Mum is stirring some custard to go with the home-made apple crumble, the day after I arrive home.
After arriving late last night, I had a lovely lie-in and I am now handing out the little gifts I bought in Santorini, and my family thank me.
‘Ah, I love a snow globe, thank you, love,’ says Mum.
‘Yes, me too,’ says Gran, giving hers a little shake and smiling fondly. ‘Although I don’t suppose they have snow in Santorini.’
‘Maybe it’s ash from the erupting volcano,’ I suggest when Mum shakes hers too and she laughs.
As we chat, I notice Mum has set the table for five people, rather than four.
‘Are we expecting someone else?’ I ask as Mum looks at an incoming text on her phone.
‘We are. And they should be arriving any second now,’ she says as I hear the sound of a key turning in the front door.
‘Lewis!’ I scream as my brother walks into the room. I rush to him and crush him in a hug.
‘Nice welcome, sis.’ He grins, before hugging everyone else in the room.
‘So tell me all about your holiday,’ says Lewis as we tuck into delicious roast beef. ‘You have a nice tan there,’ he notices.
‘Oh, it was wonderful, but tell us all about what you have been up to first,’ I insist. ‘Then I have some news for everyone.’
‘Well, you will have to go first now,’ says Gran, putting down her knife and fork. ‘You can’t leave me in suspense, it’s not good for my digestion,’ she tells me.
‘Alright then.’ I take a deep breath. ‘The thing is, I will be returning to Greece next month for the rest of the summer.’
You can hear a pin drop in the room, before Mum is the first to speak.
‘What?’ Mum frowns. ‘But I don’t understand. Surely you can’t afford to do that, without any money.’
‘And don’t you think you ought to be concentrating on finding a job?’ says Dad, mildly exasperated, and I hope I haven’t gone and ruined the happy mood in the room.
‘That’s the thing, I have actually found one,’ I tell Dad. ‘It’s only temporary though.’
‘Well, that’s something, I suppose. Are the wages any good?’
‘Oh, they are.’ I smile. ‘Very good. It’s just that it happens to be in Santorini.’
I tell my family all about the job I have secured for the summer season, and Mum claps her hands together.
‘That’s great news! Oh, I’m so glad you are pursuing your singing again,’ she says excitedly.
‘Me too, love, that sounds like a smart place too,’ Dad says with approval.
‘Yeah, nice one, sis, that really is great,’ adds Lewis. ‘Let’s see the photos of the club,’ he urges, so I grab my phone and do just that.
‘Oh, very nice,’ says Dad, looking proud. ‘Very nice indeed.’ He nods approvingly.
‘Gran? What do you think?’ I ask, noticing she is a little quiet, despite congratulating me.
‘I think it’s absolutely marvellous,’ she tells me. ‘Yes, I will miss you, but oh what an opportunity.’ She smiles warmly. ‘If I had my time over again, I would say yes to more things, I can tell you.’
‘Oh, thank you.’ I hug my gran, who is sitting beside me. ‘It isn’t for another month, so let’s enjoy the time I have here,’ I say.
‘Let’s do just that. And I think we ought to open a bottle of something to celebrate,’ says Dad. ‘Don’t we have a bottle of Prosecco somewhere from Christmas?’
‘And maybe we can finish off with this,’ says Lewis, lifting a bottle of good brandy from his rucksack nearby.
