Looking for the Durrells

by Melanie Hewitt

  Looking back now, sitting in idle contemplation on the short flight back to Corfu, Nic was glad he’d been able to deliver some practical help to Melina. She would stay at the university; the crisis had passed.

  As he felt the plane start its descent and the jigsaw puzzle of sea and shapes below began to look more like the picture on the box, his mind went to thoughts of home – specifically, to thoughts of Tess and Theo.

  He’d take Theo to the olive press tomorrow and the summer routine, with no doubt an interruption or two along the way, would continue.

  Then, there was Tess. There was always Tess.

  He was glad he’d been able to catch an earlier afternoon flight and was eager to get back to the Mouse House, but he also wanted a little time to think and shake the emotional dust of the last forty-eight hours from his mind.

  Stopping off for a late lunch on the way home felt like a good plan.

  Penny soon found herself on the other side of Corfu Town, heading through Perama and approaching Benitses. Whichever radio station she was listening to had a playlist that defied description, but in its own way was quite addictive. One minute Lady Gaga, the next a traditional Greek song, then a Europop holiday classic. Eclectic and thoroughly entertaining. Even if she didn’t know a particular song, Penny hummed or sang along.

  As she approached Benitses, she looked at her watch. It was just after two and she was ready for a break and something to eat. Her taste buds remembered the amazing baklava.

  The double row of tavernas and cafés was bustling and lively. Penny found a seat and placed her order, then took off her sunglasses and reached into her rucksack for her phone.

  She hadn’t rung Lizzie to discuss Bruce. Every time she’d thought of doing it, she’d worried about interrupting her friend’s busy routine. Texting would be better; Lizzie could answer in her own time then. But what to say? Penny wanted to tell the story of the messages and how they’d made her feel, but as she tried to compose a text, the problem unravelled, diminishing and losing its power as she tapped away at her phone.

  Looking up she saw Nic standing beside her. ‘Hello, Penny.’

  The waiter placed Penny’s food on the table.

  ‘I see you had the same idea.’ Nic gestured to her lunch.

  ‘Please, join me.’

  ‘Are you sure? I’d like that.’

  Nic sat opposite her and placed his order.

  ‘The waiter’s aunt makes the amazing baklava. The Athena is a customer,’ Penny informed him

  ‘How have you managed in such a short time to know so many people?’ Nic said. ‘In my time, I’ve eaten more of this baklava than I care to admit.’ He patted his stomach self-consciously.

  ‘Guy brought us here.’ Penny took a sip of her water.

  ‘Ah, but it’s not just here. You seem to have become part of the Athena team, whether you wanted to or not. I half-expect to find you behind the bar when I arrive, and you’ve certainly become a firm favourite with Theo.’

  Penny looked across at the man, who Lily was convinced was in love with Tess, and tried to read him. ‘Theo’s a lovely lad,’ she said, watching Nic’s body language as he listened to her warm praise of his godson. Quiet pride shone from his eyes.

  ‘Yes, he’s a good boy, clever too. He’s interested in everything, although I’m not sure if that’s just typical for someone of his age.’

  ‘I really enjoyed our time together,’ Penny confessed. ‘He has such an imagination inventing animals. Has he done that with you?’

  ‘Oh yes. My particular favourite was the Elepig – large, pink, and likes to eat cheese.’

  Nic smiled and poured some water into his glass.

  ‘So, you’re here for most of the summer and in Athens at the university the rest of the time?’ Penny asked. ‘Is that the best of both worlds or do you miss seeing the seasons on the island?’

  ‘Well, I’ve seen the seasons here since childhood, with the exception of the past decade at the university.’

  ‘Do you miss the island through the autumn and winter?’ Penny asked, digging as discreetly as she knew how and hoping Nic wouldn’t discover her ulterior motive; waiting, hoping somehow that he would mention Tess.

  ‘I miss the Mouse House, my very small villa here in St George South, and my mother still lives in Corfu Town. But you know that because you’ve met her parrot.’ He grinned.

  Penny couldn’t help herself. ‘I imagine you miss her, and Tess and Theo of course.’ She took a sip of her water to make the question look casual and throwaway.

  Nic stopped eating for a moment and turned his head to face the sun. He turned back, his eyes still squinting from the light. ‘I hope Theo will be able to come and stay with me in Athens for a break during the school holidays, when he’s older. There are many museums and other places of interest I think he would love.’

  Penny nodded. ‘It would be a nice change, a treat for Tess too perhaps. I mean, I’ve only been here for a couple of weeks, but I’ve seen how hard she works. She makes it look almost effortless, but I imagine a break in Athens would do her good, once the season has ended of course.’

  She sat in silence for a moment, half-regretting her words, but at the same time reasoning that she had only spoken the truth.

  ‘Yes, that’s true. I just hadn’t thought that Tess might like a trip to Athens. My apartment is in the middle of the city, close to a busy road and, although comfortable, it’s not cosy.’

  Nic’s answer was practical rather than passionate, but Penny detected a note of warmth as he’d agreed that Tess was all of the things she’d noted. She couldn’t work out whether he was remarkably good at hiding his feelings, or if Lily had misinterpreted the friendship between him and Tess. That was more than likely, and yet . . .

  Her mind ran through what she knew already about her new acquaintances, including the fact that Nic had moved to Athens after Georgios and Tess had married. A coincidence, or a decision from a man who couldn’t stay and watch his best friend marry the woman he cared passionately for?

  Penny’s flights of fancy were interrupted by Nic commenting on how good the salad was and asking her whether she was going to try some more of the baklava.

  ‘I have made a habit of sitting on my little balcony, enjoying a coffee and a biscuit or two, so perhaps today I could take baklava home and treat myself.’

  It was so relaxing to sit under the shade of the large parasol, with the marina and sea just yards away, and Nic proved to be a pleasant lunch companion. She sensed he preferred to chat to people individually, to speak more deeply and in detail about things, not necessarily about personal things, just not about trivia. Nic appeared to be a quiet, kind, and thoughtful man, not remotely frenetic or flamboyant. Clearly interested in people and what made them tick, his gentle questioning of her time in Corfu felt like more evidence of her rejoining the real worl, a lived experience rather than a long break in the sun.

  Over coffee they chatted about the weather, but not the forecast. Nic walked her through the seasons and the changes, every nuance of the flora and fauna described in fascinating detail. He knew his island like a best friend he had studied with love and respect.

  Penny sat spellbound, pulled into the layers of loveliness and a passion for the land that felt like the best story she’d ever heard, albeit true. A true tale of – as Gerry Durrell had called it – the ‘Garden of the Gods’.

  The last of the coffee was drained from their cups and the afternoon slipped by, marked by the movement of the sun across the parasol above them. Penny stretched, feeling the call of the cool apartment back in St George.

  ‘Who’d have thought that an afternoon nap would become part of every day,’ she admitted, as she yawned.

  ‘Yes,’ said Nic. ‘I suppose I ought to be getting back.’

  Penny looked in her rucksack for her purse. Nic saw her and put out his hand as a signal for her to stop. ‘Please, let me. I invited myself to this lunch and you have very patiently put up with my
endless chatter about the island.’

  ‘I should be treating you. I would have paid to hear that lecture on Corfu. It’s been a joy. Thank you.’

  ‘My pleasure, but I insist on paying.’ Nic wandered off, paid, and returned with two parcels of baklava.

  They walked across the road together, Nic guiding her instinctively between the passing cars and coaches with a gentle hand on her elbow.

  As she thanked Nic for lunch she instinctively leant over and kissed him on both cheeks.

  He tipped his Panama hat. ‘My pleasure. Safe journey home.’

  His last words echoed in her head: ‘Safe journey home.’

  She switched on the engine, wound down the windows, and put her hands on the wheel. Looking in the rear-view mirror before she reversed, she caught sight of a tanned, open-faced woman. For the first time in her life her face reflected her inner strength and story. All the pieces that she usually looked at separately and critically, were bright and fused together – a complete picture of a whole person.

  The bright sunlight highlighted the green flecks in her hazel eyes, adding a sheen to the wisps of hair that she pushed back from her face. It was as though she’d absorbed the life force of the island through every pore.

  As every day passed, she moved in sync with the rhythm of the place: expecting, but not taking the sun for granted, letting the rhythm of her mind and body take charge. Even when her thoughts carried her to her little work studio, current projects, or new ones like the book idea Theo had inspired, a calm and warm sense of anticipation accompanied them.

  Corfu bewitched and enchanted and she understood with sudden clarity why the Durrells had returned again and again. She’d discovered more than a location; she’d found the powerful source of their immortal words and zest for life.

  Why then, she asked herself, as she gripped the steering wheel tightly as if it would comfort her, was she crying?

  In that moment she realized that although this trip had been a shared dream, her reality here had no connection with her dad whatsoever. This was new, life beyond, unreal, unfamiliar, but also the answer on the road she hadn’t wanted to step onto in case she left him behind.

  Chapter 34

  That evening when Nic walked into the Athena he was greeted like a returning hero. Spiro shook his hand and clasped a welcoming arm around his back, Theo ran to him from the kitchen and started asking about the trip to the olive mill the next day. Tess emerged from the kitchen, still wiping her hands and greeted Nic with a kiss on both cheeks. ‘So, the wanderer returns. Good flight?’ she asked, noting with surprise how relieved she had felt when she’d seen him walk in.

  ‘The flight was fine. I had the chance to sit and think, and admire our country from the air. Always a special moment, however often I fly.’ Nic sat down in one of the chairs at the entrance to the Athena and was immediately handed a drawing by Theo.

  ‘The Antiopi?’ he asked admiringly.

  Theo nodded.

  ‘I’d know it anywhere. That’s a great drawing. You must show Dimitris and Aris the next time they’re here.’

  Theo high-fived Nic and wandered off, looking back to remind his mama that he was going to the olive mill the following day with Nic.

  ‘He’s not going to let you forget that,’ Tess said. ‘I don’t know what he’s expecting, but the donkey is getting top billing whenever he mentions it.’

  ‘You’ll be relieved to hear there is a donkey.’

  ‘What time did you land?’ Tess took an order for drinks from Lily as she flew past.

  ‘Earlier than I thought, so I had a late lunch in Benitses.’ Just as he was about to mention he had met Penny, she appeared.

  ‘Yasas, Penny.’ Tess greeted her from behind the bar where she was pouring drinks, adding, ‘Rosé while I’m here?’

  Penny nodded. ‘Thank you, that would be great. Is my little table free?’

  Lily, who was passing, answered: ‘Yup, and it’s got your name on it now.’

  ‘Thanks, Lily. Perhaps I should carve my name on the chair.’

  ‘Did you enjoy your baklava?’ It was Nic.

  ‘Yes. When I woke up from my nap, I sat with a cup of coffee, and it was as glorious as it was the first time.’

  ‘Baklava that good can only be Benitses’ baklava,’ Tess remarked.

  ‘Once is not enough,’ Penny replied, as Tess handed her a glass of rosé.

  ‘Penny was kind enough to allow me to join her for lunch today,’ Nic said. ‘I’m afraid I may have spoken at length about Corfu’s hidden treasures and areas of scientific interest.’

  ‘Oh, welcome to the family.’ Tess winked at Penny, then felt an unexpected spark of jealousy that she shook off immediately, surprised to acknowledge that it had been there.

  ‘It was a privilege and a pleasure. Really, it was,’ Penny responded.

  ‘So, you have a willing and appreciative audience at last,’ Tess teased Nic. ‘He may never let you leave,’ she told Penny. Tess patted Nic’s arm as she passed him.

  As she walked to her table, Penny thought that if one day someone smiled at her in the same way Nic did with Tess, she would be blessed.

  Lily, she decided, was not wide of the mark when it came to the truth of his feelings for Tess. They clearly shared a deep bond of friendship and mutual experience between them, but Penny couldn’t read Tess, to tell if there was something beyond – a chance of love growing beyond the platonic, the familiar. She made a mental note to steer her next conversation with Tess onto the subject of Nic.

  After choosing dinner she sat back and watched the ebb and flow of the sea and the people at the Athena. Lily arrived with her vegetarian moussaka, with Theo trailing behind her.

  ‘Penny, can I ask you something? Nic says I have to ask you, but I want you to come, so please, say yes. Will you come to the olive mill tomorrow? There’s a donkey, and big stones, and machinery, and Nic knows the man who is in charge, so we’ll see lots of things.’ Theo barely paused for breath.

  Penny looked at Lily for guidance, but Lily shrugged.

  ‘Theo, did Nic send you over to ask or did you decide to do this yourself?’ Penny asked. But before he could answer, Nic walked over.

  ‘Sorry about interrupting your meal, but someone couldn’t wait. Would you be able to join us tomorrow? Please, don’t worry if you already have plans, but if you’re free, I think you’d enjoy it.’

  Nic stood with his hand on Theo’s shoulder. If he’d removed it Penny feared that the small, excited boy would have defied gravity, floated away and had to be pulled down from the ceiling.

  ‘Yes, of course, if you’ll have me. I’d love to come.’

  Theo threw himself at Penny and hugged her. Nic smiled. ‘We’re leaving around ten in the morning, from here. There’s a lot of history to it. The family have been pressing olives on Corfu pretty much since people started making olive oil.’

  ‘There are donkeys!’ Theo had found his voice again.

  Tess joined the group at Penny’s table and catching hold of Theo’s hand gently pulled him away. ‘Are you sure you want to go on a trip with these two? It never turns out to be quite what you expect; it’s always an adventure.’ Tess kissed the top of Theo’s head and walked him over to Spiro. Nic followed with a small smile. ‘See you here in the morning. Kalinichta.’

  After she’d finished her moussaka, Penny checked her mobile. There were no more calls or messages. Her text to Lizzie was still half-written. Sitting now wrapped in the warmth and chatter of the Athena, she almost couldn’t remember why she needed to bother Lizzie with the news that Bruce had been in touch.

  She was a world away, geographically and emotionally, from the places and people Bruce now lived and worked with. Whatever the reason, why he had sent the message, it was not her problem. And yet, even when people were no longer part of her everyday life, Penny almost felt responsible for their wellbeing.

  The only residue of worry she had about the unexpected contact with Bruce was the r
emote but naggingly present one, that he was in some kind of trouble and only she could help or understand.

  The sea sent a warm and wistful breeze which ruffled her hair and drew her gaze out into the darkness. The world had felt new and strange in a hard-to-accept and weary way before she’d arrived in Corfu. Now novelty held more promise and didn’t feel like something lost so much as something found.

  Chapter 35

  The following morning as the cleaner washed and swept the stone paved courtyard of the apartments, Penny prepared for her trip to the olive mill.

  Between Paxos and St George the sparkling sea was decorated with icing-sugar-topped waves that gently pushed and pulled the Dora as Dimitris and Aris paused and stopped the engines. On their return from dawn fishing, the stop had become an unspoken but special moment of calm before they re-entered the harbour. Sometimes their conversation involved the catch, or their plans for the rest of the day. Often it comprised soothing silence.

  At the airport Guy directed new arrivals to their coaches as Rich, in the departures entrance, guided hot, tired, and mostly reluctant-to-leave holidaymakers through check-in.

  It was another five days before they had an official full day and night off, and the weather, although miraculously predictable and glorious, was getting hotter and hotter, the crucible of mid-July and then August only a couple of weeks away.

  At the Mouse House, Nic fed Ulysses and finished his first coffee of the morning. The car was ready: petrol, cool bag with bottles of water, and binoculars – essential items for a day out, whether exploring new territory or familiar byways.

  For Penny, now past the midpoint of her holiday, the smallest, but truly important things were changing her world. When she woke up, the deep well of sadness in the pit of her stomach became shallower each day.

  Chapter 36