‘Do you want to mix it for luck and make a wish?’ she asked her sister. Eugenia smiled and took the large spoon.
‘What shall I wish for? I can wish everyone left on Kefalonia good luck, but I mustn’t say my wish out loud or it won’t come true.’
Cassia took the pan from Eugenia when she’d finished and placed it in the oven, where it would bake for the next two hours. She thought about what Eugenia had said. Wishing everyone good luck was easy, but she wouldn’t let anyone know she wished for Tom to write back immediately. She wished she were on a ferry to Athens to become his wife. She wished she’d accepted his proposal and told him face to face she wanted to be his wife.
Unexpectedly, Cassia’s eyes misted. Even in times of hardship like this, the traditions of a Greek Christmas and Saint Basil’s Day were being upheld thanks to her sister and Michaíl. The three of them were all working together to make sure Eléni and Maia had the same happy memories she and Eugenia had.
‘Shall we open the presents while the food is cooking? Can you give the girls a shout?’
They handed around the small pile of gifts. ‘I think Agios Vasilios has been,’ said Cassia. ‘This one is for you, Eléni.’
Watching the little girl’s face as she opened the soft teddies, dressed in colourful clothes Cassia had made for her, was magical. Cassia wished Tom could have been there to share the moment.
When Michaíl handed Eléni and Maia his presents, the girls both felt all around them first and got even more excited, ripping off the paper as quickly as they could.
‘I wonder what they could be,’ said Cassia.
As Eléni unwrapped each wooden animal, her eyes widened further and her smile filled the whole of her face. She stood up and hugged Michaíl, who by then had tears in his eyes.
Maia squealed, ‘Look, Mamá. A spinning top! I’ve always wanted one.Efcharistó, efcharistó.’ She joined Eléni in Michaíl’s arms.
‘You’ve made two little girls very happy,’ said Eugenia.
‘They’re beautiful, Michaíl.’ Cassia’s voice filled with emotion. ‘You are clever.’ She was about to take this kind man’s surrogate granddaughter away from him.
‘Girls, would you like to give these to Michaíl?’ Cassia handed them each a wrapped gift.
The old man opened them one by one — a scarf from Eléni and Cassia, and a pair of gloves from Maia and Eugenia. His eyes lit up. ‘These will keep me nice and warm.Efcharistó.Your mamás have been very busy, eh?’
‘We hope they will keep the cold out when we get short of logs again,’ said Cassia.
‘Just two more now.’ Maia jumped up and down as she handed the small gifts to Cassia and Eugenia, who opened them simultaneously. ‘What have you got, Mamá?’
The sisters laughed and held up identical bars of olive oil soap.
‘Exactly the same as we’ve given to Theía Cassia.’
‘Great minds, I think.Efcharistó polý, Eugenia and Maia.’
Chapter Twenty-One
Cassia and Eugenia cleared away the plates after they’d finished the main part of the meal.
‘That was delicious, wasn’t it, girls?’ Eugenia turned to Michaíl. ‘You’ll have to tell your butcher friend it was a delicious piece of pork.’
‘Efcharistó,TheíaCassia.’
Eléni smiled and rubbed her tummy.
‘I hope you’ve got room for some Vasilopita now.’ Cassia stood and fetched the cake from the kitchen.
‘It smells of oranges.’ Maia clapped her hands.
‘Yes, it does,’ said Michaíl. ‘And St Basil’s cake is very special. Inside is a drachma coin and whoever gets that piece will get good fortune for the next year.’
Cassia cut the cake, remembering where she’d put the coins with the help of the two almonds she’d placed on top of the mixture before baking the cake.
‘A slice for you, Maia, and one for you, Eléni. Be careful how hard you bite, in case you’re the lucky one with a coin.’
