Under a Greek Spell

by Simone Hubbard

  ‘Is that you, Shirley?’

  I jump out of my skin in fright and stumble out of the confessional. Costas is standing there.

  ‘You frightened me half to death,’ I reply in hushed tones. Not that anyone else is here. It’s just what you do in church.

  ‘Why are you in there?’ he enquires, looking puzzled.

  ‘Oh, you know, just chatting about this and that to an imaginary priest,’ I reply, trying to look like it’s the most normal thing in the world.

  ‘Imaginary priest?’ he asks, now looking completely baffled.

  ‘A pretend priest, you know, like Father Christmas. I was just getting a few things off my chest, you know, talking out loud…’ Before I can say another word, the door creaks open from the other side of the confessional booth and a priest steps out.

  ‘Bless you, child, I am very sorry I have to leave. I suggest you say three Hail Marys in the morning and at sunset for a week and speak to your sister and to…’ he pauses and smiles at Costas who he obviously knows, ‘… your friend.’

  ‘So, this imaginary priest, what does he look like?’ Costas is laughing and shaking his head.

  ‘Oh, you know, a bit like that one but older.’

  ‘Okay, well, if you have finish confession for today, I will light a candle then we can go.’ He lights his candle and bows his head to pray.

  I scurry out as quickly as I can. He’s out a few minutes later, holding a cool bag. ‘Think you could balance this on your knee for five minutes on the back of the moped?’

  ‘I thought we were going on a boat?’ I reply, trying to wind him up.

  ‘We are going on boat but, as you see, there is no water here and no boats, so please when you ready I will take you to the boat.’

  I laugh and hop on the back of the moped. Off we head to the harbour, down the narrow streets of the town. When we get there, Costas parks up near some of the smaller boats that are tied to the harbour wall.

  ‘Your boat awaits, Miss Shirley. Let me help you.’ He takes the cool bag off me and goes down the steps to a little boat. He puts the cool bag in the back. I follow him down the steps and he helps me in. The boat wobbles like mad, but he takes my hand and manages to get me safely on board. As he holds on to my arm, I can feel how strong he is.

  ‘Costas, I think I’d better take my seasickness tablets.’

  ‘If you look to the horizon, you will be fine.’

  As Costas goes back up the steps to untie the boat, I giggle to myself. I’d been picturing the boat out of Shirley Valentine, from the video I watched earlier. It was quite big – well, big enough for Shirley and Costas to have a passionate sex scene. This boat is tiny and definitely not big enough for a romp. I can’t decide if I’m relieved or disappointed. I’m out of practice, so at least now I can relax. He throws the rope back on board and leaps in. He starts the engine and away we go on our adventure.

  Chapter 14

  Helen

  In the midst of my thoughts about James and my encounter with Costas is the dilemma that I can only pick two hotels out of three. In some ways, it would be better if I didn’t know about Xena’s brother. But I’m guessing James knows and, up to last week, they all probably thought it was a done deal. Now I’ve come along and put a spanner in the works. I’m really hoping that this next hotel doesn’t come up to scratch.

  When we arrive there, it looks deserted. The driver offers to wait while I go and investigate. I shout ‘Hello’ a couple of times. A girl finally appears. She hands me an envelope. Inside there’s a note.

  Most sorie my wife has fallon of lader this morning and I take to hospitel. I think she brakes arm. My doorter Sofia can show you the rooms if you like and we can arange anover meeting.

  Regard,

  Antonis

  ‘Do you speak English?’ I ask Sofia, who I reckon to be about sixteen.

  ‘A little,’ she replies, very quietly.

  ‘Okay, I’ll ask the taxi driver to wait for me and you can show me a couple of your rooms. You wait here.’

  I pop outside and ask the driver if he minds waiting for me. He explains that he has another job but is happy to arrange for someone else to come and meet me, which sounds like a good idea. I pay him and arrange for another taxi to collect me in half an hour, which will give me ample time to assess the hotel.

  I venture back inside. Sofia is waiting. ‘My name is Helen Collins. I just need to have a look at a couple of rooms and a little bit around the hotel, if that’s okay?’

  ‘Yes, this is fine. My father said you may ask to be shown round.’ She retrieves a couple of room keys from the reception desk and leads me upstairs.

  When she unlocks the first room, my impression is of the 1970s. There are orangey-brown bedspreads on two single beds. The room seems clean enough but it’s sparsely furnished with just one little wooden chair and a table with a mirror. The bathroom is basic, with a shower curtain round the shower. The rail is a bit rusty and the curtain has a couple of mouldy marks on it.

  ‘Okay, Sofia, I’ll view the other room. Do you have any guests staying here at the moment?’

  ‘No. Some will arrive on Saturday,’ Sofia replies in her quiet voice.

  ‘And how will your parents manage if your mum has broken her arm?’

  ‘Maybe my grandparents will help,’ she replies, shrugging her shoulders.

  She opens the door to the second room, which is similar to the first room but with a green colour scheme. The bathroom is also similar to the first room and a little dated, to say the least.

  ‘Now, Sofia, if you can just show me the dining room, then I’ll be on my way.’

  She leads me back down the stairs to the dining room, which isn’t very exciting. The decor is unsurprisingly outdated and sparse. My prayers have been answered – there’s absolutely nothing about the place that gives me any good vibes.

  The whole place needs a major makeover to get anywhere near the standard that we would require. They obviously didn’t understand the paperwork that the company sent through about our minimum expectations. Maybe in this day and age we should ask for a few photos before we agree to a visit. This is a massive waste of time and money.

  I thank Sofia for her time and wish her mother well. I tell her that I’ll be in touch by email in the next few days.

  The new taxi driver is waiting outside as promised, sensibly positioned under the shade of a tree. I’m going to go straight to my last hotel and then maybe I can have a couple of hours to myself, or with Steph, if she’s about. I need to eat somewhere so I may as well sample lunch at the next hotel and put them on their toes a bit. I show the driver the hotel name on my paperwork and he nods his head. We’ve only been going for a couple of minutes when he slows down.

  ‘I am most sorry, there are goats everywhere,’ he explains, gesturing at the road ahead.

  ‘Don’t worry, I’ve plenty of time. It’s just part of life in the countryside. In England, we mainly have sheep and cows.’

  ‘You live in the countryside in England?’

  ‘No, I don’t unfortunately, but I’m not far from cows, sheep and hills. I love it here, you know. There are no built-up areas and it’s very peaceful and rustic.’

  ‘Yes, I prefer it in the countryside. We go to Athens occasionally to visit family and I am always glad to be home, even if it does mean I have to wait for goats to move out of my way when I want to get somewhere,’ he laughs.

  ‘I’d love to visit Athens. Maybe I could go there next week for a couple of days with my sister.’

  ‘Yes, you could easily do that. There are daily flights from Mykonos that are quite cheap, and it takes less than an hour.’

  ‘I might just do that. Thanks.’

  ‘You are very welcome. Ah, thank goodness, it looks like the goats have finally decided to move on.’

  * * *

&n
bsp; We’ve arrived back in Mykonos town and driven up quite a steep hill that has fantastic views of the town below. The taxi driver has pulled up.

  ‘This is as far as I can go. You just walk straight ahead and the hotel is on your left. You will not miss it. The name is over the gate.’

  ‘Thanks.’ I hand over my money and turn to follow his directions.

  The narrow concrete road is crazy paved in white edging and is dazzling in the bright sun. It’s certainly very quiet in the streets. All I can hear is birdsong and four young children who are playing on some steps. I wander around a corner and, just as the taxi driver said, the Hotel Giorgos is right there, tucked away in among some beautiful gardens. The setting, if nothing else, already cheers me up. It’s picture-postcard perfect. The building is pleasing to the eye, which is a great start. It’s whitewashed, with blue shutters.

  I walk through the pretty gardens and head to the hotel building. There’s a familiar-looking guy behind the reception desk.

  ‘Kalimera, madam. How nice to see you again. How can I help?’

  ‘I’m Helen Collins and I have a meeting with the owners. I apologise for arriving early, but I thought I could have some lunch first.’ I hand him my card. ‘You’ll have to forgive me – have we met before?’

  He smiles. ‘You forget me so soon. I am Nikos from the Boutique Blue.’

  ‘Oh, yes, Nikos. I’m sorry, I didn’t recognise you without your uniform on.’ Oh my God, I can’t believe I’ve just said that. I can feel myself blushing. ‘How come you’re here?’ I ask, hoping he hasn’t noticed my flushed face.

  ‘This is my parents’ hotel. I help out here when I can, after my shift at the Boutique Blue. I could make some suggestions for lunch and then come and join you?’

  ‘Yes, that would be very kind, and maybe you could let your parents know I’ve arrived.’

  ‘May I suggest we wait until after lunch? My father may burn the salad if he knows who you are. He is very nervous already – and that was when he was expecting James,’ Nikos replies, laughing. ‘Get to meet the real Mr and Mrs Papandreas, before you reduce them to quivering wrecks. So, no James then?’

  I take a deep breath in. ‘No, he’s gone to Florida at short notice so I ended up coming here at the last minute.’

  ‘Oh well, that is a shame. We always had a good laugh when James visited. Until he fell out with my cousin, of course.’

  ‘Oh, really? What was that all about?’ I seize my opportunity to get some more information.

  ‘I believe it was over some woman, which does not really…’

  ‘Nikos!’ a voice calls from outside.

  ‘It sounds like someone’s looking for you,’ I say.

  ‘Please follow and meet my fiancée.’ We pass through the colourful gardens. There’s a swing seat out here on which I could just imagine myself gently swinging with a book in one hand and refreshing drink in the other…

  ‘Helen, meet Selena, my fiancée,’ says Nikos. ‘Selena, this is Helen from…’

  ‘… Loving Luxury Travel. Yes, we have already met,’ Selena finishes his sentence, looking like a rabbit caught in headlights.

  Nobody speaks for what is the longest few seconds of my life. Nikos can sense that there’s an awkward atmosphere building and breaks the silence. ‘I have just suggested having lunch with Helen. Perhaps you would like join us?’

  ‘Yes, of course,’ she replies still looking dazed.

  I bet she bloody well does. She’ll not want to risk leaving me with Nikos in case I spill the beans about her and James. Unsurprisingly, she is minus her necklace.

  ‘Did you want me for something, Selena?’ Nikos asks her.

  ‘Sorry, want you?’

  ‘Yes, you shouted for me.’

  ‘Sorry, I have forgotten. Silly me! It will come back to me.’

  Perhaps she was coming to tell Nikos what a two-timing trollop she is.

  ‘Maybe you could bring us a drink each and ask Mama to throw together some typical Greek appetisers.’

  ‘Of course. What would you like to drink, Miss Collins?’ She practically spits the ‘Miss’ at me, the silly cow.

  ‘Oh please, call me Helen. Surprise me with one of your cocktails – something to quench my thirst would be nice.’

  ‘I have the perfect drink in mind. You take a seat,’ she replies in a rather patronising tone.

  The restaurant is by a small swimming pool. There are three couples having lunch and some Greek music playing on the sound system.

  Selena arrives back with a tray of identical drinks. ‘A Limoncello Collins for us all, a refreshing afternoon drink to cool us down.’

  We all raise our glasses with a united ‘Yamas!’

  I take a sip and it nearly knocks my head off.

  ‘Is the drink all right, Miss Collins?’ Selena asks, in a very concerned tone.

  ‘Yes… It’s a bit sharp, though.’

  ‘Oh, I do apologise. I must have put a dash more lemon in yours.’

  ‘Don’t worry, I’m sure I’ll manage. I’m used to bitter-tasting things,’ I reply and look her directly in the eyes. If she wants to play games, I’ll step up to the mark.

  A woman appears with a huge tray of food.

  ‘Mama, meet Helen,’ Nikos introduces me, seemingly unaware of my stand-off with Selena. ‘She is a guest of the Boutique Blue, and I recommend here for some authentic Greek food.’

  ‘Xéro polí, nice to meet you Helen. I hope you enjoy our food. There is Greek shrimp and mussels saganaki, crispy lamb meatballs, fried eggplant, home-made potato and garlic dip, fried feta with honey and sesame seeds and some home-made tzatziki and, of course, our home-made breads.’

  ‘Thank you. I’m sure I will. This looks delicious. But goodness me, I’ll be here for the rest of the afternoon and need to sleep after all this lot,’ I say in a semi-joking protest.

  ‘You not worry. I am starving, so I will eat loads,’ Nikos exclaims, already piling food on to his plate. ‘And I am sure Selena will eat something as well.’ Nikos makes a gesture to invite Selena to eat.

  To be perfectly honest, she looks like she exists on thin air, and that’s rich coming from me. She tentatively puts a couple of things on her plate.

  ‘So, you mentioned that James has gone to Florida. Is that hotel-connected?’ Nikos asks, completely unaware of Selena’s predicament. She’s visibly holding her breath waiting for my answer.

  ‘No, it’s villa rentals,’ I reply, watching Selena like a hawk.

  ‘I do not remember him talking about villa rentals. Do you, Selena?’

  ‘No, he has never mentioned Florida to me,’ Selena replies, sounding on edge.

  ‘Well, like I said, it all happened at the last minute. The Americans wanted someone to go over as soon as possible and James was the only one who could go at such short notice.’

  ‘It sounds like it was James to the rescue, then?’ Nikos says, as if James has gone to fight a war.

  ‘What was your reason for not going?’ Selena asks, only just managing to sound impartial.

  ‘It’s a long story. In any case, I didn’t have a visa and James did. So here I am, enjoying this wonderful Greek island and your hospitality.’ I smile at Nikos and then at Selena. I can’t resist raising my eyebrows, which is enough to unnerve her.

  We slowly make our way through all the delicious food and manage to keep the conversation away from the subject of James. I’m enjoying Nikos’s company but Selena is clearly on pins.

  ‘Now, what about some Greek coffees to finish off?’ Nikos suggests.

  ‘Yes, that would be lovely. I’ve not tasted a Greek coffee yet,’ I reply.

  ‘Selena makes the best coffee in Mykonos.’

  ‘Yes, okay, I will make the coffees,’ she says reluctantly, before strutting off.

  ‘I will ask my
parents to join us while we have coffee. Then I can introduce you,’ says Nikos.

  ‘Yes, that sounds like a good idea. Break it to them gently.’ As Nikos disappears, I check my phone. There’s a message from my parents.

  We’re visiting Anti Paris

  this morning and Paris

  this afternoon. We’re loving

  everything about the

  cruise so far. We’ve even had

  a go at the helm. Hope all

  OK with both of you. xx

  There’s no sign of Selena, Nikos or his parents, so I quickly type a reply.

  Paris? OMG Mum

  you’ve gone a bit

  off course. They won’t

  leave you at the helm

  again. Lol. We’re both OK.

  Steph survived yesterday

  without me. Don’t think

  she even noticed that I

  wasn’t there. I’m at

  my last hotel now so I can

  start enjoying myself from

  tomorrow. xx

  Selena arrives back looking pleased with herself. ‘Eliniko cafe, which is Greek coffees. The others will join us in five minutes. They are just finishing the lunch service.’

  ‘Thank you, Selena. So, is it your day off?’ I try to sound polite but, quite frankly, I just want to slap her.

  ‘Yes, and what a great day it has been so far.’

  ‘Anything planned for later?’ I ask, sipping the hideously strong Greek coffee.

  ‘I had plans but they seem to have changed.’ I suspect her original plan had been to spend the day with James.

  ‘Have you heard from Daniel about opening the bar?’

  ‘Yes, he replied and apologised for the mix-up. He had forgotten about James’s email.’

  ‘Good, at least that’s one matter cleared up,’ I reply, smiling through gritted teeth.

  ‘I think you just had a message or something on your phone,’ Selena points out. She’s looking pleased with herself. I’m sure she’s overdosed me on caffeine. I’ll be on a caffeine buzz until the early hours.