A Greek Affair

by Linn B. Halton

  ‘No, Rosie. Dad and I are getting a divorce because he’s been gone a long time now. Sometimes people don’t make each other happy. It’s sad, but it’s true and it’s no one’s fault. It’s taken him a while to sort out his life, that’s all and I’m excited for the two of you to spend time getting to know each other at last.’

  I plaster on a smile that’s as fake as snow in the UK in August. Rosie studies my face, a look of suspicion directed at me.

  ‘If you didn’t like Daniel would Dad come back here, to us?’

  I shake my head, and this time the gentle look I give her is a heartfelt one.

  ‘No, honey, I’m afraid not. Dad has a little boy and he’s going to remarry.’ Damn it – why did I say that? Too much, too soon! I wish I could take it back, rewind the moment but I’m desperate here. There is no way to smooth over this but she’s only nine, for goodness’ sake. I shouldn’t even be having a conversation like this with her.

  ‘He loves someone else more than he loves us? Is that why he’s never sent me a birthday, or a Christmas card?’

  I sigh, as exasperation at my inept attempts to explain the impossible begin to overwhelm me. Do I blunder on or give her a hug and stop here?

  ‘Mum, I’m not a little kid anymore. I want to know the truth.’

  My head snaps upwards as I look at her in surprise.

  ‘I realise that this is hard to understand, Rosie and it will make more sense when you are older. It’s because your dad is finally happy that he now misses you more than ever. When you talk to him you can ask him whatever you want and I’m sure he’ll explain it as best he can. Life isn’t always simple for adults, either. I can’t answer for him, my love because I simply don’t know.’

  Now she looks cross. ‘I’m not sure I can forgive him for leaving us, Mum. Can you?’

  I’m reeling, not even sure how to answer her but she’s waiting for my response.

  ‘It’s time to move on, Rosie, for all of us.’

  She looks confused and I watch as she intertwines her fingers resting in her lap, a sure sign that she’s anxious. ‘I overheard you talking to Daniel on the phone the other night and it sounded like you were making plans for the future. I didn’t say anything because I was kind of pleased about it. I don’t want you to be lonely anymore, Mum. Doesn’t Daniel want us?’

  A sob catches in my throat. Does she feel this is a second rejection for us both, I wonder, and my heart constricts at the thought.

  ‘When I met Daniel, I knew he was a very special man indeed, Rosie. However, when you bring a child into this world it means they are always the first priority in your life because you want their happiness over your own. Daniel has to put Bella first, too, and sometimes it’s not easy to make everything work even though you desperately want it to. Is that something you can understand?’

  I can’t read her expression but her eyes are searching mine.

  ‘So I wasn’t a priority for my own dad?’

  I feel like we’re going around and around in circles. It’s too much for her to take in and I need to draw this to a close.

  ‘Adults don’t always get it right, Rosie. And then we’re sorry. Let’s see what happens, shall we? I’ll find out when that first chat with your dad is going to be and we’ll take it from there. Any time you want to talk to me, I’m here to listen. What I can’t promise, honey, is that I’ll always have the answers to your questions. That makes me feel bad but it’s the truth. And as for Daniel, we’ve become friends but that has nothing to do with the divorce, Rosie, and I hope you can understand that. I am sorry, though, because I know this leaves you with a lot of mixed feelings. We’ll work it out, I promise.’

  Rosie slides off her chair and comes around to give me a hug.

  ‘I never want you to feel bad, Mum, because you’re the best. I simply want you to be happy.’

  A New Day and the Sky is Blue, Not a Cloud in Sight

  It’s two weeks until Rosie is back at school and the first four weeks of the summer holidays have literally flown by. We’ve been to Le Crotoy, in France; headed up north to have our first experience of glamping – in the poshest tents you could ever imagine; and we were invited to sample the delights of a circus-themed, long weekend at a holiday camp near Brighton.

  ‘Mum, do you want me to get the door?’ Rosie shouts down the stairs, but I’m already out of my seat and heading in that direction.

  ‘No, it’s fine, darling, thank you. I’ll bring lunch up in half an hour.’

  ‘Okay, ta.’ Even before I reach the door I can hear both Callie and Rosie shrieking with laughter in the background. What kid doesn’t love the Minion movies?

  Opening the door, it makes me smile to see Sally standing there.

  ‘Well, this is a lovely surprise. Ignore the noise from upstairs, it’s Minion fever. Come on through.’ We hug and she follows me inside.

  ‘I’ve just had a scan and I wanted to show you the photos. I’m so excited, it’s beginning to feel real at last!’

  I glance down at her tummy and she smiles to herself, giving it a rub.

  ‘It’s not a jelly belly now, it’s all baby. Really. I’ve been super good on the eating front.’

  ‘You are positively glowing, so you must be doing something right. What would you like to drink? I have herbal teas: peppermint, chamomile or ginger.’

  ‘Ooh, ginger sounds good, thank you. Look at this – it’s a miracle, isn’t it? And I thought it wasn’t ever going to happen for me.’

  I take the print and look down at the tiny little thing, so cosy in its environment.

  ‘Ahh … I can’t wait to meet him, or her?’

  ‘We’ve decided we don’t want to know so it will be a surprise. Although we were both watching the screen without blinking, our eyes looking for little clues!’ She starts laughing.

  ‘It takes me back. Savour every little thing, Sally, because time flies by and you only have to look at Rosie now to see that. Can you remember when we sat looking at the scan of her?’

  ‘I do. And you’re so right. You’re looking a bit better than the last time I saw you.’

  I busy myself making the drinks and avoiding eye contact.

  ‘Life is starting to even out and I’m holding it all together somehow,’ I reply. ‘The new arrangement with Antonio is going well enough and, so far, he hasn’t let Rosie down once. They speak twice a week and it’s enough for the time being, as the first couple of calls were difficult. I don’t get involved but I will admit I stay in the kitchen, well within earshot. To ease some of the silences I suggested Rosie make a little list of things to talk about and that has really helped. Antonio is also getting better at asking the right questions. She hasn’t “met” little Bradley, yet, but we’ve both heard him occasionally in the background. I know she’s curious but it’s still early days.’

  Sally is watching me intently and as I turn to walk across to put the mugs on the table our eyes meet.

  ‘How are your mum and dad with the Antonio situation?’

  ‘Good. Happier now they are a bit more relaxed about the phone calls. It was the right thing to do but Rosie’s reaction has surprised us all. We assumed it would be a big deal, but in fact she doesn’t really talk about it afterwards. But the main thing is that she isn’t upset in any way by it.’

  ‘And Daniel?’

  I had ended up confiding in Sally shortly after I’d emailed Daniel the letter. It was obvious to everyone around me that something had gone very badly wrong. I was unable to mask how heartbroken I was to walk away from Daniel. She admitted she’d had an inkling something life-changing had happened to me in Athens. Being the friend she is, she also realised it wasn’t straightforward. Her fear was that I’d met someone who was already married and she knew that would have been an impossible situation for me.

  ‘I’ve heard nothing at all.’

  The doorbell rings yet again. I can hear the sound of feet clattering down the stairs, so I know it’s the postman. Rosie is expecti
ng a special package. She’s been asked to test out some new underwater goggles and this afternoon Naomi is taking them swimming. Rosie would have been so disappointed if the parcel hadn’t arrived in time. I can hear some very excited chatter going on.

  ‘Mum, they’ve arrived and there are three pairs in different colours. Which colour would you like, Callie? Oh, there’s a parcel for you here, too, Mum.’

  Rosie hands me a small box and returns to investigate the contents of her package, spilling polystyrene beans everywhere.

  ‘Steady, Rosie. Those things are a nightmare to pick up.’

  ‘Can I have the purple ones?’ Callie asks and Rosie hands over a pair of very stylish-looking goggles. Then she holds up a pink pair in one hand and a blue pair in the other.

  ‘Which colour do you like best, Mum?’

  I’m unwrapping my little box, wondering what on earth it can be as I wasn’t expecting anything at all.

  ‘Blue. Definitely,’ I reply.

  Inside the outer wrapping is a box with a lid, a bit like a jewellery box. I prise off the lid and inside is a small card bearing a handwritten message.

  From Athens with love. Daniel x

  I gulp. Beneath the card is a small white marble pebble in the shape of a heart.

  Callie, Rosie and Sally are all staring at me.

  ‘I wondered when this would get here,’ I offer as an explanation, as I hold the perfect marble heart in the centre of my palm and curl my fingers around it. I pull myself together and discreetly pop the card back in the box so I can focus on Callie and Rosie. They are both now wearing swimming goggles and Sally is laughing.

  But all I can think about is the heart I’m holding within my hand. He’s finally coming home but what does this mean? Is it a parting gift, a way of saying that final goodbye before he picks his old life back up again?

  ~

  It’s eight-thirty and Rosie is in bed. I’m lazing back on the sofa, a glass of wine in my hands and the white marble heart on the coffee table in front of me.

  I don’t know if talking to an inanimate object is something about which I should worry but it’s meaningful. I saw this heart in the shop that day I bought Rosie’s trinket box. There was only one, the others were oval, or round. Marble is a hard material to work with and so getting the perfect heart shape is quite something.

  I rest my head back against the sofa and look up at the ceiling as if it’s transparent. I think about the darkening sky above me.

  ‘Was there a master plan or was it merely wishful thinking on my part?’ I imagine Zeus, surrounded by the other Greek gods, looking down on me. Daniel will be flying back tomorrow and I can’t pretend I haven’t been counting down the days. But with no contact at all for weeks, it’s clear he’s not ready to commit and I have no choice but to accept his decision.

  In the films based on Ancient Greek mythology the gods were always plotting and scheming, demonstrating their control over the unfortunate mortals. But maybe there were times when their efforts were to good intent and it was as much about love, as it was the power struggles. Isn’t the power of love supposed to overcome everything? Obviously not in my case.

  There’s a rap on the front door. It’s probably a parcel from Amazon, although our local delivery guy usually rings the bell. I bet he doesn’t have kids because he often delivers quite late and it never occurs to him he could wake someone up.

  I put down my wine glass and walk to the door, swinging it open about a foot as I’m always a little cautious at night. When I peer around the edge of the door, Daniel is standing there.

  ‘Hello, Leah. I’m back.’

  It takes a few moments for me to engage my brain. I turn and walk back into the sitting room in a daze, leaving Daniel to close the front door and follow me inside. When he reappears in front of me we face each other, awkwardly avoiding eye contact. I watch as his gaze is drawn towards the white marble heart lying on the coffee table.

  ‘I thought that was a romantic touch.’ He grins at me and I hesitate for a second.

  ‘Oh. I thought it was a rather poignant parting gift.’

  Daniel stares back at me, clearly shocked by my reaction. He coughs, clearing his throat and I can see how nervous he is as he begins talking.

  ‘It’s so good to be back at long last; I’ve been dreaming of this moment ever since I read your letter,’ he declares, his voice demonstrating the effect it had on him. ‘I’m here because I’m ready to commit to you, Leah, but that wasn’t something I could say until we were face to face once more. I’ve been on my own for too long and I allowed Tricia to get inside my head. I need you to believe me when I say I’ve finally got my act together, because I can’t risk losing you. I love you way too much to let anything get in the way of our future and I’m sorry it took me a while to sort myself out.’

  I close my eyes for a brief second, my head in a whirl, and when I open them again they fill with tears of sheer relief.

  ‘That’s all I needed to hear, Daniel. I didn’t know if I was asking too much of you and it was unfair of me.’

  He steps forward to draw me into his arms and I know that at last he really is mine. The smell and feel of him brings back achingly beautiful memories of the nights we’ve spent together, unable to fight the overwhelming attraction that exists between us.

  ‘It really is beautiful,’ I add, as we both turn to stare down at my little piece of Athens.

  ‘I went back to the shop the day you flew home that second time, to buy it for you.’

  I stare up at Daniel’s face wanting to take in every little detail and I can see that he’s tired but happy. But there’s also a real sense of relief and determination in his body language.

  ‘You didn’t bring Bella with you?’

  Daniel shakes his head.

  ‘No. I drove straight here because I was so scared it was going to be too late to convince you to give me one last chance. I’ve been frantically trying to get a flight for over a week and all I managed to save was one day. I hoped that would be enough. I knew everything would hinge upon this moment and I’ve been a nervous wreck thinking about it.’

  As his lips hungrily seek out mine, any worries we were harbouring silently slip away; I knew from the very start he was the one and that feeling has continued to grow, even after I sent him the letter. The truth is, I simply couldn’t imagine my future without him in it.

  ‘You have no idea how elated I’m feeling to know that this is really happening.’ He’s slightly breathless as he whispers into my ear the words I feared I’d never hear.

  His lips are on mine once more and I know they are exactly where they belong. Daniel will be the perfect stepfather and Bella will become the sibling Rosie has always longed to have, because this is destined to be. And I’m going to love my stepdaughter as if she were my own.

  ‘Do you think your parents will ever forgive me for stealing you and Rosie away?’

  ‘I think they will forgive you anything when they see how happy we are going to be. The future starts here, Daniel and it’s going to be a wonderful adventure.’

  It wasn’t just a little piece of Athens in the shape of a white marble heart that arrived in the post today; with it came all the love within Daniel’s heart and that was indeed a miracle worthy of the might of the Ancient Greek gods.

  Right time, right place and the right man – at last!

  THE END

  Epilogue

  Standing here and watching the party in full swing I’m counting my blessings. Mum has baby Alyx on her lap and Dad is next to her, fussing over him as he once did with Rosie when she was tiny.

  Our little boy, our blessing: whose Greek-inspired name means protector of humanity and whom we hope, like the girls, will grow up to be compassionate, considerate and generous of spirit. It’s our nod to the young man whose heart has made all this possible.

  As for the girls, well, they are up and dancing. This morning’s squabble, when they discovered they both wanted to wear similar out
fits, is already forgotten. Until the next time, of course and it makes me laugh. Only a year ago they wanted to dress like twins. That thought does send a little stab to my heart as I think of Kelly. My life feels just about as perfect as it can get without the ability to turn back the clock and change the past.

  Harrison approaches, smiling, and gives me a hug.

  ‘It’s a great christening party, Leah. Ollie is questioning Daniel over the trials of having a six-month-old baby in the house.’

  My eyes light up. ‘You’re seriously thinking about it, then?’

  He nods.

  ‘You both have a lot of love to give, Harrison and that’s all any child needs.’

  I can see the hope and optimism in his eyes and whatever happens I’ll be there to support him.

  ‘It’s been a long journey for you, hasn’t it?’ he says, changing the subject. ‘I know you’re happily settled in York now but do you miss the forest?’

  ‘A little; we have popped back to see Mum and Dad several times, although at the moment it’s easier for them to come to us. They seem to thrive on the chaos in our household and to be honest, I’m glad of the help. They immediately take over baby duties and it gives Daniel and me a breather.’

  Harrison smiles and I know that having seen how he is with Alyx, it isn’t just Ollie whose dearest wish is to become a dad.

  ‘And how’s Daniel doing?’

  ‘Amazingly. It’s been nonstop since our wedding and then he took the arrival of our little surprise in his stride. Even though it coincided with his promotion at work. But his whole outlook on life now is so different. He’s involved in a support group for patients in those first few months after transplant surgery. Daniel shares his experiences and answers the questions they often find difficult to ask the medical staff. It’s been cathartic for him.’