Margaret Barker - Greek Doctor Claims His Bride

“I’ve got to go,” he said evenly.

“Does your mother still live on the end of the street? Are you visiting her?”

He hesitated. “She still lives there. But actually I bought the house next to yours when I came back to Ceres a couple of years ago.”

“Next door? In Villa Agapi?” She drew in her breath. Agapi was the Greek word for love. She had just come to live in Villa Irini, which meant peace. Love and peace next door to each other.

“Manolis, are you here on holiday?”

“I work here on the island again. I wanted to return and it was better for…”

He broke off as the sound of a child’s voice came from the street.

“Papa, Papa? Where are you?”

Manolis hurried through the courtyard and stood by the open door that led to the street.

“Papa!” The little girl flung herself at him. He lifted her high into the air. She was laughing and screaming with delight as he lowered her into his arms.

Tanya remained absolutely still as she watched the joyous reunion of a little girl with her father. Her hands were clenching the side of the table to steady herself as she listened to the rapid non-stop Greek words that flowed from the child as she told her father she’d had the most exciting day. It emerged that she’d brought her papa a picture she’d painted at school but she’d put it down on a stone at the side of the path as she’d bent to take her shoes off because she hated wearing shoes when it was hot and the wind had blown it away and she wanted to paint another one now as soon as they got home because…

The story came out in one long breath. As she listened to the chatter, Tanya felt tears prickling behind her eyelids. This child, this beautiful little girl, couldn’t be much younger than the child she’d lost. Their child. She and Manolis should have had a child like this one but…

“Chrysanthe, agapi mou ,” Manolis said, setting his excited daughter down on the cobbles of the courtyard. “Come inside and meet an old friend of mine. Tanya, this is Chrysanthe.”

The little girl hurried across the small courtyard and through the open door of the kitchen, smiling, friendly, totally trusting.

Tanya tried to swallow the lump in her throat. This wasn’t what she’d thought would happen today. It was all too poignant. Her confused emotions were draining her strength away. She reached out a hand towards the child.

Chrysanthe smiled as she placed her hand in Tanya’s. A pretty little dimple had appeared in the adorable child’s cheek. Who did she get that from? Must have been from her mother. The unknown woman who’d obviously taken Tanya’s place so soon after they’d split up. How could he have met up with someone and conceived a child so quickly?

“Do you live here, Tanya?” Such a lovely lilt to the lisping childish tone.

Tanya cleared her throat. “Yes. I’ve just moved in today.”

“I like your hair.” The little girl took her hand out of Tanya’s and reached up to stroke her auburn hair. She looked up at her father. “Daddy, why couldn’t my hair have been this colour?”

Oh, no, please don’t say things like that!

Tanya heard Manolis’s swift intake of breath.

“It’s very…unusual,” he said quickly. “You can’t…er…choose which colour your hair will be when you’re born. Sometimes the colour comes from your daddy and sometimes from your mummy.”

“My mummy’s got blonde hair but she says it’s out of a bottle. Could I get some of this colour out of a bottle, Tanya?”

“You probably could, but I prefer your hair the colour it is.”

“Like Daddy’s?”

Tanya swallowed hard. “Yes, like Daddy’s.” Her eyes met Manolis’s and she turned away to avoid the poignancy of this discussion.

“Did you have a good journey, Tanya?” Manolis said quickly, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

“I’m always relieved when I get here because it seems to take for ever.”

“Where did you come from?” Chrysanthe asked.

“Australia.”

“Australia? My daddy used to live there, didn’t you, Daddy?” The little girl had started to speak English now. “He told me all about it. It’s a long way from here, isn’t it? It’s got lots of croccy…What are they called, Daddy?”

“Crocodiles.”

Tanya noticed his voice was husky. He was reaching down and hoisting his daughter onto his shoulder.

“Your English is very good, Chrysanthe.”

“My mummy’s English. Are you English or Greek, Tanya?” The little girl looked down at Tanya from Manolis’s shoulders.

“I’m both—like you. English mummy, Greek daddy. But I was born here on Ceres.”

“I was born in England but I like living here best. Daddy used to bring me out to stay with Grandma Anna and all my cousins. I love being in my grandma’s house. It’s such fun playing with my cousins. Look, I can touch the ceiling! Daddy, I can touch the ceiling!”

“Tanya, I’ll take Chrysanthe away and we’ll leave you in peace. I’m sure you’ve got lots to do still.”

Peace! How did he ever think she could be at peace when there were so many questions to be answered? She’d come back here to escape her stressful life in Australia but had never imagined she would have to face the turmoil of the past. Yes, she’d come to find peace but that wouldn’t happen now, not while she was living next door to Manolis.

Manolis cleared his throat. “I know you’ve had a long journey, Tanya, but would you consider coming out for supper with me this evening?”

She’d never heard him sound so nervous. As if he was expecting her to squash the idea as impossible. Well, she had turned him down just before they’d split, only to bitterly regret it when it had been too late to change things.

“That would be after I’ve settled Chrysanthe with Mother. She stays with her when I’m on call. My mother has a huge bedroom—with plenty of room for her grandchildren—and they all love to stay there. We’re a very close family, as you know, and…”

His voice trailed away. He was looking down at her, his eyes betraying how much he wanted to see her again that evening.

“Yes, I’d like that. There are so many questions I want to ask.”

“Me too. So, I’ll call in about eight. We could go to Giorgio’s.”

“How is he?”

“His health isn’t too good but he sits in the corner and watches the rest of his family do all the work.” He turned away, one hand still holding onto the child on his shoulders. “Bend your head, my darling, as we go through the door.”

“Goodbye Chrysanthe. Come again to see me.” She meant it wholeheartedly.

“Ooh yes, I will. Daddy, I’m still taller than you. When I’m grown up I might really be taller than you. When you’re an old man I’ll put you on my shoulder and…”

The voices became indistinguishable as father and daughter made their way down the street. Chrysanthe was a beautiful little girl, but Tanya had never imagined that Manolis could have moved on so quickly after they had split up.

He’d moved on. She mustn’t dwell on it. She would remember only the happy times. She found herself wishing that little Chrysanthe was her child but stopped herself as soon as the thought occurred. No regrets. She had to move on with her life and not spend time wishing for the impossible.

Upstairs again, she ran hot water into the half-size hip bath in her tiny bathroom. As a child she’d loved to be bathed by her Grandmother Katerina when she’d been staying with her. She’d never dreamed that her grandmother would leave this house to her. Katerina must have realised how much Tanya loved it.

Tanya stripped off and stepped into the warm water. Mmm, it was bliss to lie back with the bath foam she’d bought in the airport shop in Sydney only yesterday. It hadn’t occurred to her that today she would be preparing to go out for supper with Manolis. Once more she had to remind herself that nothing had changed between them. And now that Manolis was a married man, the gap between them must remain wide.