My anger was instant. How dare she just come into my house? Who the fuck did she think she was? I clutched Dimitris to me and looked to Alex for help. His mouth was parted and brow furrowed as he took in Marie standing in the entry way. My parents seemed equally confused and the six of us just stood there awkwardly until Alex excused himself and stepped around me, quickly ushering Marie down the hall to his office. I watched them go while raking my teeth over my bottom lip. He’ll be okay, I told myself adamantly, I know he can handle her.
Silence hung in the room and only a minute after they had left, I realized that my parents didn’t seem confused at all by Marie’s presence.
“How long has she been here?” I asked, hoping they wouldn’t know.
Mama shook her head. “Since last night. She kept coming around, asking questions about where you were and where Alex was.” Mama paused and turned to look at me directly. “She came with Lena and some man.”
The hair on the back of my neck stood up and I brushed it off. The man was Mike, that was a no-brainer, but I was surprised that he actually came back after the last time. But Marie having the balls to show up with Lena and to clearly talk with my family was appalling.
“Len said you were mad at her,” Dimitris said accusingly. “Is that true?”
“You talked to her, huh?” I sighed and swept my hair back. “Yeah, I’m mad at her – it happens.”
“Why?”
“Because she’s a big ole meanie.” I left it at that and kissed the top of Dima’s head. “And if you keep asking questions then I’ll tell that cute little redhead in your class that you want to give her cooties.”
He spun around and glared up at me indignantly. “Cooties aren’t real!”
“Are you sure?” I asked, feigning worry as I felt his cheeks. “Blushing is the first sign of a cooties infection.”
“No it’s not!”
He didn’t sound entirely sure of himself and I smirked as he suddenly ran off down the hall to the back deck, Dad hot on his heels, shouting for my brother to wait for him. After the door shut behind them, I listened intently, trying to make out the vague sound of Alex and Marie talking. It didn’t sound angry, but then again, they knew there was people around, so maybe they were just trying not to be too obvious.
“Chloe, don’t eavesdrop,” Mama warned disapprovingly.
Oh, please. I gestured in the direction of his office. “I’m assuming you’ve met Marie then, if she’s come around asking a million questions.”
Mama pursed her lips. “Unfortunately. She seems pleasant. We had tea and you know how I feel about hot tea.”
I snorted and strode toward her, I didn’t say as she pulled me into her arms. There was no real word for what “home” smelled like, but she was it, and while we rocked back and forth, it was the only thing that I could focus on. And my home knew exactly what I needed.
“I wish you had of told me,” she whispered as she petted my hair. “About that woman, about you and Peter fighting, about Lena… You have to know what it looked like to us, Chloe-girl.”
What do you mean? What did it look like? I told her that Peter left me, what else was I supposed to say? And I didn’t think anyone would have believed me about Lena— Oh… All at once it dawned on me – it looked like Alex and I cheated. My heart sunk and I jerked back and gaped at her. “You didn’t really think I cheated, did you?”
Mama blushed and looked down at the floor for a moment before meeting my gaze again, this time with watery eyes. “I know you said Peter left, but things just moved so fast and it felt like you were hiding so many things from me… Iva wouldn’t talk to me about it and Eleni and I didn’t know what else to think.”
My face was hot and I wished there was an easier way to talk about this, that my mother could understand me better. “Do you even really believe me?” I asked petulantly. “Or does Eleni for that matter?”
“I called her, we talked; she’s appalled at Lena and wants to apologize to both you and Alex but in person….”
Well, it was a decent gesture at least. “I’m sure I’ll see her at Dima’s birthday.”
“Or at your wedding,” Mama said with a sudden big grin as she quickly changed the subject. “You didn’t come home last night and I had big news! Father Kostas agreed to get you two into the church, he was thrilled when I told him who you were getting married to.”
“Again. We’re getting married again. Alex and I are already married, Mama.”
“Not in the eyes of God,” she insisted. “And besides, I have something special for you for the wedding.”
“Oh?”
“I’ll only show you if you don’t get upset with me.”
Oh god. “About what?” I asked slowly.
“The date.”
“I’m making no promises.”
“October first.”
“That’s in less than three weeks!”
She could not be serious. How was I supposed to get ready that quickly? I wanted to invite Jazmin, I didn’t even know if she would be able to fly in that soon! All the decisions I’d have to make spun wildly through my head and my stomach lurched at the thought. I didn’t even like having to chose what restaurant Alex and I were going to eat at when we went out, how was I supposed to make these types of decisions in less than a month?
“Zander, wait!”
The door to Alex’s study suddenly flew open and I turned to see Alex furiously marching to the front door. I took a step back and pulled Mama with me, watching anxiously as Marie finally came out behind him and slowed her pace the closer she got to crossing the threshold.
“Just think about it, Zander. Please,” she whined quietly, reaching out to touch his arm.
And like that, my anger came rushing back and my body felt like it was on fire. I wanted to scream at Marie to get the fuck out, to never touch my husband again, and to leave my family alone. Just as I made to do exactly that, Alex jerked away from her touch pointed to the path to the bungalow.
“You need to leave,” he warned evenly. “Now. And take Mike with you because I don’t want to put up with this.”
Ohmigod. My heart felt like it skipped a beat as I watched him stand his ground against her. I had no idea what had gotten him worked up; if it was a combination of being exposed to his sister and mother again, if Marie had gone on a rant about me, or if it was just all him seeing her for what she was. I was incredibly proud of him no matter what it was.
Without thinking, I left Mama behind and went to Alex’s side, wrapped my arm around his waist and smiled sweetly at Marie. Hi, bitch.
“I’m staying with Peter for a few more days,” she insisted, refusing to look at me. “We can talk when you’ve calmed down, we both know how you get worked up.”
Don’t you dare blame him. “He told you to leave, Marie. We all heard it, so why don’t you go before it gets worse.” I would drag her out by her hair and shove her onto the ferry myself if I needed to. Hell, I didn’t even need a reason for it, I just would because of all the shit I had put up with from her for her son.
Sharp blue eyes flicked to me momentarily before back to Alex, but it was long enough for me to see the uncertainty. “Don’t sign those papers,” she murmured as she left.
Alex shut the door the second she was on the porch and I reached past him to lock it.
“What was that about?” Mama asked from behind us.
I looked to Alex for an answer but he just shook his head. “Just some paperwork that Chloe and I need to finish,” he answered with a faint smile. “I’m sorry about that, Konstantina, it was rude of me, but how about I get everyone lunch and we can all sit down for a bit?”
“Do you want to run to the mainland?” I asked quickly. “We can go together.” And talk about what that was. I was nothing if not extremely nosey and mildly jealous.
“You just got back!” Mama protested. I pouted, sticking out my bottom lip. She sighed, patted my arm and started towards the back deck. “Lunch sounds lovely, Alex, thank you. Just don’t be dragging my daughter off for too long.”
I waited until the sliding door shut loudly behind her before turning my attention back to Alex. “The postnup?” I asked first.
“No, my will,” he answered. “My lawyer is our lawyer, mine and Marie’s, and he let it slip that I was reorganizing my will.”
Probably definitely on purpose, got it. Who divorced their wife and then continued sharing the same lawyer? “I’m pretty sure you could sue him for that, but I’m not the legal representative here.”
Alex laughed and ran his hand through his hair. “I’ll deal with it. For now though, I’m calling for lunch – and we don’t need to leave, the caterers will come to us.”
“Oh, cool, then you can come meet my dad.” I gave Alex a kiss on the cheek and went to follow the way my parents had gone. “Promise you won’t run away when I’m not looking!”
“I promise!” he called with a laugh. “Now go, I’ll be out in a minute.”
Shaking my head to myself, I continued on outside to the back deck. The sun beat down on the field and a soft breeze kept the heat at bay. Off in the distance, I could see Mama and Dad leaning against each other while Dima attempted to climb a spiralling olive tree. I wondered if Mama even planned on telling me that my brother was probably sleeping in Peter’s old room or if she had just assumed I’d be chill with it. I kind of didn’t have any other option than for it to be fine though.
Jumping down off the deck, I slowly made my way down the path to my parents, watching as they whispered back and forth. What has she told Dad? He was calm, but he was always calm, and he didn’t seem at all fazed by Alex or his age, or that we were getting married when he’d only heard about Peter for years. Dad was always a quiet guy and he never really questioned things around him, he just rolled with everything but even this seemed like a weird thing for him to be so cavalier about.
“Hey, Dad,” I greeted as I came up the path. “So, are you excited to be back yet?”
He didn’t say anything right away, just continued watching Dimitris while I came to stand beside him, the gravel crunching loudly as I got closer.
“Excited is one word,” he said with a faint smile. He glanced over to me and held his arm out, beckoning me to his free side. “Come here for a minute.”
I went to his embrace instantly. I wanted to pretend that I was a grownup and I didn’t need my parent’s anymore, I’d even spent the past three or four years curating that persona, and all at once it dissolved around me. I’d missed him so much and feeling the familiar way my head fit perfectly into the crutch of his shoulder made my throat tighten.
“I missed you a lot,” I admitted quietly. “And Dima, but don’t tell him that.”
Dad chuckled and rubbed my arm. “I won’t, but we missed you too. You’re all he talks about half the time.”
“Yeah, I’m sure.”
“He does; he keeps saying that you promised to teach him how to play guitar and keeps trying to take books from your room.” Dad sighed and rubbed his face. “I hid the guitar. I don’t need another child thinking they can play it.”
I rolled my eyes. “I wasn’t that bad, and you know it.”
“You were,” Mama and Dad said in near sync.
“Whatever…” I muttered under my breath. “Has mom been badmouthing Alex?”
“Chloe!” Mama snapped.
“Only a little; apparently he’s lazy—”
“Troy.” Mama’s jaw was just about on the floor and she quickly shucked off Dad’s arm. Without saying anything else, she scoffed and went to join Dima down near the beach.
“Oh, Konnie, don’t be like that,” Dad called her while clearly trying not to laugh. “Alright, well, she did say he was lazy but she didn’t elaborate on it, so I just assumed she was looking for something not to like.”
“What was your first impression?” I knew he really didn’t get to say much before Marie stole Alex away, but people liked to say that you formed an opinion of someone in the first seven seconds.
“He’s certainly well-travelled.”
I smirked down at the sparse grass. “Is that a nice way of saying he’s old?”
“Well, I didn’t want to be the pot calling the kettle black,” Dad agreed.
“He’s only forty-five,” I argued. “You and mom are older, if that helps.”
“Dear god,” he whispered. “No, you know what? I don’t think we need to talk about it anymore. He seems nice enough and all that matters is that you’re happy.”
“Dad—”
He shook his head and pressed a quick kiss to my temple. “But I am excited to see you walk down the aisle, no matter who’s waiting at the altar.”
“Is that a dig about Peter?”
“Just an observation that you haven’t been as open with us as you used to be.”
I’m glad I didn’t come home. “I think that happens when you move out.”
“That’s true.” He sighed and rubbed my arm. “I’m going to help Dima look for shells like I promised. Are you and Alexcoming to join us?”
He put so much emphasis on Alex’s name that it sounded like a dirty word. My cheeks flamed and I stared at the ground intently. “No, I’ll just wait with him for the food to get here. But I’ll come find you guys when lunch is ready.”
“Alright, honey.” He gave my upper arm one last rub and made his way the direction mom and Dima went.
I didn’t say anything as he wandered off, instead I looked down at my engagement ring and toyed with it absently. It was just me, in the field alone while my parents took my brother down to the shore near the bungalow. Dad was uncomfortable, I got that, but I would have appreciated a little more effort on his part.
Ignoring the sudden feeling of emptiness in my stomach, I turned to the house and assessed it closely while I wandered toward the firepit. The glass windows reflected the bright blue sky and the few dots of silvery-white clouds that loomed on the horizon. I liked the view from inside and out, but couldn’t help feeling small and insignificant compared to the monstrous structure.
It’s always two steps forward, three steps back, I thought as I took a seat on the stone bench. I sat there for awhile, pulling my legs up to my chest and resting my chin on my knees and gazing off over the cliffside, just waiting for the one person that truly, unequivocally loved me to come outside and take away that horrible feeling inside.
“Glykia mou?”
My mood skyrocketed immediately and I looked over to see Alex coming down the path. I beckoned to him and patted the spot beside me excitedly. “Hey, I was waiting for you.”
“I can see that,” he said with a smirk. “Where did your parents get off to?”
I shrugged and waited for him to get comfortable beside me before answering, “They all went down to the beach.” I couldn’t really offer anything else, it was pretty clear that I wasn’t invited.
“Do you want to join them?”
Yes. “Not really.” My stomach twisted at the words but I tried to force myself to sound casual.
“I know when you’re lying,” he replied, gently threading his fingers through mine. “You rub your thumb over your palm, and you won’t look at me.”
I very pettily pulled my hand out of his and gripped my pants and pulled my legs closer. Alex leaned in and ran his nose up my cheek, when that didn’t get a rise out of me, he tried to tickle my bare shoulder with his stubble and I couldn’t hold back my breathy laugh anymore. I reached for him; he pulled my legs over his and wrapped his arms around my waist. My head rested against his shoulder and my mind drifted back to the night he met my mom, the way we sat under the stars when we came home and slept beside the roaring fire.
“Do you think I have “daddy issues”?” I asked suddenly. The bark of surprised laughter that came from Alex made me giggle in return as I hid my face.
“Glykia mou, I love you – I’m not going to speculate on how deep the family issues lie.”
“So, that’s a definite yes.”
“Not even close. You told me how much you missed him and your brother, you’ve only ever called him a great dad and talked about how supportive he was, even when your mama wasn’t. But I can’t imagine that this is easy for him and obviously it upsets you that he didn’t have a better reaction.”
“It was like he couldn’t get out of there fast enough,” I complained. “And he just told me he doesn’t want to think about it. How am I supposed to take that?”
“Chloe,” Alex said patiently. “I’m his age. I can’t lie and say that it wouldn’t freak me out to see Peter with a woman my age because it would. I don’t know exactly what your father is going through, but he’s clearly trying to cope with it so that he doesn’t lose you. We knew this wasn’t going to be easy.”
My eyes burned and I rubbed my cheek against his soft linen shirt. “Do you think it’ll get any better?”
Alex brushed a lock of hair behind my ear and cupped my chin, urging me to look up at him. “I don’t know. But I think we can deal with it just fine.”
“Can we deal with Marie just fine too?”
“Definitely. And you’ll be disappointed to know that she told me you were plotting my death.”
I half-groaned, half-laughed and lolled my head back to look up at him. “Oh, yeah? I guess I have to change my plans now.”
“That’s the only reason you could possibly want to be in my will.” He smirked at me and twirled a lock of my hair around his finger. “She didn’t believe me when I said it was my idea.”
“I told you that she didn’t like me,” I said with a huff. “And she can’t stay with Peter. That’s where I draw the line, because I don’t mind them staying until we leave on our honeymoon, but I’m not living with her for three weeks too.”
“No, I called the plane and she’ll be leaving in the morning.”
“Promise?”
“Have I lied to you yet?” he teased.
“No,” I conceded. “But there’s plenty of time.”
He pinched my butt and I yelped and tried to squirm away from his reach even as he held me tighter. Giggling to myself, I looped my arms up around his neck and kissed my way from his scruff to his ear.
“Three weeks,” I whispered, watching as he shivered. “Are you excited?”
“So much more than you can imagine, agápi mou.”