‘Could I have the kleftiko please,’ Becky said. ‘But could I have some of your honey with it, Panos?’
‘You want honey?’ Panos asked. ‘On the side?’
‘Well,’ Becky said, ‘I’d really like it spread all over the lamb knuckle, but I can do that myself.’
‘Honey on the lamb?’ Panos checked.
Becky nodded, smiling. ‘It goes really well together, trust me.’
‘Yes,’ Megan chipped in. ‘Do trust her. She completely knows what she’s talking about. I’ll have the swordfish, please.’
‘You want honey on this?’ Panos inquired, bushy eyebrows raising.
‘Definitely not.’
Becky looked out over the village square of Liakada and marvelled at its simplicity and homage to bygone times. A simple square of concrete earth, a few benches where men sat passing the time of day with each other as the sun went down, the grand olive tree watching over it all. The cream-coloured stray dog was sitting outside Eleni’s cafeneon, head through the railings, eyes hungry, waiting for a titbit of anything… and then Elias’s mother came onto the terrace heading towards the animal. Was she going to shoo it away? Becky watched. Eleni bent down towards the dog and threw down pieces of meat onto the street. It sucked its head through the rails and bent down, gnawing excitedly. Becky smiled to herself. Eleni’s bark was definitely worse than her bite. She had a good heart, exactly like her son.
Suddenly her phone started to ring, vibrating on the table, a FaceTime call clearly visible. It was Hazel’s number.
‘What time is it in the UK?’ Megan asked, looking at the phone display. ‘Shouldn’t she be making fillings for tomorrow morning?’
‘It’s seven o’clock in the UK,’ Becky informed. She took the call, holding the phone in front of her and Megan. ‘Hi, Hazel.’
‘Hello, dear!’ Hazel shouted as if because they were in Greece she needed to yell to reach over the distance.
‘Hazel, there’s no need to shout,’ Megan said.
‘There is if you want to hear me over the sound of Shelley and her boys playing pole vault in the garden… and yes, I am inside the unit and yes, I have the door closed and yes I did say “pole vault”.’
‘Is everything OK?’ Becky asked.
‘Yes,’ Megan chipped in. ‘And please, please tell Shelley that if she or the triplets get hurt on It’s A Wrap property doing anything other than making rolls, she is personally liable and not the business. I’ve got one potential suing on my hands, I really don’t want to start collecting them.’
‘That’s why I’m ringing,’ Hazel said, the camera moving as if the woman was struggling to hold it in front of her face. There was now more view of the countertop than there was her.
‘What d’you mean?’ Megan asked, eyes widening in alarm. ‘She’s hurt herself already? Or is it one of the kids?’
‘No,’ Hazel interjected. ‘I mean, I’m ringing about the suing, dear.’
‘Oh, God,’ Becky said, her heart on her chest. She wasn’t ready to hear bad news now. Yes, there was facing up to things and handling whatever was thrown your way, but this was their last night. She wanted sweet Greek dreams and nothing to spoil her goodbyes.
‘I went into the florist’s today. To check up on Martin really, but I made up an excellent story about needing some oasis for a WI event.’
‘Oh, God,’ Becky said again. This wasn’t sounding very good.
‘Is he alright?’ Megan asked.
‘Has he had a relapse?’ Petra shouted. ‘I hear that can happen sometimes.’
‘Who was that?’ Hazel asked. ‘Are you not alone? Should I call another time?’
‘No,’ Becky said. ‘Don’t call another time! Just tell us!’
‘Well,’ Hazel continued, ‘Martin is fine and you’ll never guess what.’
‘No, we won’t!’ Megan exclaimed as if completely exasperated at her employee’s inability to get to the point. ‘We won’t be guessing as you are hopefully going to tell us right now!’
‘Well,’ Hazel began again, ‘his allergic reaction… it was nothing to do with the wrap he ate.’
‘What?’ Megan said, turning her head to Becky then back to Hazel, then back to Becky again.
‘It was a spider bite!’ Hazel continued. ‘Apparently, a couple of days before he was taken ill this beast that looked like one of those false widows, leapt out of a bunch of his Dusty Millers. Martin brushed it off and didn’t think anything of it, but it had bitten him on the wrist. Then, forty-eight hours later, infection started to take hold just as he decided to sink his teeth into his lunch hence why everyone thought it was food-related.’
‘And that we were to blame,’ Megan responded.
‘I,’ Becky said. ‘That I was to blame.’
‘Beck-Beck, there is no “I” in “team”, you know that.’
‘Anyway,’ Hazel went on. ‘His wrist is the size of a baby elephant’s leg and the colour of a saveloy now, but he’s on antibiotics to sort him out so, all’s well.’
‘I can’t believe it,’ Becky breathed. ‘I can’t believe it’s all going to be OK.’
‘I can,’ Megan said confidently. ‘I definitely can. I… just need to work out how I really feel about Dean and then things are going to be absolutely perfect.’
‘One more thing, as you’re there, Megan,’ Hazel said, moving the camera into a better position again.
‘Only good news,’ Becky begged, not wanting the bubble to be burst.
‘Dean’s here!’ Hazel announced. The camera swung around the kitchen and there was Megan’s boyfriend looking a little like nothing in the long-distance connection had been lost in translation.
Sixty-One
‘Close your eyes,’ Elias whispered into Becky’s ear.
‘This feels like Dark Dating,’ she replied, taking tentative steps forward.
He guided her gently along the path towards their destination, the fragrance of jasmine heavy in the air. It was a perfect night, the sky speckled with stars like someone had liberally thrown shiny confetti over the dark.
‘I don’t have to make animal noises, do I?’ Becky asked him.
‘Animal noises are optional.’
‘Is it far?’ she asked.
‘No, not far,’ he told her.
‘How far? Because I’m so full of dinner I might need to lie down soon.’
‘Lying down is definitely a requirement for tonight.’
‘Sexy,’ Becky said with a giggle.
‘I hope so,’ he whispered in her ear again.
He was buzzing tonight after a successful online meeting with Chad, Kristina and Kristina’s lawyer. They had all talked openly, frankly and honestly and made a great deal of headway towards a finalisation of the divorce agreement. Once the police had arrived at Villa Selino three days ago and Elias had explained the situation with the valuable goods – and attempted to explain the situation of Lazarus’s facial bruising – the bedroom cupboard was finally opened revealing a wealth of extravagant spending Kristina had been doing in secret. Paintings, sculptures, relics from far-flung lands and all manner of collectibles were stored high and wide, plus the two vehicles in the garage and apparently a third in storage at the port… Everything was out in the open, both parties had agreed to be completely transparent and Elias had suggested to Chad that this settlement must now not be about the ‘winning’ but about the fair resolution of this chapter in his life. That was what he wanted for his business now. Honest. Just. Honourable. The him he had been before a broken heart had altered his axis.