Page 14 of Take a Chance on Greece

Yiota replied in rapid Greek, her words short and sharp, then brushed Alexis to one side as she fixed me with another stern look. ‘I am sorry. I forget myself. I will speak English so that you can understand until you learn my language. Now, I hear that you are happy to help with housekeeping? What experience do you have?’

I thought carefully. ‘Um, I’ll admit I’ve not done any professional cleaning. But my ex-boyfriend—’ again I got a slight thrill from saying those words ‘—was rather old fashioned and when we were at each other’s places we split the tasks between us, so I did all the household stuff – what he’d call “girl tasks” – while he did the garden. Well, I say he did the garden, but I lived in a flat, so I didn’t have a garden, and he got a gardener in to mow his lawn.’ So much for trying not to go on about Jim. But if it helped me get a job by demonstrating that I had at least some housekeeping experience, then it was justified.

Yiota waved her arm. ‘This time, your work will be rewarded with a wage, rather than being unpaid labour.’

I decided to take it as a sign that she was slightly softening towards me.

‘I think a trial is perhaps best.’ Yiota nodded as she made up her mind. ‘You may stay with me for a few days, I will try you on the different duties I need help with, and then, we will see what happens after that.’ Decision made, she beckoned me to follow her. ‘Let me show you around the Helios Hotel. It is called Helios after the god of the sun, because the sun always shines in Kefalonia.’ She paused and looked around her confidentially. ‘Or at least, that is what we tell the tourists. It is mostly sunny in Kefalonia, but when it rains,po po po, it rains a lot.’

Yiota swept into the hotel, and I scurried along in her wake, trying to keep up. Alexis reached out and took my long-suffering suitcase, carrying it as if it weighed significantly less than it did. I smiled at him gratefully. As much as I would have liked to demonstrate my independent woman credentials, I was thankful for his continuing thoughtfulness. My shoulders were aching after dragging the thing around most of the day, plus its wheels had started to make some worrying squeaking noises, and I was concerned they didn’t have much life left in them. As long as the bag made it to my room intact, that was all that mattered. Hopefully I wouldn’t need it for a good while after that.

The hotel was smaller than the one I’d stayed in with Kat and Amira, something which I was relieved about because it meant there would be fewer rooms for me to clean. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to work hard, but I needed all the help I could get to do the best job possible so I could survive my trial period and not find myself back out on the street.

The reception area was sunny and welcoming. A noticeboard by the front desk was covered in posters and leaflets advertising local excursions, and I felt a clutch of excitement about all the places there were to explore on the island. We walked through a comfortable sitting room to the wildflower-filled garden. A couple of guests were lounging by a pool, the water dazzlingly bright and inviting, while others were quietly enjoying iced drinks as they leaned on the small bar. At the far end of the garden, a vine-covered trellis arch provided shade for a bench which was carved out of the trunk of a fallen tree. It was what I’d describe as a beautiful boutique hotel, peaceful and serene, the kind of place I would have loved to stay in as a guest, perhaps with a special someone at my side.

‘Are you alright?’ asked Alexis quietly.

‘Very alright,’ I replied. If he hadn’t still been holding my suitcase, I would have reached out to squeeze his hand in gratitude. I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to be getting a job here.

‘Sometimes my brother comes to help out at the pool bar and make the drinks and toasted sandwiches for guests,’ said Yiota. ‘But often he is too busy with his own affairs to help me.’

She sent a pointed glance at Alexis.

‘I’m happy to help in any way I can. I make a mean toasted cheese sandwich,’ I said, hoping that it might work in my favour.

‘Then already you are better than my brother. Alexis, why are you still here? Lydia and I have things to agree, and I have work to do, and you are a big distraction.’

Alexis caught my eye, and we both smothered a grin at Yiota’s bluntness.

‘If I am getting in the way, then I shall depart and reopen the bookshop for the evening customers,’ he said.

Yiota rolled her eyes as though she wasn’t convinced there would be many of them coming through the doors.

‘Lydia, I hope you settle in well. Forgive my sister. She is not the tiger that she appears to be. I will take your bag to the staff quarters and be on my way.’ He scribbled something on a piece of paper and offered it to me. ‘This is my number, feel free to call me if you need anything. And please do come and see me at work, I am there most days, and I will make sure you get your dictionary. I am sure Yiota will help you with your language practice too.’ He paused, then reached out to shake my hand formally. ‘I wish you the best of luck in tracking down your mystery man.’

I felt a pang of loneliness when Alexis left. He had made me feel truly welcome in Sami and gone beyond the call of duty to help me. It was good to feel like there was at least one friendly face here. Hopefully I would win Yiota around eventually, but I got the impression that it might be a difficult task. She was clearly far too busy to spend much time holding my hand, and I would have to prove myself in my new role, and fast. I didn’t want to be a burden to her after she’d done me such a big favour by giving me a trial without any credentials or proper experience.

Yiota beckoned to me to follow her back to reception where she printed off some paperwork for me to fill out. Thankfully she translated the key bits, explaining that I would be paid weekly, and that bed and board were part of the package. I happily signed on the dotted line, glad to be gaining a source of income and stability. Although I would be earning even less than I had done in my accountancy job, without the expense of rent, I was confident the modest sum would be sufficient for me to get by, as long as I was sensible. It was reassuring to know that I would be able to support myself, provided I did the job well enough to keep it.

Next stop on the tour of the hotel was my room, a small, but comfortable space on the top floor with a big window looking out towards the mountains. Yiota bustled around, tying back the curtains and checking there was a bottle of water in the tiny fridge in the corner.

‘You do not have a view of the sea,’ she said, ‘or a balcony. We have to make sure the guests can see the Ionian, as that is a big part of the appeal of staying here.’

‘Please don’t be sorry. I’m grateful to have a room of my own. And the view is quite magnificent.’

I really meant it. When I was on holiday here, I’d been captivated by the stunning clarity of the sea, always sitting gazing at it and never really taking the time to turn around and look inland. The hills were every bit as stunning as the coast, wild expanses of trees and open ground, with specks of white here and there indicating where houses were nestling in the folds of the landscape.

It was the right thing to say. Yiota flashed a quick smile, then she pointed at the road winding up the mountain behind the hotel.

‘If you follow that path, it is only a few miles to the Drogarati Cave. It is very spectacular. Sometimes there are even concerts performed in there among all the rocks. You should get Alexis to take you.’ She paused. ‘It would be a perfect place to visit with your Mr Right.’ Her eyes twinkled with amusement.

‘You must think me very strange, dropping everything and flying out here in search of a dream, without even considering the practicalities,’ I said. ‘I know how lucky I am that Alexis and you have come to my aid.’

‘Yes, I think the whole thing most strange indeed.’ Again she looked at me closely as if trying to read my mind. Then she sighed. ‘But if Alexis wants my help in this way, then that is what I shall do, as a loving sister. Tell me, do you have siblings?’

‘No, I’m an only child. It’s probably one of the reasons why I love books so much and have what I’ll admit is a rather vivid imagination. You’re never alone when you have companions in stories. And my best friends Kat and Amira are practically my sisters. We grew up together and we know all each other’s little quirks. We’d do anything for each other.’ I half-wished they were here right now. Everything was easier with their support.

‘Yes, I’d do anything for my brothers,’ said Yiota. ‘Now, are you OK to unpack? Have you had enough to eat? You must be tired after your busy adventures.’

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