by J. J. Kapka
While Becker settled the fare, she gazed around at the huge ships that were plying the achingly blue waters. They must be in Piraeus, the heartbeat of the fabled Greek shipping industry. A quick question to Becker as he came around the car to join her confirmed that hunch.
The driver, meanwhile, extracted their bags from the trunk, and the tires were already squealing as he took off in search of his next victims.
They grabbed their backpacks, and Becker took both their suitcases in hand and set off down the street, nodding at Maddie to follow. A few blocks down, they entered a marina area with numerous varieties of pleasure boats moored to the docks. Maddie was fairly bursting with curiosity.
Becker finally stopped short in front of a beautiful sailboat that sat bobbing quietly in its slip. It had gleaming teakwood decks and brass fittings, and its mainsail was furled and tied to the mast. Becker called out a loud hello.
A tall, strapping, well-tanned man in his early fifties stepped out on deck and made his way nimbly over to where they stood.
“Nicholas, this is my wife Madison,” Becker said by way of introduction.
Maddie proffered her hand and soon found it engulfed and vigorously shaken by a sturdy, rough-hewn hand.
“Please come in, come in,” he eagerly suggested, jumping back onto the deck after first grabbing both the suitcases. “Call me Nick,” he said over his shoulder.
Maddie gingerly stepped over the moving gap between the boat and the dock, grasping the boat’s perimeter roping for assistance. Nick had already almost disappeared belowdecks with their bags, while Maddie and Becker moved quickly to catch up. Bending their heads as they walked down the narrow stairs, they soon found themselves in a narrow hallway.
Following Nick’s lead, they continued on a short way to an open door at the end. Maddie walked into the cabin in time to see Nick laying both suitcases down on a queen-sized bed. She quickly glanced around and saw that the cabin, although small, was nevertheless beautifully appointed. Rich carpeting on the floor, cleverly rigged damask curtains at the portholes, and even a small refrigerator and sink created a luxurious feel. What’s Becker up to?
Nick turned around and smiled at both of them, then excused himself and quietly shut the door behind him.
Maddie turned to face Becker. “Okay,” she said, “I’m all ears.”
After first pushing the suitcases farther back on the bed, Becker took Maddie’s hands, pulled her to the edge, and sat down with her. “First off, let me close the book on our last conversation in Rome. And I mean that in the fullest sense. I have to admit, I was insanely jealous over you and that French guy…whatever his name is. After spending a long, hard night thinking about it, I knew I didn’t have a leg to stand on. I’d probably have done the same thing myself if presented with a similar situation. And probably half my disappointment was that while you found this guy, I was striking out left, right, and center. Which in the end wasn’t such a bad thing to happen to me: just desserts, if you will. So, I promise: no recriminations, no sour grapes. I can’t say it doesn’t hurt, but I’m sure, given time, that wound will close over, too.
“Which brings me to why you’re sitting here on this boat. This is my way of saying I’m sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused you since London. You said you wanted romance, and I can’t think of anything more romantic than chartering a boat and sailing around the Greek Islands in the middle of summer.”
“Becker, I’m floored,” Maddie said, dumbfounded. “How is this possible? This must cost a fortune. I thought the Ferrari alone was probably more than we could afford.”
“Actually, it’s not all that bad. If you figure that we won’t be spending money on two hotel rooms as we have been, or meals, or tours, or any other transportation, we’re getting a pretty good deal. Also, Nick has to head down there anyway to deliver this boat to the owners. But the point is not how much it costs. The point is trying to reconnect with you. I thought it’d be nice to get away from all the crowds and just take some time to talk and be together.”
“Speaking of which,” Maddie said, gazing behind her at the bed, “I don’t think we’re quite ready for conjugal relations yet…”
“Ah,” Becker said, jumping up. “Not a problem. There’s another small bunk next door, and I can sleep there until you say otherwise. Or we can both sleep here and just be friends,” he said with a grin.
“Let’s see how it goes,” Maddie said, deferring any decision till later when she had a chance to take it all in. “And speaking of going…” The boat’s motor had just started, and they gently rolled away from the moorings. “Where are we going, anyway?”
Becker took her by the hand to the porthole facing away from the marina, pulling back the curtains to fully expose the view. “Island hopping,” he informed her. “Santorini, for one.”
“Isn’t that the place you always see in posters?”
“One and the same. I hear it’s gorgeous, but also crawling with tourists at this time of year. Hence the beauty of being able to retreat to our little oasis on the water when the jostling crowds get to be too much. Nick also has an assistant to help with the sailing. His name is Theodore—Theo, and he’s supposedly a fantastic cook. I met him earlier when I was booking the boat.”
Stepping back, Maddie sat down on the edge of the bed and asked, “How did this all come about?”
Becker sat down, too, and explained, “That night, when I left our dinner in Rome, I was awake all night thinking things through. I already told you about, well, the thing we’re not going to talk about anymore. After that, knowing I still wanted to keep on with this campaign to win you back, my mind turned to what mode of transportation I could employ next. I guess it’s a guy thing. We’d done the Vespa and the Ferrari, so the next natural progression was a boat. But Rome’s not a boat kind of a place, and unless you’re going to Capri, neither is the rest of Italy. I knew Athens was next on our schedule anyway, so I decided to get a head start to see if what I was thinking of was even possible. Obviously, it was. I started asking around, and someone who knew someone who knew someone else told me about Nick delivering this boat back to its owners. So the timing was perfect.”
Madison was still looking around in awe at her surroundings. “So, can we go up on the deck?”
“We’ve got the run of the whole place. We just need to stay out of Nick’s way at the wheel, and of course, out of his cabin at the back. Other than that, we can lie around and get a tan, go swimming, fish when we anchor, eat when we get hungry, read, or play games.” He opened one of the cupboards to show shelves of books and board games. “Lots of choices.”
“This is perfect,” Maddie enthused. She opened her suitcase and pulled out her sunscreen and a hat. Becker fished out his hat, too, and after they both put a healthy amount of sunscreen all over their bodies, they headed up to the deck again.
Walking carefully around Nick, who manned the helm, they moved to some built-in seating toward the rear of the boat. Only after getting comfortable did Maddie finally see Theo nimbly moving all over the deck, removing the covering from the sails and readying the various ropes attached to them. While Nick used the boat’s engine to guide them safely out of the crowded harbor, Maddie took advantage of the short opportunity to take a look at Piraeus nestled around its primary vocation, being the main port of Athens. In the harbor waters, she noted all manner of ships: ferries heading back and forth from the many island groups, naval ships and oil tankers from all over the world, and a fair few pleasure craft, including some spectacular yachts.
Maddie congratulated him. “Becker, you’ve done it again. Seeing Rome from a Vespa and a Ferrari couldn’t have been a better match. And I can’t think of any better way to get a feel for Greece than on a sailboat to the islands.” She reached out and grabbed his hand. “I really do appreciate all the trouble you’ve gone through. I can’t tell you how special it makes me feel.”
Becker squeezed her hand before laying an arm across her shoulders. “This is the li
fe, isn’t it?”
“Uh-huh,” Maddie murmured, leaning her head on his arm while raising it up to the sun.
About forty-five minutes after they’d left the marina and navigated through the majority of harbor traffic, Nick called out to Theo to start raising the sails. They’d picked up a moderate breeze as they’d left the shelter of the harbor, so that as the main ail unfurled and filled with wind, Maddie felt a rush of pleasure when the boat suddenly tugged to its side, like a horse given its lead to gallop. She and Becker found themselves tilted sideways at nearly thirty degrees and giddily sucked in their breath at the sensation of gliding along by virtue of canvas and wind. As they picked up speed and the wind whipped Maddie’s hair in her face, she took off her cap and tucked the hair underneath. Leaning back in her seat again, she noticed Becker studying her face.
“What’s the matter? Have I got something stuck in my teeth?”
“No.” He gave her a playful shove. “I was just thinking how good you look. The sailing life suits you.”
Maddie blushed at the unexpected compliment. She reached out and tweaked Becker’s cap down over his eyes. “You make a pretty sexy sailor yourself.”
“I do, do I?” Becker chuckled as he righted his hat. “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet,” he promised with a wink. “Come to think of it…”
Becker got up and disappeared down the hatch, while Maddie sat wondering what he was up to. A few minutes later, he reappeared carrying two slender glasses and a bottle of Champagne. “Time for a toast,” he proposed, handing Maddie the glasses to hold while he opened the bottle and tried to stabilize himself against the motion of the boat long enough to fill them. Tucking the re-corked bottle away in the storage under their seats, he held up his glass. “To new beginnings.”
Maddie felt her heart swelling with emotion. “To new beginnings.”
Chapter 9
In the Aegean
Grilled Fish and Potatoes,
Drizzled with Fragrant Olive Oil and Flecks of Fresh Thyme
July 23—Evening
They’d had a leisurely sail all day, soaking up the sun, which somehow appeared more vivid in Greece than anywhere Maddie had ever been. Colors looked brighter and more saturated, so that their hues almost seemed to have a life of their own.
Late in the afternoon, Nick informed them they were going to spend the night anchored off the island of Hydra, where he had distant relatives. A wedding had taken place during the day, and he hoped to at least catch the reception.
Theo had made them all an enormous Greek salad with fresh bread for a light lunch, but by now they were quite ready for dinner. As they docked at the town’s small marina, Nick pointed out the main drag, where he assured them they could find any number of excellent restaurants. He also advised them that cars were banned from the island and cautioned them not to walk farther than they were willing to return by foot, since there weren’t any taxis to be had. He waved goodbye and set off to find the reception, leaving Theo to settle the boat in for the night, sign in with the marina office, and go shopping for provisions.
Holding hands, Maddie and Becker set off toward the street Nick had pointed out. After a leisurely stroll browsing the restaurant menus, they settled in at an outdoor table with a beautiful view of the harbor and the enveloping hills. Strangely, although it was 7:00 p.m., there was barely another soul in sight. Even stranger, no one came out to greet them or hand them a menu, even though the tables appeared to be set and ready for diners. Some fifteen minutes after seating themselves, Maddie started feeling agitated at being completely ignored.
Just then, Theo came whistling up the street with a duffel bag slung over his shoulder, evidently not planning on spending the night on the boat. When he saw them cooling their heels at their table, he burst out laughing and headed straight toward them.
Perplexed, Maddie glanced at Becker.
When Theo reached their table, he sat down briefly and informed them that in Greece, especially in the islands, dinner doesn’t start till much later in the evening. “In fact,” he said, “the restaurants won’t even start getting crowded till at least nine o’clock.”
Maddie and Becker gave a collective groan as they watched Theo saunter off to wherever he was heading. “Now what?” Maddie asked. She was starving and could hear Becker’s stomach growling as well. Since there were no cars on the island, and the shops were already closed, there weren’t many choices for killing time before dinner. After a brief deliberation, they decided to get up and head back to the boat.
At the end of the street, a man came running, waving his hands and calling Becker’s name. Startled, Maddie and Becker both turned toward him and realized it was Nick. Puzzled, Maddie looked at Becker as though he might have the answer, but he just shrugged his shoulders, while Nick closed the gap between them.
Taking a minute to catch his breath, Nick bent down and braced his arms on his knees. Finally, he drew himself up and gave them a wide smile. “I’m so glad I found you. When my great aunt heard that I’d left you on the boat, she started beating me about the head, she was so angry that I didn’t bring you along to the wedding reception. She told me to bring you back. Heaven knows what she would do to me if I didn’t find you.”
“But we don’t know the couple,” Maddie said doubtfully.
“That doesn’t matter here. When it comes to weddings, the more the merrier. Hospitality in Greece is a really big deal.”
Maddie still hesitated. “We don’t have a gift.” She looked to Becker to try to gauge his thinking, but he only shrugged.
Nick paused, thinking. “That’s not a big deal, but listen, if it’ll help, I know where we can pick up a few bottles of ouzo. Believe me, they’ll be more than happy with that.
“But first,” he said, looking around, “we have to find Theo, too. Or else…”
Becker told him they’d seen Theo a few minutes ago with his duffel bag.
“Ah, so he’s left the boat already. I know where to find him. You wait here. We’ll be right back.” Nick set off at a run again and returned a few minutes later with a grinning Theo in tow. They all walked together back up the street. After turning a corner, Nick led them into a little bar where they all purchased several bottles of ouzo.
Continuing on, Nick led them up a hill to a small lane. They turned in and followed a steep dirt driveway till they came to a sturdy whitewashed house. Perched precariously on the hillside, it commanded a magnificent view of the sea from its expansive yard.
Even before they turned into the driveway, the sounds of a party drifted down, and as they got closer, it was clear that a good time was being had by all. In one corner, a band played next to a decent-sized makeshift dance floor, and a number of the men had already cast off their jackets and ties and were dancing up a storm, both with and without women partners.
The crowd milling around to the side of the dance floor parted to stare at the new arrivals. Nick led them into its midst, steering them directly up to his great aunt. He introduced her as his Aunt Maria, and although she didn’t know a lick of English, she warmly embraced them and led them over to the bride and groom. Nick took care of the introductions to the handsome couple, who didn’t appear at all put out by the interlopers in their midst. When the newcomers presented the couple with their token gifts, the groom immediately shouted for glasses to be brought around so they could drink to their visitors.
Maddie dutifully downed a shot of the ouzo and felt it tracing a burning path down her throat. After a few minutes of intense warmth, her mouth was left with a lingering taste of anise.
Nodding her head in satisfaction at this auspicious start, Aunt Maria marched them over to several tables groaning with food. They didn’t need Nick to translate the single Greek word she said next, as they were quite sure it was “eat.” Giving Nick a pat on the head for having been a good boy in retrieving more guests for her party, she disappeared again into the crowd, presuming that they would proceed to do exactly as she’d ordered.
No sooner had they emptied their plates than, one by one, various and sundry of the crowd came over and grabbed them by the hand to pull them onto the dance floor. Maddie felt uncertain and self-conscious at first, but the locals soon made her feel entirely at ease and even took the time to show her the steps for some of the more traditional dances the band would play from time to time, in between more modern numbers. She saw that they were making Becker into an eager student of Greek dancing as well, probably partially fueled by the ouzo.
During the band’s breaks, ouzo and retsina, a resin-based wine, were liberally poured to accompany toast after toast. As the evening wore on and dusk turned to dark, the party got increasingly raucous, and the dancing got increasingly sloppy. There were roars of delighted laughter as the crowd banded together to do the bouzouki dance, and one or another person would accidentally slide, only to be saved from falling because of the arms supporting them on either side. Being quite the curiosity item, Becker and Maddie kept being snapped up by new partners the minute the previous dance had ended. Consequently, they only managed to dance together twice during the course of the long night.