My Big Fat Christmas Wedding (18 page)

I was still smiling a couple of hours later, after I walked Grandma back. The streets were empty, save for a couple of stray dogs and fairy lights twinkling in front of shops. I avoided going into the taverna and made Grandma promise not to tell them I’d be walking back alone. Taxos was one of the safest places on the planet. Plus I swore her to secrecy over my plans. I didn’t want to tell Niko about them until I’d got some firm details and at least spoken to Orion Lakis and had built a strong case for us getting back together. A few days should be long enough. On Thursday I would put forward all my reasons for staying and just hope that, by then, he hadn’t gone ahead and spoken to the priest and locals. I bit my lip. If he did, I would just have to deal with that when it happened. Perhaps I’d laugh it off with people – say Niko still wasn’t well and the doctors said he might behave strangely for a few days. Anyway, he’d looked so washed out in the hospital, I doubted he’d have much energy this week for the stress of cancelling a wedding.

I strolled back up the high street, a twist in my stomach now unfurled. A twist that had built up over the last few weeks. Despite Niko and I falling out, somehow my future now seemed more secure than ever. Henrik was wrong – I hadn’t had just a holiday fling. All the summers of my formative years had been spent in Taxos. Now I was enjoying a full-blown, mature romance with the Greek island, for better or worse.

A noise made me turn around – just as well, perhaps, with my soppiness. Was that a muffled sob? Slow footsteps approached.

‘Miss Valli?’ It was the retired head teacher I’d seen at the butcher’s a while back. Mournful black eyes peered out of her face, contrasting with her bright turquoise anorak. ‘What’s the matter?’

She dabbed her face with a handkerchief. ‘Excuse me. Not normally so emotional, but… I was going to bed. Had a nice day with my niece. Have just been dropped home and my darling dog is missing.’

‘Oh no.’ I leant forward and gave her a hug. Not another one. Honestly, what was it with dogs in Taxos?

‘He wanted to play with some strays this morning, but I pulled him back. Then stupidly, today, I was in a hurry when my niece arrived and left the back door unlatched.’

‘You go home. In case he returns. No doubt he’s just roaming the streets with his new friends.’ I stepped back. ‘Don’t worry. I’ll rally the villagers – a group of us will put together a search. I’m sure he’ll be back home before you can say “Happy Christmas”. Life on the streets won’t seem so appealing when dinner time comes.’

‘You a kind girl. Thank you. Perhaps he will return on his own.’

After informing me of her dog’s usual favourite places to walk, Miss Valli sniffed and headed back down the road. I took stock for a moment. Which villagers wouldn’t mind being disturbed on Christmas Day? My face broke into a smile. All of them, if I was honest, and that wasn’t anything to do with living in a tight community. It was the same in Kos Town – attempt to speak a little Greek, for example, and a local would do their very best to help you with a problem. Perhaps it was the open, outdoor island life that made Kos people happy to open their hearts and doors. Of course, there was always the odd exception. Yanis sprang to mind.

Yanis…the butcher’s… I tried to put myself into the head of Miss Valli’s missing dog. The Manos’ home would sound and smell appealing, with the aroma of raw meat and company of rescued dogs. It was worth a shot, before disturbing other villagers. I headed towards the butcher’s and in the distance spotted the pottery. All its lights were off. Demetrios had been spending Christmas with his brother’s family, further up the coastline. I glanced back up the road behind me, towards the Vesteros’ hotel. Music and chat wafted across from the building. I could ask for help in there, but I didn’t want to risk Mrs Vesteros getting upset. It was only a couple of weeks since her adorable dog, Otis, had drowned.

Walking slowly, I approached the butcher’s and turned into the little alleyway by its left side. This led to the building that housed their big refrigerators, and the back garden. Only the occasional bark shot over the fence. Mrs Manos mentioned once that if it wasn’t raining, they gave the dogs free run of the garden overnight. I shivered and pulled down my woolly hat. The gate was padlocked. I glanced at a nearby dustbin. Behind it was a dip under the fence. I crouched down. Was that big enough for Miss Valli’s dog to get in? Claw marks were visible on the ground.

If I stood on the dustbin I could peek over, just to check, without disturbing anyone – especially aggressive Yanis. Pulse quickening, I hauled myself up in slow motion, to avoid making the slightest noise. Afterwards I would head over to Pandora’s. She wasn’t a good sleeper and would help me search the village. Perhaps Miss Valli’s dog was down by the shoreline. Looking around me first, I pulled myself up on tip-toe, so that I could see over the fence.

Through the darkness, I squinted and caught the eye of one dog. Urgh. Big mistake. It gave the loudest yap. This resulted in the other one joining in. There was no sign of Miss Valli’s dog and I was just about to step down when, aarghh! Fingers curled around my ankle and gripped my leg tight.

Chapter Fourteen

‘Get off!’ I shouted, blood pumping around my body as if it was seeking a fire to extinguish. Indeed, my throat felt aflame as acid backed up from my stomach. ‘I haven’t got my purse on me,’ I said in English, between gritted teeth, struggling to think of the words in Greek.

The dogs barked more loudly and I shook my leg vigorously.

‘Careful, Pippa!’

With a deep breath, I glanced down. Oh no. Yanis.

Yet the downturned mouth and dull eyes didn’t hint that a fist or foul words were heading my way. Instead, weariness shrouded his face. With limp shoulders, he nevertheless held firm. ‘I don’t want you to fall, that’s all,’ he muttered and reached up with his hand.

Staring at his fingers, I swallowed.

‘Pippa!’ he said indignantly. ‘I have never intended any harm and never would. Your ThinkBig friend got it wrong. Now it is cold…come inside for a hot drink.’

Wasn’t as if I had much choice. Reluctantly I took his hand and jumped down from the bin. As soon as I hit the ground, I pulled my fingers away, half-intending to run. However Yanis made no move to follow.

‘Coffee?’ he said, barely meeting my gaze.

I scrutinised his face. The pallid complexion. Those lacklustre eyes. The unshaven cheeks. By all accounts Yanis was a good man – or used to be, in the days when he socialised in the village.

‘I never meant to hurt you, that day you fell over in the street,’ he mumbled, as we headed towards his back door. ‘I lost all sense for a few moments. No excuse but honestly, Pippa, just before that Henrik arrived, I was going to help you up.’ He turned around and gave me a wry smile. ‘Mama was furious and told me off so loudly when you’d left, that I felt about five.’

‘Hmm, Grandma Sotiropoulos has the knack of doing that.’ We exchanged looks. ‘Okay. Coffee.’

Nothing more was said until we sat down in the cluttered kitchen, each of us behind a steaming mug. He passed me a slice of ginger and fig baklava.

‘Happy Christmas,’ he mumbled. And then…oh no. His head fell into his hands and he kind of gulped.

‘Oh, Yanis,’ I said softly, and reached forwards to squeeze his shoulder. ‘What’s the matter? The other day, why were you so…so…’

‘Quick to lose my temper?’ He looked up, eyelashes wet.

The staircase creaked and Mrs Manos appeared in a kaftan covered with a big, blue shawl. Her normally tied-up hair hung down in wispy ringlets.

‘Pippa?’ she said. ‘Son? What is going on?’

‘I found Pippa looking over our wall,’ he mumbled and suddenly looked puzzled. He hadn’t even thought to ask what I was doing. I studied his haggard face, old before its time.

‘Now Miss Valli’s dog has run off. I thought it might have been looking for company amongst your strays. Then Yanis appeared and…’ I shook as a shiver ran up my spine.

‘Don’t judge him too harshly, Pippa,’ said Mrs Manos. ‘Things have been desperate.’

I gazed at her gaunt face, lined and sallow.

‘Why not pour yourself a drink and join us?’ I said and smiled.

‘Mr Manos would be so ashamed,’ she mumbled, five minutes later as she sat next to her son.

‘Why?’ I asked.

‘Since he died, our lives seem to have fallen apart.’ A tear trickled down her face and she tugged on a ringlet of hair. ‘He always insisted, however tight money was, that I go to the beauty salon. But without him around I spend the money on more important things.’ She smiled through her tears. ‘He was a wonderful husband. I worry that we are letting him down.’

‘Don’t ever think that.’ I reached across the table and patted her arm. ‘I’m sure he would be proud – you have taken in your family. You are all pulling together to survive. What more could he ask?’

‘That I take the place of head of the family, now he is gone,’ blurted out Yanis. ‘But look at me. No home of my own. A young son with shoes half a size too small because we can’t afford new ones. Me, a man who can’t offer his widowed mother a comfortable retirement.’

My eyes felt wet too. Despite all the physical hardships, it was their pride that had been most hurt.

‘How is your wife, Yanis? We don’t see her often in the village.’

He took a large mouthful of coffee and then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. ‘Maria… She’s not been well. Mama took our little boy to school before term ended so that she could stay at home. Her brother committed suicide,’ said Yanis.

‘I did hear – and I’m so sorry,’ I said.

Yanis nodded. ‘A decent man – but he lost everything the last few years. His business. His wife. His home. He ended up living on the streets. We said to come live with us.’ Yanis looked around. ‘No much room, but he could have had the sofa. But Maria’s brother had his dignity.’ He took another glug of coffee. ‘Maria became depressed and living in the caravan is not helping. She needs counselling but our medical services here in Greece are not what they were. The doctor says everyone is depressed. The waiting list is long.’

‘Can’t he give her tablets?’

‘We managed to get some, but they don’t seem to help. It’s difficult not to focus on the unfairness of life – like Maria losing her job at the deli.’ Yanis’ fists curled. ‘They wouldn’t admit it – said they had to let her go because of the recession. But she’d been there the longest and I’ve no doubt was their hardest worker.’ He scowled. ‘It was obvious to us that he got rid of Maria because she had missed a couple of days due to feeling down. You know, she was their best pie-maker by far. People came into that shop just to buy her lamb and beef filo pastries. Maria didn’t even reveal her special mix of herbs to the deli’s owner. It was a recipe passed down throughout her family.’

Warmed by the pride in Yanis’ voice, I bit into the baklava.

‘So has Maria never served behind the counter here?’

‘Yes. When my son first moved back,’ said Mrs Manos. ‘But Maria found the chat of the customers – that we usually love – too much. Their sorrow over the loss of her brother and old job… Maria simply didn’t want to talk about it.’

Yanis dropped his head into his hands again. ‘Some days I hate myself. Me, Yanis Manos, I should be able to follow in my dad’s footsteps and look after my family, no matter what. But I can’t find any well-paid work to get Maria private counselling and whilst she is ill, I can’t do without my mother in the butcher’s. I…’ His voice broke. ‘I fail everyone. Then sometimes it all gets too much and I explode – like the time you visited to give us scones.’

‘Oh Yanis…’ No wonder he’d become something of a hermit.

‘Now, now,’ said Mrs Manos and rubbed his back. ‘Don’t fret, Yanis. You do your best. We manage.’

Yanis didn’t reply and my thoughts skipped back to Maria’s brother’s suicide. More and more impoverished Greeks, over recent years, had taken their own lives. I gazed at them both, stood up, and went to his side. I crouched down and slipped an arm around his shoulder. ‘I’ll do whatever I can to help. And it’s not charity – it’s just neighbours looking out for one another. That’s the only way any of us are going to get through these hard times.’

‘
Efharisto
, Pippa…’ said Yanis. ‘For…for…’

‘For just doing what you would do, if circumstances were different. I’ve heard the stories of how you used to help out elderly villagers with their home improvements. And I don’t know many people prepared to look after stray dogs. You have a good heart.’ I got to my feet and turned up my coat collar. ‘Perhaps I could visit you later in the week and see Maria? She must be lonely here, in the caravan.’

‘Maybe,’ said Mrs Manos. ‘I will talk to her. It is true, on top of everything else, she does miss her friends at the deli.’

‘I’ll come by. With scones.’

Mrs Manos gave a small smile. ‘Dear Pippa. You truly believe scones are a magic weapon against our country’s misery?’

‘No, but something sweet and satisfying can’t make matters worse – as long as Yanis doesn’t toss them across the floor.’

Despite everything, the butcher’s son’s mouth upturned. ‘Come on,’ he muttered. ‘I help you look for Mrs Valli’s dog.’

When I finally arrived back at the villa that night, and sunk my teeth into one of the clove and orange scones I’d made for the fair, I mulled over the Manos’ situation. Never more did anyone need a Christmas miracle. Never more did a family deserve one. My feet ached from all the walking Yanis and I had done. He had been determined to find the missing dog and, sure enough, we eventually did – back at Mrs Valli’s house, waiting to be let in.

My chest tightened. Although I could do with my own miracle – that is, my fiancé once again holding me close – my visit to the Manos’ house tonight had also given me some perspective. I had a job. My health. A comfortable bed for the night. Everyone on this island had problems – and, like them, I had to find some inner fight to deal with mine.

My eyes pricked as I thought of Niko meeting this Cleo. With her tinkly little laugh and flirtatious toss of the head, perhaps she’d be a tonic for him – as long as she was nothing more than that and didn’t encourage him to stick to his decision to call off the wedding.