Page 69 of The Greek Villa

‘Oh my goodness, what’s happened?’ I ask Thea.

‘Eliza collapsed in the middle of the road. It is her heart I think, they had to resuscitate her.’ She clutches her chest.

The sight of Phoebe clutching her old friend’s hand and repeating her name almost brings a lump to my throat.

The ambulance people address the small crowd in Greek, asking if anyone would like to go with her to the hospital. Phoebe stands and enters the ambulance with her then, still holding on to her hand.

THIRTY-ONE

I tell Phoebe I will follow her to the hospital, before going inside and doing a quick change, as well as grabbing a phone charger to charge the phone in the car. The hospital in Corfu is around forty minutes’ drive away so I will need it.

‘Would you like me to come with you?’ offers Thea. ‘Or maybe I will call at the hospital later when the shop has closed?’

‘No really, I will drive. I have no phone battery right now, but I will call you later when my phone has charged and let you know how things are.’

‘Okay.’ She nods. ‘And let me know if there is anything I can do.’

I’m soon driving to the hospital, recalling the stricken look on Phoebe’s face as she held on to her friend’s hand.

Turning onto the highway, I think about all the people who hold grudges, even if deep down, they want to forgive. Maybe it’s because we always believe there is more time. But the future is promised to no one, as all too often, unforeseen circumstances can deny a person the chance to reconcile.

The traffic is quite busy being summer season, but just less than an hour later, I am pulling into the car park of the hospital. Grabbing my bag and phone that has charged enough to sendmessages, I enter the cool reception area of the hospital, where I find Phoebe sitting fidgeting with worry.

‘Claudia.’ She stands when she sees me. ‘I am so happy you are here. I never gave a thought to how I would get home. I was going to call my granddaughter.’

‘Don’t worry, I wasn’t far behind the ambulance. My phone had died,’ I explain. ‘How is Eliza doing?’

‘She is having the operation.’ She blesses herself. ‘The passing by of the artery.’

‘She is having a bypass? Gosh, she is lucky they caught her in time.’

I sit with Phoebe for a while before seeking out a doctor for an update, as it is getting late.

‘You might like to go home and get some sleep,’ he suggests. ‘Eliza will be heavily sedated after the operation. Phone the hospital later, and see how the operation went and maybe return tomorrow,’ he advises.

I grab us some coffee for the journey home and Phoebe sips it in silence beside me.

‘Such a waste of years,’ she says eventually as we drive. ‘A long time.’

‘I can understand why you fell out in the first place,’ I say gently. ‘Don’t be too hard on yourself.’

‘But I remembered your words.’ She turns to look at me. ‘My husband was not blameless, he was weak. And we have both been lonely women. I just could not forgive her, even though I missed her,’ she admits.

‘Well you are here now, when it matters. And you will be here again tomorrow when she wakes up,’ I try to reassure her, knowing how much courage it must have taken for Phoebe to be here. I take hold of her hand and she squeezes it tightly.

We sit in almost silence, when my phone rings. Phoebe answers for me and puts it on loudspeaker. It’s Thea and Phoebefills her in on the situation. ‘Sorry, I meant to call you but the reception in the hospital was so bad,’ I explain.

‘Don’t worry. I will phone the hospital tomorrow, and maybe take her a treat if she is up for a visitor later in the day.’

‘I’m sure she would love that.’

We arrive back home, and after Phoebe heads into her house, I lie on my bed, scrolling through my phone.

To my dismay there is still no reply from Dimitri and I feel like a fool asking him for dinner. What was I even thinking? When he had finished the work on the house he simply said he would see me around, hardly an expression of any desire to spend time with me.

A wave of exhaustion takes over then, and I’m just dozing, when I hear the sound of hammering on my front door. To my surprise it’s Dimitri.

‘Dimitri. What are you doing here?’ I’m thrilled to see him standing in front of me.

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