Eugenia passed a piece to Michaíl.
There was a shout from Maia: ‘I’ve got it!’ She held up the drachma.
Eléni hung her head. Her bottom lip quivered.
‘Have you tried yours, Eléni?’ Eugenia was in on the secret. ‘Let me cut it for you.’ Inside was another coin. ‘There you are! You’re going to be lucky, too.’
The little girl grinned and ate her cake.
The meal had been a big success and everyone was in a jovial mood. The girls played with their new toys and the adults agreed they couldn’t eat another thingafter devouring theVasilopita.
‘It’s been a great day, hasn’t it?’ Cassia sat back in her chair.
‘The best.Efcharistó.’Her sister reached across and patted her arm.
Michaíl was the perfect host and kept filling up their glasses with tots of ouzo.
‘I have to drive home, Michaíl. You’ll have me drunk.’ Eugenia winked at the old man.
He smiled and then his expression turned serious. ‘I have something to tell you both.’ Michaíl paused. ‘I wanted today to be a happy day because what I’m going to tell you makes me very sad.’
Concerned, the women looked at each other.
‘A few weeks ago, I found out I haven’t got long on this earth.’
Both Cassia and Eugenia gasped.
‘My chest has been giving me a lot of pain and my cough, it does not go. I visited the Dr Alexatos, here in Fiscardo. He is sure I have lung cancer. It is what is causing my breathing problems and my cough. He blames my strong Karelia cigarettes. From what I’ve told him about the coughing up blood, the loss of weight, the pain, he says this is the end.’
‘Oh, no! I’m so, so sorry, Michaíl.’ Cassia’s eyes brimmed with tears. She went and put her arms around the man who had given her a home and had become a father figure to her.
‘You mustn’t fret. I’ve had a good life. I mustn’t be greedy. I’m ready to meet my maker.’ His red-rimmed eyes told of his true feelings and a different story.
Eugenia sat quietly with sadness in her eyes. ‘I haven’t known you long, Michaíl. But you’re a good man. The girls adore you.’
The old man’s face was wet with tears. ‘I cannot manage the taverna anymore. My sister lives in Patras. I visited her a few weeks ago to say goodbye, but she says I must go to her to be looked after. I’m sorry.Taverna Zervaswill close.’
No one felt like celebrating after Michaíl’s bombshell news. Eugenia and Maia got ready to leave not long afterwards.
‘Come on, Maia. Let’s get you home to bed. Say goodbye to everyone. What do you say to Michaíl for your spinning top?’
‘Efcharistó,Kýrios Michaíl.’
Maia hugged the old man. ‘You are very welcome,agápi mou.’His voice cracked.
Cassia walked with them to the door of the taverna.
‘I’ll call and see you tomorrow, Eugenia. Thank you for everything you brought today. Your melomakaronais the best around.’ The sisters hugged. ‘I’m sorry it ended like this, but poor Michaíl must have been desperate to tell us while we were all together.’
‘I know. Poor man. What will you and Eléni do? You can always come back and live with us.’
Cassia bent down to kiss her niece goodbye and didn’t give Eugenia an answer. Her plan to tell both her sister and Michaíl her news would have to wait. Now was not the right time.
* * *
It was a clear, sunny day when Cassia and Eléni set off the next morning. Cassia decided to walk to Eugenia’s and take advantage of the crisp, cold air to give her time to think. On the way there, Eléni spotted a large boat in the bay. ‘Tom.’ She pointed. ‘Baba.’
‘No,agápi mou. Not yet. But I expect he will arrive on a boat like that soon.’
