by Beryl Darby
Yannis hesitated. ‘Come along,’ insisted Maria. ‘You’re my son, Yannis, and I want you to kiss me goodbye.’
‘Oh, Mamma!’ Yannis cradled her head against his chest and kissed the top of her head. The talisman to ward off the evil eye that she had given him years ago when he first went to Heraklion bruised her face.
‘You still have it, then. Not that it did much for you, but it could have been far worse. Keep it always and it will keep you safe.’
‘Yes, Mamma,’ he promised. ‘I must go. Bless you, Anna and keep waving.’
Anna watched as Yannis left by the kitchen door and began to make his way up over the hills, using the track that led to Babbis’s farmhouse. At the ridge she saw him turn and look back, then he was gone from her sight. He moved as fast as he could, trying to take advantage of the sparse cover of olive trees, carob and vine. He could see his father and Yiorgo working hard a short distance away and wished he could stay and spend the day with them. He picked his way over the uneven ground towards them.
‘Where are you off to?’ asked his father.
‘I’ve come to say goodbye. They’ve found the bathtub. The fishermen are looking for me, so I want to try to get to Elounda before they catch up with me.’
‘Best get onto the cart then.’
Yannis looked at his father in surprise. ‘The cart?’
‘Be quick about it.’
Yannis scrambled up and laid flat as his father ordered whilst Yiorgo began to fork grass and vine cuttings over him. Yannis pushed his head clear. ‘I can’t breathe.’
‘Make a hole for your mouth and keep still.’
Yannis felt the donkey being hitched between the shafts and he began to jolt over the grassy track until they reached the flatter surface that served as a road between the two villages. For an interminable time Yannis jolted along getting hotter, and wishing he could push away the grass that was tickling his neck and making him itch. Yiorgo whistled tunelessly as he guided the donkey and Yannis began to feel quite light-headed. Abruptly the donkey stopped, backing into the shafts and jerking Yannis alert.
‘What’s the problem?’ he heard Yiorgo ask.
‘There’s a leper about. Seen anyone on the road, Yiorgo?’
‘Not a soul,’ replied Yiorgo truthfully, and smacked the donkey on the rump to make her continue.
‘Just a minute.’
The cart stopped. ‘Cover his foot up, Yiorgo. Word’s got round. They’ll be looking everywhere.’
‘Thanks.’
They moved again and Yannis pushed some grass away from his face. ‘Yiorgo.’
‘Keep quiet and stay hidden.’
‘No. I want to get off.’
‘Wait until we’re the other side of Elounda.’
‘No, now.’ Yannis threw off the grass and leapt down. ‘I’ll make for the hills.’
‘Pappa said to take you all the way.’
‘If you take me much further they’ll want to search the cart, then they’ll know I’ve been home. Mamma and Anna could suffer. Thank Pappa for me. Tell him you took me wherever you please. And Yiorgo – thank you.’
Without waiting for his brother to answer Yannis scrambled up the bank and down into the ditch out of sight. Yiorgo stood in the middle of the road and scratched his head, not at all sure what he should do. Yannis sat where he was until Yiorgo had rounded the bend in the road, then emerged and began to walk openly to Elounda. To his surprise he had reached the far side of the village before he was challenged. Once stopped a small crowd began to gather and before Yannis could explain or defend himself a stone flew through the air and landed at his feet.
‘Better move.’
A stick prodded him in his back and Yannis started his ignominious walk to Aghios Nikolaos. The whole way he was followed by men, women and children who jeered and threw stones at him at intervals that made him duck and weave. On the quay Yannis could see Manolis whittling at a piece of wood and breathed a sigh of relief. At least he would not have to wait around for the boatman to return before he could escape the hostile crowd.
Manolis scowled at him. ‘You, is it? I might have guessed when they told me to wait around. Get in. Up to the prow.’
Silently Yannis took his place and Manolis cast off. They were well away from the land before the boatman spoke to him. ‘Did you make it to your family?’ Manolis asked eagerly.
Yannis nodded.
‘Good for you! What was it like, drifting over there in a tub?’
‘Pretty nerve racking.’
‘There was quite a panic when your tub was found. Messages were passed between the boats and to all the villages. I was told I couldn’t go over to the island until you’d been found. Can’t think why not!’
‘They may have thought I’d arranged for you to pick me up from one of the coves.’
Manolis struck his head with his hand. ‘Fool that you are! Why didn’t you ask me to do so?’
‘Because if they’d found out you would have had your boat taken away and that would have been the end of your living.’
Manolis grinned. ‘If we’d brought the bathtub back with us they would probably never have known you’d been away.’
Yannis smiled with him. He had a strange feeling of relief to know he was on his way back to the island. No longer must he hide or face a howling, jeering mob. He saw the island growing larger as they approached and wondered if Phaedra would be waiting on the quay or if he would have to search for her. His mother’s words throbbed in his ears. “You have your Phaedra.”
Phaedra could hardly believe her eyes when Yannis stepped from Manolis’s boat. Despite Yannis’s assurances regarding his return she still thought he might decide to stay hidden close to his family. To see him return so soon filled her with relief and pleasure. She managed to wait until the little crowd that surged round him fell back; then she walked down the ramp.
‘Welcome back.’
‘It’s good to see you.’
They walked in silence, a strange uneasiness between them.
‘Did you see Anna wave?’ asked Yannis finally.
‘I was beginning to get worried. I’d been watching for hours. How’s your Mamma?’
Yannis smiled. ‘She’s a naughty old lady. She sits there pretending to be asleep and really she’s listening to everything that’s going on. I must say she was a pleasant surprise. I hadn’t quite known what to expect. She can’t walk without help or use one arm, but apart from that she’s fine.’
‘And Anna?’
‘Poor Anna, she looks after Mamma and the house as well as Maria’s children. She has no life of her own at all.’
Phaedra shrugged. ‘At least she has a family. Not like us.’
‘We’re like a family over here.’
‘But we don’t belong to anyone. We’re all separate people from all different parts of Greece who just happen to be on an island. When someone dies we all feel sad, but no one grieves for them, no one is that close.’
‘What about the couples who are living together? They would grieve if one or the other died.’
‘I suppose so. I can’t really explain what I mean. Tell me all about your trip. Did you have to swim?’
Yannis related to her how dark and frightening it had been with just the slap of the waves against the tub and no idea if he was still going in the right direction. ‘Next time I’ll go when there’s a moon.’
‘Next time?’
‘Of course, if I can do it once I can do it again.’
‘You may not be so lucky a second time.’
Yannis laughed at her fears. ‘There’s really nothing to it.’
‘Suppose a storm blew up and you were wrecked?’
Yannis shrugged. ‘It’s a chance you take. Everyone has to go one day and to be drowned would be no worse than mouldering here.’
‘Please, Yannis, don’t talk like that.’ Phaedra shivered. ‘I’m going to church to say thank you fo
r your safe return.’
‘Do I mean that much to you?’
Phaedra began to scramble to her feet. Yannis caught at her skirt and pulled her back down beside him. ‘Answer my question.’
‘I don’t remember it.’
‘Yes, you do. Stop teasing. I want an answer.’ Yannis put his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. ‘Do you care about me, Phaedra?’
‘Of course, I care about most of the people over here.’
‘But not especially about me?’
‘Why should I?’ Her chin tilted defiantly.
‘Because I realised when Manolis was bringing me back that I care a good deal about you. I wanted to be back here, with you. You’re very special to me.’
‘Do you mean it, Yannis?’
By way of an answer Yannis kissed her, pushing her back onto the hard ground, cushioning her head on his arm. ‘I’d like to feel that you belonged to me, Phaedra.’
Stelios opened the letter he had collected from the post office. It was a good deal longer than Anna’s usual notes, telling him all was well at Plaka and urging him to work hard at school. As he unfolded it the words seemed to jump from the page before his eyes.
“There was a great commotion on the island a few days ago. When I went to wave to Yannis there were a lot of people milling around and waving, they seemed to be shouting something, but I couldn’t hear what it was. I asked one of the boatmen and he said there was going to be a wedding, a proper wedding, in the church on the island. I felt so happy for them, yet at the same time very sad that they couldn’t have all their friends and relatives with them.
I asked Davros to wait and asked Pappa if we could send something. He was a bit unwilling, but finally said I could send them half a dozen chickens. By the time I’d caught them and tied their legs Davros was getting impatient, but he loaded them and promised to deliver them to the groom. I was just leaving to go up to Babbis when Davros returned. He waved to me and called that Yannis and Phaedra said thank you.
My heart missed a beat and I nearly fainted. Isn’t it wonderful for him? I’m so happy. I ran inside and told Mamma and she cried and cried. Pappa wished he’d sent more than six chickens and is wondering if they had any wine or brandy for a celebration. I do wish I could go over and meet my new sister-in-law. I’m sure I’d like her.”
And so the letter ran on, making Stelios grit his teeth as he read, until he finally crumpled the sheets of paper and stuffed them into his pocket. ‘Disgusting,’ he muttered. ‘Disgusting. Revolting. Filthy lepers, it shouldn’t be allowed.’
He turned into a taverna and ordered a brandy. The owner eyed him with suspicion, the boy did not look old enough to be a brandy drinker and he wanted no trouble or mess to clear up. ‘You’d be better on wine at your age.’
‘I’ve had a shock.’ A small glass was placed in front of him and he downed the contents in one swallow. ‘Another.’
Doubtfully the bar tender poured a second glass and hovered until he had been paid. This time Stelios drank more slowly, not sure whether the burning sensation in his brain was due to the liquor or his emotions. He deposited the glass on the bar top and made his way unsteadily towards the door. He would never return to Plaka.
Yannis kissed Phaedra gently. ‘I’m glad I’m home and you’re here waiting for me.’
‘Don’t be silly. You’re never very far away. I often see you half a dozen times a day.’
‘I still appreciate coming home to you. Tell me what you’ve been doing.’
Phaedra giggled. ‘You know what I did. You kept seeing me.’
‘I want you to tell me.’
‘Well, I swept the floor and tidied the bed, collected two buckets of water, then decided what I would cook for your supper. I prepared that and left it whilst I went up to the hospital to see Panicos. Spiro told me Elena hadn’t arrived so I went to find her. I came back down to get some vegetables for the patients’ meals and I saw her chatting to Apostolos. When she saw me she said she was feeling better and was on her way up. I didn’t believe her. She looked far too guilty so I gave her the vegetables and a message for Spiro to say I’d be back later, so she had to go.’
Yannis grinned. ‘What did you do then?’
‘I looked for Flora and talked to her until Manolis arrived.’
‘What did Manolis have to say?’
‘Very little. I thought it best to leave them alone for a while so I went to find Father Minos.’
‘Where was he?’
‘In the church. You know, Yannis, it really is nice in there now. He always has a candle burning and some little ones kept by the door so you can light one when you go in. I lit one,’ Phaedra’s face was glowing with enthusiasm. ‘I’d love to see a proper church, one on the mainland. Father Minos says there are always lots of candles burning in them and pictures all round the walls.’
‘I like ours the way it is.’
‘Why? Don’t you like pictures?’
‘Yes, I do, in the very big churches. In the little ones they make you feel, well, as though you’re being watched to make sure you behave properly. What did you talk to Father Minos about?’
‘A lot of things, we went from one thing to another. He said he wanted to talk to Doctor Stavros the next time he came over. You don’t think he’s ill do you?’
‘I hope not. He’s made such a difference to us. I’ll go and talk to him myself after supper.’
Phaedra pouted. ‘I thought we could have an evening at home.’
‘We have plenty of time to have evenings at home. I shan’t be long.’
Yannis forced himself to eat slowly and make conversation with his wife, although her words had disturbed him and he longed to go to the priest. It was nearly dark when he left their house, but he needed no light to guide him on the familiar path round the island. Father Minos was not at the church, nor at the house he had helped to repair and now occupied. Yannis cursed under his breath. He would have to search from house to house now.
No one seemed to know the whereabouts of the priest and Yannis was becoming increasingly worried. He retraced his steps down the path, returning again to peer into the church. Finally he trod warily through the tunnel and began to climb the slope on the seaward side of the island. There he almost collided with Father Minos.
‘I’ve been looking for you everywhere!’
‘What’s wrong? Does someone need me?’
‘I only wanted to talk to you. I was worried when I couldn’t find you.’
Father Minos smiled in the darkness. ‘Come with me, Yannis. I’d like your opinion.’
Yannis followed until they stopped at the little church and Father Minos opened the door. Yannis crossed the threshold whilst the priest lit an oil lamp and held it aloft, showing the roof almost repaired.
‘Looks better, now, doesn’t it? I’ve been coming here whenever I had a chance. This is a church also, and it seemed wrong to renovate one and neglect the other.’
‘So what will you do? Hold services alternately?’
‘I want to use this church just for burial services.’
‘It’s closer to the tower.’
Yannis looked at the priest puzzled.
‘I don’t want to use the tower. Just across from here is a small patch that isn’t rock like the rest of the island. There are a few feet of soil. I thought we could make it into a proper cemetery.’ Father Minos’s eyes were gleaming with enthusiasm. ‘Don’t you think it’s a good idea?’
‘Father, of course it’s a good idea, but there’s so much that still needs to be done for the living. Once a person’s dead you can do nothing for them.’
‘Nothing for their body but there is still their soul to be considered. How would you feel when you knew your last moments were near and there was nothing to look forward to except being thrown into a tower amongst other bones and rotting flesh? No burial rites, no grave where someone could say a prayer for you. You just becom
e another pile of bones, indistinguishable from all the rest.’
Yannis swallowed. The memory of the sack that had been thrust into the hospital ward for a body to be placed inside and disposed of as rubbish came back to him vividly.
‘It was the lack of burial rites that started the fight at the hospital.’
‘Then I’m surprised some of you haven’t thought of it before.’
‘We’ve been rather busy trying to keep alive.’
‘I know, Yannis, and I’m not blaming you. I just want to know what you think of my idea. What did you want to see me about?’
‘I’d almost forgotten. Phaedra said you wanted to see Doctor Stavros when he next came over and I wanted to ask why. I’m not just being nosey, Phaedra was worried in case you were ill.’
‘I’ve never felt better, Yannis. I want to talk to him about a burial ground. He may come up with a medical reason why it isn’t feasible.’
The doctor was disturbed by the hospital. Spiro had moved the mattresses closer together and there were six more patients than before. ‘I did the right thing by bringing them in, didn’t I?’ he asked anxiously.
‘You did quite right. I’m just worried about space. You’ve hardly room to move with so many mattresses and you could do with a couple of extra helpers.’
‘I have them,’ Spiro assured him. ‘Whenever I need extra help I tell Roula. She seems able to conjure up helpers from thin air.’
‘She’s a wonder. I’ll have a look at Panicos again before I leave. He’s very low.’
‘He didn’t want to come in. Said he was quite fit enough to stay where he was. The truth was he didn’t want to leave his goats.’
‘Who’s looking after them now?’
Spiro grinned. ‘They’re tethered round the back. When it’s milking time we bring them in so he can pet them. Wish we had a few more.’
‘Could you cope with more? There’s not much for them to eat except food scraps and they tend to chew at anything.’
‘We could manage. They’d be worth it for their milk.’
‘I’ll ask Manolis to see to it.’
Father Minos was waiting outside the hospital for the doctor. ‘I’d like to talk to you for a while. Can you spare a few minutes to walk round the other side of the island with me?’