‘Kaliméra?’ she called. Eléni left to play with Kynigós in the kitchen as a distinguished-looking man emerged from the living room.
‘I’m Dr Alexatos. I told Kýrios Pavlis I would call on him today. Didn’t he tell you? You are the young woman who is looking after him, I take it.’
‘Cassia Makris. I have a room here in return for cooking and cleaning for Kýrios Pavlis, but we have become friends. Now I know how ill he is, yes, I suppose I am looking after him.’
The doctor’s face became very serious. ‘I’m afraid he is very ill. It is most urgent he gets to Patras. He says his sister will nurse him there. Are you able to help him organise it?’
Cassia was taken aback by the urgency of what the doctor had asked her. She knew Michaíl was getting worse, but how could she prepare him for the inevitable?
‘I will do my best, Dr Giatrós. Do you know if he will have a doctor in Patras who will be able to see him?’
The doctor took a letter from his pocket. ‘Kýrios Pavlis has just given me this. His sister has made all the arrangements. There is also a ferry ticket for him, and she will meet him on the other side. All I need you to do is to make sure he has all his personal belongings and to get him onto the ferry. I will call back tomorrow.’ He took Cassia’s hand. ‘He thinks of you as a daughter, Kýria Makris. He is going to find this very hard to do.Efcharistó.’
As will I.For the second time that morning, emotion washed over Cassia. For different reasons. There was no point in regretting something that was her fault. She’d lost her chance of happiness with Tom. There was no going back. All she could do now was do the best for Michaíl.
After the doctor left, Cassia braced herself to join Michaíl. The living-room door was open and she could see Eléni had joined him. For a few moments, she stood at the doorway and watched them — two friends with over eighty years between them, but not one of those years mattered. Michaíl was making Eléni laugh, and she mimed what she had to say back to him. How the little girl was going to miss her surrogate pappoú.
‘Someone’s having fun.’ Cassia drew in a deep breath and she went to sit beside Michaíl. Eléni looked up at her and grinned.
‘He told you then?’ Michaíl’s eyes shone. ‘All I want is a bit of help collecting my things. I haven’t got much to take with me.Just my photographs. The rest can stay. They’re merelythings. And I won’t be needing them for long, will I?’
Cassia squeezed his hand. ‘Oh, Michaíl.’
It was then his tears began to fall along with hers. Even though Eléni did not understand why they were both upset, she hugged Michaíl and then Cassia. Both of them remained silent with their thoughts for a few moments. Cassia knew the best way to support her friend was to get everything he needed ready for his journey to Patras.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Cassia spent the rest of the morning packing Michaíl’s case. He sat at the kitchen table sorting through his precious photographs, calling her over every now and then to show her a favourite that meant so much to him.
‘Look at this one. 1910 in Ithaca. You didn’t know I was young once, did you?’ He held up a photo of a young couple, arms around each other and smiling. ‘I’d just met her. I couldn’t believe such a beautiful woman would even look at me.’
Cassia took the photo from him. ‘Corawasbeautiful, but why wouldn’t she look at you? You were very handsome.’
And so it went on. Michaíl spread out his whole life in pictures, moments of milestones and important events captured through the eye of a camera. The quality of the photographs was often poor, but to the old man, the memories meant so much. The only photos of his childhood were formal, taken by a photographer. One was of his parents and Michaíl with the sister who was now going to nurse her big brother to the end. They were all dressed in dark clothes, the two children like mini adults, their faces serious and unsmiling. But it was the photographs of his beloved Cora that brought him the most joy and caused him to be overcome with emotion.
‘We were never blessed with children. A reason for much sadness, but we had each other until...’ His voice broke. ‘Seven years ago.’
He placed the photographs into date order and gathered them into a neat pile. Then he stood and shuffled over to the cabinet where a picture of him and Cora on their wedding day took pride of place.How things turn full circle, thought Cassia.A black-and-white image of a smiling young couple with their lives ahead of them would be a source of comfort to an old man looking back on his.He handed it to Cassia. ‘Make sure thisis packed in the case,parakaló,as well as the others that I’ve picked out. They’re all I need now.’
‘Of course, I will.’ She sensed Michaíl was on the verge of breaking down. ‘I’ll take them up now. You’ll just need to check I’ve got everything you want to take.’
As soon as she was away from Michaíl in the hallway leading to the bar, she broke down in tears. It was heartbreaking to see her friend trying to put on such a brave face. Not only would he be leaving the island of Kefalonia and its people for whom he’d fought so bravely as a partisan, but he’d be leaving behind his home of many years and endless memories. Most poignant of all, he’d be leaving behind the place where his dear Cora was buried.
* * *
Later that evening, when Eléni was fast asleep upstairs, Cassia found the bar was busier than usual. Everyone was enquiring after Michaíl.How did they know he was ill?
He seemed to read her thoughts. ‘Because I told them.’
The old man appeared at the doorway and found a seat with his friends. He soon became animated at the prospect of being with them again and the reminiscences being shared. ‘Let’s get the ouzo flowing!’
Cassia recognised pain etched on his face, but was determined not to fuss. This was what he wanted. ‘Who’s for another drink?’ she asked, watching as the clear liquid changed to milky white as she added water to the first glass.
It didn’t seem long before Michaíl’s friends drifted away. All bid him a safe journey to Patras. Whether they knew how serious his illness was or not, they all said they’d look forward to his return in the spring.It’s something people do, isn’t it?Nobody states the obvious.Nobody admitted it would be the last time they’d see him... ever.
When the bar was empty at last, Michaíl sank back into his chair.
‘That’s another thing done. It was harder than I thought. I’m off to sleep now. The last in my own bed.’ He took a deep breath. ‘Kalinýchta,lovely Cassia.’
