Authors: Denise Kahn
CHAPTER 36
The Liberation Ball at the Royal palace was the first great social event to take place after the war. At the invitation of Greece’s King Paul, the crème de la crème of Athenian society was prominently present, as were foreign Ambassadors and delegates and many Greek and allied heroes.
Evzones
, Royal Guards of the King, lined the streets leading up to the palace, the entrances and were posted throughout the building.
When the Malandros family walked into the great hall all those present gasped. They hadn’t been seen in years. They were thinner, but they stood tall, proud and looked exquisite in their long gowns and Nico in his tuxedo. They were greeted with applause. Not only were they celebrities and members of the Athenian aristocracy, they were also Greek heroes. Nico was getting his business running again, with a little help from the Prime Minister (it was the least he could do in return for what Nico had done for the country, the Minister had said), Valentina and Sela were booked to perform together at the prestigious Herodus Atticus theater at the Acropolis, and Melina was continuing her studies at the conservatory. They mingled with the other guests. Nico was talking to the Greek Prime Minister, others were begging Valentina and Sela to play and sing and Melina disappeared to the food tables. She was still hungry. It would take her mind a while to understand that her body wasn’t craving food anymore.
As she hurried toward the buffet she never noticed the big tall man in front of her and ran into him. He was carrying a glass of champagne. His reflexes were fast enough so that he didn’t drop the crystal, but it didn’t prevent him from getting the bubbly liquid on his tuxedo. Melina gasped, mortified at what she had done. She timidly lifted her eyes up. To her great surprise the man was smiling and apologizing. It was
his
fault, he was saying. Melina stared at him. He looked very much like John Wayne. His hair was very blond and wavy and his eyes were soft and powder blue.
“Miss, are you alright?” He asked.
“Oh, oh, yes. I’m so very sorry,” Melina apologized, “I’ve ruined you’re beautiful tuxedo.”
“Nothing the dry cleaners can’t fix. Besides, nobody will see it. Can I get you a drink?”
“A drink?”
“Yeah, a Scotch, Cognac…” He looked at her. She was still a little shaken. “A lemonade?”
Her eyes lit up. “Oh, yes, please, a lemonade.”
“One lemonade coming right up. You stay here and I’ll be right back. Okay?” Melina nodded.
True to his word he came back with a glass of freshly squeezed lemonade and another champagne for himself. Melina looked at the flute apprehensively. “Shall we try for seconds?” The American said.
Melina giggled. “No, I promise to behave myself and not spill anything else on you tonight.”
“Well, that’s a relief,” he said. “By the way, my name is William.”
“Melina.”
William and Melina enjoyed each other’s company and talked for a long while.
“How long have you been in Greece?” Melina asked.
“About two years. Mainly in the hills, with the Resistance and with the American embassy.”
Melina was grateful that this American had fought alongside her countrymen. “We thank you for coming to our aid. We couldn’t have done it without the Allies.”
“It has been a great experience. As a matter of fact, I met this incredible guy who taught me a lot about your country. I’ve come to love it very much, Melina. One of the things he told me was about the Evzones.” He looked around. “They seem to be everywhere tonight.”
“Yes, they guard the King, the palace, the flag, the tomb of the Unknown Soldier and are ever present at functions like these.”
“Yes, this guy told me all about them.”
“Oh?”
“Oh, this man seemed to know everything about everything.”
“Sounds like my father,” Melina giggled. “So, what did he tell you about the Evzones?”
“Well, I was fascinated by the history and their uniforms. They date back to the Homeric period, and making them is no easy task. They’re all hand made by master artisans. The
fustanella
, the skirt, is made from thirty meters of white cloth and there are four hundred pleats, each one symbolizing a year of the Ottoman occupation. The hat is of red felt with a black silk tassel; the vest is hand embroidered with gold and white thread and depicts different traditional and ethnographic motifs. And of course, the
tsarouchia
, the shoes, are hand cut from hard red leather and have sixty round nails on the bottom of the sole. And there is a black pompom attached to the front.” William looked at her. “How did I do?”
“Very impressive. Most Greeks probably don’t even know those details.”
“And I didn’t even tell you about the leotards or the garters.”
Melina laughed. William was so easy to talk to. “I told you, I had a good teacher. By the way,” William said, changing into a subject he was a little more interested in, “did you come here alone?” He wondered if she had a boyfriend. Hundreds, probably, he thought.
“Oh, my God!” Melina gasped. William’s heart sank. He was starting to really like this young woman. “I completely forgot!” There was hope after all, he mused. Had she forgotten the boyfriend? “Oh, please, come with me, I’ll introduce you,” she said, pulling his hand. William wasn’t so sure he wanted to meet the
other
man, but he followed her respectfully. Melina found her mother. “William, I would like to introduce my mother, Valentina Malandros.”
William kissed her hand. “Now I see where the daughter gets her beauty from,” he said gallantly, actually meaning it.
“You are very kind, sir,” Valentina said, accepting the compliment graciously.
“You know, I used to know a Nicolaos M…” William felt a hand on his shoulder and stopped.
“What do you mean
used to
know?” Nico whirled William around and held his arms out.
“Nico! You old son of a b…” The two men embraced and smacked each other on the back. “You made it, man, you made it!”
“You had doubts?”
“Never!”
Melina stared open-mouthed. “You know my Daddy?” She asked.
“Nico is your father?” William asked Melina, incredulously. She nodded. He turned to Nico. “Nico, you didn’t tell me you had a daughter.”
“I most certainly did. And a gorgeous wife and a delightful mother-in-law.”
“Yeah, but you didn’t say they were so beautiful.”
“Yes, I did,” Nico insisted.
“Uh, boys, it doesn’t really matter. What does matter, though, is that you are both safe and sound and that we are together,” Valentina interrupted.
“You’re are absolutely right,
poulaki mou
, my little bird,” Nico agreed. “I thought life was already perfect, but I was wrong, it just gets better every day. It is so very good to see you, William.”
“You’re absolutely right, Nico,” William agreed.
“So what are you up?” Nico asked.
“I’m still with the American embassy,” William answered, “I wanted to stay in Greece, help out where I could. Of course, one of my priorities was to find you. I couldn’t imagine it would be this easy.”
“And find me you did. Oh, I’m very glad, William. You will have to come to the house and often. Ah,” Nico said, seeing Sela coming toward them, “may I introduce you to Sela, my divine mother-in-law?” Nico asked.
“It is a great honor,
Madame
,” William said, kissing her hand.
“It really is,” Melina said proudly, “she’s the best concert pianist in the world.” William’s heart skipped a beat as he thought of his own mother.
“Ah, Melina, you shouldn’t say such lies to this nice young man,” Sela said.
“I very much doubt that she’s lying,” William said, playing along. “I’m sure you’re a magnificent pianist, besides, I know a good one when I see one.”
“Oh? And how’s that?” Sela said simply.
“My mother was a concert pianist.”
Nico’s lips curled into a sly smile. He looked at Sela and raised a questioning eyebrow. That’s all the coaxing Sela needed. She turned to William. “Do you have a cigarette, young man?”
“Of course,
Madame
,” he answered. He opened his gold case, offered her one and then lit it.
“Thank you, William.” Sela of course knew where the piano was and headed toward it. Nico gently nudged Valentina and William. They followed, as did Melina.
“Nico, you are incorrigible!” Valentina whispered.
“Oh, yes, my darling, and loving every minute of it.”
Valentina chuckled and watched as her mother sat on the bench at the piano, the cigarette dangling from her lips. William raised his own eyebrow. The lovely lady has spunk, he thought. At the first sounds all the people in the great hall turned around. When they saw who was playing they immediately clapped. The great Sela Vidalis was at the keys
“She’s really famous, you know,” Melina said proudly to William.
“Yes, world famous,” Nico said.
“Nico, you’re nothing but an old dog,” William said.
“Mm, with great blood lines.”
Sela decided to show off and played Rakhmaninov. She wanted to impress William. She liked him, and from the way Nico acted with him, seemed quite a guy. She also thought he would be an interesting beau for her granddaughter. She knew something about men and the way to their hearts.
She completely mastered the difficult piece, letting her fingers fly across the keys as she seemed to be one with the instrument. When she finished, King Paul of the Hellenes approached her and kissed her hands.
“You honor us, Madame Vidalis, thank you so very much.”
“It is my pleasure, your Majesty, I hope you don’t mind that I took the liberty…”
“No, no, of course not. Please, play, as much as you wish, it would be
our
pleasure.” Sela lowered her head in agreement and thanks, and the King kissed her hands again and went back to his guests. It was, for him, a nice little coup. He was showing off the wonderful talent his country had to offer. Sela looked for William and beckoned him over with her eyes. William was immediately at her side.
“Well, young William, how did I do?”
“The Rak was exquisite. I’m sure Sergei never played it so well himself.”
Sela smiled. He knew his music. “It’s a good thing I’m not twenty-one anymore, you wouldn’t stand a chance.”
William laughed. “But I was under the impression that you were my age, I do apologize,” William said, coming back with a quick answer.
“I like you, young William. This one’s for you.” She played Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue for her new American friend.
♫
CHAPTER 37
“So, this is the plan,” Sela said with authority. We are going to catch William, the
Amerikanos,
for Melina.
“Oh, Mother, let them do it themselves,” Valentina said.
“A little help can’t hurt,” she said quickly.
Nico raised an eyebrow. What the devil was she up to? “So what is this plan?” He asked.
Sela looked at Nico and answered him: “I will play the piano, Valentina will cook all of his favorite foods, you will be his friend and Melina will be the belle.”
“I think we can handle that. Sounds like a good plan, Musical Note,” Nico said.
“Whatever you do, Nico, don’t tell him,” Sela said.
“Not a problem,” Nico said, smiling. Sela stared at him for a moment and grunted.
A little while later William arrived at the house in one of the embassy jeeps. He and Melina had been together for a while and it always thrilled him to come visit this harmonious family. Why couldn’t all families be like this one? He wondered, thinking of his sweet mother and rigid father. Even through their hardships the Malandros were as if one heart. William also thought that he would like to remain a permanent member of this family.
“Hey, Nico, where are you?” William shouted, getting out of the vehicle. He reached in the back and brought out two large bags full of groceries he had picked up at the commissary. He always came bearing gifts for everyone, and always had a bouquet of flowers for Melina.
Nico met him at the gate. “I’m good, but I have to tell you something,” he said, helping William with the bags.
“What’s that?”
“The girls are on a mission. They are planning to catch you.” Nico’s hand flew to his mouth and covered it. “Oh, that was supposed to be a secret. They are going to kill me!”
William laughed so hard he almost fell down. “It’s okay, Nico, I’ll save your ass one more time. I won’t let them kill you, besides, I
want
them to catch me. I promise I won’t say a word.
“Thank you,” Nico said, “that’s very good of you.”
“Don’t mention it,” William said, still laughing.
Valentina had, of course, outdone herself. The meal was exquisite and William was a very happy man indeed.
“Melina,” William said, getting up from the table. I have something to ask you. I wasn’t really prepared to do it today, but it just feels right.” Melina felt butterflies in her stomach, and she knew it didn’t have anything to do with the food she had just eaten. “I don’t have any kind of speech prepared and I haven’t gotten you a ring yet, but would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
Sela and Valentina beamed. Nico grinned, loving the Amerikanos’ style—totally unprepared and meaning every word. Melina looked around the room. This wasn’t exactly the way she had expected William to propose, in the kitchen and all. William went down on one knee, took her hand and kissed it. “Well?”
Melina simply nodded, and then whispered in his ear. “Yes, my darling.”
William jumped up, lifted her in his arms and twirled her around the room. The family clapped and cheered and Monsieur Chat ran out of the kitchen. Humans always made so much noise. “Wait! I have one more question,” he said to all of them. They waited. Now what was on his mind? “Would this lovely family marry me too? It wouldn’t be complete without you.”
“I like your style, my boy, always have,” Nico said, and embraced the younger man. Valentina hugged William as well.
Sela went up to the American and looked at his baby blue eyes. “You couldn’t get me so you went after my granddaughter, eh?”
“Something like that,” William said, grinning.
“Melina, come here,” Sela said. Melina went to her grandmother. Sela took their hands and put them together. “I know you will both be very happy. Take care of each other.” The grand old lady looked at her hand and then at William and Melina. She took off the heart-shaped ruby ring Ivan had given her so many years ago and slipped it on Melina’s finger.
“That is a thing of great beauty, just like you Sela,” William said.
“Young William, never stop flattering this old lady, she approves.”
Melina held her grandmother. “You are the best
Yayá
, absolutely the best.”
“I know your grandfather would be very happy right now,” Sela said to the young woman. She turned to William. “He would approve.” Her eyes started tearing, but she composed herself quickly and went to the piano. “Let’s make some magic. We are celebrating! William, I know you can play and even though you made some silly promise, today is an exception.” William couldn’t refuse her. He sat down next to her, looked at the photographs on the piano and stared at the vase. “Amazing, isn’t it?” She said.
William nodded. “Yes, and I would love it if you would tell me all about it one day.”
“With pleasure, young William, with pleasure. It has a lot of history.”
For the first time since his mother died, William touched the keys of a piano and he and his new grandmother-in-law played
à quatre mains.
A little while later a voice rang out from the patio. “Hey, is there a party going on in there?”
Nico went out to see who was calling and immediately stopped, immensely delighted as he recognized who it was. “This is turning into an absolutely amazing night. Why didn’t you let us know? You are going to be such a surprise, Ali! Come, come in!” The two men hugged each other. Their smiles more than conveyed their mutual fondness and delight. “Let’s go and really kick up this party!”
Nico and Ali snuck into the house. Ali hid behind a wall and Nico went into the living room. “I have an announcement,” he said. Sela looked up from the piano. Now, what does Nicolaki have up his sleeve? She knew that sly look on his face. He was definitely up to something. “I have a wonderful surprise. Look who stopped by to say hello!” Nico put his arm out and Ali stepped out from behind the wall. Sela almost missed a note,
almost
. Ali’s hair was almost completely white. He was still good-looking, tall and distinguished and when he saw Sela he was twenty years old again.
“Goddaddy! What a wonderful surprise,” Valentina said, interrupting his thoughts. It’s so perfect that you’re here, Melina just became engaged!” She shouted with joy, ran up and hugged him.
“How is the most beautiful Godchild in the world?” He said, beaming with delight.
“Not so little any more.”
“I can see that. And little Melina isn’t so little either, and is a beauty like her mother.” He grabbed the young woman and embraced her.
“Look, Ali,” she said, showing him the ring.
“But don’t I know that ring?”
“Yes,
Yayá
gave it me.”
“Then the man you have chosen must be very special.”
“Oh, yes, Ali. Please meet my fiancé, William.” The two men shook hands.
“Congratulations, William, you are marrying into an incredible family.” Ali said, hoping his envy was not showing.
“Yes, I’m very much aware of that and extremely happy,” William answered.
Ali made his way to Sela and sat on the bench next to her. She took her hands off the piano and they looked into each other’s eyes. They were older, and wiser, but the fire of their youth still lived on in them. “You look wonderful, Sela.”
“You don’t look so bad yourself. How’s your family?”
“The boys are fine. My wife died a couple of years ago.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. Are you still at the hospital?”
“More or less, sort of semi-retired, which is how I had the time to come to Athens. My son Gibril is running most things now. And what about you? Are you still torturing all the men and breaking their hearts?”
“Of course, that’s the best part.”
“Good. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
“Oh, really, and why not?”
Ali took her hand and kissed it. “Because I want us to be twenty years old again, I want us to take a chance. What do you say, Sela, shall we give it a try?” Sela looked at him and didn’t say a word. “Look,” Ali continued, “you’ve even taken Ivan’s ring off, and on the day that I show up no less, surely that’s a sign.”
The family was gathered around them, listening and holding their breath. They knew how much Ali had loved Sela. They wondered if she would really give him, give both of them, a chance at love and companionship. Sela sensually caressed Ali’s face. The family stared at the silent music Sela was producing with her amazing hands. She slowly and tenderly kissed Ali on the lips and said: “I think it would be wonderful.” The family roared. Ali did his best to block out the noise and not fall off the bench. He held Sela as tears spilled from his eyes. His lifelong dream was just beginning, and he felt his heart grow larger. As a medical doctor he was amazed by this phenomenon.
“I’ll get more champagne!” William shouted. He came with a bottle and extra glasses. He poured some for everybody and handed them out. He gave Sela hers and whispered in her ear. “You work fast.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, you couldn’t get me, so you found somebody else.” Sela winked at him, and gave him one of the most endearing and happy smiles he had ever seen on a woman. She not only looked radiant, he mused, she actually looked younger, but then he thought her heart would always be young. He turned to the crowd. “I propose a toast! To new beginnings and full circles!”
The Song vase radiated its brilliance, the colors penetrating into every soul in the room, as it stood guard while the family celebrated late into the night with music, love and devotion.
♫