by Mandy Baggot
‘All I really want to know is… when do you think we can go back to bed?’ Gavin asked.
*
Michalis saw Lucie approaching and he couldn’t help but smile. Last night, holding her in his arms had been the antidote to everything he had endured over the last year. The whole date had been a reminder of how beautiful and simple life could be if you let yourself embrace it. He had checked his phone last night after he had climbed into bed, all the places he used to hang out online and… nothing. Was it possible it could really all be over? He thought about texting Chico, getting him to check his locker at the hospital. But that would involve opening up and right now, while things were quiet and balanced, he didn’t want to tempt fate.
‘Good morning,’ Lucie said, arriving in front of them.
‘Oh hey!’ Nyx greeted enthusiastically. ‘This is the excitement you get when you decide to take your holidays halfway up a mountain, right?!’
‘Well,’ Lucie began. ‘We still aren’t quite sure why we were woken up so early and made to come to the square but—’
‘There has been a big collapse!’ Nyx told her. ‘Huge boulders of rock have rolled down from the top of Pantokrator and blocked the main road!’
‘What?!’ Lucie exclaimed, a hand going to her chest. That sounded really serious! ‘Was anybody hurt?’
‘I don’t know!’ Nyx exclaimed. ‘No one asked that!’ She punched Michalis in the shoulder. ‘Why did you not ask that? You are the village doctor!’
‘It is not as bad as my sister is saying,’ Michalis said in reassuring tones, his eyes still on Lucie.
‘How do you know this?’ Dimitri asked. ‘Have you seen the road for yourself?’
‘No, Papa,’ Michalis replied. ‘We have only just woken up.’
‘Speak for yourself,’ Dimitri groaned. ‘I am going with the others to see with my own eyes.’ He sauntered off towards a group of village men who seemed to be contemplating their next course of action in front of the taverna, with plenty of cigarette smoke circling between them.
‘If we are locked down people will need meat,’ Nyx announced excitedly. ‘I have been wanting to get rid of a couple of elderly cows for a while.’
‘Locked down!’ Lucie exclaimed.
Michalis drew her closer to him and spoke softly. ‘I am sure Nyx is exaggerating. In all the years I have lived here, the village has never been locked down in this way. Sure, there have been a few landslips, but the road has always been passable.’
‘But… what if it is worse this time?’ Lucie asked. ‘Nyx said “boulders”. Boulders aren’t little stones, they’re slabs that barricade things. What if they’ve barricaded the village and there’s no longer any connection to anywhere else?’
Michalis could see Lucie was close to panicking and he sensed this reaction wasn’t just to the fact there was something blocking the road. He knew it was the word ‘lockdown’ and what that meant to literally everyone on the planet. It spoke of fear and isolation and not knowing when it would truly end. But it was especially poignant to them as medical workers… It was a word that had signalled all the horrific things that followed for months and months.
‘Listen,’ he told her. ‘Whatever has happened, we Greeks are very resourceful. And, unlike a real lockdown, without government rules telling us to stay where we are, we will simply set about making this blockage disappear and all will be well.’
‘OK,’ Lucie said, taking a deep breath. ‘Because, as much as Meg likes Villa Psomi, she really wants to get to her rental apartment in Perithia and I want that too and—’
‘Lucie,’ Michalis said, reaching out and rubbing his thumb against her cheek. ‘Everything will be OK. I promise.’
Promise. The last word stuck in his throat and his insides suddenly stung, making him drop his hand from Lucie’s cheek and withdraw a step. He shouldn’t have said that. He quickly smiled to hide the real emotion he was feeling and was grateful when Gavin and Meg arrived outside the butcher’s.
‘Is it true we’re going into lockdown?’ Gavin asked, his face a little pale. ‘We came to Greece to get well away from all that.’ He shuddered and stood close to Lucie. ‘I got a flashback of that weedy Grant Shapps talking about travel corridors and quarantine. And, what I want to know is, does Corfu have to do what the rest of Greece says, or is it like England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, where everyone made things up as they went along and did something ever so slightly different?’
‘Gavin,’ Meg said. ‘A road has been blocked. It’s not another deadly wave and more “hands, face, space”.’
‘Knees and toes. Knees and toes,’ Gavin chanted in a sing-song way.
‘Meg,’ Lucie said. ‘I know you really, really want to get down to Perithia today.’
‘Lucie-Lou, what will be will be,’ Meg said, putting an arm around her shoulders.
Michalis felt his phone buzz in the pocket of his jeans and he drew it out as Lucie, Meg and Gavin left him for Melina and a group of villagers surrounding the president. There wasn’t a name on the display, just a number, but he knew exactly who had sent it. His heart dropped to the floor. So much for being in the clear. It was going to start all over again.
Thirty-Seven
Villa Psomi, Sortilas
‘Right,’ Gavin said, clapping his hands together. ‘Let’s look at our options.’
Thankfully Gavin had changed out of the silver hot pants and was now wearing some slightly more substantial shorts with a watermelon print as he, Lucie and Meg sat at the large table on the terrace overlooking the pool. It was another beautifully clear day with the fragrant scent from the flowers in the garden adding a pleasing tinge to the gentle breeze.
‘I don’t think we have that many,’ Lucie admitted with a sigh. She had taken her own eyes to look at the boulders blocking the main road out of Sortilas and they weren’t the kind of stones even a team of professional strongmen could shift with ease. This was going to need machinery and Melina hadn’t seemed too optimistic as to when this help would arrive. OK, so it wasn’t a lockdown where everything was closed and bars had a curfew, but their Corfu world had just got a bit smaller.
‘Positivity, Luce!’ Gavin insisted. ‘Our options are a lot more varied than any kind of lockdown in the UK. There you were grateful for a “cheers mate” with an Amazon delivery dude and a scotch egg with your beer.’ He softened his tone a little. ‘And no one is ill here. And if anyone is ill it’s not our responsibility, there’s a village doctor to take care of it.’ He took a deep breath. ‘Anyway, I’ve emailed the wine tasting people and shifted our session and I’ve gone through my case and assessed all the toys I brought with me.’
Toys? Those golf balls that probably weren’t for golf…
‘I’m so dreadfully sorry you’re going to have to put up with me,’ Meg stated with a sigh. ‘But as soon as the road is unblocked again, I will be out of your hair.’
It did feel a little bit odd having Meg here without any warning and Lucie really hoped her sudden need for adventure was all the ‘taking life by the scruff of the neck’ she’d spoken about last night and not a ruse to keep tabs on what she was doing. At Lucie’s age, if she couldn’t be trusted to keep herself from harm now, when could she be?
‘Speaking of hair,’ Meg carried on. ‘I think the new short style on you is growing on me.’
Lucie sighed. ‘Well, I wish it was growing on me… literally.’
‘At least you don’t have eyebrow issues that no amount of searching on YouTube can really help with,’ Gavin said, a finger slicking over the bare skin above his eyes.
‘You could pencil them in,’ Meg suggested, turning to scrutinise Gavin’s forehead. ‘We always added some pencil to them when I was younger.’
‘Oh no,’ Gavin said immediately. ‘YouTube did show me all about what not to do with eyebrows. You should have seen some of the results.’
‘Well,’ Meg said, closing the guidebook she had been reading and paying full attention. ‘What toys
do you have for us to play with?’
Lucie baulked, nudging the table with her knees and almost sending the jug of iced water into a wobbling frenzy. She really hoped this was a PEGI 12 conversation coming up.
‘Well,’ Gavin said, producing his bright flight bag and putting it onto the table. ‘I’ve narrowed it down to Throw Throw Burrito or Stress Bingo.’
‘Gavin, I’m not sure those are games Meg would enjoy.’ If she was honest, Throw Throw Burrito stressed her out more than Stress Bingo.
‘I have no idea what a game suggesting you hurl around Mexican food would achieve… but I’m ready to embrace new experiences and challenges I ordinarily wouldn’t contemplate, so…’ Meg said.
‘And I also have a drone,’ Gavin announced.
From his bag came a rather large device with rotor blades that looked like it might be capable of Yodel delivery if the packaging wasn’t too over-the-top.
‘Wow,’ Lucie said. It was all she could manage. In truth her mind was still working over her last interaction with Michalis. He had seemed so pleased to see her in the square initially and then, when they had gone back to him with more news from Melina, it was like something had changed. He’d seemed distracted, a little cool even, and Lucie was left wondering if he had had a change of heart about a second date. Not that they could actually leave the village and go anywhere now…
‘I’ve always wanted to have a go with one of these,’ Meg announced, standing up and moving closer to Gavin. ‘They did a video using drone footage at our last summer party at rehab. The results were fantastic and you would never have guessed the camera had spent half of its flight crashing into the hydrangeas or Mrs Lafferty’s grandson.’
‘Well, come hither, Meg. Let’s take it for a little flight and see if we can find out what other people are getting up to around here,’ Gavin suggested, plucking up the device and galloping away from the table and down into the garden.
‘Gavin,’ Lucie called. ‘That sounds very much like spying! You can’t spy on people!’
Thirty-Eight
Sortilas Village Square
Michalis hadn’t ridden for at least two years, but right now it was exactly what he needed. Aboard the large black stallion, the leather reins felt good between his fingers and the strength of the animal he had to be in control of was both scary and adrenaline-fuelled.
‘What are you doing?!’
It was Nyx, barrelling out of the butcher’s, a heavy-looking carrier bag swinging from her fingers.
‘I am going for a ride. Do you need anything from town?’
‘What are you talking about? The road is blocked! We are locked down! Have you hit your head somewhere? I would say you should see a doctor but…’
‘You do not ride horses on the road, Nyx.’
‘Do you remember how far it is down the mountain on the tracks, and how hard?’ She squinted at the animal he was astride. ‘Is this Bambis? Micha, he is still a beast to ride. And last month he bit the cheek of Mavros. It looked like the face of a butchered pig.’
Michalis shrugged. Right now he didn’t care how hard or how far. In fact, the further and harder the better. He needed to be doing something that wasn’t practising medicine or waiting for his phone to vibrate again. This was how it always started and he couldn’t deal with it again. He just couldn’t.
‘Micha,’ Nyx said. ‘What has happened?’ She dipped her voice further still. ‘Has Lucie dumped you already?’
Lucie. Beautiful Lucie. She had no idea about any of this. Perhaps relief would never come. Maybe it would always be this way. The second he let his guard down and thought there was a chance for something brighter, the reminders returned.
‘There is nothing you want? Good,’ Michalis said, avoiding all the questions. He rubbed the horse’s neck, fingers digging deep into its coat.
‘Micha, you are not acting like yourself,’ Nyx said, looking like she wanted to find a safe space to put the carrier bag down. ‘I am… going to get Papa.’
‘Why would you do that?’ Michalis asked her, annoyed now.
‘Because you are being crazy. And you are the sensible one in our family. You have all the brains in your head and… I have all the brains in this bag.’ Nyx held the carrier aloft but then quickly put it down again. ‘Mrs Pappas is making grotesque lollipops for the Day of the Not Dead festival.’
‘And you think I am being crazy?’ Michalis mocked.
‘Do you have surgery today?’
‘No.’
‘Come and help me in the shop.’
‘You do not need my help.’
‘Well, I know I said it was good for him but… Papa is getting a little slow.’
‘Please do not tell him that before I get back.’
‘Micha! I won’t let you go anywhere on that… wild thing!’
Right on cue, Bambis let out a bloodcurdling whinny, rearing up on his back legs. But then, as Michalis tightened his hold and made the horse snatch on the bit, Bambis finished his attempt at dominance with a steam-riddled snort. This was what he needed. Bambis to take him for a ride that would ease his anxiety just for a few hours, two raging individuals warring with each other for supremacy.
‘See!’ Nyx said, stumbling back from stray hooves and fiery eyes.
‘Your concern is appreciated but it is not necessary.’
‘Micha, please stay here.’
Now his sister really did look concerned for his welfare. He softened his tone. ‘Nyx, I will be fine. I have ridden Bambis many times.’
‘But, I swear to you, he has become more psychotic with age,’ Nyx replied.
‘Well,’ Michalis began, thighs gripping the brute of an animal. ‘So have you, but we deal with this.’ He dug his heels into the horse’s girth. ‘Ela, Bambis!’
Thirty-Nine
Villa Psomi, Sortilas
Lucie powered up and down the pool, feeling the movement of every single muscle as she swam length after length. This holiday was already doing wonders for her energy and mental well-being. Who wouldn’t feel that little bit more relaxed amid a seascape and undulating mountains, eating the freshest local food and soaking up all the sunshine? She stood as she reached the shallow end of the pool, smoothing her hair down and looking over at Gavin and Meg, who were poring over Gavin’s mobile phone, which both controlled the drone and sent back the images from the camera.
‘Lucie,’ Meg shouted across the terrace. ‘This is quite remarkable.’
‘I can almost see what book that woman is reading on the beach!’ Gavin said delightedly.
Lucie shook her head as she strode up the pool steps, then walked to the sun lounger where she had left her towel. ‘I thought we agreed no spying.’
‘We haven’t been spying,’ Meg insisted.
Lucie slipped on sliders and walked over to join them again.
‘We’ve gone all the way along the coast from Almyros to Acharavi and now we’ve got to Roda,’ Gavin informed. ‘It’s crazy good. Come and see.’
Lucie shook her head. ‘I’ll pass.’ She sat down in the egg chair that was finally dry from its expedition in the pool. ‘What’s the range on that thing? You’ve been at this for over half an hour and the battery can’t last forever.’
‘Fuck!’ Gavin exclaimed.
‘You’re not too unrelated to me that I wouldn’t wash your mouth out, young man,’ Meg warned.
‘Sorry, Meg. But Luce is right. We’re probably touching on the five kilometre limit and I think the box said forty minutes’ flight time. We need to turn this baby around and get it back here. Oh!’
‘What is it?’ Meg asked. ‘Another idiot on water skis?’
Lucie looked over at Gavin and saw her friend was holding his hand to his chest like it might be concealing a fatal poisoned dart. The last time she had seen that expression was when the hospital canteen had completely run out of coffee. She swung out of the egg chair and went to join them.
‘No… it’s… but it can’t be… I…’
> ‘Gavin, what is it?’ Lucie asked, looking over his shoulder.
Gavin shook his phone up and down as the screen began to fail, the picture distorting. ‘Oh bloody hell! Now I can’t see at all!’
‘Is the battery going?’ Meg asked, looking intently too. ‘What if it just runs out? Will the drone fall out of the sky like the one at my rehab centre did?’
‘I don’t know,’ Gavin admitted. ‘This is the first time I’ve flown it anywhere other than around my communal garden.’
‘Perhaps it wasn’t wise to steer it so far away,’ Lucie suggested.
‘It’s a bit late to say that now!’
‘Well, good luck, dear,’ Meg said, getting to her feet. ‘I think it’s high time I had a dip in that pool.’
Lucie waited for Meg to leave the terrace, then she watched Gavin begin to perspire, fingers pressing at his phone screen as intermittently the drone’s footage started to come back. ‘Will you get it back here?’ she asked softly.
‘I don’t know,’ he admitted. ‘I got carried away and then… I thought I saw someone I knew on the beach.’
‘It wasn’t Cher, was it?’ Lucie asked, smiling.
‘No,’ Gavin said. ‘I could have sworn it was Simon.’ He took a breath. ‘But that’s impossible, right? Because, why would Simon be in Corfu?’
‘You and Meg have been looking at that screen too much,’ Lucie told him. ‘It’s boggled your eyes.’
‘Yeah, probably,’ Gavin said with a sigh. ‘But you know what they say about imagining people, right?’
Was there a wise old saying for mistaken identity? She looked at Gavin quizzically. ‘I don’t think I do know.’
‘Well, if I was ready to forget him and move on I would be moving on, wouldn’t I? I would be looking at all the hot Greek-ness on the beach, not thinking I’ve seen Simon. I mean, there was this one guy Meg pointed out who was actually nude and honed like an artist had sculpted him that way, but apart from that…’