By the time mother and daughter made their way home arm in arm down the hill, the sun had started its descent, tinting the world pink. A distant church bell was trying its best to be heard above the deafening sound of birds settling for the night. On returning to the house, the two women found Froso entertaining Michalis and Nicos in the garden.
‘There you are!’ she called out when they walked through the garden gate. ‘I don’t suppose these young men have come to see me.’ She smiled at Calli.
‘You know perfectly well that we came to see you, Kyria Froso,’ Michalis protested with a smile. ‘Don’t make out that this is the first time I’ve come to visit you.’
‘It’s true,’ she replied. ‘You are very considerate, you visit me often. And look’ – turning to her daughter and granddaughter – ‘look, my girls, look what the boys have brought me!’ She pointed at three bottles of extra virgin olive oil, a huge jar of black olives and a bottle of raki sitting on the table.
Despite having heard tales similar to Froso’s while growing up, the brothers had found her story both moving and disturbing. Over the years many such dramas of love, jealousy and crimes of passion had been spoken of, but those were anecdotal stories that had happened many years before to folk who were strangers to them, never involving people they themselves knew and liked.
‘We wanted to pay you all a visit,’ added Nicos, leaping to his feet to embrace Calli who had walked towards him. Ever since their morning on the beach he had been in a state of unsettled excitement; like Calli herself he was eager to share their news, especially with her mother and grandmother. On arriving at the house and in the absence of Eleni and Calli, Nicos couldn’t contain himself any longer and confessed to Froso the reason for their visit.
‘I love her with all my heart,’ he told her excitedly, ‘and she’s agreed to stay . . . marry me, make a home here with me.’ Froso reached out and took the young man’s hand in hers. ‘I give you my blessing, my boy, and the two of you in return have given me a great gift. I waited a long time to have this girl close to me and finally she has arrived.’
‘If Calli loves you then I love you too,’ Eleni said with a beaming smile after Nicos tried rather awkwardly to ask for her hand and blessing. ‘I’m happy for you both, my boy, and I appreciate your respect,’ she said and reached forward to kiss him on both cheeks. ‘Calli’s grandmother has known you for many years and she already loves you.’ Her eyes were welling up as she turned to look at Froso, who was glowing with joy. ‘Soon her father will arrive too so you can ask him officially for her hand.’ She chuckled with amusement at the young man’s old-fashioned gallantry. ‘I’m sure he will be as happy as we are’ – she turned to Froso again – ‘to give his consent.’
‘A drink!’ Froso called, pushing herself to her feet and reaching for the bottle of raki on the table. ‘Eleni, fetch the glasses!’ she said, beaming. ‘It’s not every day that I receive such good news about my granddaughter.’
20
Keith arrived on the early morning flight from London, accompanied by Alex, who on hearing the news insisted on coming with his father.
‘This is a family matter, Dad. We all need to stick together,’ he’d said after Keith had explained the story to him. ‘It’s a tough one . . . Mum needs us. We managed to pull together with Calli and that idiot James! We’ll do it again now.’ Alex had inherited his father’s reliability and love of the family, and staying together had always been his way; even as a little boy he had considered it his duty to protect his sister and his mother. Calli drove to the airport alone in Chrysanthi’s car to collect them, intending to let them know a little more about the situation.
‘How are they both?’ was Keith’s first question, wondering how the two women were reacting to each other now.
‘It’s hard to tell, exactly,’ Calli said. ‘I mean . . . Mum is not calling Auntie Froso Mama just yet or anything . . .’ she tried to jest before realizing this was probably in bad taste. ‘It’s difficult, Dad,’ she continued more seriously. ‘One moment