“Thank you for your advice and your trust, but this is not the reason.” Anna gave a wistful smile. “Actually, I had decided to move downstairs with the children and to put up the upstairs apartment for rent, but something has come up that I can't possibly ignore. I need to leave the soonest possible. It’s not up to me. I have no choice, believe me!”
Mrs. Sofia tilted her head, her eyes soft. “Are you sure about this?”
“Yes! I have no other option but to leave. I assure you, this is an obligation toward my husband and child. Please take it as a given if you can believe me, and don’t ask me to justify it.” Her voice wavered, and she willed herself not to break into sobs.
Mrs. Sofia leaned forward and patted Anna’s hand that rested on the table. “I do believe you, psyche mou! I can see that what you’re saying is coming from the heart. But what about the children? As you know, there’s no next of kin. I won't allow Social Services to take them to some ghastly institution! We are their family now!”
“I know, Mrs. Sofia. I know but—”
“Do you intend to take them with you? You can't take them away from all they have left that is familiar! Haven’t they lost enough already? And what about Pallada? I’m getting too old! I cannot run it on my own. Please reconsider, you can't leave now!”
Anna sighed. She felt done in, spent from her efforts to convince her with her vague justifications. But she had thought this through since early morning, since reading the letter that had changed everything, bringing her unexpected and solid hope.
“Mrs. Sofia, of course I don’t intend to take the children away from their home and the familiar faces they have left. And how could I deprive them of you? I mean to go away on my own! I’m so sorry to let you down, Mrs. Sofia, but I have no choice.” Her voice broke and, finally, the tears she’d been holding back began to stream down her face.
“Don’t cry Anna, please! We will think of something. We will work it out—”
“Please don’t try to sway me, it’s futile!”
“But what about the children? And what about Pallada?”
“I have the perfect solution for Pallada.” Anna took a deep breath and wiped the tears away with her fingertips. “Olga can run it! She’s more than capable. She has run a bigger guesthouse than Pallada on her own in the past. Kimon himself had told me.”
“Yes, I know that. He mentioned it to me too. He said a lot of good things about her, and indeed she’s a lovely girl. But does she even wish to stay?”
“Yes, she does. I asked her the other day if she’d like to work here on a permanent basis, and she said she’d love to!”
“Really?”
“Yes, Mrs. Sofia! You see? You don’t need to worry about running Pallada on your own.”
“Thank you, Anna, thank you for arranging that. But what am I going to do without you? And what about the children?”
“Well, about the children, I was hoping . . .” Anna’s voice trailed off. This was far too big a favor to ask of a woman at the threshold of her seventies. Somehow, she didn’t dare put it in words.
“You mean for me to . . .” Mrs. Sofia pointed a finger to herself, her voice faint.
“Yes . . .” Anna locked eyes with Mrs. Sofia, her expression pleading, hopeful.
Mrs. Sofia gazed back at Anna for a little longer and then smiled. It was a genuine smile of acceptance. Despite her years she’d just taken on the most demanding challenge: to raise two children that weren’t even her own by blood. But they felt like her own by love and, somehow, that made them even more precious to her. Instinctively, she squeezed the child in her arms with affection.
In response to the cuddle, Manos started to giggle. Mrs. Sofia watched as the expression on Anna’s face turned from worry to relief and from sorrow to joy. She knew she’d miss her but felt ready to let her go. With Olga running Pallada, she could stay with the children in their house to take care of them and still help around the guesthouse when she could. If the business continued to flourish, they could still use additional staff for busy periods, even for a day or a few hours at a time, as they’d often done in the past.
***
Anna left Pallada and walked to the house with haste. She was holding Manos in her arms and was also carrying one of the two bags Mr. Giorgis had given her earlier. Mrs. Sofia had transferred most of the fruit of her equal share into that bag saying she needed very little for herself.
Anna put in the same bag, the oblong package that her friend had given her. She couldn’t wait to open it. As soon as she got home, she placed Manos in his pen. She kissed his fragrant hair and hurried to the kitchen.
Her casserole meal for lunch was ready on the stove. In less than an hour, she’d have to leave to pick Ksenia up from school. She put the plastic bag on the kitchen table and took out the paper box. It was sealed with duct tape. Using a knife to open it, she removed the lid slowly, just as you’d open a door to a room where someone is sleeping.
Anna looked inside to find the wands just as her husband had said. Taking them in her hands, she held them up in the sunlight that streamed in through the window. The iridescent contents of the wands swam softly in the clear liquid, catching the sunlight in a mesmerizing way. Yet, Anna didn’t waste any time. Two minutes later, she was outside the cave. Efimios had written that, thanks to Poseidon, they didn’t need to worry about Athena any more, so she entered the cave without fear. The familiar interior brought back the raw, devastating memories, but she set her jaw and hurried to the altar, determined to carry out the instructions and leave as soon as possible. She yanked the three candleholders with their crystal candles out of the carved recesses, dropping them carelessly to the ground. She didn’t care if they were made of solid gold. If Efimios hadn't asked her to remove them from the cave, she’d never have opted to take them with her. She didn’t have to treat them with respect, though.
She had left one wand back home and had brought the other one with her. Solemnly, she placed it on one of the three carved recesses, choosing one at random. The wand fitted perfectly, and she watched it for a few moments, mesmerized at the sight of its tiny contents that sank softly to the bottom until they settled.
Satisfied with the result, Anna picked up the candleholders and strode out of the cave. Once out in the fresh air, she finally relaxed and smiled to herself. She removed the boulder and slammed the door shut. The loud metallic noise echoed in the air. From the nearby cypress trees, two wild pigeons took to the sky, startled, seeking refuge in the pines that stood high above, on the side of the Acropolis hill.
Chapter 26
Present Day
When Anna finished talking, she gave her son a smile of relief. She felt better now that it was done.
Phevos gazed back at her for a while, speechless. He’d hardly made a sound for the past hour or so as he listened to his mother speak. He squeezed her hand in his. “I’m sorry you had to go through all this pain, Mother . . .”
“Well, my son, that was then and this is now. Besides, I’m not the only one who’s suffered; we all have. And we all still do.”
“But we can put an end to it now. We can bring Father, Kimon and Eleni back to us.”
“Yes, Phevos. Hopefully, Poseidon will make amends for us all. Every day, I pray that he’ll also allow Kimon and Elleni to reunite with their children.”
“You said that Father mentioned we no longer need to worry about Athena. How’s that, do you think?”
Anna shook her head. “I don’t know, Son.”
“You know, I’ve been wondering why she’s not trying to get in our way. If she knew what’s going on, she’d be furious, wouldn’t she?”
“I’m sure she would be! But maybe Poseidon has managed to keep it all secret from her. Who knows? In any case, don’t worry. I’m sure we’ll find out in the end why she’s no longer a threat to us.”
“Can I ask you something about the cave? Did Father make that door?”
“Yes! I was there when he made it. In the old days,
when the land became privatized and your father helped Kimon’s grandfather to fence it, the opening of the cave was still naturally hidden behind bushes and rocks. Yet, at the sight of the necklace, they’d all yield for your father to pass.”
“Father mentioned that to me but never said anything about Kimon’s grandfather.”
“Of course, he couldn’t have. Anyway, once your father told Kimon, Eleni, and me about the cave and Athena, he had no reason to hide it from us any more, so he decided to make a proper door. He used the crescent on the back of the necklace to come up with a secret way to open the door, as you obviously know.”
“Yes, it was quite exciting when that worked!” Phevos chuckled as he recalled the day he had entered the cave with Ksenia.
Anna gave a slow, easy smile. “Your father is very inventive.”
“Indeed, he is. I still can't believe it was you who buried the cave . . .”
“Yes, that’s how Poseidon wanted it. But in order to do that, I had to tell Mrs. Sofia so many lies . . . I still feel guilty about that.” Anna frowned and shook her head.
“But you had to, Mother. Don’t feel bad.”
Anna gave a little wave. “Anyway, tell me all about the signs that led you to the cave. How did you discover it? And you must tell me more about Mrs. Sofia! How’s she doing these days?” Anna gazed at Phevos, her face animated with excitement.
***
An hour later, mother and son joined the others downstairs. Anna took Phevos to the kitchen where she introduced him to Mr. Fanis, the cook. Ksenia and Daphne were helping Mrs. Gregoria in the sitting areas now, arranging flowers in vases and placing miniature oil lamps on the tables for the evening.
Manos had spent the past two hours helping in the kitchen with the others and was taking a break outside, feeding the fish again some stale bread, courtesy of Mr. Fanis.
By the evening, they had all contributed to the preparation of the food. They had chopped and grated vegetables, checked on sauces and stews, cut potatoes for roasts, and decanted barrel wine from demijohns and jugs.
Everyone accepted Anna’s invitation to stay overnight and phoned Mrs. Sofia to let her know. Ksenia made the call and told the old lady the truth but only in part: that they had run into Anna and recognized her. Mrs. Sofia was thrilled and Ksenia put Anna on the phone so they could have a chat. In a voice heavy with emotion, Anna promised her old friend to visit soon.
When the big night came, they all had a lovely time. Lots of people came, and it was a great success. Anna was the perfect hostess and the happiest she’d been for years. Around three, they shut the restaurant and slept on the terrace floor upstairs, as there was not enough room indoors for four guests. Anna slept outside too, despite not having to, unwilling to part with the others overnight. It was cool and pleasant out there with the murmur of the sea and a light breeze that blew from the mountains.
After only a few hours of sleep, they rose early to catch the first bus to Athens. When Mr. Giorgis saw Phevos’s face that Monday morning, he guessed that something was different and was so intrigued that he had to ask him. Phevos didn’t tell him he had reunited with his mother, but when he mentioned they had run into Anna in Anavyssos and that she was coming to visit the following day, Mr. Giorgis was agog with the news.
It was a rare sight for Phevos, to witness his boss laughing and crying at the same time. The stories Mr. Giorgis told him that morning about Anna during her last days in the neighborhood were only a validation of what his impression of his mother had been so far. The people there remembered her as a tower of strength. Over the years, she’d remained an inspiration and an example to them all.
***
Anna stepped out of the taxi and lingered outside the front gate. She cast a glance at the familiar surroundings, looking to find any differences to how she remembered the street and found very little. She was pleased about that. It’s comforting, as you grow older to find that a place is still as you remembered it. She opened the gate and raised her eyes to the first floor balcony, willing herself to stay strong.
With a deep breath, Anna tried to compose herself as she walked up to the front door. This house carried so many memories! She rang the doorbell to hear commotion on the other side of the door. When it opened, the excited squeals of the four youngsters overwhelmed her. Phevos came out first to give her a hug and then the others followed suit.
As soon as Anna stepped into the tiny hallway, she couldn’t help raising her eyes to the top of the staircase. Ever since the taxi had stopped outside, the old memories had started to sneak out of the darkest recesses of her mind. She tried to focus on her happiness now, to keep her old pain at bay, but the banister kept calling to her like an old friend. She turned away from it, trying to ignore it. Her expression revealed how hard she was trying to fight back the tears.
Ksenia led Anna by the hand and they all went to the sitting room where they settled closely together, the youngsters’ faces bright and expectant as they gazed at Anna. They looked like pupils around a teacher on a field trip. After a while, Ksenia and Daphne excused themselves to return shortly with coffee, tea, and homemade cookies that Ksenia had baked earlier that morning.
Later, unable to control herself any longer, Anna asked if she could see the house. Phevos guessed she needed some privacy for that and gestured to Ksenia for the two to go on their own. Ksenia led Anna upstairs first and they returned to the ground floor several minutes later to see the rest of the house. When they rejoined the others, Anna gave an awkward smile, still wiping tears from her face. “I’m sorry . . . it proved harder than I expected.”
Phevos put a protective arm around her shoulders. “No need to apologize, Mother.”
“Come now, Mother,” piped up Daphne, her cheeks tinted pink with excitement. “Let’s finish our coffee, and then I’ll take you to Pallada. Mrs. Sofia is bursting to see you!”
Chapter 27
Anna couldn’t believe she was in Pallada in Mrs. Sofia’s room again. After escorting Anna there, Daphne went upstairs to resume her duties. Mrs. Sofia took a seat across the little table from Anna, having just served homemade cake for them both.
“My dear Anna, long time no speak!” Mrs. Sofia gave a sweet smile, her face alight with joy.
“Ah, Mrs. Sofia! It’s been eleven years . . .” Anna shook her head, still amazed at the thought. The last time she’d sat at this table with her, it had been a difficult time. The conversation they had that day remained unforgettable to her. Back then, their faces were full of sorrow and worry. Now, there was only happiness.
“Eleven years! Really? You haven’t changed a bit you know, kyra mou!” The old lady reached out across the table to pat her friend’s hand.
“And you, Mrs. Sofia, you look great! Same as always.” Anna thought she had aged visibly, but her eyes had the same tenderness, her smile the same sweetness.
“Bah! I’m eighty now, you know.” Mrs. Sofia laughed and gave a little wave, but it was evident from the sparkle in her eyes that she’d appreciated the compliment.
“You know, Mrs. Sofia, I still feel guilty about the past.”
“Whatever for, psyche mou?”
“You know . . . for letting you down back then. For leaving you alone to raise Eleni’s children.”
“What are you talking about? You never had to stay. The children were not your responsibility. You had to go for your own reasons.”
“I know, but I would have stayed if I’d had a choice.”
“Of course, Anna, I know that! And you had your own loss to deal with. You did what you thought was best for you at the time. Don’t feel guilty.”
“Thank you, although I can't help it. I abandoned you all without even checking up on you by phone. I drifted away from you, and we lost touch so soon.”
“What did I just tell you about guilt? Let it go, Anna! Just look at us! Aren’t we happy? Didn’t we come out of this alive and well?”
“I guess,” Anna nodded, startled.
“Well then! If our choices have led us to this moment in time where we’re sitting happily at this table, then why torture yourself, agape mou?”
“You amaze me, Mrs. Sofia! Of course, you’re so right . . . Oh, how I’ve missed you!” Anna chuckled and felt her heart lift. The guilt that tormented her also involved the lies she’d told her friend about the cave. What’s more, she wished she could tell her she’d finally found her precious son. Perhaps, when everyone had returned, they could all sit her down and tell her, explain to her why they had to protect her from the truth that might shock her to a possibly frightening effect.
Mrs. Sofia gave a chortle. “There you go, you finally saw sense! I did just fine when you left. Besides, I wasn’t alone. I had Olga in Pallada, remember?”
“Yes, of course! How is Olga? Is she still around?”
“She’s doing okay. We speak on the phone from time to time. That girl has proven to us all that you can't escape your destiny!” Mrs. Sofia grinned from ear to ear.
Anna knitted her brows. “What do you mean? What’s happened to her?” If Mrs. Sofia weren’t smiling like that, she’d be very worried.
The old woman gave a little laugh. “She got married. That’s what’s happened to her!”
“Oh, that’s great! But why is it funny?”
“Well, do you remember for how many years her mother had been begging her to go back to Sifnos?”
“Forever, I think. But Olga cringed at the thought.”
“That’s right! She loved her homeland but loved Athens too. But once she met that man from Sifnos, all the hounds of hell couldn’t keep her from leaving the city!”
“You’re joking!” said Anna, her eyes growing huge.
The Necklace of Goddess Athena Page 26
