Elpida

by C. Kennedy

  “No ‘because.’”

  “Need more than that to go on.”

  “Sophia’s going to call Christy any minute now and ask him to come to the city to talk to Ariel with her.”

  “Why doesn’t she come up here?”

  “She refuses, claiming she won’t go anywhere near Thimi.”

  Michael pursed his lips. “But won’t say why?”

  “It isn’t hard to figure out. Obviously she hates the Sannas too.”

  “Come on, Jake. What’s the matter with saying, yeah, this happened back then?”

  “Don’t know. But Sophia’s calling Christy now. Can you deal?”

  “Do I have a choice?”

  “No. This is going down.”

  “Call you back.” Michael terminated the call as two things happened simultaneously. Rob stepped out onto the porch, and Christy’s phone rang with Bruno Mars’s “Count on Me,” Sophia’s ringtone.

  Christy answered the phone, and his face immediately contorted in anger. He rose from the porch swing with effort, stepped away, and stood at the edge of the porch with his back to them. Michael couldn’t help but notice Christy’s limp and wondered if he’d hurt his foot again.

  Thimi was suddenly agitated, his gaze darting from Christy to Rob to Michael and back to Christy again, and the panic that filled his eyes seemed to surge through his small frame like a lightning bolt. His posture went rigid and wetness bled into the crotch of his sweatpants. It crushed Michael that anyone lived in so much fear, especially a kid.

  “It’s okay. Christy will stay here,” Michael quickly reassured as he leaned back and pulled on the pocket of Christy’s jeans.

  Christy glanced over his shoulder and said something to Thimi in Greek. Thimi calmed, but only fractionally, as he pulled the pictures of Michael onto his lap to hide the wetness.

  “Everything okay?” Rob asked as he glanced from Christy to them.

  “Great,” Michael said quickly. “Will you please get me a bunch of toothpicks?”

  Rob gave him an inquiring look before capitulating. “Sure.”

  Michael listened to Christy’s angry Greek words. His voice was low, controlled, but his words sounded harsh. “It’s all right, Thimi. Christy is right here,” Michael reassured.

  Thimi had frozen in place, panic etched on his face.

  “It’s okay,” Michael repeated.

  Rob returned within moments with a small, clear plastic container of colored wooden toothpicks.

  “Thanks.” Michael quickly picked Gummy Bears from the bag. “Here, Thimi,” he said as he mounted a Gummy Bear upright on a toothpick and held it out to him.

  Thimi glanced at it and then up at Christy.

  Michael quickly pinned more Gummy Bears on the ends of toothpicks. “Here. Hold these for me.” He held four speared Gummys out to Thimi.

  Thimi took them from him, his hand still trembling, as he kept one eye on Christy.

  Rob continued to watch in silence.

  “Here are two more.”

  Thimi glanced at Michael, took the speared Gummys, and looked at Christy again.

  “Here you go. Two more.”

  Thimi grasped the speared Gummys tightly in a hand and now focused his attention on Michael.

  “Okay, you hold those for a minute.”

  Rob continued to watch as Michael smashed four Gummys together to make a round platform. Then, one by one, he stuck the speared Gummys at the edge of the platform. Then he put four toothpicks together, speared the bottom center of the platform, and held it up. “This is a Gummy carousel.”

  Thimi watched as Michael twirled it slowly. “Here, you turn it.” He held it out to Thimi.

  Thimi glanced at Christy again before taking it from Michael.

  “Turn it.”

  Thimi stared at Michael.

  Michael speared another Gummy Bear and twirled the lone bear in his fingers.

  Thimi glanced at Christy again before looking at the miniature carousel in his hand. He tried to twirl it and it slipped from his fingers.

  Michael caught it before it plummeted to its death on the porch. “Try again.”

  Thimi took it from him, and Michael held up the one speared Gummy and twirled it. “Like this.”

  Thimi twirled it without dropping it this time.

  “Cool. Okay, now we’re going to make the top.”

  Michael quickly speared more Gummy Bears, impaled them atop four of the candies mounted on the platform, and squashed their heads together to make a point like the top of a circus tent. “Now you have a carousel like you see at the circus.”

  Thimi twirled it in his fingers slowly.

  “Nice,” Michael complimented.

  Christy terminated the call and returned to his seat next to Thimi.

  To Michael he looked exasperated but under control. “Everything okay?”

  Christy shook his head. “What is this?”

  “I made a Gummy Bear carousel,” Michael explained.

  Thimi held it up and twirled it once.

  “Ah, this is very good.”

  Thimi asked a question in Greek, and Christy held a finger up indicating he should wait as he searched Google on his phone. He found a video of a carousel and showed it to him. “Like this.”

  Thimi studied the moving carousel on the phone and listened to the music.

  “Michael took me to see the painted horses. Would you like to see this?” Christy asked.

  Thimi nodded.

  “Then we will take you to see them.”

  Rob, who had remained silent during the exchange, finally spoke. “Food is being delivered to your cabin in thirty minutes.”

  Christy stood and held a hand out to Thimi. “We must eat now.”

  The look on Thimi’s face was one of painful humiliation before he said something in Greek and looked away.

  “It is okay. This will happen until you know you are safe.”

  Thimi continued to look pained.

  “Rob? Michael? Please go to the cabin.”

  Sensing that the request had to do with Thimi’s wet pants, Michael didn’t hesitate. “Sure.” He got to his feet and handed the toothpick container to Rob with a quick “thanks.” Rob joined him, and they walked down the steps to the flagstone path and headed around the main house to Christy’s cabin.

  Christy waited until they were out of sight and sat next to Thimi again. “Do not worry about the bathroom accident. I had many when I first arrived here.”

  Tears welled in Thimi’s eyes, and he wiped them away with the back of a hand. “I am twelve.”

  “I was eighteen when I first arrived and was very afraid. It is difficult to start a new life, but the accidents stop with time.”

  “Rob is not angry?”

  Christy shook his head. “He understands the terror. He gave me special underwear so the accidents do not show. I believe I have some remaining. Do you wish to try them?”

  Thimi sniffled and nodded.

  “Okay. Let us find the clean clothes for you.” He held a hand out to Thimi. They stood hand in hand, Christy took the bags of candy and lollipops from him, and left him to hold the carousel as they headed to the cabin.

  MICHAEL ENTERED the cabin and stopped short. The living room furniture had been rearranged, the couch now with its back against the wall in order to accommodate a dining table set for six. “Wow. I can’t believe you fit a table in here. It looks great.”

  “I was surprised it fit so well,” Rob admitted as he took a seat at the table.

  Dr. Jordanou and General Sotíras occupied two of the chairs but now stood to greet Michael. He shook General Sotíras’s hand first. “It’s good to see you again, sir.”

  General Sotíras waved a hand in dismissal. “Nicos, please.”

  Michael smiled and turned to Dr. Jordanou. “Good to see you again, Dr. Jordanou.”

  “The pleasure is mine,” he said as he shook Michael’s hand. “I must say, I am very impressed with Christy’s progress.”
>
  “Don’t look at me. It’s all him. He’s the most determined person I’ve ever known.”

  Dr. Jordanou chuckled as he retook his seat. “I am certain you mean to say ‘stubborn.’”

  Michael stifled a laugh. “That too.”

  Christy and Thimi entered the cabin and headed straight for the bathroom. Now Christy’s limp was obvious, and Michael was immediately concerned. “Did Christy hurt his foot again?”

  “Darien all but tackled him, and he lost his footing and fell. His ribs are bothering him again too. I wanted X-rays, but he insisted he was fine,” Rob explained.

  “I’ll let my dad know.”

  “Thank you. Will you stay for dinner?”

  “Sure. Let me give Mom a call.”

  “Please say hello to your parents for me,” General Sotíras said.

  “Yes, sir.” He dialed his mom, and she answered on the first ring. “Hey. I’m at Christy’s. Can I stay for dinner…? Ah, yeah. Did Mr. Santini tell you…? I didn’t say anything because nothing happened…. Okay, can we talk about this later…? Okay. Love you too.” Michael hung up and looked at Rob. “Where do you want me to sit?”

  “We put Thimi at the head of the table, with Christy to his right. Would you mind sitting between Christy and me?”

  He took the seat next to Rob. “How’s Thimi doing?”

  “It’s been a rough couple of days, but having Christy and Dr. Jordanou here has helped immensely,” Rob said. “What would you like to drink?”

  Michael surveyed the bottles on the table. “I’ll go with water.” He reached for the glass pitcher and poured as he lowered his voice. “I feel bad that he wet his pants.”

  Rob immediately donned placid doctor face. “Give him time.”

  “Yeah, but I never want to scare anybody.”

  Dr. Jordanou took a sip of red wine. “Now that he has met you, he should be fine with you.”

  Dr. Jordanou’s Greek accent was thick, but he spoke perfect English. “I hope so. I know Christy is seriously worried about him.”

  “As far as we know, he has cared for Thimi since he was very young. He will be very concerned about anything having to do with Thimi.”

  “Was Christy speaking to Sophia on the phone?” Rob asked.

  Michael nodded. “According to Jake, she wants Christy to come to the city to speak to Ariel. Ariel won’t say a word about why she and Christy were split up.”

  Rob nodded slowly in contemplation.

  “I asked why Ariel couldn’t come here, and Jake said she doesn’t want to be around Thimi.”

  Contrary to a moment before, Rob now shook his head in dismay.

  Michael looked at General Sotíras. “What do you think?”

  “I understand the fear. Petros Sanna is no less ruthless than Christy’s father was. Yosef is his protégé and not only ruthless but insane.”

  Michael blew a long, exasperated breath. “Children suffer for the errors of their parents.”

  Everyone at the table looked at him appreciatively.

  “This is very true, Michael,” Dr. Jordanou said, his voice filled with empathy.

  Michael glanced at him before looking at General Sotíras again. “How dangerous is it for Christy to have Thimi here with him?”

  “I’ll be honest. In Greece, I would say it is dangerous. The Sannas’ reach is like the tentacles of an octopus. Their influence is in the air we breathe. Here, I don’t believe there is risk now that Yosef is incarcerated.” He paused before continuing. “Petros is a smart man. He has no interest in angering the US government more than his son already has, lest his ships no longer be able to put in to port on the North American continent.”

  Michael considered this, and it sounded reasonable. “Why do you think Ariel is refusing to talk?”

  “She is in New York City for Christy at Sophia’s request and expects to return to Greece when Christy does. With that in mind, I am certain she does not wish to be afraid to return home.”

  Pain seared Michael’s heart. He’d always feel the US was his home, and for Christy to think otherwise upset him. He hated the idea of Christy leaving, and he’d tried over and again to assuage his worry with the knowledge that they’d both be leaving the US to attend college, but it hadn’t worked. “When do you think Christy will go back?”

  Rob shrugged. “As far as I know, he’s happy with Nero running things in Greece, and he has no immediate plans to return. He’s happier here than he has ever been and is looking forward to going to college in Paris and visiting you in England.”

  This information both pleased and frustrated Michael. If Christy never returned to Greece, what would Ariel do? Would Ariel never tell Sophia and Christy what happened all those years ago?

  Before Michael could continue his rumination, Christy led Thimi from the bathroom to his seat at the end of the table.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  THIMI WAS dressed in yet another pair of purple sweatpants but now wore a purple long-sleeved T-shirt rather than a sweatshirt. Christy helped him into the chair at the end of the table, whispered comforting words in Greek, and took a seat next to him. Thimi dutifully put his napkin in his lap, something Michael was reminded he had yet to do, and waited patiently, his expression empty.

  Michael thought he looked terribly small in the high-backed chair, and it reminded him of when he was a little kid and couldn’t reach things on the table. He turned to Rob. “Do you have a phone book?”

  Rob’s brow knitted. “Cell?”

  “I’m thinking Thimi needs a booster seat.”

  Rob suddenly smiled. “How novel.” He withdrew his cell phone from a shirt pocket and dialed. “Will you please bring the city phone book along with the food?” He smiled again. “You heard me.” He terminated the call.

  Christy’s one-brow frown went into action. “Why do you need this?”

  “When I was little, my parents gave me a phone book to sit on so I could reach things at the table,” Michael explained.

  Christy’s brow contorted in the extreme. “You wish him to sit on the book?”

  “Yeah. It’s a really big book.”

  “You do not sit on the book.”

  Michael smiled. “This book you can sit on.”

  A polite knock sounded on the door before Gwen entered with two other counselors carrying trays of food in her wake.

  Thimi literally shrank back against his seat as if in an effort to become invisible, terror plain on his face. Christy quickly reached for his hand and squeezed it as he spoke more soothing Greek words.

  “Is he okay?” Michael asked softly.

  “It is too many people in the room, and he is afraid.”

  Thimi was suddenly agitated, and Michael knew exactly what he was trying to avoid.

  “It will not show,” Christy said very softly.

  Thimi glanced down, and surprise filled his face.

  Christy winked at him. “They are good, no?”

  Thimi issued the briefest of nods.

  “Is this what you were looking for?” Gwen held the phone book out to Rob.

  “Awesome.” Michael took it from her hand. “Christy, ask Thimi to stand for a minute.”

  Christy translated quickly, removed Thimi’s napkin from his lap, and Thimi stood.

  Michael set the phone book on the seat of the chair, made sure it was square and solidly placed, and patted it. “Let’s get you up on that.”

  Thimi stood very still, eyed it skeptically, then looked at Michael, his eyes full of fear.

  Christy quickly translated Michael’s plan.

  Thimi shook his head and said something in Greek.

  “He cannot get to it.”

  “Do you want help?” Michael asked.

  Thimi looked up at him, his dark hazel eyes full of uncertainty.

  “Tell him about the time you first tried to get into my car,” Michael said quickly.

  Christy suddenly smiled, and a soft laugh escaped him. “Okay, like this,” he began and th
en switched to Greek. Christy finished the story, and Thimi asked a question.

  Christy half laughed and looked at Michael. “He says he does not have the handle.”

  Michael bent his arm in an “L” and held it out to Thimi. “Use my arm as the handle. Christy, you help him.”

  Christy laughed softly again before explaining in Greek. Now Dr. Jordanou and General Sotíras were smiling.

  Thimi tentatively set a hand on Michael’s arm.

  “You need to grab it. Can I touch you?” Michael asked.

  Thimi turned to Christy, and Christy nodded.

  “Here. Put your hand in mine like you’re going to arm wrestle me.”

  Christy explained in Greek and nodded to Michael. “Show him where to put the hand.”

  Michael gently removed Thimi’s hand from his arm and placed it in his hand, entwining their fingers. “Okay. Christy, you have his hips?”

  “This I cannot do from the angle.”

  “Okay, how about this? Can I lift him from under his arms and set him on the book?”

  Christy spoke softly in Greek, and Thimi nodded. “It is okay to lift him.”

  Michael lifted Thimi gently, surprised again by how little he weighed, and set him on the seat. “You good?”

  Thimi nodded.

  “I’m going to scoot the chair in. Hold on.”

  Michael slowly moved the chair so Thimi sat appropriately at the table. “Looking good.”

  Thimi looked up at him with a crooked smile, as if he thought Michael was full of crap.

  Christy handed the napkin back to Thimi. “This is better, no?”

  Thimi nodded.

  “This is the very big adventure for the seat on the book,” Christy said with a smile.

  Everyone laughed as Christy poured a glass of milk for Thimi.

  Michael lifted his water glass. “Okay, we need to make a toast.”

  Christy’s brows shot up. “Filos?”

  “Yep, we do. Come on. Lift your glass.”

  “Oh.” Christy quickly poured water into a glass and lifted it. Thimi sat there, his eyes transfixed on everyone at the table. Christy handed the glass of milk to him and motioned for him to lift it.

  “To Thimi. For the courage to come here to be with Christy. Your new world is just beginning, and it’s full of hope. Congratulations.”