Page 177 of Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt

Lying was not Marina’s strong suit, but I did not wish to push her. Reluctantly, I let it go.

Georg Hoffman has been as reliable as ever, hiring a team in Greece to study Eszu’s every move. Almost to my frustration, nothing seemed to have changed, save for Lightning Communications growing into a multibillion-drachmabusiness. It has even spawned a parent company to cater for Eszu’s expanded interests – Athenian Holdings. There was no doubt in my mind, the name was chosen to needle me. When we were children, he would often tease me about my passion for Greek mythology. Why else would he have selected Athena, the goddess of war, other than to make his position clear?

But as for the man himself, Georg assured me nightly that there was no suggestion he was about to make a journey to Atlantis to seek revenge. Instead, he seemed to be doing that via the next generation.

For this reason, I had Georg look into Zed himself. There was little we discovered that surprised me. The young man was arrogant, privileged, and spent his father’s money as if there was no tomorrow – the opposite of what I insisted on for my girls. Each had enough private finances, provided by me, to make sure they were comfortable, but I would not allow them any ludicrous extravagances. Certainly not the several Lamborghinis which Zed Eszu used to bomb around the streets of Athens.

It had been a month since Maia’s revelation when Marina knocked on my office door. As soon as she entered, I could tell that something was off. Her shoulders were hunched over and she struggled to maintain eye contact.

‘What is it, Ma?’ I asked. She poured me an enormous brandy from my decanter. ‘Good Lord. That’s a large one. Thismustbe bad news.’

‘It will be a little difficult to accept, yes.’ Marina hesitated.

‘Out with it, please.’

‘I have been fighting with myself about whether or not to reveal this information to you, Atlas. But I have concluded that I owe it to you. I must tell you that...’ She couldn’t bring herself to say the words.

It was my turn to pour a brandy for Marina. I handed itto her. ‘Drink that down.’ She followed my instruction and gulped it.

‘Maia is pregnant.’

I drained my own brandy glass. Then I tried to remain as still as possible, allowing the wave of dread and fear to wash over me before I regathered my thoughts. ‘Thank you, Ma. That is very useful information.’

‘Atlas, I’m so sorry. I can’t possibly imagine what you’re feeling.’

‘No,’ I whispered. I noticed that my fists were clenched together. ‘It leads me to wonder, of course, whetherthiswas a deliberate act. The ultimate humiliation.’

Ma swallowed hard. ‘I do not think that would be out of the realms of possibility, I admit.’

I erupted. ‘How could they be so very cruel?!’ Without warning, streams of tears began to fall down my cheeks, and I sobbed heartily. Marina put an arm around my hunched form.

‘Because for every angel, there is a devil that must be endured.’

I wiped my tears away with my handkerchief. ‘Obviously this is why you looked so awful the night before Maia returned to university.’

Marina nodded. ‘It’s true. She had confided to me about her symptoms, so I made her take a test. Oh,chéri, when it came back positive, I nearly died. But I could not show any weakness to precious Maia. I had to be strong for her.’

‘Of course you did, Ma. And I cannot tell you just how grateful I am to you for that.’ I gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. ‘None of this is Maia’s fault, in any way, shape or form.’ I closed my eyes momentarily. ‘But we must accept that these circumstances are particularly troubling. How is my daughter?’

Ma sighed deeply and gave a shrug. ‘She is experiencing what any teenager who becomes unexpectedly pregnant does, I imagine. Fear. Shame. Guilt.’

My heart ached for her. ‘My poor little girl. How awful. I just wish I could take her in my arms and give her a great big hug.’

Ma looked suddenly panicked. ‘She cannot know that you are aware of her situation,chéri! You mean the world to her, and she believes that if you find out, your opinion of her will plummet. She could not take it.’

I nodded. ‘Yes, Marina, and that simply breaks my heart.’ A further lump arrived in my throat. ‘I hope you know that is not how I would ever feel about any of my children. I just wish there was something I could do to help. She needs more love, support and help from her pa than ever. And I am unable to give it to her.’ Ma squeezed my hand. ‘Does Zed know about the baby?’

Marina shook her head. ‘No. And Maia is adamant that he must not.’ Ma rubbed her forehead. ‘Zed has hurt our young Maia very deeply. As he is about to graduate, he informed her that their relationship had merely been a meaningless fling, and wants nothing else to do with her.’

I put my head in my hands, my nightmares materialising before me. ‘Please reach out to her, Marina. Assure her that whatever she wants to do, she has your full and unconditional support.’

‘I will go and telephone her.’

‘Please do. And report back to me.’

Maia finished the final term of her second year of university in the summer of 1993. She returned to Atlantis wrapped in layers of clothing to hide her bump, even though it was the height of the hot weather. A week before, I had suggested to her that as she was the eldest, she should be given the Pavilion.It is a private residence which lies about two hundred metres away from the main house – the building Marina used to inhabit.

‘I think you deserve your own space, my darling,’ I had told her.