“What’s wrong? Has something happened to Nikos?” she cried in alarm.
“No, no.”
“Thank goodness.” She had to wait for her heartbeat to slow down.
“You have a visitor on board. She’s very anxious to talk to you.”
Stephanie frowned. “Who?”
“Kyria Vassalos, Nikos’s mother.”
“Oh...” She couldn’t believe it. “Is Nikos with her?”
“No. He’s gone to the rig. She came when she knew he wouldn’t be here.”
“How did she know?”
“Because I worked for her when he was just a boy. We’ve always been friends.”
“Which means you’ve always kept her informed.” Stephanie got it.
“Yes. Today Nikos’s father is away in Athens on business. It’s been her first chance to come and visit. I sent my son to fetch her in his boat. But if you don’t want to meet her, I’ll tell her to go back to Egnoussa.”
“No. Don’t do that.” More than anything in the world Stephanie had wanted to meet his mother. She just hadn’t expected their first meeting to happen when she was in full bloom, with swollen feet and her face marked with chloasma, the pregnancy mask. If she could be thankful for one thing, it was that she could carry on a basic conversation in Greek.
Her nervousness increased as Yannis drove her to the port. Together they walked along the pier to the yacht. Stephanie could see his mother looking out from the rail. Her luxuriant black hair was pulled back in a stylish twist. She was trim, and shorter than Stephanie by several inches. With her white slacks and stunning blue blouse setting off her olive skin, she was a true Grecian beauty. This was where Nikos got his fantastic looks.
As Stephanie stepped on board, the older woman turned, focusing her soft brown eyes on her. “I hope you don’t mind,” she said in accented English. “I’ve wanted to meet the woman my son married. I’m sorry it didn’t happen when you came to our home. You need to know I’m ashamed of my husband’s behavior toward you. My name is—”
“Hestia.” Stephanie supplied it for her. “I know your name and I’m so glad you’re here now,” she said in her best Greek. “You raised a wonderful son. I love him very much.”
His mother made a quiet study of her. “For him to have married you the day after you arrived in Greece, it’s obvious how he feels about you.”
Stephanie shook her head. “He married me for the sake of the baby.” Taking a risk, she added, “He doesn’t believe he’s the father.”
Hestia looked stunned. “I don’t understand.”
“Come downstairs with me and we’ll talk.” They went below. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“Nothing, thank you.”
“Then come to my room.”
A gasp escaped Hestia’s lips when she saw the bedroom turned into a nursery. Between Stephanie’s bed and everything a mother needed to take care of her new baby, there was barely room to move.
At this point Stephanie’s speech was sprinkled with Greek and English. “Please sit down in the rocking chair. I have something to give you.” She went over to the dresser and pulled out a photo album. “I wish you had been at the wedding. You should have been there. I made this for you and your husband to keep.”
The older woman opened the cover. For the next five minutes she remained speechless as she looked at all the pictures. When she finally lifted her head, tears were rolling down her cheeks. Stephanie saw in those brown eyes all the sorrow a mother could at missing out on her child’s wedding day.
“Nikos told me about your husband’s distrust when you were pregnant with him. I’m afraid the same thing has happened to me. We had only ten days together on vacation last April. We don’t know that much about each other, and so much happened after he had to return to active duty, it raised his doubts about life. About everything.”
His mother nodded sadly. “Even though he could walk, he was on the verge of giving up when we took him home from the hospital.”
Tears welled in Stephanie’s eyes. “He’s much better now, but he won’t believe this is his baby until after Alexandros is born.”
“You can forgive my son for this?”
She smiled. “Didn’t you forgive his father?” Stephanie reached for the sonogram picture and showed it to her. “That was at four months. He was only four and half inches long. Now look at him.” She placed her hands on top of her big stomach.
Hestia didn’t give her a verbal answer, but got to her feet. After setting the album on the dresser, she put her arms around Stephanie and hugged her. “You must come for Christmas and stay the whole day. Everyone wants to meet you. I won’t take no for an answer.”
Stephanie’s heart warmed. “We’ll be there. Even if Nikos is still upset with his father, he won’t dare refuse to accompany me if I go. He hovers around me constantly these days. Sometimes he follows me when I have to go to the bathroom!”
Laughter bubbled out of her mother-in-law. “That’s how my husband was with all three of our children, doubts and all.” She wiped her eyes. “I’m going to leave so Nikos won’t find me here when he comes home.”
“Yannis will see you out to the dock.” Stephanie handed her the album to take with her.
“He’s a treasure, but I’m sure you’ve learned that for yourself by now.”
“Definitely.”
“Take good care of yourself, Stephanie. Your time is close.”
“Don’t worry. Nikos does it for both of us.”
They both laughed as they started up the stairs. Stephanie felt as if she was floating. Already she loved Nikos’s mother.
December 17
Nikos lounged against the door of the car while he waited for Stephanie to come out of the school. After going to her doctor’s appointment with her, he’d driven her straight here. He was glad this would be her last day of Greek lessons. Her due date was two weeks from tomorrow. Dr. Panos had told her to rest and keep her feet up. Nikos intended to see that she followed his instructions.
Just when his patience had worn thin and he was ready to go in and get her, the school doors opened and his wife emerged with her teacher. Borus Paulos had come highly recommended, but all Nikos could see was that he was enamored of her in the jacketed white sundress she’d bought that first day shopping.
The man gesticulated while he continued talking. Nikos doubted he’d noticed him waiting, but Stephanie saw him. She waved before saying goodbye to her teacher. Then she started walking toward him.
For a moment he was transported back to the Caribbean. He’d been walking along the beach with Angelo when he saw this woman in a wet suit with a fabulous body. Her hair looked gilded in the sun. She was coming to meet Angelo on those long, elegant legs.
When she drew closer, her gaze suddenly switched to Nikos. Her eyes were an impossible blue color, dazzling like rare gems. Her voluptuous mouth curved into a friendly smile. She looked happy and excited because they were going to dive. At that moment the most remarkable sensation had passed through Nikos’s body and he was never the same again.
That same electrifying feeling was attacking him now as Stephanie approached the car and their gazes met. He lost his breath. This woman with child was his wife! Whether the baby was his or not, he realized it no longer mattered to him. Somehow over the months they’d become his family. If he’d seen this day while he lay recuperating in the hospital, he would have thought he’d lost his mental faculties along with the ability to walk.
“Sorry it took me so long to get away,” she said a little breathlessly. “Borus is a talker when he gets going.”
“It wasn’t your fault.” Her tutor couldn’t help his hormones raging in her presence. In fact, the way Nikos himself was feeling at the moment, he didn’t dare touch her while they were in front of other people. He opened
the passenger door to help her in, seduced by the strawberry-scented shampoo she used in the shower. When her swollen belly brushed against him by accident, his heart gave an extra beat in wonder, while she let out a gentle laugh.
By some miracle she’d stayed incredibly healthy throughout her pregnancy. She’d never developed the serious problems he’d heard various married business associates talk about. Though she complained of swelling and the chloasma she insisted made her resemble a raccoon, he’d never seen her more beautifully feminine.
It had taken control almost beyond his endurance to stay away from her. Because of his injury she’d wrongly assumed he couldn’t make love to her as he’d done on the island. But only one thing had held him back. Stark staring fear.
She didn’t know what it was like to worry that he might cause harm to her and the baby during a flashback. It was the only force strong enough to keep him locked up in his room night after night. After living together this long without an incident that left bruises on her, he refused to allow anything to go wrong now.
After lunch they were going to do the last of their Christmas shopping. Just a few more presents, nothing taxing. While they were gone, he’d instructed Yannis to put up the little Christmas tree with lights he’d bought and smuggled on board. The lounge was the best place to surprise her. It wasn’t a tradition Nikos followed, but he knew Americans were big on it, and such things were important to his wife.
He darted her a glance before he started the car. “Hungry?”
“You know, for once I’m not? But if you want to eat before we shop, that’s fine with me.”
“What I’d like to do is get the gift buying over with as fast as possible and go back home. I’ll cook today and surprise you with something you haven’t had before.”
She smiled at him. “I’d love that.”
“Good.”
With the much cooler late autumn temperatures, she appeared to thrive. He could only marvel at her energy.
“Let’s shop at the main department store,” she suggested. “That way we can find everything we want under one roof.”
“I was thinking the same thing.” He headed in that direction. “Just so you know, Tassos phoned while I was waiting for you. He and Elianna have invited us to their house for their family’s Christmas Day party.”
He felt Stephanie stir restlessly in the seat. “That’s very nice of them, but we can’t go.”
He frowned. “Why not?”
When she remained quiet, he slanted her a glance. “Stephanie? What’s wrong?”
“Nikos,” she began, but her hesitation was plain as day. He saw a guilty look enter her eyes. It surprised him no end.
“You don’t want to go?”
“Under other circumstances I would, but that’s not it.” She shook her head. “I have a confession to make.”
Just when he’d been thinking nothing had gone wrong with her pregnancy, he was terrified she was going to tell him something he didn’t want to hear. On impulse he pulled over to the side of the street and shut off the engine. Turning in the seat, he slid his arm behind her and tugged on a few strands of her hair.
“Are you ill? Is there something you didn’t tell the doctor this morning?”
“This isn’t about me. I...it’s about us.”
In an instant his blood ran cold. “You mean after all this time, you’ve chosen today instead of Christmas to tell me who the father of your baby is?”
“No! Nikos.” Her horrified cry reverberated in the car. “I’m going about this all wrong. Your mother came to see me last week while your father was away in Athens. We had a frank talk about everything. I showed her the sonogram picture. She’s wonderful and I love her already. Before she left, I gave her the wedding album I made for them. She has invited us to spend Christmas Day with your family. I accepted for us.”
After he’d imagined every horrific thing possible that could destroy life as he knew it, her explanation came as a complete shock. It took a minute for him to assimilate what she’d just said. He waited until he’d calmed down enough to talk. “That won’t be a problem. I’ll phone and tell her we’ve made other plans. She’ll understand.”
“No, I don’t think she will. Nikos,” Stephanie said in a tremulous whisper. “She adores you and needs to see her son. They’ve missed out on more than a decade of your life. You can’t disappoint them. Life’s too short.”
He sucked in his breath. “My father’s bias against Castor and his children for being who they are has been unconscionable, Stephanie. After what he did to my mother and the way he spoke to you, I can’t be in the same room with him.”
She put a hand to his cheek. “But she’s forgiven him and so have I. As you told me, he’s afraid and doesn’t know how to make things right. If you don’t show him the way, his fear of losing you will send him to the grave a desperately unhappy man. What joy could there be in that for any of us?”
Nikos felt sick to his stomach. “I can’t do it. Don’t ask that of me.”
Stephanie pulled her hand away from him and stared out the window. “Then you go to Tassos’s family for Christmas. I’ll go to your parents and take your family their gifts.”
Seeing black, Nikos started the car and drove straight to the dock.
* * *
As Stephanie passed the lounge on her way to the bedroom, she saw a five-foot Christmas tree studded with colored lights set up over by the entertainment center. Yannis had been busy while they’d been gone. She walked over to it and examined some of the ornaments.
After the devastating silence in the car while Nikos drove them back to the yacht, the sight of this brought her immeasurable delight. There was no one like Nikos. But the lights brought pain, too, making a mockery of the peace and joy Christmas was supposed to bring. They’d reached an impasse. His mother’s invitation and Stephanie’s acceptance had ruined this beautiful day.
Desperate to make things right between them, she hurried to his room before he could lock her out. That’s what he’d been doing for months. The night before last she’d heard the gut-wrenching moaning and sobbing that came from his bedroom. So far she’d counted four episodes she knew about since their wedding.
When she discussed this with Yannis, the older man said it was a good sign that they weren’t happening as often as they had in the beginning, which could only mean Nikos was slowly getting better. Stephanie wanted that for him more than anything.
He was such an outstanding man; she couldn’t reconcile everything she knew about him with the side of his nature that had caused him to shut down just now. She couldn’t leave it alone. This was too serious. Without knocking, she opened the door, determined they were going to talk everything out.
She couldn’t prevent the cry that escaped when she discovered he’d removed his clothes and had just pulled on his black bathing trunks. With his back still to her, she saw the bruising at the lower part of his spine. Since he’d always worn his wet suit when they went swimming, she hadn’t realized how deep and pervasive his injury had been. To think of his lying in that hospital bed broken and in despair... She couldn’t bear it.
He wheeled around, a live, breathing, angry Adonis. That awful glittery look in his jet-black eyes impaled her, freezing the breath from her lungs. “I don’t recall inviting you in here.” The wintry tone he’d once used with her was back in full force.
Stephanie couldn’t swallow. “I was afraid I might not get an invitation. I came in to tell you how sorry I am that I didn’t let you know about your mother’s visit until now. You’ve suffered years of pain over a situation I haven’t fully comprehended until today. I’ll call your mother and tell her we can’t come.”
It was as if he’d turned to stone. She couldn’t reach him.
“I should never have attempted to tell you anything about your life or your th
oughts,” she went on. “I do have an audacious nature and realize it’s a glaring flaw in my makeup. So I’ll make you a promise now that I’ll never keep anything from you again, or try to influence your thinking in any way. I swear it.”
Desolate at this point because of his silence, she turned to leave, but paused in the doorway. “I love the Christmas tree. No woman in the world has a better husband than you. I’m sorry you can’t say the same thing about your wife. To tell you I’m sorry I came to Greece would be a lie, but I’d give anything if I’d been honest with you after your mother left the other day. I’ve trespassed on your soul, Nikos. Forgive me. It will never happen again.”
She rushed to her room and lay down on her back, pressing the pillow against her face to stifle her sobs. It wasn’t long before she heard the familiar sound of the cruiser. Who knew when Nikos would be back? And when he did return, there was no guesstimating how soon he’d speak to her again.
Stephanie knew he couldn’t tolerate the sight of her right now. She didn’t blame him. That’s why he’d taken off. Perhaps the best thing to do was give him some space. The more she thought about it, the more she liked the idea. While she put a plan into action, she ate a substantial lunch and made a phone call.
Once that was done she packed an overnight bag with several days’ worth of clothes. On her way out she stopped in the lounge to put some presents under the tree for Nikos. Presents made it look ready for Christmas. After that she wrote him a note, leaving it on his desk where he would see it.
Dear Nikos. We’ve been together constantly since I barged into your life. What was it Kahlil Gibran once wrote? “There should be spaces in your togetherness.” I agree with his philosophy, so I’m taking myself off until the day after Christmas.
Don’t worry. I won’t be far. Please be assured I won’t embarrass you by bothering anyone you know or care about. Our business stays our business. I think you know I would never do anything that put me or the baby in danger. I want Alex to know his father. S.
THE GREEK'S TINY MIRACLE Page 14