Rick called to get a flight to the island, but there were only a couple a week, and he couldn’t wait that long. He spent the night with Erin and Kostas in Athens and headed to the port the next morning. Kostas warned him it was going to be a rough ride as the weather called for high Beaufort winds, but Rick was determined to make the trip.
Clutching the cold, wet bench on the deck of the ferry, Rick reflected on the changes in his life over the last seven years. His first visit to Paros was the catalyst for change, even if the change itself took many years. What role Shelby had, he couldn’t define – it was ever changing. Somehow, from the very beginning, she made him see himself for who he really was and who he could be. She always saw him that way, even though he tried to hide that person from everyone, including himself. Years before, he thought Shelby tried to emulate Morgan, but found the opposite to be true. For years, he saw himself as a mentor to Shelby, but he came to realize that she was more the mentor, and he the student.
Inside the cabin of the ferry, puddles of vomit spread across the floor. The scene and the stench alone were enough to make a person throw up, even without the wind and the ship’s pitching in the rough sea. So, he sat in the cold spray of the waves as they crashed against the side of the ship. He tried a few different spots, but none offered better protection.
Occasionally someone would stumble by, weaving back and forth, matching the motion of the ferry. Rick just stayed put and hung on tight. He was a little nervous, but the anticipation of seeing Shelby made him more nervous than the sea. It was the biggest gamble he’d ever taken, and he felt like he was risking everything. If he were unsuccessful, he’d have nothing left.
Unsure of how she would take it when he appeared out of nowhere, uninvited and unannounced, Rick hoped Keith was right, and that this was what Shelby wanted. He played out the potential scenarios in his head, and all her possible reactions, but he still didn’t know what he was going to say when he saw her, he wanted to have a plan in place, a response for everything she might say to refuse him. The risk of just saying whatever came to mind, as he had at her graduation, and screwing it all up, wasn’t one he was willing to take. With the showdown only hours away, he began to worry that words would fail him, and he would find himself once again, grasping at air – Shelby no more than a ghost of missed opportunity.
A bitter blast of wind burned his skin, carrying with it a salty mist that stung his eyes. He fumbled in his jacket pocket for his cigarettes with one hand, and gripped the bench even harder with his other as he felt the ship rising steeply. He readied himself for the falling sensation to follow. When he felt the ship hit the bottom of the wave, he let go of the bench and cupped his hands together to light the cigarette. The ship began the cycle again, and his hand reached back for the edge of the bench to brace himself.
He took a long drag on the cigarette and closed his eyes. Smiling to himself, he remembered Erin’s reaction the day before when he’d unexpectedly appeared at her door. Seeing the shock on her face was fun. She immediately assumed the worst.
“Oh my God, Ricky. What’s happened, are you okay? Did something happen to one of the guys?” she looked past him in search of the others.
“Why would I be here if something happened to someone?” he asked.
She was disappointed to find he would just be staying the night, and was shocked when he told her of the reason for his trip and his intentions. Kostas, on the other hand, had grinned and said, “Good, it’s about time.” Rick wasn’t sure what to make of the response, but remembered that Kostas was one of those, just like Devon and Keith, who didn’t miss much.
An old man with a fisherman’s hat emerged from the door to the third class cabin, and staggered toward Rick.
“Exies cigara?” the man said.
“I’m sorry, I don’t speak Greek,” Rick said, shaking his head.
The ship heaved upward again, and the old man braced himself on Rick’s bench with a withered hand. With his other hand, the man pointed to Rick’s cigarette and then to himself, and repeated “Exies cigara?” The man brought his fingers to his lips to mimic smoking, as Rick nodded and fished into his pocket for his pack of cigarettes.
The old man took a cigarette and sat on the bench. He signaled for a light, so Rick handed him his lighter and blocked the wind while the man lit up.
“Efxaristo,” the man said. Rick though he remember the word as ‘thank you,’ so he nodded in reply.
“Engless?Yermanos?” the man asked.
“American.”
“Ah, Americanos esai,”
Rick nodded again.
The ship heaved upwards again, and the old man laughed and clutched at the bench. “Opa!” His eyes twinkled with excitement.
Rick nodded and repeated, “Opa!” They both laughed at their mutual understanding.
“Kanie krio,” the man said, as he hugged himself and rubbed his arms up and down.
Rick nodded and did the same. “Yes, it’s very cold.”
The old man thought for a minute, and then asked, “Paros? Santorini?”
“Paros,” Rick replied.
“Paros. Is good, yes?”
“Yes,” Rick agreed. “You?” Rick pointed at the man.
“Paros.”
Rick was glad to have the distraction and the company of the old man, but it didn’t last long. Within a few minutes, a rather large, old woman opened the door of the cabin halfway and began cackling at the man in an irritating, high-pitched voice. The old man quickly threw his cigarette behind him, but it was obvious by the woman’s tone she was not fooled. The old man rattled something back at the woman and stood to leave. With a nod and a wink to Rick, the man left and followed the old woman back inside.
Left alone to endure the tossing of the ship, Rick could hear the old man’s voice in his head every time the ship began to rise. “Opa!”
~
Finally, the ship’s bell rang and Rick could see the island ahead. The sea was a little calmer when they entered the bay, but less so than Rick hoped. The scene before him wasn’t nearly as impressive this time. The town looked gray against the dark clouds and whipping sea. The hills beyond the village were green this time instead of brown, but the color did little to brighten the view.
Rick readied his two bags and guitar case and descended the stairs that would take him to the gangplank. He had an instant of déjà vu, recalling his dream of being unable to disembark from the ferry.
The ship was still pitching enough that it was an effort for Rick to keep his balance as he waited in line. The ferry lined up to back into the dock, but quickly floated past it. Rick could hear the engines strain to move the ship further into the bay. The ferry lined up just beyond the dock, and as it drew near, he could see ropes tossed from somewhere above him. Men on the dock raced to catch the ropes, but didn’t have time before the ship floated past once more, and the ropes splashed into the choppy water.
Rick could feel his anxiety building with each failed attempt – he had waited so long already. The process repeated for nearly an hour before men on the dock finally secured the ropes to the large, metal bollards, and the ship dropped anchor. Even secured, the ship’s gangplank bounced around on the dock, and Rick had to take each step carefully to keep his balance and not lose a bag or his guitar.
Compared to his last visit to the island, the dock looked deserted. Only two cars and a handful of people waited to board the boat. As he walked into the village, his eyes darted around. That it was within the realm of possibility to see Shelby at any moment, made his heart race. It was late afternoon, and the streets were deserted, so he knew the chances of seeing her were low, especially when he turned off the main street and headed up the side alley that led to Erin and Kostas’s summer home.
When he reached the front door, he set his bags down and felt above the door’s upper ledge for the key. He let himself in, and pulled his bags in behind. The house was dark and cold, but it was the first time he’d been out of the wind for hours, so he didn’t mind. He turned on a few lights and followed Erin’s instructions to find the small, electric space heater, and to switch on the breaker to heat the hot water.
Removing his jacket, he sat on the couch and covered himself with the blanket draped across the back. He laid down and closed his eyes. Erin told him it would take about a half an hour for the water to heat, so he waited. He could still feel the waves raising him up in the air, and gravity pulling him back down. Within minutes, he was asleep.
~
It was dark when he awoke to the sound of knocking. It took a moment for his head to clear and to realize where he was, and that someone was at the door. His hopes were high as he opened the door, thinking he might find Shelby, but Kostas’s mother, Maria, holding two steaming plates of food, greeted him instead. She pushed past him, chattering in Greek, and entered the house. After setting the plates down on the table she grabbed him and gave him a quick hug, and followed by kissing each of his cheeks several times. She held him back at arm’s length, patted his cheek, and then hugged him again.
“Yiasou, Maria,” he said, hoping he remembered the greeting correctly.
“Yiasou!Kalostoné, Ricky!” She pushed him towards the table and motioned for him to sit down to the food. He did as she said, and she disappeared into the kitchen. Rick glanced at his watch and saw that it was almost eight. Maria was back within a minute with a glass of water and a fork. She set them down beside him and said, “Ella, faí,” pointing to the food.
“Efka…efak,” Rick tried, but couldn’t remember how to say, ‘Thank you.’
“Efxaristo,” Maria finished for him.
Rick nodded and repeated, “Efxaristo.”
“Parakalo,” she answered with a smile, sitting down across from him to watch him eat.
Rick guessed Kostas’s had called her to let her know he was coming. He knew she lived close by and no doubt saw the lights on. He started eating what she had brought, and didn’t realize how hungry he was until he’d taken a few bites. Maria was a good cook, and she fed Rick multiple times during his previous visit, years ago. Her stuffed peppers and tomatoes were his favorite, and was what she had brought for him, along with a side of spring greens. He knew enough of Maria to know that she had prepared them especially for him. He made all the appropriate sounds to let her know how much he enjoyed the meal, and she wore a contented smile as she watched him eat.
When he was finished, Maria gathered his plates, kissed his cheeks again, and left, continuing her Greek monologue until she was out the door. Rick laughed when she was gone and took his fork and glass into the kitchen.
“Okay,” he said aloud. “First a shower, and then it is time.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Rick knocked on the door of Shelby’s house for the fifth time. He knew it was useless. He had come too late, and would now have to search for her. He headed back the way he came, and followed the streets he hoped would take him to the Paralia. Kostas gave him directions to find some open bars to look for her the night before. He walked past the narrow side street that led to one of the bars twice before noticing the Greco Bar sign swinging in the wind. Standing below the sign, Rick tried to slow his breathing and calm his nerves. His hand was shaking as he reached for the handle.
When he opened the door and walked in, all the patrons turned to see the newcomer. He politely nodded to any eye he met. Within a minute, they all returned to their drinks and conversations. He didn’t see Shelby among them. There were only about seven people sitting at the bar, and three more at a table. The place had a cozy atmosphere and Rick felt like an intruder.
He looked around to see if there were other rooms to search, but it appeared that the small space in front of him was the bar in its entirety. He walked up to the counter, and the bartender was waiting for him.
“May I kxelp you?” The man had the usual Greek trouble with the h sound.
“Yes,” Rick said, leaning over the bar so he wouldn’t have to shout over the music. “I’m looking for an American girl who lives here. Her name is Shelby?”
“Yes, yes. I know Shelby. I do not see her today.” The bartender looked around the bar to make sure he hadn’t missed her. “Do you know where is her house?”
“Yes. I went there, but she wasn’t home.”
“Are you a friend?”
“Yes I am,” Rick said. “An old friend.”
“One moment,” he told Rick holding out his hand to signal Rick to stay put, and walked down to the other end of the bar. Rick could see him talking to a man and pointing in his direction. After a minute, the bartender came back, while the young man he’d been talking to followed him along the other side of the bar to where Rick stood.
“This is Gianni, he is a friend of Shelby,” the bartender said. “He say he thinks Shelby goes to a party tonight.”
Gianni said something in Greek to the bartender.
“Did he say Morgan?” Rick asked.
“Yes. You know her?” the bartender asked. “She has tonight a party at her house. Do you know where it is?”
“I do if she still lives where she did seven years ago,” Rick answered. “It’s outside of town, right?”
“Yes, yes. I think so.”
Gianni said something to the bartender again, and this time Rick thought he heard his own name.
“He says to ask if you are Rick.”
Rick turned to Gianni in surprise, and nodded, “Yes, I
am
Rick.”
Gianni grinned at him, and then turned back to the bartender. They talked for a minute, and then the bartender said, “He says he has talked to Shelby about you. He says he will take you to her. He has a car.”
Rick looked back to Gianni. “Yes? You will take me?”
When Gianni signaled yes, Rick said, “Thank you. I mean, efxaristo.”
Gianni smiled back at him. He gave Rick the same sign to stay put and went back to his seat. He took his jacket off his barstool, said something to the man he had been sitting with, then returned to Rick, and signaled him to follow. Rick thanked the bartender and followed Gianni out the door.