Cassia Xx
She folded the letter and tucked it into an envelope. Licking along the seal, she imagined how Tom would react as he read the words.
Once she and Eléni were dressed and had breakfast, they went to post Tom’s letter.
‘We’re just popping out, Michaíl.’
He sat in his usual seat in the bar, Kynigós lying at his feet. A newspaper was spread out in front of him and his face was serious. Cassia hoped he wouldn’t stop them and start complaining about the awful state of affairs in Kefalonia. She was on a happy mission, accepting a proposal of marriage, and nothing was going to spoil it.
As she got out into the street, she felt guilty. The old man was not just worried for himself, but for her and Eléni too. A shiver ran through her. How was she going to break the news to him that she intended to marry Tom and they were emigrating to Wales? By the time they reached the post office, she’d made a decision. She’d tell both Michaíl and Eugenia after the New Year’s Day meal the following day. The woman behind the counter took the letter, making note of the address.
‘Ah, Kýrios Beynon. He told me he will miss you. He will be pleased to get this, eh?’
‘I hope so.’ Cassia looked at Eléni and smiled.
When they got back to the taverna, Michaíl was outside in the yard chopping the meagre amount of wood left to heat the oven and the fire in the living room tomorrow. The wood from Eugenia had lasted a while, but after tomorrow she would haveto ask her sister for help again. Eléni settled down to do some drawing while Cassia prepared food for the next day.
She cut the pork into small pieces and let it marinate in some of Eugenia’s olive oil. Making sure she had all the ingredients for the morning, she placed everything in the small, cool pantry just off the kitchen. She wanted this to be a celebratory meal. It dawned on her it was going to be her last in Kefalonia, her last in Greece, so she wanted the meal to be typically Greek. This was the recipe her mamá had made when she was a child. But back then the piece of meat had been huge, with any spices readily available and no shortages. This was having to be her version 1953-style.
Eléni tugged at Cassia’s skirt, dragging her to the front of the bar where the door was open. From the outside came the sound of singing.
‘Ah, it’s the carol singers.’ Cassia held Eléni’s hand and took her outside. ‘Look, they have little boats like yours.’
One small boy stepped forward asking if Cassia and Eléni would like them to sing. By that time, Michaíl had joined them.
Once they agreed, the singing started. Some of the children held triangles or drums to accompany the singing.
‘Kalanta.Our Greek carols.’Michaíl’s face had softened. Gone were the earlier worry lines that had been etched on his face. ‘If you listen, theKalandasong will be wishing me, as head of the household, a long life and prosperity. I don’t think it will happen, eh, Cassia?’
Cassia squeezed his arm.
‘Come, Eléni. We must find something to give the singers.’
They went into the kitchen where Cassia had made some koulouri.She’d cut the dough of the sweet rolls into tiny bite-sized pieces for the carol singers to fit in their boats. Eléni helped Cassia carry the tray of breads back to the singers andthen handed them around. Michaíl had a handful of drachmae to share and placed them in the little boats.
The three of them sat in the living room where the low table was laid with two glasses and an already opened bottle of retsina. In another glass was orange juice for Eléni. Michaíl poured and handed Cassia a glass of the pine-resin flavoured wine.
‘Yamas, agápi mou.’
Eléni raised her glass, too, laughing at the chink of the glasses.
Michaíl went into the bar in the hope of some custom, and Cassia and Eléni got more things ready for the next day. Eugenia and Maia would be arriving in the morning.
* * *
Eugenia arrived right on time.
‘Kalí chroniá,’she called out to them as she opened the back of her old truck. Her gift for Michaíl was a load of logs, piled into the back.
‘Kalí chroniá,Eugenia. Ah, the best gift.Efcharistó.’The old man helped Eugenia take the logs to the outhouse. ‘Come in, come in. I think Maia has already gone to join Eléni.’
Cassia greeted her sister, kissing her on both cheeks.‘Kalí chroniá, agápi mou.Yes, Maia and Eléni immediately disappeared upstairs to play.’
Cassia brought out the marinated meat from the pantry. She cut up the peppers and other vegetables and sautéed them until they were golden brown. Next, she heated a deep pan on a high heat before adding the pieces of pork, which were cooked until they too got some colour. The vegetables were added and mixed.
‘Now comes the best bit,’ Cassia said.
With care, she added a dash of Metaxa brandy, some of the retsina from the previous day, honey, spices, cinnamon and cloves, then a little water and orange juice.
