Page 17 of All You Need is Greece

‘But it sounds romantic.’ She looks at me from under her glasses and smiles.

‘It was a romantic setting, I guess, if romance is what you are after, which I’m not.’ I keep telling myself this, but last night I’ll admit I did have a good time. But it’s just nice to have a little attention from an attractive man, isn’t it?

‘I believe you.’ She grins.

She fills two mugs with coffee and places one down in front of me, as Judith appears from the donkey area, enquiring if we have seen Lars.

‘Does he have a habit of disappearing?’ I say, thinking of yesterday when she could not find him then either.

‘Not usually, no.’ She frowns. ‘Oh, never mind, I’m sure he’s around somewhere. Anyway, while you’re here, I thought about what you said.’ She turns to Hannah, who offers her coffee, but she declines. ‘I only have one in the morning, love, or I’m running to the loo all day,’ she confides.

‘Maybe it’s the caffeine? You should try decaffeinated,’ I suggest.

‘I did once, it made no difference. I think it’s just my age.’ She laughs.

‘Sorry, you said you have thought about something I said?’ Hannah looks a little puzzled.

‘Yes, about doing some fundraising at Star Beach. I know people often book September breaks before the weather changes, especially the English as it’s cheaper to travel here after the main school holidays. So I thought more about the fundraising tomorrow, and I definitely think you should head there instead of to the harbour.’

‘Great, yes, I can’t think of a better place to raise funds than at a beach,’ I tell her. ‘Let’s hope it’s still busy.’

‘With any luck,’ says Judith. ‘Especially as the weather is set to be fine again tomorrow.’

‘Great. I’m sure Doll and Michael will be thrilled too.’

It’s Friday tomorrow, and I remember that Tania has invited everyone for a BBQ at their place on Monday evening, which I am really looking forward to. The week has flown by and I realise Marco has been in my thoughts less and less over the week. Keeping busy must be the key to not dwelling on things too much, or maybe it’s mixing with different people and seeing new things that is distracting me from my life back home.

‘Good. That’s settled then.’ She smiles.

Just then, Michael appears with a new bale of straw to take to the donkeys. Judith fills him in on the plans for tomorrow, but Doll is nowhere to be seen.

We tackle the jobs around the rescue, and an hour later, I’m returning some cleaning liquid to the utility area, when I spot a car pull up outside the gates. Out step Lars and Doll, then to my surprise, Lars heads through the front gate, but Doll disappears out of sight, heading towards a rear entrance near the pool. A few minutes later she appears from the bushes by the path between the house and the pool. What on earth is going on?

‘That was a long shower,’ Michael comments as Doll strolls over to join him and Judith and she tells him she was sorting out some laundry, before taking a shower.

‘Keeping tabs on me?’ She giggles.

‘I don’t think I’ve ever been able to do that, Doll.’ He laughs. ‘Just don’t go off walking alone, that’s all. There are some steep drops out there in the forest. Not to mention snakes.’

‘Now you’re just trying to frighten me, you know I hate snakes,’ she says and Michael laughs.

‘I can’t say I’ve ever come across any snakes. Thank goodness,’ says Judith, before she heads off to the office.

Why on earth would Doll tell her husband that she was in the shower, when she had gone out with Lars? And why did Lars not tell Judith where he was going?

I don’t have time to dwell on it too much, though, as it’s a busy day at the shelter and by late afternoon, we are having a break and enjoying a cool drink. The weather, although not as hot as yesterday, is still pleasantly warm, the bright blue sky dotted with just a few wispy white clouds.

‘Not long until the wedding, hey, Judith, I bet you feel excited,’ I say, sipping a glass of Judith’s delicious home-made lemonade.

‘Oh yes. I’m really looking forward to it, especially knowing that Tania is here too. And it’s so good of her and Nicos to offer to host it at their place, the garden is perfect.’

‘It really is a lovely-looking place; I’m sure the wedding will be wonderful.’

‘My friend Yolanda says she will decorate the front of the house with balloons and ribbons. She is very creative and makes the most beautiful cushions for her home,’ Judith tells us.

‘Have you been friends for long?’

‘Over ten years, since we first moved here to Crete. We lost touch a bit after my husband died and I got so busy with the animals, but when she had her fall and I had my knee operation, we reconnected and have been inseparable since!’ She chuckles. ‘She has been really helpful, especially persuading the local priest to conduct the wedding outside of a church, which is not something he is usually keen on, apparently.’

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