Page 25 of The Silent Sister

Cassia hardly slept a wink that night. Her head was full of what she and Tom had talked about earlier.

She tried to imagine Eléni’s face when she found out Tom had come back and contrasted that to when the little girl would have to say goodbye to Michaíl.

What would Cassia’s wedding day be like?

Her first wedding had been a secret affair in Argostoli with just a handful of their partisan friends present.

In the darkness of the bedroom, she remembered Nikos’s face as he’d turned to watch her join him at the altar. His shoulder-length black hair had framed his handsome bronzed face and his ebony eyes had sparkled with love.

‘You look stunningly beautiful,’ he’d whispered when she reached his side. ‘ Ekpliktiká ómorfi. ’

Tears trickled onto her pillow. It had been so different from the lavish Greek Orthodox three-day wedding her parents had apparently put on for Eugenia.

If only they’d known then what Georgios was like!

Cassia’s wedding to Tom was also going to be a modest affair and another perfect day.

Running alongside these thoughts was the farewell to Michaíl, one she was dreading.

She went to Eléni’s bed and the little girl’s eyes fluttered open.

‘Kaliméra, agápi mou. ’ Eléni stretched. ‘There’s a surprise waiting for you downstairs.’

It didn’t take long for Eléni to jump out of bed and make her way to the kitchen. She opened her arms wide as if to ask, What?

‘Try the living room.’

Cassia followed the little girl, only to hear a shriek. ‘Tom... Baba.’

Tom sat holding Eléni, who had a smile as wide as her face.

‘ Kaliméra. I’ve missed you, cariad .’

‘You said it was Tom’s boat out in the bay. You were right.’ Cassia smiled at her daughter.

It wasn’t long before they were joined by Michaíl. Deep shadows under his eyes suggested he hadn’t slept either.

‘Well, this is a surprise to find you here.’ He embraced his sailor friend.

‘ Kaliméra. I have some time off and I thought I’d come to see you. I’d like to accompany you on the ferry journey, if that’s all right?’

Cassia watched as the two men fell into conversation, completely at ease with one another. She went to cook breakfast and make coffee when she heard Tom’s voice calling her back.

‘We’ve got something to tell you both.’

Before he could continue, Eléni pointed at them in turn. ‘Ma-má, Tom.’ She then pointed at her heart, followed by kissing noises.

Tom laughed. ‘You already know! What Eléni is saying is Cassia and I love each other, and I’ve asked her to marry me. What do you think was her answer, Eléni?’

The little girl nodded her head.

‘That’s right. She said yes.’ Tom put his arm around Cassia.

Michaíl had tears in his eyes. ‘I’m so pleased. Anyone could see you were in love. I just hoped when you left, Tom, you’d be back to marry her. I hope you will both be as happy as me and Cora were.’

* * *

Before Tom and Michaíl left, Dr Alexatos arrived as he’d promised.

‘I am very pleased you have someone to accompany you on the journey.’ He turned to Tom. ‘He should be fine, but please don’t let him exert himself. Once you find a seat for him, it’s best not to let him move round too much.’

He took the old man’s hand and shook it. ‘ Antío . Goodbye, Kyrios Pavlis. Safe journey.’

The motorboat taking them to the ferry in Sami was due to leave at eleven o’clock.

It was a short distance from Taverna Zervas to where it was moored.

For Michaíl’s sake, Cassia was glad no one else knew of the actual day he was leaving.

It was difficult enough for the old man to leave his home and say farewell to her and Eléni.

Hugging them both, Michaíl whispered, ‘ Antío sas.’ His eyes were glassy with unshed tears, but his stoicism did not allow them to fall. Tom led him onto the boat.

The hooter sounded. Cassia and Eléni watched as the motorboat manoeuvred out into the open Ionian Sea. God bless you, Michaíl. I will never forget you. Cassia squeezed Eléni’s hand. ‘Tom will look after him on his journey.’

They walked back to the taverna in silence.

In spite of her young age, Eléni seemed to sense the serious nature of the occasion and kept looking at Cassia with concern.

In her short life, she’d experienced more tragedy and heartache than any three-year-old should have to deal with.

What will she remember when she’s older? wondered Cassia.

* * *

It was late when Tom arrived back from Patras.

Cassia rushed into his arms. ‘ Efcharistó. Thank you for what you did for Michaíl today. Was he all right on the journey? What was his sister like?’

‘Slow down. Let me get in through the door first.’

Cassia poured him a drink. They went into the living room and Tom recounted everything about the day.

‘Once he’d said goodbye to you and Eléni, he relaxed.

In some ways, I think it did him good before all the emotion of seeing his sister again.

We had a long chat about our future. I understood a lot of what he was saying now that I’ve learned more Greek, thank goodness.

How I was to do my best by you. It was just like a talk with the bride’s father I’ve heard my mates talk about.

’ Tom paused to sip his beer. ‘When we docked in Patras, his sister and his nephew were waiting for him. It was obvious she was shocked by his appearance, even though it had only been a matter of weeks since he’d last seen her. ’

Michaíl’s poor sister was going to have to watch her brother waste away. Yes, it had been a shock when Nikos died. There was no time for preparation — one minute he was there, and wiped out the next. But Cassia didn’t have to see him suffer and could remember him as the healthy young man he’d been.

‘As I left, Michaíl handed me this. It’s addressed to you.’

Cassia took the letter and not knowing what it could be about, she opened it, her heart racing. She began reading aloud.

Agapití Cassia,

I want to thank you for making my last days happy ones. Seeing you and your little one every day has made this old man very happy.

Tavernas are kept within families and I am leaving Taverna Zervas to my nephew, Milos.

But in a very short time, I’ve come to think of you and Eléni as family too, so I have made arrangements for you to have a home here for as long as you need it.

Times are hard in Kefalonia at the moment but it will get better, I am sure of it.

When I visited Patras last time, I told Milos of my plans.

He has no intention of coming to live in Taverna Zervas and is happy for you and Eléni to continue living here as you are doing.

Me agápi ,

Michaíl

Her eyes misted. ‘What a lovely thing to do. Look, the letter was dated a few weeks ago. Before he knew we were getting married.’

‘He never mentioned anything about this to me. He certainly didn’t mention us emigrating to Wales. He must have thought a lot about how you were going to manage on your own.’ He placed an arm around Cassia and they sat in silence remembering Michaíl.

* * *

Later that night, Eléni woke screaming. She hadn’t had a nightmare since the one in Eugenia’s house when Georgios had been so unkind. She shuddered and cowered under her blanket, her arms covering her head.

Cassia soothed and calmed her, but it was a reminder that the slightest change in circumstances could unsettle the little girl. Tom appeared at the door.

‘Is she all right?’ he whispered.

Cassia nodded and was pleased when he left her to comfort Eléni alone.

She carried Eléni to her own bed and she went back to sleep as Cassia lay down.

In the darkness, Cassia reflected on what had just happened.

It was clearly a reaction to Michaíl leaving and sensing the emotions associated with that.

What is she going to be like when we move away from here?

What if she reverts to her nightmares when we get to Wales?

Was it fair to uproot her again? Eléni was clearly very happy to know Tom and Cassia were going to get married, but wouldn’t be able to grasp the implications of emigrating thousands of miles away.

She would sense if Cassia was unhappy, and she wondered if moving to Wales was the right thing.

Tom would be at sea for such long periods — could she manage on her own in a foreign country?

Michaíl’s letter had changed things. What if they got married and stayed in Fiscardo?

Her problem at the moment was a lack of money, but she could apply for the job advertised by Dr Alexatos.

She and Tom could start up the taverna in their name, even start providing food again.

Eléni could start at the school she and Eugenia had attended.

She’d perhaps be in the same class as Maia.

Tom could send her money in the bars of soap, as he’d told her.

They would manage — they could make a life for themselves in Fiscardo, couldn’t they?

Wondering how she was going to break it to Tom, she drifted off to sleep.