I move quickly on, leaving poor Sandra fending off Carol’s ‘I was only being polite, and anyway…’
I arrive at my very tidy room, with not one but two un-slept-in beds. That will please housekeeping.
I throw my bag on the bed and jump straight in the shower with my toothbrush. I need to try and make a list of things that I need for the day in my head. Now, let’s see, swimsuit or bikini? Defer decision until getting ready. Sunglasses, sun cream, towel. I can’t think of anything else – my head hurts too much. I step out of the shower, quickly dry off and slap on some sun cream. Right, I think I’ll go for the ease of a bikini, and, because we’ll be going on the scooter, I decide to wear my nice light cropped cotton trousers along with a white top. I find a pair of Helen’s sandals that she hasn’t taken with her. They finish off the outfit nicely.
I snatch one of the hotel beach towels and stuff it into my beach bag along with all the other essentials. I’m ready to leave in a new all-time record of just twenty-five minutes. I’m about to open the door when there’s a light knock on it, and a faint mumble that I can’t understand. I look through the spy hole and all I can see is flowers.
I open the door and a man on the other side of a rather large bouquet says, ‘Flowers for Mrs Valentine.’
‘Yes, that’s me,’ I reply, flabbergasted.
‘Please allow me to bring in your room.’
‘Sorry, yes. They’ll probably be okay on there,’ I reply, pointing to the coffee table.
He puts down the gorgeous boxed bouquet and I notice an envelope on a stick.
‘Have a good day, madam.’
‘Yes, thank you…’ My voice trails off as I reach for the envelope. The card inside reads:
We need to talk.
Richard x
Chapter 23
Helen
I’m not entirely sure where I am, apart from that I’m in a nice comfy bed. My mind’s blank, my head’s thumping and my tongue’s stuck to the roof of my mouth. I can’t move my body and I hear snoring. It must be Steph. I drift back off to sleep.
‘Kalimera. I bring coffee to help wake you up.’ I can hear these words, said in a man’s voice, but my brain isn’t co-operating at all. It must be Room Service.
I try to say ‘Leave it there,’ but I can’t operate my mouth. My head is whirring. How can it be Room Service? I’m… I can’t actually remember where I am.
I peek out from under the covers. There’s daylight, which is painful to my eyes, so I pull the covers back over my face. I don’t want light, I want darkness and more sleep.
‘Don’t think you’re hiding under there for the whole day, either. We have work to do.’ The man peels the cover from my face.
I try to shriek, but my mouth is as dry as a bone, and I’m reduced to a hoarse whisper. ‘Oh my God, Costas, what on earth are you doing?’
‘Bringing you coffee. I am surprised you have survived the night.’
‘What do you mean, survived the night? I was all right … wasn’t I?’
‘No, you were not all right,’ comes the curt reply. ‘You could not walk or barely talk, so I carry you up here and put you in bed. You do not worry – I see nothing that I not see already. I had no choice, Helen, but to sleep in the other bed and make sure that you…’ His voice trails off. He’s actually beginning to sound as though he was slightly concerned about my welfare. ‘Anyway, you are fine. I will meet you in an hour, for the interviews.’
Before I can ask any more questions, he leaves. I inch myself up to tackle the coffee that he’s left by the bed. It dawns on me that his comment about not seeing anything that he hadn’t already was because I’m still wearing my dress. I remember the towel fiasco from yesterday and I want to laugh. But my head hurts too much. And, oh shit, the bloody interviews! What on earth was I thinking, knocking back cocktails, rum punch and ouzo shots on a work night?
There’s only one thing for it: a long shower. My legs are on a different setting to the rest of me so I end up clinging on to bits of furniture to make the journey to the bathroom. This time I make sure the towels are in the bathroom with me – it just makes life so much easier. The shower starts working its magic. I embrace the hot water as it soothes my poor abused head. I mean, what on earth was I thinking? What possessed me to get into such a state?
I can’t remember not being able to walk but then I can’t remember anything beyond Costas leaving me in charge of the group and me promising to keep them in order. What must he think of me now? Typical shameless English lager lout… Okay, I wasn’t drinking lager, and I don’t think I was dancing on tables, or fighting, but I’m not sure. I haven’t got a bloody clue. I’ll ask Alexandra, she’ll know. After all, we were sitting next to each other for most of the night.
I step out of the shower and wrap myself up in a towel. I can hear my phone bleeping somewhere. I locate it in my handbag, which has been put neatly on my case, I assume by Costas. It’s an email from Daniel, which can wait, and there’s a message from Steph from last night, which I can’t make sense of.
Blimey, Helen, you OK?
You’re standard of English
has slipped, I’d give you a
Grade U for grammar and
spelling and A+ for turning
things round so quickly with
Costas or is Cistas someone
else? lol. xx
What the hell is she going on about? It’s her who can’t get her grammar right, with that annoying ‘your’ and ‘you’re’ thing that she does. She’s even done it on here. And what’s she going on about? Who’s Cistas?
I’m just about to launch into a reply when it occurs to me to check my previous text to her. There’s the evidence. But I didn’t send that, did I? Oh my God, I must have done.
I’ll have to reply to Steph in a bit, but, for now, I need to get dressed and make an attempt at putting on some make-up. Then I need to go to the restaurant for something to eat before the interviews start because I’m absolutely starving.
Getting dressed is a painful process as it requires movement, which my head can’t handle. I do my best, given the circumstances. I only poke myself in the eye twice with the mascara wand but you’d never know as my eyes are bloodshot anyway. I gather up my work things and close the door as gently as I can.
I can’t bear the thought of the lift so I walk very slowly down the stairs to the restaurant. Every step’s a challenge, and I begin to think that food might not be a good idea. I make my way towards the coffee station instead.
Darius is heading in my direction. ‘Kalimera, Miss Collins. You look, how you say…?’ He pauses, trying to choose some tactful words, ‘… not very well.’
‘Darius, I feel not very well. I don’t know what I was thinking.’
‘Well, good job for you that Costas and Nikos catch you when you fall.’
‘Fall!’ I shriek. ‘I don’t remember falling! Or Nikos or Costas, for that matter.’ Now he’s mentioned Nikos, I get a tiny flashback. ‘Oh yes, that was it, I was talking to Nikos and Alexandra, and we were all playing that ouzo game.’
‘Oh yes, Alexandra,’ Darius cuts in. ‘She say sorry, she has gone for early flight and to give you this. She seem very upset about something.’
Darius takes a note from his pocket and hands it to me. Then he leaves, muttering something about getting me some toast.
Hi Helen,
I leave early to catch flight. I not sleep much last night. I so sorry if I upset you. I no I will not get the job but I not blame Costas. He is good man reelly.
Alexandra. xx
Darius is back, with toast as promised.
‘Darius, I don’t understand this note. What happened last night?’
‘I am not sure. You seem all right at first. You order drinks and play the drinking game with the others. I think you got upset and cry, but I am not s
ure. Then you fall backwards, but Costas and Nikos catch you and carry you to your room. For the rest, you will have to ask them. Now here is some toast to help you be better.’
‘Thank you, Darius, I think I’ll need a bit more than toast for that.’
Oh my God, I’m starting to panic now. Never in the whole of my life have I experienced anything like this. I literally have no memory from the point of Costas leaving me in charge. I can just about remember Nikos arriving and that’s it.
One thing’s for sure, I won’t be asking Costas to fill me in. But I am surprised, in the light of my behaviour last night, that he was so nice this morning. I’m bracing myself for the interviews; I’m sure his Jekyll and Hyde character will reappear by then.
Bang on cue, Costas appears from behind me and makes me jump. He speaks in a tone that makes me think I’m not going to be let off the hook that easily. ‘Helen, I am very surprised you made it down here. I will meet you in fifteen minutes to have chat about today’s candidates.’
He really does remind me of a Greek version of Simon Cowell. Oh well, this should be interesting, if nothing else.
I muster enough strength to get to the coffee station for another coffee – not that I think it will help much. I’ve reluctantly eaten the toast that Darius brought over. If anything, I’m now feeling worse. I’m grateful there are only four more candidates to interview. We’ll finish by lunch so that the interviewees can catch the early afternoon flight back to Athens. Maybe I can lie on a sunbed in the afternoon and sleep my hangover off.
I stumble into the room where Costas is waiting. He’s flicking through the job applications. He has a Greek coffee in front of him, with the compulsory water by its side. ‘Ah, you made it. I did not think you would be up to interviewing today after the state you were in last night.’
‘I’m really sorry, Costas, I don’t know what on earth happened. I’ve never been like that before. I can’t remember a thing after you told me to keep an eye on everyone.’
‘Well, I do not know what happen either. I got back and you were … well … I think the term is “pissed as a newt” … and not keeping your eye on anything. These things happen; you were upset about something. Anyway, we’d better discuss today’s candidates. Andreas, the first one, is due in fifteen minutes. Then we’ve got Nikos, my cousin, who I believe you have already met.’
‘Yes, I had a meeting with Nikos and he introduced me to Selena, which was interesting to say the least.’
This has caught Costas’s attention. ‘Interesting because…?’
Oh no, I’ve done it again. Why can’t I just keep my big mouth shut?
Costas can see that I’m hesitating and rescues me. ‘Look, I know they have fallen out. Nikos filled me in last night. I also know that Selena plays with fire, so I am not surprised that she thought he was up to no good with you. My wife had an affair and she constantly accused me of doing the same.’
‘I’m sorry to hear that, Costas.’
‘Yes, well, so was I at the time, but I move here for a new start. Anyway, we are not here to talk about this. Will you be okay interviewing Nikos on your own?’
‘Yes, I’ll be fine.’
‘Good. I suggest these questions for Nikos.’ He lists them but I’m too weak to think or argue so I just nod in agreement and stifle a yawn. ‘Listen, Helen, I know you probably just want to go to bed but I appreciate your help here.’
Despite the pain, I grin.
‘What is so funny?’ he asks in his serious voice.
‘Nothing, Costas. It’s just that, for a second there, I thought you were propositioning me.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘That you wanted to take me to bed.’ I feel my cheeks flush. I can’t imagine what on earth possessed me to say that.
To make matters worse, Costas peers over his glasses and looks very serious and very sexy at the same time. ‘I already take you to bed, Helen, last night. But what about taking a few steps back and going into town tonight for some food? The candidates will leave with the rest of the staff and I do not like cooking very much.’
Now I’m confused, and speechless. Costas has somehow turned my silly comment round and asked me to dinner. I open my mouth and manage to reply quite sensibly. ‘Er, yes, Costas, that sounds like a plan – if I’m up to eating, that is.’
‘You will be fine. We do these interviews, I bring you hair of the dog and maybe you sleep by the pool this afternoon. Deal?’
‘Worth a try, I suppose. I’m not too sure about the dog-hair bit but, hey ho, I’ll try anything once.’
‘I am not meaning actual dog hair, I mean…’
‘Yes, I know. I’m joking.’ We smile at each other. I’m not sure what’s happened to Costas overnight, but he seems different today. Not that I’m complaining; I prefer him like this.
‘So, Helen, I think I use this question today: “Tell me about a time when you have gone the extra mile for a customer”.’
For some reason, the way he says it amuses me and I laugh again.
‘Okay, what is funny now?’ He shakes his head, but he does look mildly amused.
‘It’s just the way you say things. It makes me laugh. Sorry. I won’t do it again, honest, and it’s making my head hurt anyway. So don’t make me laugh again.’ I take a deep breath and put my serious face back on.
‘You know, Helen, laughing suits you.’
Before I can answer him by suggesting he tries it himself sometime, the first candidate, Andreas, knocks on the door. Costas waves him in. He must like Andreas because he nudges me for my favourite opening question.
‘Hello, Andreas. Take a seat and tell us a bit about yourself.’
Andreas plunges enthusiastically into his answer but I don’t really hear what he’s saying. I seem to be lost between feeling ill and feeling confused. Costas seems different this morning, in a nice way.
Andreas must have finished the first question because Costas asks his question next. I hear bits of the answer, which involves taking a guest on a bus to a pharmacy for some medication for her husband. I drift off again. Quite honestly, I think that if I make it through these interviews without passing out or being sick, it will be a major achievement.
Costas nudges me for my next question. I glance down at my paperwork. ‘So, Andreas, why do you want this job?’ Andreas seems prepared with an answer.
All I can say is, it’s a good job I’m not being interviewed because my mind would be blank. I’d probably give up at this point and say, ‘You know what? I’m not sure why I want the job. My head hurts and I need to lie down.’
‘I think Miss Collins has your next question, Andreas, when she’s ready, from the creativity and innovation section.’
‘Oh, sorry. Yes, the next question, er, oh yes. What decision have you put off the longest, and why?’
Andreas is very well prepared and fires back his answer, but I’m on a roll as well. What would I say to this? I think we should all do one of these interviews every five years. They make you stop and think. I know one decision that I’ve put off: drawing a line under the James thing and moving on. I still haven’t sent him a message. I keep starting it in my head but that’s it. Note to self: send the bloody message.
I’ve also been putting off a decision about a career change for quite a long time. When James started in the office, he was a nice distraction at first. I was fed up, but ended up staying to keep him entertained. When I get back home, I should look at some different options. Maybe I need a completely new start or…
Something is niggling at me about last night, and I’ve just had a flashback. I was talking to Alexandra about James. God, I wish I could remember what the hell she said. Alexandra holds the key…
‘Well, that concludes our interview today, Andreas. Thank you for your time,’ says Costas.
Andreas stands up and heads out of the
room, looking quite pleased with himself.
‘Well, he scored quite highly compared to yesterday’s candidates. What are your feelings?’
‘Er, yes, he seemed to tick quite a few boxes and he was very pleasant. I like him, but the final decision is yours. You’ll be the one working with him.’
‘Hmm, I think I will have to compromise at some point.’
‘Anyway, let’s see how Nikos fares. I’ll get him.’ I can’t begin to imagine what Nikos is thinking of me right now, especially after what Darius said earlier. I go out into the corridor. ‘Good morning, Nikos. Please come in and have a seat.’
‘Morning, Helen,’ he says as we re-enter the room. ‘It is a pleasant surprise to see you doing the interview. I did wonder…’
‘Yes, thank you, Nikos. We need to keep this on a professional level, please,’ Costas interjects, to my surprise. ‘As you know, Helen is going to ask the questions and I will observe. So, when you are ready, Helen…’
‘Thank you, Costas. Okay, Nikos, tell me what’s the worst communication situation that you’ve experienced?’
I could be wrong, but I’m sure Nikos is blushing. He answers after a very long pause. ‘I am very sorry about what happen last night.’ He looks in my direction.
‘What do you mean? What happened last night? And what relevance has it got to the interview?’
‘My worst communication situation was last night, with the text message on your phone.’
Costas quickly intervenes. ‘I don’t think we need concern ourselves about that in today’s interview. Please move on to another question.’
What the hell is Nikos going on about? Why is he talking about a text message? I’ll have to wait until we’ve finished this interview to even check my phone.
‘Nikos, what is your greatest strength?’
He recovers his composure with this answer, which is that he is a good communicator. Oh yes, that’s a bit ironic, considering the last time I saw him he was trying to communicate with Selena who hadn’t spoken to him for twenty-four hours.
Under a Greek Spell Page 24