Page 9 of The Silent Sister

Cassia helped Eugenia prepare the evening meal, realising how life had carried on almost as normal there in Fiscardo.

Back in Argostoli, she’d had to make do with meagre meals, which had to be shared between hundreds of homeless people, and she remembered how desperate they’d been until food supplies had finally got through.

‘Did you notice Tom referred to you as Eléni’s mamá. She didn’t react, did she? I’ll carry on doing the same, shall I?’

Cassia started on the Greek salad. She cut a slab of feta and placed it over the wedges of tomatoes, black olives preserved from last year and thick chunks of cucumber, before drizzling olive oil over the large serving bowl.

‘But it doesn’t seem right, does it? I’ll never be her mamá.

Yet, we can’t stay hidden here forever — I need to get a place of my own in Fiscardo — so perhaps it would make it easier to be accepted.

Is that being very disrespectful to Eléni’s mother?

What if, when Eléni eventually speaks, she remembers her mamá and knows it’s a lie?

She’d never forgive me. There’s enough of a barrier there already.

It was Tom she trusted and now he’s gone.

’ Cassia placed the bowl down, her body wracked with sobs.

Eugenia put her arm around her sister. ‘I’ll do whatever you want, but you’re not going anywhere yet.

You can stay as long as you want. If you do decide to carry on with what Tom called you, we have to start now.

There can be no switching from Cassia to Mamá.

Isn’t that what children who are adopted call their new mothers?

Dry your eyes and let’s enjoy our meal. A glass of retsina to celebrate our reunion? ’

Through the tears, Cassia whispered, ‘ Nai, parakaló. ’

Cassia had been proud to be considered an independent, resourceful woman since Nikos had died, but the events of the twelfth of August had changed everything.

She’d relied heavily on Tom’s support and now her little sister was taking charge.

Because Eléni did not — could not — speak to her, Cassia had no idea what the little girl remembered.

Could a trauma steal your memories? What if Eléni not reacting to Tom calling Cassia her mother meant she didn’t remember the woman lying motionless beside her under the rubble?

Her real mother. Surely, the harrowing nightmares she’d suffered from when the quake had just happened had been her reliving the tragedy.

Cassia carried out the bowl of salad and placed it on a long table in the shade of a wooden construction covered with a vine in full leaf and laden with clusters of black grapes. Eugenia laid the table and brought out bread and the bottle of wine.

‘Can you call the girls while I get their drinks?’ Eugenia went back inside.

Cassia found them playing with two little stray kittens at the front of the house.

For a moment, she watched them. Eléni held the tabby ball of fluff in the crook of her arm while she gently stroked the tiny creature with her other hand.

When Maia chatted about her little grey kitten, Eléni smiled and nodded.

Occasionally, she stopped stroking the little cat and used her hand to point and communicate.

‘Time to eat, girls,’ Cassia called. Before she could say any more, Eléni placed the kitten down and replaced her smile with a scowl.

‘Theía Cassia, do you like the kittens? I’m calling mine Calix because he’s very handsome. Can you help Eléni name hers? Mamá says hers is a girl.’

Eléni put her kitten down and walked back to the house.

‘They’re both lovely. Thank you for giving one to Eléni. I’ll think of some names for her. Now let’s go back and eat our meal.’

By the time they got to the table, Eléni was already eating.

‘Someone’s hungry and couldn’t wait.’ Eugenia laughed. ‘It’s good, eh?’

The little girl nodded her approval.

Once the meal was over and cleared away, Eugenia made up beds for Cassia and Eléni in the spare room with a view over the pretty cove below.

‘ Efcharistó . I wasn’t sure if you’d turn me away after what happened. I can’t thank you enough.’

‘Why would I turn you away? You’re my sister.’

‘But what is Georgios going to say? He hated me, and certainly he hated Nikos, remember.’

An image of a large, swarthy man ranting at her and attacking Nikos for his political principles came into her head. She wasn’t looking forward to seeing him again.

Eugenia looked serious. ‘You’ve no need to worry about him.

’ There was a sharpness to her words. ‘He left when Maia was two. He hasn’t seen her since.

Bástardos! Seems his fishing trips involved a different type of catch.

In the form of a young girl in Ithaca. I’m running this place on my own and barely making ends meet. It’s just me and Maia now.’

‘Oh, that’s awful. I’m so sorry.’ Although incredibly sad for Eugenia and Maia, Cassia couldn’t help feeling a little relieved.

‘Don’t be. It wasn’t the first time.’

Cassia sensed it was the end of the topic as far as her sister was concerned.

She stood and looked across to the faint shape of Ithaca in the distance.

Word had come through that the earthquake had left havoc there too.

What if Georgios was one of those who’d perished?

Maia would never know her father just as Eléni wouldn’t.

It was as if this part of the island was a different world, a haven of safety.

She made up her mind there and then. She would become Eléni’s mother and bring her up like Eugenia was doing with Maia. Alone.

* * *

Although Eléni wasn’t as responsive with Cassia as she’d been before leaving Argostoli, the scowl disappeared.

Together they’d all watched the sun sink and disappear into the horizon, a fiery orb in an orange-and-deep-coral sky.

Eléni had pointed and smiled. They walked back to the house and found the two kittens playing in the doorway.

Maia squealed, ‘Calix!’ She scooped the ball of grey fluff into her arms. When Eléni saw her pretty kitten, she picked her up too.

‘Shall we give her a name before we go to bed?’ said Cassia.

The little girl smiled and nodded. Cassia, Eugenia and Maia came up with a list and Eléni shook her head at each one offered.

‘Maia’s little cat is Calix, meaning handsome , so what about yours being Callista? It means beautiful, doesn’t it? And she is very beautiful.’ Eugenia’s suggestion was met with approval — Eléni beamed and nodded. Her new friend was Callista.

The first night sleeping in an enclosed room for many weeks seemed strange.

Eléni was allowed to let Callista sleep in with them and seemed very relaxed and happy, falling asleep almost immediately.

But Cassia lay awake, her mind swirling.

As she’d done for months, she looked out at the clear night sky dotted with stars, but that night it was through an open window and not from under a tarpaulin shelter.

She thought of Sophia, hoping it wouldn’t be long before her daughter joined her.

She thought of Arianna missing her little friend.

She thought of Eugenia and Maia. While she tossed and turned, one face kept surfacing as the others faded into the background.

The lightly bronzed face of a sailor with fair hair and hazel-green eyes.

A loud scream shattered her thoughts. The kitten shot out of Eléni’s bed as the little girl sat upright, with her hands held over her ears and her eyes wide with terror.

Cassia rushed over, and Eléni’s body shook as she held her tightly, whispering soothing words. ‘Shh, shh, agápi mou . You’re safe now. Mamá’s got you.’

Gradually, Cassia felt the little girl’s heartbeat slow down against her own chest. Eléni was soaked in perspiration. She stroked her forehead and held her until the little girl became calm again. By this time, Eugenia had appeared at the door.

‘Is she all right?’ she whispered.

Cassia laid Eléni back in her bed and the child shut her eyes straight away. Cassia went to talk to her sister.

‘Yes. I should have warned you. Sorry. She often has these nightmares, but they are getting less frequent. When the quake first happened, it was a couple of times a night. It’s as if she’s not fully awake, but there is real fear in her eyes.

I think she is reliving the horror of what happened to her.

I suppose it has been a long and difficult day for her. Saying goodbye to Sophia and Arianna.’

‘And to Tom.’

‘Yes, and to Tom.’ It had been difficult for Cassia, too.

By this time, Maia had joined them. ‘What was that noise?’

Her mother picked her up. ‘Poor Eléni’s had a nasty dream, but she’s all right now. Let me take you back to bed.’