Page 19 of The Silent Sister

The next four days leading up to Tom’s departure flew by, and the anticipation of what his leaving would do filled Cassia with dread.

They spent as much time together as they could, but Cassia still had to work at the market to bring in some money.

Michaíl hadn’t confided in her, but she suspected the diminishing numbers in the bar meant there was very little money coming in from there.

Often she’d find him sitting in the corner, the rhythmic click of his kombolói alerting her to the fact that each worry bead represented his concerns.

With the build up to Christmas, she remembered the tavernas and bars in Argostoli would normally be bustling and she suspected they would be the same here in Fiscardo.

It had been when she was young. But this year, there were no bars left standing in the town she used to call home, and the few tavernas like Michaíl’s were almost empty.

Even his elderly friends, who might have made a tot of raki last all night, were not venturing out to play their beloved Tavlí .

Every morning, Michaíl went out to buy a newspaper.

’It’s getting worse. There won’t be any islanders left if it carries on like this. Look.’ He spread out the paper on the table by the window for her to see. ‘Look at those queues to get on the ship. Taking them away to a better life. If I was younger, I’d be first in the queue.’

The grainy image showed men, women and children waiting in a line to board a large ferry boat. ‘Where do you think it’s sailing to?’ asked Cassia.

‘Athens, I suspect.’

Tom had entered the bar. ‘Tom! I didn’t hear you come in.

’ Cassia wanted to rush over for one of his cwtches , as he called them, but was self-conscious to do so in front of Michaíl.

As far as anyone else knew, they were still just friends.

Apart from Eléni, who’d found them kissing outside a couple of nights ago.

She’d smiled a big smile and pointed first at Cassia, and then Tom, and mimed kissing by pursing her lips.

‘To-o... Mma-mma’ she said, before making kissing noises.

They were half expecting her to repeat it all for Michaíl, but she didn’t. Instead, she drew a picture of the two of them, close together with their lips touching.

‘They can’t all be going to Athens, surely,’ Cassia said. ‘It says here the majority are going to America, with others heading for Canada.’

‘Many of them will have had all their documents destroyed in the quake. As long as a family member in those countries can vouch for them, they can enter the countries legally. I’ve been checking up on things for you before I leave on Thursday. Where’s Eléni?’

‘She’s in the kitchen, dressing her paper dolls. What do you mean, “checking up on things” for me? What has it got to do with me?’ Cassia called after him as he hurried off.

As she joined Tom and Eléni, they were already engrossed in placing the different outfits on the dolls. Cassia smiled as she watched a tall, fully grown man sitting on the floor by a tiny girl playing with dolls.

‘Your sailor mates, as you call them, would never believe you like playing with dolls, Tom Beynon.’

‘They won’t know unless you tell them.’ He looked at her and winked.

Cassia began packing up her baking to take to the market stall. ‘You didn’t answer me when I asked you what the information you’ve found out about Athens has to do with me.’

Tom stood and joined her by the range.

‘You have to go to the market now, but I’ve been thinking. Why don’t I stay here with Eléni and then when you get back, perhaps Michaíl will look after her so we have some time to talk.’

Cassia agreed, but was puzzled about what Tom wanted to talk to her about.

It sounded serious. When she arrived at her stall, she was disappointed to see Rhea’s was empty again.

Eugenia had told her that she hadn’t seen her friend recently either.

Over the last few days, more and more stalls had closed and the number of customers had diminished.

It should have been a busy time of year.

She’d intended to bake baklavá along with the customary Vasilopita to sell ready for New Year’s Day.

‘Rhea still not coming in?’ she asked the market owner.

‘Haven’t you heard? She’s left.’

Cassia’s heart sank. She was already missing her friend who used to make her laugh with stories of what her little one would say and get up to.

‘What is she doing now? She told me she had to work.’

‘I meant she’s left the island. Emigrated. Canada, I think.’

Cassia thought back to the newspaper images.

She imagined her friend as one of those queuing while holding her daughter’s hand, about to board the ship and sail into the unknown.

How would Rhea be feeling? Scared of what lay ahead, excited, sad to be leaving Kefalonia, hopeful?

Cassia understood why the people of Argostoli were compelled to leave, but now people from Fiscardo where homes had been relatively untouched by the earthquake were emigrating too.

It brought it home to her how serious things were.

She packed up early and returned home, having sold less than half her spanakopita and pastries. Before leaving, the market owner had told her he was reducing the opening hours of the market. Between them, she and Eugenia would just have one day each on which to make some money.

‘It’s not closing altogether. Once spring comes, there will be more fresh vegetables to sell and later the fruit.’ Her face must have shown her disappointment. ‘I’m sorry, but it’s the same for all of us.’

She knew it was, but it didn’t help lift the weight in her chest as she wondered how she was going to break the news to Michaíl. Everyone had been so cheerful on the day of Agios Nikolaos, so why had things got so bad in a matter of weeks?

Michaíl and Tom were sitting outside as she approached the taverna, Michaíl with worry beads in hand as always. The sun shone and Eléni played alongside them with Kynigós.

‘Here comes the worker.’ Tom flashed one of his smiles at her. ‘But you’re not usually home this early. Sold out, eh?’

His face dropped when he noticed the bag at her side, weighing her down.

‘I wish I had. There’s no money about. The owner is reducing the days the market will be open. One day each — that’s all Eugenia and I will be working there.’

She hated seeing Michaíl’s face become serious. He stood and entered the taverna.

‘Michaíl. I’m sorry.’

Tom put an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. ‘Try not to worry. He just wishes things would improve so he doesn’t have to rely on you so much.’

* * *

Later that afternoon, with just one day left before Tom had to return to his ship, he and Cassia walked out of Fiscardo hand in hand.

She didn’t mind who saw them now. They’d told Michaíl and Eugenia, who’d both wished them well.

If word gets back to Mamá. what can she do?

I’m a free woman, and she disapproves of anything and everything I do.

She was convinced her mother deliberately made sure they would avoid each other, whereas Eugenia reported that on the days she ran the stall, their mother always came in to see her.

When Eugenia had first admitted this, Cassia had felt a pang of envy, but she hadn’t been surprised.

Their encounter the first time she’d seen her mother since she’d returned to Fiscardo hadn’t ended well.

On Cassia’s suggestion, she and Tom walked to a pretty cove hidden from view not far from the village.

They walked down the narrow track to where the turquoise water glowed in the sunlight.

The creamy-white beach Cassia knew would be fine shingle when they got down there formed a half-moon shape, surrounded by rocks.

‘I wanted to show you this. Isn’t it beautiful?

No desolate buildings, no people worrying about where the next meal is coming from, no queues of people leaving.

Just look at it. How can anyone leave a place like this?

’ Tom didn’t comment. ‘Come on, it’s quite a steep path to get down there.

’ A strong breeze blew Cassia’s long black hair behind her as she led the way down to the cove.

Once they were there and sheltered by the cliffs, the air was much warmer for a December day. The wind had dropped.

Tom pulled Cassia in close and kissed her. Cassia’s stomach flipped as her body responded to him. He took off his jacket and spread it on the fine shingle.

‘This will have to do for a travel rug.’ He patted the jacket. ‘Come and sit by me. I want this day to be perfect, for you to forget all about the market and your worries.’

Cassia sat beside him and they fell back together with their arms entwined. Tom sought out her lips. ‘I’m going to miss you.’

Her voice became scratchy. ‘I don’t want you to go. How will I manage without you? Eléni will miss you so much.’ Her eyes filled with tears. ‘No one can get her to open up like you do. Because of you, she’s trying to say a few words. I’ll always be grateful for that.’

He kissed her tenderly. ‘When I left you both at Eugenia’s last time, I was leaving a much-loved friend and her little girl.

That was hard enough, not knowing if you wanted to see me again.

But this time it’s different. This time I know you love me too and all I can think about is that.

’ He sat up. ‘You asked me why I looked into the people emigrating and I told you I found out for you. Well, I have something to put to you.’

Cassia’s heart skipped a beat. Her mind whirred with ideas of what he was going to say.