‘Just a few bottles of retsina andouzofor after the meal.’ Michaíl looked over at the roasting pan just out of the oven.
‘Thank you, all of you. It’s small, I’m afraid, but we’ll have to fill ourselves up with vegetables, and I’ve made olive bread.’
‘But we’re a lot better off than those poor people around Argostoli. No wonder people are leaving in droves.’ Cassiapicked up a newspaper from the sideboard. ‘Look at this. People queuing for food and when they get there, it says there’s not enough to go around. That’ll be us up here in Fiscardo soon.’
Eugenia looked at her and frowned. ‘Don’t say that. It won’t come to that.’
‘Now, now, ladies. No more talk about people leaving Kefalonia. It’s Christmas Day. Who wants a drink?’ said Tom.
It struck Cassia as ironic that Tom was the one to stop the talk about emigrating, yet he was the one who would be leaving them all in two days’ time. She had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.
Eugenia brought in her tins of sweet desserts. As well as more melomakarona, she had baked kourabiedes,the traditional sweets for Christmas. The delicious aroma of the almonds filled the air when she lifted the lid of the tin.
‘Let’s sprinkle some of the icing sugar on the top of the table and draw some tiny footmarks.’ Eugenia picked up some of the powdered sugar between her thumb and forefinger, spreading and sprinkling it around. Using the edge of a teaspoon, she drew little lines to represent feet.
Cassia laughed. ‘I remember Mamá telling us it was the goblins playing pranks on us, making a complete mess in the kitchen.’
‘And we believed her!’
Her thoughts were interrupted by a young voice. ‘Who’s made that mess?’ Maia asked.
Eugenia looked at Cassia. ‘It’s the goblins. They play tricks on the adults and make a mess in the kitchen. Look, they’ve left footprints. Can you see, Eléni?’ The little girl nodded.
Michaíl joined them and went along with the legend that had been handed down for generations. Cassia cleared up the mess while Eugenia went out to Michaíl’s car to bring in the centrepiece of any Greek Christmas Day table, the specialChristmas bread. The smell of cinnamon, oranges and cloves soon hung in the warm air next to the oven where the Christmas dinner was cooking.
* * *
Eugenia’s meal of lamb kleftiko,slow-roasted on a bed of her homegrown root vegetables — stored after the summer and seasoned with oregano that she’d grown herself — was a huge success.
‘It was a beautiful meal. Thank you.’ Tom patted his stomach, and the girls giggled.
‘Now you must taste something else we’ll be having at our Christmas meal in January. The desserts.’ While Eugenia cleared away the dinner plates, Cassia brought a large platter of baklavá, shredded filo kataífi and honey pastries. In the centre of the table, she placed the Christopsomoflavoured with cinnamon, oranges and cloves. The top was decorated with a cross.
‘Christmas in Greece would not be Christmas without the Christopsomo.It is “Christ’s bread” or “Christmas bread”. A bit different from your mother’s Christmas cake, I think.’
Tom held up his plate for a piece. ‘You’ve all shown me a real Greek Christmas. I shall always remember this. Efcharistó.’
Michaíl handed round some small glasses of ouzo. ‘Oh, it’s not finished yet, Tom. Knock this back and while the women clear up, we’ll sit outside and have a smoke. It’s warm enough now the sun is out.’
‘No. I’ll help.’ Tom started collecting plates and glasses. ‘They’ve done all the hard work already.’
The look on Michaíl Pavlis’s face told him it wasn’t what usually happened. The two sisters smiled at each other. Once the three of them had finished the cleaning up, they called Michaíl and the girls inside.
Chapter Seventeen
It was present-giving time. They’d only give theirs to Tom, and Cassia knew he’d brought gifts for the girls. The main Christmas presents would remain hidden until the first of January.
‘Eléni, would you like to give your present to Tom?’ Cassia handed her the gift Eléni had helped wrap.
Eléni stood and watched as Tom opened his gift.
‘I wonder what this is.’ Tom took his time to build up the excitement for the girls. He peeked inside the box. ‘Oh, it is just what I want.’
‘What is it? What is it?’ Maia jumped up and down.
Tom pulled out a slim silver-coloured cigarette case. ‘Oh,efcharistó. It is lovely. I think your mamá helps to choose.’ He looked up at Cassia and beamed at her.
Eléni tugged on his trousers and pointed inside the packaging.
