Yannis nodded. ‘I feel that a great weight has been lifted from me. Can I ask you just one more favour?’
Elias grinned at him. ‘I’ve done little enough, a favour won’t come amiss.’
‘Then send a copy of those minutes to Andreas. He’s an independent person who would be able to look after them safely until we ever needed them. I just don’t trust hospitals.’
‘That’s no problem. Now, would you like to see some pictures of Annita and the children?’
Yannis knocked on the director’s door. He had waited two days for his appointment and was feeling very disgruntled. The genial smile and wave of a hand to a chair did nothing to dispel his annoyance.
‘I want to know why I’m being kept here and how much longer you intend to do so?’ Yannis glared at the man.
‘Mr Christoforakis, no one is keeping you here. If you remember, when the first group of your friends dispersed we asked if you would be willing to stay for a few weeks, help the newcomers settle in, familiarise them with their new surroundings. This you agreed to do.’
‘I then expected to leave.’
‘We still need your valuable assistance. There are still a number of your friends to be brought over to the hospital. They’ve come to look to you for guidance over the years, they respect your judgement. When they have to make the important decision regarding returning to the island or to their previous homes they ask your advice.’
‘That’s rubbish,’ snapped Yannis. ‘They make their own decisions. Only five have returned to the island. The others took the chance to return to their families.’
‘But they had you to discuss their decision with. Had they talked to me they might have thought I was trying to influence them one way or the other, but they know you have only their well being at heart.’
‘So how much longer am I going to be asked to stay here?’
‘A month, maybe two, then you’ll be able to make your decision.’
‘And what am I supposed to do with myself in the meantime? I’m bored. I’ve read all the books in the library; I’ve visited all the sites and museums until I could act as a guide to them.’
‘Then maybe we could find a little job for you. Nothing too strenuous, of course, but to occupy you.’
‘I don’t need a job created just to fill my time. If there’s a proper job that needs doing I’m willing, but nothing thought up just to keep me quiet.’
‘I’m sure we’ll find something satisfactory. I’ll have a word and see where we’re short staffed.’
‘I’m not working on the wards,’ Yannis warned him. ‘I don’t like sick people.’
‘Maybe in the garden? You had a flourishing garden on the island, I hear.’
‘I also built my own house. That doesn’t make me an architect.’
‘Of course, we will see. Leave the problem with me.’
Yannis left the office, doubting very much that anything at all would be done. He was bored. To have all his meals ready whenever he needed them, his room cleaned and his laundry done, left him with too much time on his hands. The novelty of such luxuries had worn off and he longed to occupy both his mind and body with something worthwhile.
He calculated the number of men and women still on Spinalonga and decided the director had been very optimistic when he had said two months, by his reckoning it would be more like five. With a sigh Yannis settled down to write his weekly letter to Anna.
He was interrupted by a knock at his door. ‘Director wants to see you.’ The door closed again.
The director leaned across the desk. ‘I think the very thing has turned up for you, Mr Christoforakis. We need a controller in the hospital stores. We need a man who is reliable and trustworthy. The wards send down for medical supplies, the orderly presents a chit; you take the supplies from the shelf and make a note of the amount remaining. It is up to you to order more as they are needed and to ensure that we do not run short.’
‘Who has been doing it?’
‘Vassilis.’
‘So why isn’t he still doing it?’
‘He’s saved enough to have his veins done. That will take him off his feet for a few weeks.’
Yannis nodded. ‘Is he there now?’
‘He should be.’
‘Then I’ll have a word with him. He can show me how it’s done.’
‘You’ll be paid, of course.’
‘Paid?’
‘Naturally. As a hospital employee you’ll be paid a wage. It won’t amount to very much as there will be deductions for your food and lodging as you’re living at the hospital.’
Yannis rose. ‘I’ll find Vassilis.’
The director watched him go with relief. At least having something to do should stop him from causing trouble due to boredom.
Yannis was pleasantly surprised when he was handed his wage packet at the end of the week. It contained more than he had expected. He was beginning to enjoy the job. It was not arduous by any means, yet he had to concentrate when he worked out how much stock he had left. As yet he was nervous that he would run out of bandages or lint at a crucial time and placed two orders in quick succession, only to find when they were delivered that he had little storage space. He struggled with the cumbersome boxes, trying to fit them onto the shelves, cursing when they fell back on to him, when he heard a suppressed giggle behind him. He whipped round, ready with a cutting remark, only to see a middle-aged woman watching him with amusement. He placed the offending box on the ground.
‘What can I do for you?’
She pushed a chit across to him. ‘There’s no rush. The nurses always panic when stocks dwindle.’
Yannis frowned at the piece of paper. ‘Two dozen boxes of bandages. What size?’
The woman took the chit back from him. She sighed. ‘I’ll have to go back and ask. I’m bound to take the wrong ones otherwise.’ She turned to go, limping across to the door.
‘Which ward are you on?’
‘Over the other side; Women’s Surgical.’
‘Wait a while. I’ll phone up. How did you hurt your leg?’
‘Oh, it’s not hurt. I’ve had a limp for years.’
Yannis picked up the telephone and turned the handle. ‘Women’s Surgical, please.’ He handed the mouthpiece to the woman. ‘You can ask for what you want.’
Nervously she spoke into the mouthpiece and a look of wonder crossed her face as the instructions came back to her. ‘Vassilis never did that for me. If I didn’t know he always sent me back to ask.’
‘Not necessary,’ smiled Yannis. ‘That’s what it’s been put here for.’
She gathered up the boxes of bandages. ‘Do you have to go yet?’ asked Yannis. ‘It gets pretty lonely down here. Sometimes I don’t see anyone for hours.’
‘I mustn’t be long.’
‘I’m Yannis. What’s your name?’
‘Theodora, but people call me Dora.’
‘I’m pleased to meet you, Dora.’
‘I’m pleased to meet you, too, Yannis.’
They looked at each other in silence; then Dora giggled. ‘What are we going to talk about?’
Yannis scratched his head. ‘How long have you worked here?’
‘About five years; since my husband died.’
‘I’m sorry.’
‘There’s no need. It’s over now. He was a good man, and what’s done is done.’
‘My wife died during the war, and my daughter.’
‘The Germans?’
‘Indirectly. They starved us.’
‘Starved you? Where were you?’
‘Spinalonga.’
‘Spinalonga? I’ve heard of that place.’ Dora shuddered. ‘I managed to avoid being sent there.’
‘You? But only lepers go to Spinalonga.’
‘I know. That’s why I limp.’
‘Have you had treatment?’ Yannis leant close to her. ‘It’s very important, Dora. What treatment have they given you?’
‘After I came here I was given Dapsone. Until then I’d had nothing. I didn’t want to be sent to that island.’
‘What effect has the Dapsone had?’
‘I don’t know. They keep giving it to me and I don’t seem any worse, so I expect it’s doing me good.’
The telephone buzzed and Yannis answered it. ‘Yes, she’s just leaving. I’m new here and had trouble finding where the bandages were.’ He grinned conspiratorially at Dora as she hurriedly limped to the door.
Yannis read the long letter from Father Minos and a wave of homesickness swept over him. He was still reading it when Dora arrived to collect supplies. She waited whilst Yannis drew his eyes reluctantly from the sheet of paper.
‘What’s wrong? Have you had bad news?’
Yannis forced a smile. ‘No, just a letter from home.’
‘And you’re missing your friends?’
Yannis shrugged. ‘There aren’t many left to miss! Most of them have returned to their homes. Father Minos says there are twenty who haven’t been over here yet, and five who have returned to their homes on the island. I wish I’d never asked for medical treatment.’
‘Why? Because your friends have been able to return to their homes and families? I’d have thought you would have been pleased for them. Can you give me these?’ Dora pushed the chit towards Yannis who did not even look at it.
‘Of course I am, but what kind of a life is it going to be on the island? There’ll be so few of us left.’
‘You could stay here.’
Yannis shook his head. ‘I’ve nothing to stay here for. My life has been spent on that island. My wife and child died there. My home is there.’
Dora did not know what to reply. ‘I’d better get back,’ she said finally.
Yannis glanced down at the chit. ‘Is this urgent? Can’t you stay a bit longer?’
‘I’ll be in trouble if I’m away too long.’
Yannis turned away to the shelf and took down the package of disinfectant, placing it on the counter with unnecessary violence. ‘There you are.’
‘I could come back later, when I’m off duty,’ she offered.
Yannis shrugged. ‘It’s up to you.’
Dora limped away. She would not return when her duty was finished. Why should she try to cheer him up when he had spoken to her in such an off-hand way. All day the rebuff niggled at her until she felt so annoyed that she determined never to go down for supplies again. She could always make the excuse that her leg was paining her. She hung her overall behind the door and called goodnight to the nurse. She would go to her room, take off her shoes and have a cup of coffee. She had only tried to be friendly and he had been downright rude. Maybe Sevas would drop in on her when she had finished on her ward and she would be able to tell her how put out she was. Barefooted she went to the door to answer the gentle tap she heard.
‘Come in.’ The words died on her lips as Yannis stood there. She felt covered in confusion to be found without her shoes and she looked down at her feet in shame.
‘May I come in?’
‘Just a minute.’ Dora pushed the door closed and shuffled her feet quickly back into her shoes. She took a quick glance around the room and poked a half darned stocking into her sewing box, then opened the door wide. ‘Do come in.’
Yannis stepped inside. ‘I came to apologise.’
Dora shrugged. ‘What for?’
‘I was rude to you. You offered to try to help and I was churlish enough to refuse. It’s a bad habit of mine, I’m afraid.’
‘Would you like a cup of coffee?’
‘Are you making some?’
‘I always have a cup when I finish.’
Yannis looked round the room. ‘May I sit down?’
‘Of course; I won’t be a moment.’ Dora busied herself over her tiny gas ring. ‘I treated myself to this. I don’t like to go down to the canteen all the time.’
They sat in silence, neither of them quite knowing what to say that would clear the air between them. ‘When are you planning to return?’ asked Dora finally.
‘I don’t know. The hospital has asked me to stay on. At first I didn’t mind too much. I wanted to see Athens, but I’ve seen everywhere now. I think they’ve done it deliberately.’
‘Done what?’
‘Split us up. Brought us over here a few at a time. If we’d all come together we would probably have all returned together.’
‘You mean you would have talked everyone into returning.’ Dora looked up at Yannis from under her lashes. ‘What about those who truly did not want to return? Think how happy they must be now.’
‘They were happy on the island,’ answered Yannis truculently. ‘It’s just causing problems. Spiro wanted to return to look after his hospital, now he hasn’t any patients. Those cases have been hospitalised here.’
‘Then why doesn’t he come back here? He could be found something useful to do,’ asked Dora reasonably.
‘Then what would happen to anyone who was taken sick? There’d be no one to care for them.’
‘Yannis, how many did you say were still on the island?’
‘Twenty six.’
‘Suppose those who still have to come here don’t wish to return? How many will that leave?’
‘Six, seven when I return.’
Dora looked at him in horror. ‘You can’t live like that, not just a few of you on the island. What happens when you’re all too old to look after each other?’
‘I suppose we’d have to come back here then.’
‘But no one would know that you needed to.’
‘Yes they would. The boatmen come over every day. They’d know if we were ill or needed help.’
‘Are you sure they’d come every day if there were so few of you? They could bring enough supplies in one boat to last a week or more.’
Yannis felt a cold shiver run down his spine. ‘We’d be all right.’
‘Would you? Would you really want to be amongst so few people? You’ve lived in a large village for a number of years. Even here, although your friends have gone, you’ve made a number of acquaintances, friends that you can chat to, or play backgammon with during the evenings.’
‘It’s my home,’ repeated Yannis stubbornly.
‘It doesn’t sound a very sensible idea to me. I wouldn’t do it.’
‘No one is asking you to,’ replied Yannis tartly. ‘I’ve lived there longer than anywhere else. My house is there, most of my belongings, my books.’
‘You could have those sent over.’
‘I can manage without them a little longer. Thank you for the coffee.’ Yannis rose to go. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow.’
Dora watched as he let himself out and gently eased off her shoes once the door was shut. He was a strange man, an unhappy man, who did not seem to fit in anywhere.
Yannis brooded. A further ten islanders reached the hospital, two chose to return to Spinalonga, three remained at the hospital and the others dispersed to various parts of Greece to try to pick up the threads of their lives again with their families. Yannis received a letter from Anna, asking him to return to the farm and live with her and Yiorgo and he replied that the offer was tempting and he would consider it.