Page 23 of Footprints in the Sand
“I don’t know what that would be,” Eva said. She’d been hyper-focused on making money throughout her entire career. She’d gone to college so she could have a comfortable life. Finn took that comfort away from me.
Aphrodite began talking about a friend of hers who was French and had come to Paros to learn how to carve marble, just as the Ancient Greeks did. “He’s terrible at marketing, but he has a huge passion for what he’s doing,” Aphrodite said. “He teaches workshops. Maybe you should go meet him. Maybe you will fall in love with carving marble.”
Eva snorted. “I don’t see that ever happening.” But then she wet her lips and added, “Maybe he needs help with his marketing strategy?”
Aphrodite shrugged and laughed. “You can’t get away from that, can you?”
“It’s all I really know,” Eva admitted.
“Open your heart, Eva! You’re in Greece! We aren’t obsessed with money or time, like you Americans. We’re obsessed with fun and honesty!”
“And food,” Eva reminded Aphrodite with a laugh.
Aphrodite snorted. “You’ve got us figured out.”
The following afternoon, Aphrodite drove Eva the fifteen minutes from Aliki to Jean-Paul’s marble workshop along the coast. From the small dirt lot outside the house, Eva could see a remarkable collection of marble sculptures—traditional sculptures from the Cycladic Islands, as well as bowls, plates, and not-so-traditional jewelry, all carved from glowing white marble. It was marble, she’d later learn, that had been collected both from Paros and from the neighboring island of Naxos. It felt remarkable that the world could create such beauty, and even more impressive that humans could make such magic out of it.
Jean-Paul sat at a table outside, sanding what looked to be a salad bowl. There were three dogs and three cats roaming around, sniffing one another before collapsing in the shade.
Eva couldn’t help but think Jean-Paul was really cute. Through the years, the Greek sun had worn on his face, but he was wiry and strong-looking with long legs and a cool demeanor. His hair was ruffled and swept back. He was maybe in his mid-thirties and three times more handsome than Finn was on his best day.
Don’t compare him to Finn, Eva scolded herself.
Sometimes she wondered if her anger at Finn would follow her around for the rest of her life. She wondered if she’d ever escape it.
Aphrodite got out of the car and waved for Eva to follow. Eva did, trying her best to put on her bravest face. Jean-Paul put his marble bowl to the side, almost regretfully, and performed the French double-cheek kiss thing on Aphrodite, who blushed. When he saw Eva, his eyes flickered with what seemed to be curiosity.
“This is my friend, Eva,” Aphrodite said. “She’s interested in what you’re doing out here.”
“Are you interested in carving the marble?” Jean-Paul asked.
Eva wanted to laugh but couldn’t. “I don’t know if I could ever do that.”
Jean-Paul waved his hand. “Everyone can do it.”
“I told her you give classes,” Aphrodite said, roaming through the open door to check out what he’d recently made.
Jean-Paul focused squarely on Eva, as though waiting for her to tell him what she wanted. When Eva couldn’t come up with anything, Aphrodite called from inside, “She knows all about social media, and she needs a job pretty bad. Jean-Paul, can you give the girl a hand?”
Jean-Paul’s face broke into a funny smile. “I hate social media.”
“Everyone does,” Eva said.
“But you don’t?” Jean-Paul asked.
“I think it’s a great way to get the word out about what you’re doing here,” Eva said gently, entering the workshop to see more of what he’d made. She paused at a gorgeous goblet and wondered what it would be like to drink wine out of it. “You really think you can teach me how to do something like this?”
“You never know until you try,” Jean-Paul said.
For the rest of the afternoon, Eva found herself up to her ears in marble carving. Using a violent-looking machine with a sharp blade attached, she carved and sanded a large block of marble until she created a crooked bowl. Throughout, Jean-Paul monitored what she was doing, explaining how the marble would react to various techniques. He also told her the history of the island and what had drawn him here so many years ago.
Throughout, Eva took photographs of the process, imagining that she’d document everything on social media for him. Aphrodite stayed for a little while but eventually ran off to meetother friends. Jean-Paul offered to bring Eva back to Aliki when she wanted to go.
A part of Eva fantasized she would never leave the marble workshop, that she’d live the rest of her days here with Jean-Paul and all the cats and dogs.
Of course, the marble sculpture she made was subpar and not worthy of any website. She laughed at it, saying, “I’m sorry. You must be so disappointed in me.” And then she said, “Aphrodite was sure that I should find my ‘artistic passion’ here in Greece.”
Jean-Paul looked at her quizzically. “First of all, this is a very good first attempt. Marble is not easy to work with, so you should be proud. Second of all, you must find your artistic passion. Everyone has one.”
