The Ebb

by Effrosyni Moschoudi

  “Hello, Jimmy,” they all replied in unison.

  “Welcome back to our village,” he said cheerfully, extending his hand to Dora and Nana. The girls shook his hand happily. Like everyone else, they both liked Jimmy. It was hard not to, seeing how pleasant he always was.

  “Hasn’t your gran come for her swim today?” he asked Sofia.

  “Oh! She’s already had a dip. She’s at Karavi now, chatting to Auntie Leni.” She pointed vaguely behind her.

  “How’s business, Jimmy?” asked Dora.

  “Fine! Plenty of customers this year, especially Germans. They seem to have enough money to play around in the water.”

  “That’s great,” commented Dora.

  “Good for you,” piped up Sofia, “Especially because you seem to be working so hard. All day in the sun and all that,” she added, turning her gaze to the heap of parachute equipment at the pier head. That’s when she noticed a young lad removing some more parachute gear from Jimmy’s speedboat. He left them on the deck and then went back to the boat to get some more. He was deeply tanned. Sofia guessed he was one of the many British tourists who came to the village every year, looking for a beach job till the end of the season. She hadn’t noticed him the day before, and this made her think again of Loula’s teasing. Perhaps she was right after all.

  “No job is easy really,” said Jimmy with a loud sigh, bringing Sofia’s attention back to his conversation with the girls. “But even difficult jobs become easy if you love them, and I love mine. I can’t be too far from seawater, you know me!”

  “I can see you’ve got help this year,” interrupted Sofia, pointing to the young man on the pier. “British, is he?”

  “Yes, he is. He’s a good lad and a great help but what can you do? He’s leaving tomorrow morning, and I must find someone else urgently.” He frowned and shook his head. “It won't be easy in high season, that’s for sure.”

  “That’s odd,” answered Dora.

  “Yes, it is,” agreed Sofia. “The Brits who come here for work normally stay till October, don’t they?”

  “That’s true,” said Jimmy with a nod. “They never get enough of soaking up the sun. But sadly, this lad must go home urgently for family reasons.”

  Sofia nodded sympathetically. “Oh, I see...”

  Jimmy threw his arms up in the air. “Well, what can you do? I’m quite put out! Goodness knows how I’m going to find someone else now. There are no Brits here looking for work at this time of year. Now all we get is holiday makers.”

  “Do they have to be Brits? What about Germans or Italians?” asked Dora, trying to be helpful.

  “Well, I need someone who speaks good English. It’s the only language that everyone speaks even a little. But it must be good enough for me to be able to train them properly. Besides, the only ones interested to get jobs here are the Brits.”

  “Right…” answered Dora. She hadn’t thought of this before. It was true. Only the Brits got summer jobs around Corfu. Some rented umbrellas and deckchairs at the beach, and others worked in bars and shops. Of course, there were also the holiday reps. All three girls went quiet then, busy in their heads to find a solution for Jimmy. Perhaps they could help him by posting an advert at Karavi or at Aunt Marika’s souvenir shop.

  “Can’t Sarah help?” asked Sofia.

  “That’s not possible now that we have little Michalis,” he said, and the girls nodded. They had forgotten Sarah had their one-year-old boy to mind now. She could no longer spend all day at the pier with her husband.

  “My mother is too old to mind him all day for us. I can’t ask her that.”

  “Why don’t you hire Sofia to help you?” said Nana.

  “What?” said Sofia with a frown.

  “Yeah, why not?” insisted Nana. “You said yourself you’ll be bored this summer because Loula is working. If you work on the pier, you’ll be near her all day, plus you’ll be earning.”

  “That’s right,” said Dora, nudging Sofia on the arm. “Just think of the tan you’ll have by the end of the summer, working on the beach all day!”

  “Um…I don’t know,” mumbled Sofia.

  “What do you mean you don’t know? What will you do alone all day anyway, now that Loula is working?” asked Nana.

  “She’s right,” said Dora. “We’re leaving again in a couple of days. How will you pass the time on your own?”

  “Not sure,” whispered Sofia lost in thought, still sounding non-committal. A job? What will Dad say?

  Jimmy clapped his hands together once and then threw them in the air, laughing heartily. “Oh I like that! You girls… So what will it be? Shall I employ her or not?” He pointed a shaking finger at Sofia, looking very amused.

  “Oh sorry, Jimmy!” apologized Nana. She flashed her perfect teeth at him and pulled a cute face, the one she reserved for her dad whenever she wanted to ask for a favour. It never failed her, and she knew it.

  Dora gave an awkward smile. “Look at us three, we never even asked you what you think!”

  “Just joking, girls,” he replied, nodding to Sofia. “As for you, young lady, seriously now! If you want the job, it’s yours. Your English is as good as my wife’s, if not better.”

  Nana jabbed her cousin in the ribs. “Go on, say something!”

  “I’m not sure… sorry, I’ll have to think about it,” she answered, her voice revealing even to her own ears a hint of anxiety. She met Dora’s acknowledging gaze for just a second, aware that at least, she understood. She knew all the background information involving Sofia’s cotton-woolled life.

  Deep down, Sofia was excited of course by the prospect of a job, and the independence it promised, financial or otherwise. But she had her reservations. Her overprotective father had deprived her of another work opportunity in the past. She was fifteen at the time, and he had immediately turned down her suggestion to work as a group leader in a summer camp. The offer had come from a classmate, who was going and looking for friends to take along. But her father had dampened her spirits at once, saying he didn’t see the point. His daughter didn’t have to work at such a young age. Everything was provided for her. He had completely failed to see she didn’t pursue financial gain, but new experiences, and the chance to socialise with other youngsters.

  And now, she started to feel uneasy. Of course she was much older now, no longer a schoolgirl. But what if he still refused? Either way, she wasn’t looking forward to discussing this with him. Sofia looked at the others again and felt embarrassed. She smiled apprehensively, but to her relief, Jimmy then said he was happy to wait for a day, before asking around to find someone else.

  Sofia sighed as she watched him walk back to the pier and felt a stab in her heart at the thought of losing this job. And just like that, without a warning, her inner voice then screamed at her, that it was important for her to get it. Her father shouldn’t be able to stop her if she wanted to work. She was a student now, a twenty-one year old.

  Out of nowhere, a silent anger overpowered her. It stirred inside her, and she felt it redden her cheeks and catch her breath in her throat. I shouldn’t have to ask anyone’s permission! If I want to get a job, so I should!

  Without hesitation, she stood up and paced the distance to catch up with Jimmy, and as she did so, her face was one of clear intent and determination.

  “Jimmy!” she called out to him, and he turned around to face her. “I changed my mind. I don’t need time to think about it. I’ll take the job!”

  “Excellent! Let’s shake on it then!” He gave a broad smile, and as they shook hands, Sofia’s cousins cheered. They kicked up so much noise that Loula heard and stopped serving behind the bar at Karavi, trying to decipher from the excited body language what was going on. It wasn’t necessary because as soon as Jimmy left, all three girls rushed to the bar to deliver the good news. Loula had to muster all of her self-control to stop herself from screaming in front of the customers. Her best friend was to start work at the pier the very next morni
ng. For another summer, they would be inseparable again.

  Chapter 12

  1937

  Five o’ clock on the dot, Mr Thornton made his entrance at the café, well dressed and stiff-bodied, like a general about to do inspection. Two waitresses were milling about at the time, getting the sitting area ready for the customers. The matinee performance had just begun. On the intermission in about an hour, the first wave of customers was expected to barge in, dressed in their finery to occupy the whole sitting area. Laura had been feeling too nervous to sit down while waiting for Mr Thornton’s arrival, so she stood by the counter instead. When he approached to shake her hand, her pleasant smile did well to hide her nervousness.

  “Welcome, Miss Mayfield,” he said agreeably, then turned around to address one of the waitresses. “Miss Jones, can I have a word please?”

  The young girl approached in haste. Without any pleasantries, he introduced her formally to Laura, instructing her to show her the ropes. Before leaving, he threw one last glance around him and finding it all satisfactory, strode off without further ado, pressed for time to supervise the rest of the clerks and workers. Staff of various duties seemed to rush about in the Pavilion at this hour, each one absorbed in their own activities.

  It was evident even to Laura, the new girl, that everyone looked quite content and confident about their duties. The young girl she had just been introduced to was no exception. She was a pleasant girl named Becky, who led Laura breezily behind the counter. She showed her the rich diversity of food items on display, where to find the kitchen utensils and crockery, and how to make hot beverages and toast. Finally, she showed her how to operate the cash register machine. Mr Thornton expected all members of staff to man in turns all different posts around the café, so Laura had to learn everything. Becky explained to her that she would also have to take trays as required to Mr Thornton and the clerks at the adjoining office area. She would also be expected to do chores in the auditorium.

  Laura took it all in with enthusiasm. At the end of her short training session with Becky, she rushed to the staff room to leave her bag and coat, and to put on her basic livery; a striped blue and white pinafore with a matching cap. By the time the bell rang to sound the intermission, Laura was behind the counter beside Becky, looking eager to start. Their other colleague, a middle-aged woman named Sally, was waitressing for the night. She was standing by the door, waiting to receive the customers with a beaming smile on her face.

  When they finally rushed in, the café seemed to overflow with excited chatter, silk, fur, and sparkly gems. Laura found herself overwhelmed by the sight. Never having wandered far from the docks of London’s East End until then, she had never been anywhere near a theatre crowd before. At first glance, this radiant group of people represented to her, the crème de la crème of society.

  They made her feel like an outsider; much like the time when she was a little girl, always in want for something. And it had always felt the same back then; whether she was outside the bakery watching Mr Lancaster make all those exquisite cakes that she had never got to taste, or outside Mr Coleman’s store, who stocked the best toys any little girl could ever imagine.

  Looking at these people now from behind the counter, made her feel like that little girl again, the deprived child that used to press her nose on the glass, peering at things she could never have. It often seemed to her that she had spent her entire childhood admiring shop windows, forever wishing for numerous objects of desire until her warm breath fogged the glass and she could see no more.

  Yet, on the outside, nothing could reveal her inner thoughts as she set about making teas and coffees, preparing grilled toast, filling glasses with brandy and serving generous cake pieces on fine crystal plates. Behind her agreeable smile, there was earnest gratitude for the luck that had granted her this job, but there was something else too, mixed in with that now: the seedling of a precious new notion. She decided to keep it to herself in order to protect it. It was still tiny that day - her desire for the finest things in life.

  Her mother was forever making sounds about such hopes for her daughter, but Laura had always dismissed her absurd aspirations without second thought. But now, somehow, watching these people and imagining how they must live, Laura started to see her mother’s dreams for her under a new light. It was nothing sort of a proper epiphany. Now she could see why her mother wished for her to marry well someday, to ascend to upper class and live in uttermost luxury, dressed like a princess or a movie star, just like those women before her admiring eyes.

  But this wasn’t just about luxury and fineries. Seeing things clearly for the first time, it occurred to her that most of all, she would have to safeguard a place in high society in order to survive. Without a father, how else was she going to take care of her sickly mother alone? She would just have to aim as high as she could. She decided that this was a sign, this whole thing. Everything had happened so easily and so quickly. It was meant to be. Brighton was a different world, where everything seemed possible. If it had worked for these people, why couldn’t it work for her?

  Laura counted the change, placing it in the perfectly manicured hand of a finely dressed gentleman. The woman on his arm looked dazzling when she smiled at her, a blinding vision of sequins and pearls. Watching them go, Laura set her chin and promised to herself that from now on, this was going to matter more than anything else.

  ***

  “Laura! Where you off to?” shouted Meg from behind her stall when she saw her friend pass by. She was rushing home at the time, lost in happy thoughts after her first evening at work.

  When she saw Meg, Laura felt stupid. It hadn’t even occurred to her to look out for her friend, as she rushed past the maze of stalls at the Pier base. She couldn’t wait to get home and share her excitement with her mother.

  “Hello, Meg, going home! Shall I wait? Are you finishing up?” she asked when she came round the stall to join her.

  “No, you go ahead! But tell me first, how was it?”

  “Everything was fine. And everyone is really nice!”

  “Oh excellent, I’m so happy for you!”

  “Thank you Meg. See you later then.” Laura waved and made to go.

  “Listen, I’ve already told Maggie. You go ahead and have dinner tonight without me. I’m going out with Paul.” Meg gave a huge grin and pointed at a young man who was standing by them.

  Taken aback, Laura turned to face him. He was tall and blond, same as Meg. Laura thought he seemed like the perfect match for her. Paul gazed back at her with laughing eyes and a wide grin. He was holding a bag of sweets from Meg’s stall. Laura had thrown a cursory glance at him earlier but thought he was just a customer.

  She offered him her hand. “Oh sorry! How nice to finally meet you! I’ve heard a lot about you.”

  Paul shook her hand enthusiastically. “You too! Nice to meet you! Care for a sweet?” He offered her the bag. It was brimming with bite-sized treats. Some had chocolate and nuts, others were marzipans and toffees.

  “Thank you,” she said, choosing a milk chocolate one.

  “Go on, have another!” He winked.

  “No thanks, don’t want to ruin my appetite. I’m ready for my dinner,” she answered breezily.

  “Well, tell us some more about work,” said Meg.

  “It’s easy enough. Nice colleagues and all those fancy customers…oh what a crowd!” she said, her face glowing.

  “Best of luck with the job. I hope it all works out for you and your mum,” interrupted Paul, and then popped two marzipan squares into his mouth.

  “Hey, not so many! Don’t want my favourite chap getting fat!”

  Paul arched a single brow at Meg, and she burst into laughter. She tried to take the bag away from him, but he lifted it over his head out of her reach, teasing her.

  “Oh, don’t you worry about me getting fat!” He winked and whispered something in her ear, causing her to giggle.

  Meg slapped his arm playfully. “You
naughty boy!”

  Laura felt uncomfortable witnessing their intimate banter. She was about to make sounds about leaving when Paul spoke first.

  “Hey, come here you!” he shouted, waving frantically at someone in the distance. Laura squinted under the strong overhead lights, trying to see to whom he was talking. As soon as she registered who it was, all blood drained from her cheeks. The young man that was approaching now was the pest she had set her mind to avoid. Of all people, he had to be friends with Paul. Of all places, he had to work at the Pavilion. She knew that meeting him occasionally was inevitable, but wished it wouldn’t happen so often. She had hoped fate would have granted her at least a perfect evening after her first day at work; to be allowed to celebrate without another annoying interlude that involved him.

  “Hello again,” Christian said to her, stopping to stand before her. Laura saw that familiar smirk on his face and felt her blood boil. Here we go again…

  Laura glanced at him, her eyes alert with caution. “Hello.”

  “You know each other?” asked Paul, his eyes crinkling with amusement. Laura surmised Meg had given him all the background information.

  “Yes, I’ve had the pleasure,” said Laura. As always when she felt cornered, sarcasm seemed the best resort.

  “Well, the pleasure is all mine,” responded Christian, except his reply sounded earnest. No hint of sarcasm there. “All mine dear Laura…” he added after a short pause, and that’s when he smiled the sweetest smile she had ever seen on a man’s face.

  “I see you know my name,” she said in a small voice, dazzled.

  He winked at her. “Seek and you shall find, they say.”

  “And I know yours, Christian.” She uttered his name with distaste purposefully, in order to spite him. It had almost come out as a threat. Maybe it was the wink that set her off, she wasn’t sure. But whatever it was, she scolded herself silently for her rudeness. All right, he’s being nice now, so give him a chance. Meg said he’s harmless, didn’t she?