and tried not to let Jen’s petulance ruin her first impressions of a country she’d longed to visit. It would have happened sooner if Alan had been at all interested and if she didn’t have to board a plane to get there.
The plane had been large and roomy and hadn’t been full, so there were seats between Jen and her. They could stretch out and watch movies on the screen set into the back of the seat in front of them. There were free drinks and two meals and a snack.
Emma could have afforded first class, and this was the first thing Jen had gotten upset about, but she wanted to be careful with her money. She didn’t know what the future would bring and she wanted all her options open. Crispin had made sure she would have more options, but she hadn’t been able to forgive him for what he’d done, despite his good intentions. She just couldn’t get past the fact that he’d lied to Alan and manipulated him, even if he had deserved it. There was no room for that in her relationship.
Still, she couldn’t escape the feeling of loss, for what could have been with him. Outside of the deception, he’d been kind and generous, supportive, and pretty much everything she could ask for in a man. So, of course, it was all too good to be true.
Emma yanked her thoughts away from Crispin and tried to focus on the scenery passing by. So far, all she could see was another very large city. The architecture was different, of course—tall apartment buildings with a balcony on each apartment. They had a lot of plants and laundry hanging off them. Almost every balcony had an awning, which was probably a necessity in the summer here.
Emma was shocked at the amount of graffiti everywhere. It wasn’t just here and there, but whole walls of the underpasses were covered with bright colors. A lot of effort was put into making it artistic, but it was still ugly. Garbage lay strewn along the sides of the road.
Emma wanted to enjoy herself thoroughly, embracing the good and the bad, even if some of it disgusted her.
The road grew congested, and their cab driver sped up as if in competition with every other driver. Emma clutched her door handle.
“Where you from?” Their driver asked over his shoulder while zooming around a slower car in front of them and then running a yellow light.
Emma swallowed hard, trying to contain her panic. “Um, from Canada. Toronto.”
“Ah!” The driver crowed, craning his head to glance at Emma.
She resisted the urge to shout at him to watch the road.
“I have cousin in Toronto,” he practically shouted. “His name Alexandros Pavlou. You know heem?”
Emma gasped and braced herself as they careened to a stop and then took off again. “Um, no, sorry, don’t know him.”
“Canada is a huge country,” Jen snapped, while hanging onto her door and glaring at the back of the driver’s head.
“Yes, yes,” he replied, not flustered at all by Jen’s tone. “Veddy big country. You know my other cousin …”
They arrived at the street for their hotel, and Emma got out on shaky legs to pay the driver. He hauled their bags out of the trunk and with a wave, jumped into the cab and pulled out in front of another car. He waved again, horns blaring behind him.
The area they were staying in—the website called it Monastiraki—was congested with cars and pedestrians. It looked to be mostly tourists, so Emma figured they should be able to find everything they needed while they were there. She’d booked the hotel for two days so they could see The Acropolis and a few other sites, before heading north to a little village near Nafplio. Emma’s grandfather had told her many times that Nafplio was the first capital of modern Greece, proud to have been born in the village near such an important city.
They carted their luggage over the cobblestone street to the door of the hotel and hauled them up to the lobby.