YANNIS (Cretan Saga Book 1) (17 page)

Yannis dressed slowly. There was no immediate rush to get to the museum. He went down to the taverna and made himself a cup of coffee, lingering over it whilst he smoked a cigarette. Louisa ignored him as she washed spilt wine from the tables and emptied the ashtrays.

‘I’m going to the museum, Louisa, and then I’ll meet my friends for lunch. I don’t know what time I’ll be back.’

‘As you please.’ She retired into the kitchen and Yannis gazed after her speculatively until he realized that once again she was having an embarrassing effect on him.

‘I must do something about this,’ he thought. ‘I really will have to speak to Costas.’

Mr Kouvakis expressed horror at the bandage on Yannis’s head. ‘I fell down the stairs at school,’ he explained.

‘Are you sure you’re fit enough to be here?’

‘I’m fine. I have to go back to the doctor next week to have the stitches out. I would have gone into school, but my tutor insisted I had the day off.’

Mr Kouvakis nodded. ‘As you wish, but don’t do too much. As soon as you feel tired you must go home and rest.’

Yannis agreed, wishing to get away from him and continue with his listing. He walked into the first room and felt in his pocket for his notebook. With an exclamation of annoyance he realised he had left it in his room.

He hurried as fast as his aching limbs would let him back to the taverna. There was no sign of Louisa, but when he reached his room he could hear a man’s voice from behind her closed door. He had an idea that Costas would not be sporting a black eye when he met him at lunchtime.

Yannis found his work in the museum soothing, taking his mind off Louisa completely. He was surprised when Mr Kouvakis came in and asked if he would care to join him for lunch, but hastily made his apologies and set off for the taverna to meet his friends. Dimitris and Nicolas were waiting for him, wanting to know all the details of his fall the previous day and how he was feeling now. Yannis answered their questions and looked around for Costas.

‘He came to see me last night and we arranged to meet for lunch. Where do you think he is?’

‘I didn’t see him this morning at break,’ frowned Nicolas. ‘Maybe he decided to take the day off. You know what he’s like.’

‘He’s coming now,’ said Dimitris, and Costas could be seen hurrying towards them. Yannis studied his face with interest. He had no black eye.

Costas swung a chair out from the table and sat leaning across the back of it. He winked at Yannis and offered his cigarettes. ‘So, what have all of you been up to this morning? Working your poor brains to death I don’t doubt.’

‘More to the point, what have you been up to? I didn’t see you at break.’

‘Because I wasn’t there. I have had the most incredible morning with the most beautiful girl you have ever seen.’ Costas winked again at Yannis.

Nicolas groaned. ‘Not another one. I thought Penelope was the love of your life?’

‘She is,’ Costas assured them, ‘but unfortunately she is always chaperoned. A little light relief is needed now and again.’

‘Why don’t you get married?’ asked Dimitris.

‘Married!’ A look of horror crossed Costas’s face. ‘Why should I get married? Besides, I might marry someone and then find a girl more beautiful. What would I do then?’

The boys laughed at him, but Yannis was longing to speak to Costas alone. Finally Dimitris and Nicolas rose from the table.

‘Are you coming, Costas?’

‘Not much point coming in just for the afternoon. I’ll see you tomorrow.’

Yannis offered his friend a cigarette. ‘So?’

‘So what?’

‘Did you ask Louisa? You haven’t got a black eye.’

‘She charges three drachma an hour, the same as the other girls, but she’s way above their class. She is pure heaven.’

‘You don’t mean it? You’re just stringing me along.’

Costas crossed himself. ‘I swear I am telling you the truth, Yannis. That girl is out of this world. I spent three hours with her this morning and the time flew by. I told her I’d be back next week, but I’m not sure if I can wait until tomorrow.’

‘I still think you’re kidding me,’ said Yannis, although he was quite sure Costas was telling the truth.

‘You can prove it for yourself. Just beneath her right shoulder blade she has three tiny moles, they form a triangle. Now how would I know that if I hadn’t tried to kiss them off her back?’

‘I’ll think about it,’ promised Yannis. ‘I’m going back to the museum for a while – are you coming my way?’

Costas shook his head. ‘No, I promised my mother I would call in at her dressmaker’s. It’s in the opposite direction. I’ll see you tomorrow.’

Despite Yannis’s intention of staying at the museum until closing time, by mid-way through the afternoon he was feeling incredibly tired and bade Mr Kouvakis goodbye. ‘I’ll be back tomorrow at my usual time.’

‘Very wise; you mustn’t overdo things, Yannis.

On his return to the taverna Yannis slept for two hours and awoke thinking it was morning and wondering why he was already fully dressed. Feeling foolish he splashed his face with cold water and went downstairs. Louisa, as always at that time of day, was sitting at her embroidery. She looked at him guardedly as he entered.

‘I’ve had a lovely day,’ he announced. ‘I spent most of it at the museum. How about you?’

‘The same as usual,’ she answered. ‘Are you feeling better?’

Yannis nodded. ‘Considerably. I’ve slept for a couple of hours. I shall go into school tomorrow. Can I help myself?’ She nodded and Yannis reached across her for a bottle of wine and a glass.

‘No doubt you needed the rest.’

Once again Yannis felt she had dismissed him. He drank slowly, and was on the point of returning to his room when Yiorgo entered. Louisa folded her embroidery and stood leaning against the bar. A customer would often call in on their way home from work and it was as well to look prepared. Despite talking to Yannis and enquiring after his health, Yiorgo could not take his eyes from the girl. If only she would give him an answer.

Yannis returned to the doctor the following week to have the stitches from his head removed, a process he found far more painful than when they had been inserted.

‘How are you feeling? You complained about your knee and ankle. Are they still giving you any trouble?’

‘None at all,’ Yannis assured him. ‘I really was very lucky.’

‘I’ll just check you over quickly. Take off your shirt.’

Yannis did as he was asked and the doctor’s hard fingers probed his back and ribs for any sign of damage. ‘All seems well. Take a deep breath for me. Does that hurt?’

Yannis shook his head.

‘Good. I was a bit concerned that you might have broken a rib. What’s that?’

‘A blocked gland. I had mumps,’ explained Yannis.

The doctor pushed the boy’s head to one side. ‘Does it hurt?’

‘Oh, no, not at all.’

The doctor picked up a needle from his desk and began to prick the lump and surrounding area.

‘Ouch!’ Yannis started involuntarily as the doctor pricked the skin at a point below his chin.

‘Hmm.’ The doctor stood back. ‘How long ago did you have mumps?’

Yannis shrugged. ‘It was when my brother was born,’ he wrinkled his forehead. ‘I must have been about nine.’

‘And you’ve had it ever since?’

‘I think so.’

‘Has it grown any larger?’

‘Just a little – as I’ve grown.’

‘I’d like to take a little scrape of skin from it?’

‘Why?’

‘Just as a precaution, to make sure there’s no infection there.’ He picked up a scalpel and without waiting for Yannis’s consent took a sliver of skin from the lump.

‘What kind of infection?’ Yannis’s hand went involuntarily to the charm he wore.

‘Any kind. You can put your shirt back on now.’ He placed the sample safely inside an envelope and wrote Yannis’s name in the left hand corner before putting it in his desk.

‘When will I know the result of the test?’

‘If there’s any problem the hospital will write to you. My fee is five drachma, please.’

Yannis left the doctor and began to walk towards his school. Half way there he remembered what Costas had said about Louisa having three little moles. Did he dare go and ask her? He hesitated, standing in a doorway having a cigarette whilst he made up his mind. He rehearsed what he would say to her, and finally decided he would return to the taverna and see if she was alone.

As he walked in Louisa looked round the kitchen door. ‘Oh, it’s you.’

‘Who were you expecting?’

Louisa shrugged. ‘I thought you were a customer.’

‘What kind of customer?’

Louisa frowned. ‘What do you mean?’

‘Some one has told me that you have three moles in the shape of a triangle just below your right shoulder blade.’

‘Really?’

‘I’d like to see them.’

‘I’m sure you would. Shouldn’t you be in school?’

‘I’ve been to the doctor.’

Louisa looked at him speculatively, then without a word she led the way up the stairs. Yannis followed her to her room and closed the door behind them. Once inside Louisa untied the ribbon at the neck and slipped her blouse over her head before sitting down on her bed. Yannis gasped as her small, perfectly shaped breasts were exposed. She turned her back to him and he could clearly see the three small moles. He could understand why Costas had tried to kiss them from her back as he had an overwhelming desire to do the same.

He ran his hand across them, as if to brush them away, then slipped it beneath her arm and cupped her breast in his hand. He felt quite dizzy with longing and turned her to face him, bending and kissing her breasts gently. He felt Louisa’s fingers undoing the buckle of his belt and the buttons on his trousers as he lifted her skirt to explore beneath. It seemed he had only tasted the delights her body had to offer for a few moments before the world exploded around him. He rolled his body off hers, damp with sweat from his efforts. She lay with her legs apart, looking up at him mockingly.

‘Better now?’

Yannis nodded dumbly.

‘It doesn’t take much to satisfy some people,’ she observed sarcastically as she picked up her blouse.

‘No, let me look at you. You’re so beautiful, Louisa.’ Again he reached out his hand and began to fondle her breasts.

‘You look ridiculous.’

Yannis looked down at himself and was forced to agree. His trousers were around his thighs; his shirt was damp and sticky around the tail. He stood up, removed his boots and allowed his trousers to fall to the floor, stepping out of them whilst he unbuttoned and discarded his shirt. Louisa gazed unashamedly at his nakedness.

‘That’s an improvement.’

He lay beside her, stroking her body, revelling in the soft silkiness of her skin. His hand slipped between her thighs and he kissed her again. ‘Take your skirt right off. It gets in the way.’

Louisa did as he bade her. ‘Satisfied?’

Yannis pressed his body against hers. ‘No, but I intend to be.’ He kissed and stroked her until he could contain himself no longer. Desperately he tried to delay the final exquisite joy.

‘I must go,’ she said finally, ‘and you should be in school.’

Yannis watched as she replaced her clothes. ‘How much do I owe you?’

‘Ten drachmas.’

Yannis shook his head. ‘I’ve heard that you charge three drachmas an hour.’

‘You have to pay for experience.’

Yannis flushed. ‘I’ll pay this time, but in future I expect the going rate.’

Louisa raised her eyebrows, but all she said was ‘Get dressed.’

‘Why do you do it, Louisa?’

‘To make money, of course.’

‘You have the taverna.’

‘The takings from the taverna would never have paid our debts after Mamma and Pappa died.’

‘Don’t you mind?’

Louisa shrugged. ‘Mind? What is there to mind about?’

‘What about Yiorgo? If you married him you wouldn’t have to worry about money any more. He has a good job and you could keep the taverna running.’

‘Yiorgo,’ Louisa spoke his name scornfully. ‘Why should I want to marry him?’

‘He loves you, Louisa.’

‘But I don’t love him. Are you dressed?’

Yannis nodded. ‘I’ll just go and have a wash. I’ll bring your money down with me.’

By the time Yannis reached school the bell had rung for lunch and he made his way to the taverna where he regularly met his friends. They examined his head, which clearly showed the marks of the stitches, but assured him they would soon fade.

‘I suggest we have a little celebration tonight,’ said Costas. ‘Let’s meet up and have a night on the town.’

‘Could I ask Vassilis to join us?’ asked Yannis. ‘He was so good to me when I fell. I’ve replaced his shirt, but I’d like to buy him a drink.’

‘Ask whoever you like. We’ll meet at your taverna and go from there. Now, what time shall we say?’

On returning to his class Yannis asked Vassilis and Stavros to meet him that evening. Stavros was quite overcome to be asked and blushed and stammered his thanks.

‘Why did you ask him?’ asked Vassilis. ‘I find him so difficult to talk to. He never seems able to get his words out.’

‘I feel so sorry for him. I know he’s terrible to listen to in class, it takes him half an hour to say yes or no to a question, but if you talk to him on your own he’s fine. He just gets so embarrassed if he’s the centre of attention.’ Yannis defended the young man.

‘Are you off to the museum after school?’

Yannis nodded. ‘Why?’

‘I thought you would probably need to stay behind and catch up on the work you missed this morning.’

Yannis flushed, feeling guilty that he had not returned directly to school from the doctor. ‘I’ll ask Mr Angelakis what he wants me to do. Hopefully he’ll want to leave promptly.’

Mr Angelakis smiled at the eager boy. ‘We spent most of the morning drawing a map. You’ll need four copies of it by tomorrow morning; each one needs to be in a different colour to represent the different periods of history. I’d like you to be able to draw it from memory by the end of the week as we shall be using it most of the time this term.’

‘Yes, sir.’ Yannis’s hope of spending an hour in the museum faded. It would take all his time before his friends arrived to make four satisfactory copies of the map. He had also planned to write to Annita and tell her his stitches had been removed that day. He sighed, wishing he had not asked his tutor.