“This is a steep hill, and after a rain it can be very slippery,” said Ravenna, clutching Jack’s arm as they made their way into town. She’d made the journey down the hill hundreds of times before and never needed anything to hold onto, but today was different. She loved holding his arm. She wanted to touch him; she could feel his confidence and his strength.
They laughed as they passed fishing boats bobbing in the harbor, with the old fishermen fixing their nets on the sandy shore and stretching them out along the seawall to dry. Pelicans flew overhead, searching for any leftover tidbits of fish the old fishermen might have tossed into the water. The local pelican mascot of the town, Petros, sat atop of his old pier throne, waiting for the fishermen to feed him. Seagulls swooped in to steal food from the slower-moving, and they began to squawk at each other. The battle was age-old.
Rows and rows of fresh sponges were strung overhead on the long drying racks to cure in the island sun. The morning’s catch of fish was spread out on long wooden trays. The larger fish were hung from hooks on long boards for early morning shoppers. Octopus and squid hung nearby, attracting the most attention from the crowd of old women doing their weekly food shopping.
The two walked past the boats and a sleepy taverna. The taverna would come alive much later that night, when the town came out to dine and dance.
A few motorbikes whizzed shrilly past them, their exhaust pipes leaving clouds of grey-and-white smoke hanging in the air as they hurried by. The bikes made their way through the narrow streets of the town, rushing to their destinations, weaving around the parked cars on the crowded streets. The noisy bikes were everywhere, competing for space on the narrow streets with a fleet of three-wheeled lorries straining under their heavy loads. Their engine noises added to the bustling racket of the morning in the small village. The town was vibrant and alive.
Nicolai rushed to greet Ravenna as she and Jack made their way into town.
“I leave you for one day and look, you have a new escort. What am I to do?” he proclaimed loudly for all of his friends to hear. “Or have you changed your mind? Will you come away with me, my red-haired beauty?”
“No, Nicolai, and you will soon be a married man. Shame on you!” she said in mock horror. “But I do want you to meet a very dear friend of mine from my childhood. Jack Branigan, meet Nicolai Popamaronis.”
“I am pleased to meet you, Mr. Popamaronis.”
“Please, please call me Nicolai or Poppa. Everyone does. You are a lucky man, Mr. Branigan. This temptress here has captured the heart of every man in this village. You are very lucky, very lucky, indeed.”
“Please call me Jack. Ravenna and I have been friends since we were little kids. And yes, I know that I am lucky, indeed. I knew her when her mouth was filled with braces and she had knobby knees.”
“Yes, but look at this beauty now, my friend.”
“Yes, look at her now.” Jack glanced in her direction and watched her lean over to smell the bouquet of fresh blue flowers for sale outside the store. She looked up to catch him watching her and smiled that delightful, enchanting smile of hers, the same way she had years ago. Yes, he remembered that smile.
“Come on you two, cut it out,” said a joking Ravenna. “Nicolai, Jack needs some shaving gear and some clothes. Can you help him find what he’s looking for, please? Jack, what was the name of the hotel on Mykonos where you had reservations?”
“The Prince Edward Hotel. Why?”
“I am going to see if I can get them a message to let them know you will be delayed a week so they won’t cancel your reservation. The harbormaster has the best communication equipment here on the island. Anywhere else and it is hit or miss. I’ll be right back.”
“Great! Good idea. Thanks. I didn’t even think of that.”
She waved and he watched her walk away, her body swaying in the sunshine, moving to the beat of her own drummer. Jack admired her in the distance.
“Follow me, Mr. Jack,” said the old Greek, interrupting Jack’s gaze. He led him inside to look around and showed him what he needed. He took charge piling shirts, t-shirts, jeans, shorts, and other clothes in Jack’s arms for him to try on. He topped the pile with a couple of white Greek tunic shirts and handmade leather sandals.
As they reached the privacy of the rear of the store, Nicolai stopped and took Jack’s arm and whispered. “This red-haired one with the body of a goddess is a very fine woman, my American friend. Today is the happiest I have seen her in the years since I have known her. But know this, Mr. Jack, she is very fragile and sometimes very sad. Please, do not hurt her, please. I would be greatly upset, if you understand my words. Yes?”
“Yes, I understand, Nicolai,” he told him, touched by the old man’s sincerity. “Ravenna and I have been friends since we were little ones, and this is the first time I have seen her in nearly thirty years. I am so happy to see her, my words cannot begin to describe my feelings. Believe me, I would never do anything to harm her, never.”
“Good. Good,” said the old man as he heaved a sigh of relief, now smiling broadly as he patted Jack on his broad shoulders. “Now, follow me. I show you the good stuff.” Jack shopped for another half-hour and was able to find most of what he needed by the time Ravenna returned.
Nicolai produced a bottle from a nearby shelf; it was filled with the islanders’ favorite drink, ouzo. As soon as it was open, the unmistakable scent of licorice permeated the air. They shared a glass of ouzo and toasted one another. “Welcome, my American friend, welcome.”
The glass was refilled with the heavy licorice liqueur; the aroma was wonderful and overwhelming, fiery as it made its descent to his stomach.
“To America,” Nicolai toasted.
“Cheers! And here’s to Greece,” Jack replied. This went on, toast after toast, until the bottle was nearly empty.
“To the goddess Ravenna!”
“To Ravenna, you lucky one.”
Ravenna stood in the doorway watching Jack and Nicolai toast. She could not believe her eyes and her good luck. She felt whole again, having him here by her side. Jack looked up and waved. She smiled.
“I reached the Hotel Manager on Mykonos,” she informed him, “and they will have your room ready and waiting for you. The manager’s name is Chatzko. He said next time you take a ferryboat to Mykonos, look for the three windmills together on the hillside outside the harbor to make sure you have arrived at Mykonos this time,” she said with a laugh.
“You told him I got off at the wrong stop?”
“I didn’t have to. He guessed what happened when you didn’t show up on the ferry. The hotel manager laughed and said they would also leave a message for your family.”
Jack paid Nicolai and thanked him for his help, and as they went to leave, Nicolai asked them, “I see you both tomorrow, yes?”
Ravenna turned to Nicolai, but before she could say anything to object, the old man said, “Tomorrow, six o’clock. Don’t be late! You now have a handsome escort and you are all out of excuses. Yes?”
“Yes,” she said in resignation. “Tomorrow.” She had hoped to have Jack all to herself for the time he was here. She forced a smile as they walked away. Tomorrow I’ll have to share him, she thought. “Jack, how would you like to escort me to a wedding tomorrow? Nicolai is getting married and he has been bugging me to come meet his bride and attend his wedding.”
“Sure, why not? It sounds like fun.”
That was easy enough, she thought.
After shopping at some other stores, they made their way to Plakas, a small, rooftop Greek restaurant. She had become proficient in Greek and amazed Jack as she spoke to the waiter and the cook. She took Jack into the kitchen to show him what they were preparing and to order their lunch. She pointed to the contents of the steaming and bubbling pots on the stove, which emitted the wonderful, fragrant aromas of tomatoes, rosemary, and lamb into the air.
They returned to their table overlooking the harbor to wait for their lunch of goat cheese, tomatoes, and lemon potatoes.
Jack whispered, “I think Nicolai really likes you.”
“Yes, but he’s harmless,” she replied, smiling. “He really does watch over me. Jack, I still can’t believe you are here.” She reached for his hand, tracing an imaginary line on the back of it.
“Me neither,” he said and moved his hand to brush away a pesky fly. His feelings for her were twisted. On the one hand, he wanted to take her in his arms and carry her off, but on the other hand…
“It’s like fate, if you know what I mean?” she said, interrupting his thoughts, her green eyes penetrating his soul. “And do you remember what I was singing when I saw you?”
“Yes,” he said, “it was Carrickfergus, our old favorite.”
“Trevor let me name the bar here after the song. I still remember what my mother used to say: If you wish to see that someone special again, sing Carrickfergus and your wish will be granted. She said it worked for her.”
“Don’t tell me that’s what you were doing?”
“Yes, but it took me over twenty years of singing that song for it to work. But you are here now, and I have you all to myself for a whole week.” She reached for his hand again.
Jack felt awkward and excused himself. “I’ll be right back. I am going to find the washroom.”
He walked past the kitchen and stopped a young server who was bringing them glasses of water. “Excuse me, can you tell me where the restroom is?”
The young boy, all dressed in white, gave him a bewildered look, saying, “Signomi, alla then milao Angleeekah.”
Jack asked again, “Bathroom? Men’s room?”
He got the same anxious, puzzled response. “Signomi, ala then milao Angleeekah.” A perplexed, almost frightened look appeared on the boy’s face.
Then he heard a familiar voice behind him ask, “Yeiá sas. Toualétta, parakalo?”
The server seemed reassured and pointing down some steps, answered, “Deksiá kai aristerá.”
She touched Jack’s shoulder and said, “Jack, he was trying to tell you he did not speak English. Go down the steps and make a right, then a left.” The server smiled and continued to nod his head up and down in agreement.
Jack made his way downstairs and found the men’s washroom. He threw water on his face and pressed his nose to the mirror.
This is very awkward, Jack. What the hell are you doing? You can’t just walk back into her life and pick up where you left off. She has a life, and someone she cares for, you jerk. You are only here on this island for seven days, and then you’re gone. Just remember that. You better not screw up her life…or yours! Do you understand? “Yes, I understand.” He dried his face off and took a deep breath before returning upstairs.
“Yeiá sou,” she said to him when he returned, touching his hand ever so slightly. It gave him shivers to be this close to her, to see the way she looked at him, to want to touch her again. This is not going to be easy, he thought to himself.
“Yeiá sou,” he replied. His newly self-made promises were suddenly gone. “You speak Greek very well,” he said to her.
She touched his hand again and smiled.
“Yes. Most people here on the island do not speak English, or if they do, they are very self-conscious about it. Many speak not only Greek but Italian, Spanish, and German. They are some of the friendliest and warmest people you would ever want to meet. I love it here.”
“I would really like to learn to speak Greek like that. I’m impressed, it was wonderful. Gabi and I have visited the Greek islands many times before, but we only learned the basics: hello, goodbye, please, thank you. You know what I mean?”
“Yes. I tell you what, I will teach you what little Greek I know, if you teach me to dance the Argentine tango. What do you say?”
“We’ll see.”
She pouted as the young waiter brought them their lunch. “When someone normally says we’ll see, it usually means no.”
“Ravenna, I only have a week here for us to spend together. Do you really want to be cooped up inside taking dance lessons? Besides, there are still so many questions I have for you. Do you have any kids? What have you been doing with yourself? Tell me about Trevor.”
She took a deep breath and paused before answering him. She needed a moment to collect her thoughts and tell him what he wanted to know.
“No kids, no pets, just the good life here on paradise island.”
She reached for a glass of water across the table, and her hand brushed his. A tingle of excitement surged through his body. She smiled, looking up at him as she continued, “If you know what I mean?” she looked right at him. His eyes could not escape her look. They sat there for a moment in silence until the young server interrupted them, presenting Jack with the bill.
Ravenna grabbed the bill, saying, “Your money is no good here, old friend. You are my guest for as long as you’re here.”
“Thank you, Sparky. You really don’t have to do…” he began to say.
“Well, I see you twice in two days. That’s a new record,” came a cheerful voice from the other side of the rooftop restaurant. It was Risa.
“Hi, yourself. This is perfect. Come here; I want you to meet an old friend of mine.”
Risa hugged Ravenna and shook Jack’s hand as Ravenna introduced them. “This is an old friend from the States who got off the ferry at the wrong stop.”
Jack shook Risa’s hand as she said, “On your way to Mykonos, no doubt.” All three of them laughed. Risa continued, “One of these days, people will come to our beautiful island on purpose and not by accident. It is so nice to meet one of Ravenna’s handsome and charming American friends. Welcome to Petros. Enjoy your stay on our wonderful island. Nice to meet you, Jack. Bye, Ravenna.”
“She is very beautiful,” Jack said as she walked away.
“She was a model in New York but missed the low-key life here. Most natives leave but always seem to be lured back to this island paradise.”
After she paid the bill and said their farewells they walked down the wooden stairs and stepped out onto the street. Off to his left, something caught Jack’s eye; he pulled her back just as a three-wheeled truck went whizzing by.
Her body pressed hard against his, and he could feel her heart racing beneath her cotton peasant blouse, her cleavage now clearly visible, rising and falling with her breath.
She looked up at him and took a couple of deep breaths, still clinging to his arms. Ravenna felt safe with his strong arms around her as he held her tight.
“Are you okay?” he asked, looking at those unforgettable green eyes of hers.
“Yes… I guess. That was really close. Jack, you saved my life,” she breathed deep but still trembled. That was close, very close.
“Glad I could save somebody’s life,” he responded.
“What do you mean?”
“Nothing. That’s another story, for another time.”
They walked in silence back to the hotel, up the steep hill, past the wild, blazing red bougainvillea flowers and the vivid yellow claritis vines hanging between the fences. Once they reached the hotel, she smiled and grabbed Jack’s hand and said, “Come on, follow me. I have something I want to show you.”
She made her way to the rear of the hotel and unlocked a door to a small wooden shed that stood beside the hotel. Inside were six old motorbikes.
“Hop on one and follow me,” she told him. She climbed onto an old red one and turned the ignition. It coughed and sputtered at first, but she gave it gas and it sprang to life, bursting a puff of blue smoke from its exhaust.
Jack followed her lead but it took him three tries before his moped responded. It coughed to life. He started to say something but his words were lost in the screech of the high-pitched noise that erupted when Ravenna took off up the hill. He had ridden bikes like these before during his many visits to the islands and followed in hot pursuit, trying to catch up to her.
At the crest of the hill she made a left, then went up another hill, higher and higher, until she pulled over and stopped under a grove of olive trees. Before them, they could see that the semi-paved street gave way to a gravel road, dusty and steep, straight down to the beach below. There were no houses or buildings, only a few windmills and countless olive trees. Herds of lazy goats grazed on the grassy hillside.
He looked out to the vista before him. It was breathtaking. They leaned the motorbikes against a gnarled tree stump, which marked the remains of an old lemon tree.
“Look at that, Jack,” Ravenna said as she waved her arm. “Isn’t it the most beautiful scene you have ever witnessed in your life?”
He nodded his head in agreement. It was a spectacular view, leaving him speechless.
“They call this God’s Hill, and down below there is a place called God’s Beach. Mythology states that after God created the universe, he sat on that long marble ledge over there on the seventh day and rested to admire his wonderful handiwork.”
“I have never seen anything as beautiful as this, Ravenna.”
She walked behind him and placed her arms around his waist. He could feel her tantalizing body pressing against his back. He wanted to turn and face her, to feel her snug against him.
“I’m glad you’re here,” she said. “God’s Beach has a reputation for being one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. What do you say we have a picnic here one day? We can swim, drink some wine, have some ouzo, eat some food? I can prepare a picnic basket for us. What do you say, Jack? Just like old times.”
“Sure. That sounds great. This view is magnificent. But we better get back; jet lag is starting to set in and I am liable to fall asleep on this bike.”
Jack watched her climb back on, her long legs straddling the old motorbike. She is not making this any easier on either one of us, except it feels so natural to be here with her. To be this close but yet so far away in different worlds. But maybe this is not a good idea to stay here… on the island… with her. Maybe it would better if I left the island? But how do I do that? There is no boat service and the airlines are grounded. And how do I tell her how I truly feel? I can feel my reality beginning to slip away. That is not good. I don’t want to leave. Shit.
“Time to go, Jack,” she said sweetly.
After they returned to the hotel, Jack showered and soon drifted off to sleep, but his nightmare jolted him. It began the same as it always did, a tiny little voice screaming for help, “Daddy! Daddy…” The little voice yelled, crying for him to help her, to save her, to keep her safe from harm.
The proud father watched her, wanting to hold her hand like when she was little, but at thirteen she was a young, independent teenager and not daddy’s little girl anymore. He looked away for an instant and when he looked back, he felt helpless in that split second as the huge truck crushed her right before his eyes.
He was standing there when the mammoth vehicle rushed by. In that split second it took her, the light of his eyes and heart of his heart. He had been distracted and turned to look at someone he thought he recognized—it was just for a moment. But in that instant she was gone and it was too late for him to do anything.
Her small, lifeless body was dragged along the streets of Paris. A little girl with strawberry blond hair who would never reach fourteen. He could do nothing to save her. He was helpless and she was gone from his life. His life, as he knew it, was over in an instant.
Jack woke with a start, sweating from head to toe. Where am I? He suddenly recalled that he was in Greece. It should have been me, I should have died that day, he mourned as he wept to himself. My life is over, anyway. He still remembered her haunting scream as she was swept away.
His ears perked. He thought he heard something. A noise. Outside his room he heard it again, a creaking noise from the old wooden floorboard. He propped himself up on one elbow and struggled to see the doorknob in the dark. The old lever on the door bent down slightly before stopping. The knob returned to its original position and he heard footsteps retreating down the hallway. He went to the door and opened it, but no one was there.
Was it his imagination or was it part of his nightmare? A distinctive scent filled the air in the hallway. He struggled to recognize it as he returned to his room but had no luck. Eyes watched his room from the dark at a distance, watched and waited.