‘Papa,’ Elias replied, watching the dancers spinning around the square, traditional costumes swirling, footwork perfect. ‘What is the money from the sale of my house meant to be spent on if not you and my mother enjoying yourselves?’ He smiled. ‘Italy is going to save your marriage.’
‘What?!’ Spiros exclaimed. ‘I thought I had already saved my marriage. I have done the ballroom dancing. I can even use an iron. Now you say there is more work to be done?’
‘I would say there is work to be done just about every day, Papa,’ Elias said with a smile. And then his expression changed just a little. A nervousness caught in his chest, like moths were mating or perhaps fighting each other…
Across the square, arriving at the festival, hand in hand, was Hestia and Thalia. He swallowed, looking and seeing his ex-wife for the first time since she had left him.
‘Oh, Elia,’ Spiros said, his eyes focused in the same direction. ‘This should not be happening. I don’t know how she can come back here again.’
‘I do,’ Elias answered, putting his drink down on the makeshift outside bar. ‘She is coming back because I asked her to.’ He looked at his father and smiled. ‘Excuse me.’
As he walked towards Hestia and Thalia a pinball of emotions pinged around his body. He smiled a greeting and raised a hand, the crowd quietening as if sensing something was about to occur they should take notice of. Elias had no care for anyone else. He only cared about making this right.
‘Hestia,’ he said, reaching her. ‘I… wasn’t sure you would come.’
‘Elias,’ Hestia answered, smiling. ‘After your email, how could I not?’
He was emotional in her presence and he bit back tears that were trying to escape. He had finally replied to Hestia’s previous reaching out like he should have done so much earlier. Except, responding now, later, when he now had the clarity he did not have before was perhaps better. Standing in front of her, at first glance, Hestia hadn’t altered at all. She still wore her curly hair long and loose, with minimal make-up, wearing a flowing boho dress down to her ankles and flat sandals on her feet. But there was a difference to her, and the difference was she was glowing with happiness. Complete and total relaxed confidence in who she was and who she was standing next to, hands entwined.
‘Come here,’ Hestia ordered. She let go of Thalia’s hand and threw her arms around Elias.
He closed his eyes and held her close, feeling none of the emotions he had felt for her when they were in a relationship. What he felt was something even better. It was as if he was finally finding out who the real Hestia was for the first time and it was all wrapped up in this one hug. It was only when she released him from the embrace that he realised the music of the festival had completely ceased and the only sound was the spits still turning the skewers of lamb souvlaki. It was time he had his say in Liakada.
‘This is Hestia, everybody!’ Elias called to the crowd. ‘Remember she grew up here among you just like I did! And yes, we were married! And yes, we have divorced! And yes…’ He paused briefly. ‘We have both moved on. Exactly like… when you, Georgios stopped dating Maria and started dating Rhea.’ Elias looked around the gathering of villagers all a captive audience, but an audience that wasn’t any longer looking quite like a disgruntled group ready to shun. ‘Or when you, Theo, had to admit that your goat Iris was never going to be able to breed and so you bought Gaia.’
Theo burst into tears and passed his bottle of beer to his brother before leaving the group.
‘Sorry, Theo,’ Elias called. He gathered his thoughts again. ‘I’m simply saying that tonight is a time for the village to celebrate. All the village. And Hestia… and her partner, Thalia, they should both be part of that celebration.’
No one cheered. But also no one said anything at all. That was progress for Liakada. And then Eleni bustled into the centre of the square, still wearing her apron over a dress, but with sparkling shoes on her feet. She raised her arms in the air. ‘What are you all staring at?! Why have you stopped playing the music? This is a festival not a funeral!’ She met Elias’s gaze. ‘And everyone is welcome!’
He had never loved his mother more than right now. She gave him a nod of approval and then accepted the hand of his father who drew her close and into a dance as the band finally recommenced.
‘Elias,’ Hestia said, tears rolling down her face. ‘You didn’t need to do that.’
‘Oh, Hestia, I really did. And…’
He looked to Thalia. She was smiling too.
‘And I really wanted to,’ Elias finished.
Hestia caught Thalia’s hand in hers again. ‘Elias, you haven’t met properly. Elias, this is Thalia.’ She paused, emotion evident. ‘My love.’
Elias put out his hand. ‘It is so nice to meet you, Thalia.’
*
Hestia was beautiful. Thalia was beautiful too. They made the perfect pair and, watching them talk to Elias, Becky couldn’t have been prouder about what her boyfriend had done by asking them to come to the festival. It was the closure that everyone needed to move towards a new future and she felt so excited about that future.
‘Becky,’ Elias called. He had turned towards her now, beckoning wildly.
She moved towards them, ducking around the ever-growing throng of dancers to get there. She had been practising Greek dancing a little but she definitely needed to work on her stamina. Elias said he had plans for upping her cardio and Becky didn’t think he meant the gym at the health club… and she was more than glad about that!
‘Becky,’ Elias said, putting an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close. ‘This is Hestia and Thalia.’
Becky smiled, holding her hand out to them both in turn. ‘It’s so nice to meet you both. And thank you for coming tonight. I know it can’t have been easy. I am getting to know what Liakada can be like.’
Hestia laughed then. ‘Most of it is still following rules made in medieval times.’
‘Only most?’ Becky asked.
‘She is right,’ Thalia agreed.
‘Wait,’ Elias said. ‘I have not introduced you properly.’ He hugged Becky even closer. ‘Hestia, Thalia, this is Becky Rose.’ He gazed at only her, love shining so brightly. ‘My everything.’
Becky’s heart swelled and that feeling spread over and through her, warming her every part as the man she loved so deeply drew her nearer still. She was sure How to Find the Love of Your Life or Die Trying would have some theorised explanation for how she was feeling right now, and what she should do about it. But she absolutely, definitely, 100 per cent, did not care. From now on there was no second guessing, she was completely going to wing it… with a man she met on a plane.