I survey the room. Aliki should be a smoker, there’s an ashtray filled with butt ends on the desk subsequent to the bottle of brandy and a whiff of tobacco within the air. To say it feels a bit surreal being within the dwelling that Daniel as soon as shared together with his household is an understatement. I shouldn’t have turned up like this, however he left me with no different alternative. Aliki is the one one who can reply my questions.

Attending to my toes, I take within the cluttered room. Two piles of outdated magazines and newspapers tower close to the door like uneven pillars; ornaments and picture frames fill each conceivable house, and there’s not less than twenty purchasing baggage sitting on the fireplace of the fireside.

I mosey over to the pictures that line the cigarette-stained magnolia wall, and stare upon them as in the event that they had been reveals in an artwork gallery. I’ve all the time discovered household pictures fascinating, the historical past, the adventures. It’s such a pity that we stock all our photographs on our cell phones nowadays.

I peer at them carefully. Some date again to the early century, undoubtedly Aliki’s clan, Greeks often have giant households. A bit of the wall is filled with photographs of Connie – child photographs, nursery and college photographs, photos of her on vacation with mates, modelling pictures. It’s like some kind of shrine, if I’m trustworthy, and barely eerie. A latest one, taken at a Race for Life occasion, catches my eye. She’s arm-in-arm with one other lady on the ending line. They’re carrying pink costume wigs and foolish grins. I’m impressed. I’m wondering how a lot they raised for the charity. I hold which means to join an occasion. A 5k stroll or one thing. I’m positive Loulou and Tina would be a part of me. If I requested properly.

On the sideboard, extra photographs of Connie and Lily fill the house, none of Daniel, effectively they’re divorced. However then proper on the again, I spy an image of a younger Daniel and Aliki. I attain out for it, it bashes in opposition to one other {photograph}, the ripple impact knocking a number of neighbouring frames in succession. Nice. I’ve solely been right here 5 minutes and already I’m inflicting chaos. I look over my shoulder nervously as I prop all of them again up haphazardly, the centrepiece safely in my left hand.

“That was taken in our dancing days,” Aliki says, returning with two tumblers and a bowl of nuts. The couch hisses below her weight, inflating the seat subsequent to her. I examine the {photograph} to the backdrop of brandy glugging into tumblers. They appear like a few Strictly contestants. Aliki’s in a brief, sparkly little quantity and Daniel’s carrying a crimson satin shirt, open to the waist and tight black trousers. He truly seems to be fairly scorching. And my God! Aliki seems to be bloody wonderful, so slender, so match.

“I didn’t know Daniel dabbled in dancing.” It looks as if there’s loads about him I don’t know.

“Dabbled?” Aliki laughs heartily. “We had been regional champions again within the day, three years on the trot. Nobody may match our Argentine Tango.” No surprise Daniel walks with such grace. She takes a swig of brandy and winces. “That is sturdy stuff, however good. Right here.” I take the tumbler from her hand and sit down subsequent to her. “Yiamas.” Our glasses clink, crystal.

I can’t consider that Daniel’s ex-wife and I are sitting right here sharing a drink collectively. It does really feel a bit Deadly-Attractioney. “Excuse the mess,” she groans, grabbing a handful of nuts. “We’re adorning upstairs.” Ah, in order that’s what it’s. Why didn’t I consider that? “In fact,” she goes on, munching on the nuts and gesturing on the {photograph}, “Daniel managed to maintain trim by exercising, in contrast to me!” I comply with her eyes to her spherical physique. “Too many Koubes and Lokmathes, I’m afraid. I really like my meals, as you’ll be able to see.” She’s very self- deprecating. I’m starting to heat to her.

“You’re not obese.” I throw her a nervy smile. “You could have had a baby. I do know it was near thirty years in the past, however nonetheless.”

She raises her eyebrows. It was a silly factor to say. I don’t know why I stated it. I’m nervous. “Anyway,” she says brightly, “what can I do for you?”

Swallowing onerous, I get straight to the purpose. I used to be at Daniel’s flat ready for Connie’s supply. I had a take a look at some photographs in an envelope, simply to cross the time. He got here dwelling unexpectedly, caught me, and went right into a rage. We rowed and I ran out of his flat.

“Sure,” she says as soon as I’ve stopped speaking, “Daniel stated. He rang not way back, simply to say he gained’t be taking the youngsters out for pizza, in any case.” Children? Connie’s almost thirty. I can see that she’s spoilt rotten by each mother and father. “He additionally talked about the fallout.” The telephone trills within the background and my coronary heart skips a beat. I hope it’s not him.

“It’s simply that he acted so out of character, went into a whole rage and over what? Just a few crumpled pictures and a few Connie’s childhood drawings. I imply, you of all folks know what he’s often like. He actually took me without warning, have you learnt what I imply?” I pause however she doesn’t say something. “I shouldn’t have gone by his issues, I do know, however…” I falter, deciding shortly that she doesn’t have to learn about my quirky tidiness, significantly as her place is so chaotic in the meanwhile.

She takes a giant glug of air; her giant chest rises and falls. “He stated you had been studying his stuff, Audrey. His private issues.” She doesn’t take a look at me when she says this.

“No,” I insist, shaking my head. “I didn’t learn something private, I promise. I simply noticed a number of pictures and the sketches, that’s all.” I cluck my tongue, irritated. “I didn’t even wish to go there within the first place.” I complain, twirling the amber liquid in my glass clockwise. I take a big sip. It burns my mouth, then slides down my throat, awakening every fibre in my physique. The best way I really feel proper now, I may down the entire frigging lot in a single. However I don’t need Aliki to assume I’m an alcoholic. “If solely you’d gone there as deliberate this by no means would’ve occurred,” I say dryly.

“Gone the place?”

“To Daniel’s flat.” There’s a touch of confusion in her eyes. “You recognize, to attend for the supply?” I frown at her now. “Connie stated she requested you first however you had a last-minute emergency.”

“Aliki, mou.” There’s a delicate faucet on the door after which Despina’s face friends round it. She’s holding the telephone. “Telephono.” Aliki frowns, sticks her hand out, fingers erect and offers her wrist a fast, sharp twist. I do know what that hand gesture means, “who’s it or what’s up”. I picked up a number of Cypriot gestures from Maria, Mum’s cleaner, once I was in Cyprus.

Despina covers the mouthpiece and whispers, “Ei poutana.” Now, I believe I stayed in Cyprus lengthy sufficient to know that the phrase poutana means prostitute, and I do hope she’s not speaking about me!

Aliki offers her a puzzled look, “What poutana?” I cowl my mouth, squeezing in amusing. What number of sluts does Aliki befriend?

“Afti ie shillobelli,” Despina whispers.

Aliki seems to be at her mom blankly, then glances at me. “Which means mad bitch, by the best way. My mom has such a approach with phrases.”

“Ie Kalamarou,” Despina hisses.

“Oh Mamma,” Aliki says in exasperation, “inform Melina I’ll name her again in half an hour.” And with pursed lips the outdated girl rocks her head backward and forward (one thing Maria would do behind her supervisor’s again when she was narked along with her), and walks off mumbling into the telephone. “Sorry, that’s my brother’s spouse – Mum’s not that eager.” She rolls her eyes, “I guess you picked up a number of swear phrases in Cyprus.” I smile and inform her that I did – poutana being one in every of them. “Melina had a short affair with a colleague a number of years in the past. Mum can’t forgive her.”

“Oh, I see. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, they received by it. Apart from, my brother Vas isn’t any saint, he had it coming.” She sucks her lips in. “However persons are all the time fast to evaluate the lady, aren’t they?” I give her a skinny smile and just a little nod. I’m undecided what else to say.

“Melina? That’s Greek isn’t it?” My abdomen offers a low rumble; I attain out and assist myself to some nuts. Aliki pushes the bowl nearer to me, telling me that Melina is from Greece. “Similar distinction, isn’t it? You communicate the identical language.”

“I can’t perceive a bloody phrase she says,” she grumbles. “They communicate Fashionable Greek whereas we communicate Historical Greek. Nah, we simply persist with English, a lot simpler. Anyway,” she continues briskly wiping her salty fingers on her legging-clad thighs, “the place had been we? Oh sure, the supply.” Her eyes shut briefly. “Sorry, you caught me off-guard. I’ve a thoughts like a sieve these days – menopause. However, sure, I had a last-minute appointment with a shopper.”

She’s gone a bit crimson. I’m wondering if it’s the brandy or if she’s mendacity. I don’t problem her. I haven’t received time for thoughts video games.

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