Sixty-five
Taverna Georgiou
Andras stood, his back against the wall of the restaurant, surveying everything before him. It was the start of evening service and tables were filling for their always sold-out Greek night. Pride coated his insides as he watched the staff he had trained over the years running things like clockwork. It was going to be a hard job to decide who he was going to give the position of manager to. He hadn’t really groomed any of his waiters or waitresses for the role and he was starting to realise that was a mistake. Had he really not thought that one day he would want to grow and expand, not just the business, but himself? He supposed he had been holding back for so long, feeling he had to hold back, needing the solidity of what had grounded him after Elissa had left. He had been afraid to even think of new opportunities until he had been pushed into it by the departure of his brother and been shown something else by Tess.
‘Help me.’ It was Spiros’s voice in his ear and he turned his head, seeing his brother at his shoulder. ‘I have Mama telling me she expects a grandchild within six months and I have Kira telling me she wants to run her own catering business when we get to Parga.’ Spiros shook his head. ‘I do not know which one I fear more, and I am sure it takes longer than six months to grow a baby.’
Andras put a hand on his shoulder. ‘There is nothing to be afraid about. Kira wanting some independence is a good thing.’
‘It is?’ Spiros asked, sounding very unsure.
‘Of course.’ He smiled. ‘If she has a business to look after she will not have time to get bored with you.’
Spiros scowled. ‘This is not the time for jokes. My wedding is tomorrow.’
‘And it is going to be a beautiful day,’ Andras assured him. ‘Perhaps I will soon have good news for you too.’
‘You will?’
‘I went to see the bank today. I am hopeful for a loan from them.’
‘Oh.’
There was something about Spiros’s tone that spiked at him. He did not seem excited or particularly interested about this development.
Andras continued, ‘I know that it will take a week or so for the money to come through, if they agree, but—’
‘Mama has given me the money.’ Spiros dropped his head.
‘What?’ Andras exclaimed.
‘I’m sorry, Andras. We needed some cash to pay some bills on our new house and Mama was there and … I could not say no. I could not afford to say no. But no papers were signed. That is between you and me. We will work it out.’
As much as he wanted to be angry about this development he had held out on his brother for too long. He knew that. He would just have to speak to his mother. Ensure that she realised that the money she had given Spiros was just a loan, that he intended to pay her back and keep control of his business.
‘It is OK,’ he told his brother, patting his shoulder.
‘It is?’
He nodded. ‘Mama and I will work it out. You just concentrate on your wedding and the move … and Kira.’
‘I have nothing to be nervous about, right?’ Spiros asked, putting his hands into the pockets of his jeans and looking rather like someone heading for Death Row.
‘Nothing at all,’ Andras insisted. ‘Except maybe what happened to Uncle Dimitri if you put a foot out of place tomorrow.’
‘Tomorrow I am going to ask her,’ Spiros announced.
‘Ask what?’
‘I am going to ask Mama what happened to Uncle Dimitri.’
Andras smiled. ‘Then you must tell me if it is worse than any of us have imagined.’
Spiros nodded and jostled Andras with his elbow. ‘Very soon you will be free of Mama’s plans for you and Marietta. She will be going back to the south of the island soon.’ Spiros laughed. ‘No more fake girlfriends, huh?’
He smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes. Should he tell his brother the truth? That he had feelings for Tess, feelings that he had never believed would be possible.
‘Spiro …’ he began.
‘Spiro!’ It was their mother, standing in the centre of the room and beckoning her younger son.
‘What have I done this time? The donkey is well again, I have been pinned and measured a thousand times for my costume, my hair is cut shorter than I would like and I have arranged for the pharmacist to make a herbal remedy to try to stop Helena fainting.’ He shook his head. ‘As every day goes by I come to realise why you didn’t get married the traditional way, Andras.’
Andras clapped a hand to his brother’s shoulder. ‘One more day, brother … and everything changes.’
‘Spiro! Come here, your Auntie Tadita wants to dance with you!’
‘Auntie Tadita,’ Spiros said to Andras. ‘Have we met before?’
‘I think she is the one who squeezes a little too hard,’ Andras answered.
‘Andras, they all squeeze too hard.’ Spiros let out a breath. ‘Rescue me if I am not released in fifteen minutes.’