Chapter 6
Emma woke to an empty bed and frowned as she sat up looking around for Nikos. Her mind was fuzzy from finishing the bottle of wine with him on the balcony last night. He had held her in his lap in an easy silence as they sipped their wine and sat with their thoughts. When the bottle was empty, he had carried her to the bed and made love to her again, slowly, completely. There was no quest to vanquish shadows of the past as his body moved in harmony with hers. Driven by passion and love, each moment of pleasure led to another until they both had found an exhausted peace as sleep had ushered them into the world beyond.
Emma smiled as she thought of it, of Nikos, of this new and unexpected turn in her life. She was supposed to be running, but every moment she stayed with him another root formed, attaching her more firmly to him. Thoughts of leaving that used to hound her every step had become fleeting and occasional. She drew in a deep breath and resolved that today would be the day to come clean.
She saw a note as she wandered down to the kitchen after finding the office, bathroom, and balcony empty.
Emma,
I didn’t want to wake you. I love you and will see you this evening.
A woman named Maria will be round about 10:00. She is the housekeeper and will also be your translator, guide, and anything else you need from her. You should probably take her and go shopping today. Remember you need a party dress for tomorrow.
Nikos
She wrinkled her nose at the note. Nikos had told her yesterday at lunch that there was a big company shindig tomorrow evening. She had immediately protested, but knew she couldn’t expect to hide in at the townhouse forever. She had known when they had come to Athens that she would have to socialize. Once upon a time, she had loved a party. She had danced and flirted, happy and carefree. But that Emma had been left crumpled on the cold concrete floor replaced by one who preferred shadows and invisibility.
The sound of the door opening interrupted her rapidly darkening thoughts. Emma glanced at the clock- 10:00. Maria was apparently quite punctual. She ran her fingers through her hair and pulled her robe tightly around her. Embarrassment settled in her stomach as realized that it was midmorning and she hadn’t even brushed her teeth.
A petite woman with a solid build and smooth olive skin walked into the kitchen. She gave Emma a bright smile. “Good morning. I am Maria.” She looked Emma up and down and gave an approving nod. With several quick steps, she crossed the kitchen and folded Emma in a tight hug with a quick peck on each cheek. “Nikos told me much about you. He loves you very much.”
Emma stood awkwardly in the woman’s embrace and tried to think of a response as her mind turned over the words. Hearing Nikos profess his love was one thing, to hear another speak so confidently in it was an entirely different matter. Maria saved her the effort of replying.
“We are going shopping, yes?” Maria released her and pulled coffee from the cabinet. “You get ready and I will make some breakfast. You cannot shop on an empty stomach.”
Emma allowed herself to be shooed from the kitchen. She returned about 20 minutes later to the smell of fresh brewed coffee, well buttered toast and jam, and a bowl of fresh fruit. Maria set it in front of her and bustled about the house until Emma couldn’t stand it anymore. The thought of someone cleaning after her made her crazy. She and Nikos didn’t need a housekeeper, and she resolved to speak to him about it. She quickly ate her breakfast and cleaned up the kitchen before Maria could do it.
“You are ready for the shopping, yes,” Maria asked with a raise of her brow. Emma nodded as she polished off her coffee and rinsed the mug. “Then let us go. You are small like me. We will go first to Bettina.”
Bettina was indeed the first of many shops. Maria was a dynamo with boundless energy, and Emma found herself hard pressed to keep up with the older woman. She was kind, funny, and intelligent. Emma enjoyed her company immensely even if her feet were sore after pounding up and down the streets of Kolonaki, the fashion district of Athens, in Maria’s wake.
Finally, Emma called a time out for a snack and coffee. Maria looked at her like she was wimp but good naturedly steered them into a nearby café. They took an outdoor table close to the building and offered a view of the bustling street. They ordered and Maria disappeared inside to go to the bathroom. Emma relaxed back in her chair and watched the crowd. Her gaze slid over the faceless mob until it caught on a man, leaning on a light post just down from the café. He had been outside of one of the shops they had just left. Emma’s pulse immediately quickened as her old instincts kicked in. Mentally, she reviewed the rest of their stops, and she felt certain she had actually seen the man outside a couple of other shops.
Forcing herself to remain calm, she looked at him closely, but circumspectly. She did not recognize the tall, spare framed man with dirty blond curls that needed a cut. His clothes were slightly rumpled like they had been hastily packed in a suitcase. He looked past her down the street and raised a hand in greeting to someone before pushing off from the post and walking past the café. Emma watched him carefully as he walked past, but resisted the temptation to stand and see who he was meeting.
He is just some random tourist who is stuck shopping with his wife, she chided her overactive imagination. It didn’t help. All the old paranoia filled her mind. She wanted to slide out the back entrance of the café and get lost in the crowd. She couldn’t resist putting on a hat and scarf they had bought earlier and shifted their table to give her a view of the street in the direction the stranger had disappeared. Maria raised a heavy black eyebrow at her change in appearance and table location, but didn’t say anything.
“You know, Maria, I’m ready to call it a day. I’m beat,” Emma said as the waiter brought their coffee and sandwiches.
“You are tired? I thought American girls loved to shop. What do they call them- shop-alcoholics?” The older woman dug into her sandwich.
Emma giggled despite herself. Maria’s use of slang needed a bit of work. “Shop-a-holic- not alcoholic. Two different vices. I’ve never been a big shopper, truth be told.”
“You should always tell the truth,” Maria replied nodding and sipping her coffee.
Emma bolted her sandwich and drained her coffee. Again, one dark brow rose. “I was hungry,” Emma said wanting Maria to stop looking at her like she was acting weird- even though she was. She couldn’t help the scan of the street her eyes preformed automatically every 30 seconds or the constant fidgeting of her restless body. She felt exposed and nervous. When the older woman finally sat her empty coffee cup down, Emma practically jumped out of her chair. She tossed far too much money on the table and grabbed Maria’s arm, towing her toward the sidewalk.
Emma insisted they catch a cab immediately and was relieved when she saw no further sign of the blond man. On the ride to the townhouse, she finally struck a deal with Maria that Emma would do the day to day cleaning and Maria would do the laundry and the grocery shopping. It was a hard negotiation, but Emma had won her over eventually. The anxiety souring her stomach prevented her from enjoying the small victory as she watched the city move past her window.