He stood a little taller than the other men. With his broad shoulders, there was no man on earth to match him. The woman he’d married had to have thought the same thing. By now he probably had several children. They’d be Dimitra’s half brothers or sisters...
He’d been dashing at nineteen. At thirty-eight years of age, he’d become the quintessential Greek male. Dimitra would be astounded to learn her birth father was someone so famous and outstanding. And impossibly appealing.
But if at this late stage Alexa decided to divulge the truth to him and Dimitra, it could bring chaos. What if he couldn’t accept his daughter in the fullest sense? Alexa would never be forgiven by either of them no matter how much she’d believed she’d done the right thing at the time. Her relationship with her daughter could be permanently jeopardized. Alexa couldn’t afford to risk that.
Dimitra was her life. Because she loved her so much, she decided to relent and agree to meet Kristos’s mother to avoid hurting Dimitra. They’d never had a truly serious disagreement in their lives. Considering that her daughter was head over heels in love, Alexa needed to decide which battle to fight. This wasn’t one of them. Dimitra, who’d only dated a little before meeting Kristos, was only asking her to meet his mother.
She slid out of bed and padded down the hall to her daughter’s bedroom. Dimitra was just coming out of the bathroom. It looked like she’d been crying.
“Mama?”
“I couldn’t let you go to bed until I told you I’d be happy to have dinner with Kristos and his mother.”
Following a cry of joy, Dimitra hugged her so hard she almost knocked her over.
* * *
The night of the dinner, Alexa walked into her grandfather’s den wearing a white silk dress with a small blue print. He could still get around, but his arthritis was worse and at night he’d get so tired, he used a wheelchair. “I promise we won’t stay out late.”
“Take as long as you want.”
Her daughter hugged him. “Good night, Papoú. Please don’t wear yourself out.” Papoú was the Greek word for grandfather, but it worked for her great-grandfather too.
“Don’t you worry about me. Good night, sweetheart. Have a wonderful time.”
Before leaving the house, Alexa gave her grandfather a kiss, then thanked his caregiver Phyllis who lived with them.
The minute the two of them stepped outside into the soft June night air Alexa was overwhelmed by the summery fragrance unique to Salonica and it swept her back to other glorious nights here nineteen years ago.
After getting off work, Nico would come to the Gataki house to collect her and then she and Nico would go to the beach and end up in each other’s arms.
Not for the first time did Alexa’s daughter remind her of herself, getting ready to meet Nico for another rapture-filled night of being together. Dimitra’s high spirits over the dinner ahead had brought a flush to her cheeks. But this private get-together had put Alexa on edge.
The conversation with Kristos’s mother would inevitably bring up the subject of Dimitra’s father. What kind of work had he been doing before they lost touch? How had t
hey met? Alexa was ready with answers, but each time she had to explain to anyone now that they were back in Greece, it burned like a branding iron. After all these years, Alexa was back and geographically close to Nico. Too close.
Once in the car, she followed her daughter’s directions to the Papadakis villa in the upper city. Dimitra had already told her about Kristos’s mother who was still recovering after the accident that had killed her husband.
Kristos was the elder son of Tio Papadakis, who’d been one of the vice presidents of Papadakis Shipping Lines before his death six months earlier. In addition to his studies Kristos worked part-time in the family business under his CEO grandfather and hoped to rise in the business.
Alexa found it an amazing coincidence that Kristos, like Nico, had been born into a renowned Greek shipping family here in Salonica. No doubt his assured future and that of his younger brother boded well for a wonderful life.
She knew her daughter’s one great wish was that both women would give their blessing for her and Kristos to be married soon. They were of legal age, but Dimitra wanted her mother to be happy about it. Of course she did.
“There it is!” her cry broke into Alexa’s thoughts. “The gray-and-white mansion ahead with the statuary. Isn’t it beautiful?”
“It certainly is.”
“Kristos said to pull into the circular drive and park in front.”
No sooner had Alexa pulled the car to a stop than a dark blond Kristos hurried out the front door and down the steps to greet them. He wore a light blue blazer over a button-down shirt and trousers. Dimitra had dressed in a yellow sundress. As Alexa had thought before when he’d come to her office at the university with her daughter, they made a good-looking couple.
He came around with Dimitra and helped Alexa out of the car. “Mama is looking forward to meeting you, Kyría Remis. We’re eating outside.”
She followed the two of them through the elegant mansion and out the doors to the back patio surrounded by a flowering garden. The lovely redheaded woman in a deep blue silk dress got up from her wheelchair to greet them. “I’m delighted the two of you have come, Kyría Remis.”
“We’re pleased to be here and meet you, Kyría Papadakis. Thank you for inviting us.”