CHAPTER 26
________
MARIA
When the doctor who performed the surgery on my right knee informed me it was time to do the left, I told him I’d think about it.
“What’s there to think about?” he asked. “Look how well you’ve recovered from the last operation. It’s given you a new lease on life. I can have you booked in for surgery in three weeks.”
“Yes, but I have one hundred and three steps to walk down in a month’s time,” I told him.
He didn’t seem to understand. I patted his hand and told him not to worry. We’d talk again after the summer.
You see, there was no way that I was going to be impeded by another operation this coming summer. Because, as I stand at the top of the steps now, looking out over my beloved sea, my heart swells at the thought of what is waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs.
My beautiful niece Lily, who’s really more of a granddaughter to me, holds my hand as we start to walk down the steps. She’s also holding a bouquet of white roses in her other hand, and her beautiful dark hair is braided into a stunning rope that’s looped around the back of her head and held together with ivory pins. Her soft blue satin dress is the color of the Aegean on a calm summer’s day, bringing out the brightness of her eyes.
“One at a time, Yaya,” she reminds me. “Are you okay?”
“Of course,” I reply. “Strong as an ox. And by the way, you look lovely.”
She smiles. I can see Eva in her face. We walk down the steps and at the bottom, on the black sand, are forty chairs, split into two sets of twenty. One set for each side of the family. Down the center runs a wooden walkway, and at the end thereof, stands a man with his back to me, wearing a dark suit.
He turns around and grins broadly, and my heart fills with joy at the sight of him. Words cannot express how proud I am of him, of how proud I’ve always been of him. His eyes are gleaming, and he glances expectantly toward the top of the steps. I waggle my finger at him, telling him to turn around again.
It’s not time for him to see her just yet.
We are the last to sit down, Lily and I, and I take my seat next to Anna, who tuts at me. “What’s wrong?” I hiss.
“You’ve just stepped on my toe,” she whispers back. I dismiss her with a wave of my hand. “Don’t worry. You have nine good ones left.” She never stops complaining.
And then the music begins to play, and we’re asked to stand as the bride arrives. As we do, I look over at Nick, who’s taking deep breaths. I don’t turn around just yet; instead, I want to see the expression on his face.
Then it happens, and I can’t help but cry with joy. Because the expression on his face as he sees her, tells the whole story.
I turn to look at her, too.
In her beautiful silk gown, the strapless design showing off her slim shoulders and fair skin, Eva looks the picture of happiness as her father walks her down the aisle. Her face is radiant, her jet-black hair hanging loosely around her shoulders, shining in the evening sun. She looks at Nick with sheer adoration, and he stares back at her in exactly the same way.
Sadly, she’s not Greek Orthodox, but then nobody’s perfect, I suppose.
The minister asks that the bride and groom to join hands, and Eva passes Lily her bouquet with a smile. The three of them stand together on the sand as the service begins.
My left knee creaks as I sit down again, reminding me of the operation I’ll have when I get back to America.
But, for now, I sit back and watch how two beautiful souls are joined together by the grace of God. I cross my chest and utter a silent prayer of thanks for my arthritis. Without it, Eva and Nick may never have met again, and that would have simply been a Greek tragedy.
Because they were meant to be. There’s no doubt about that.
I just hope they have a little girl soon and I’d like to think they’ll name her after me. There couldn’t be enough Marias in the world, I think to myself.
And if you don’t agree, you’re welcome to ask the Holy Virgin herself what she thinks about that.
~ Fine ~