Page 74 of Not My Greek Wedding

The photo taken from the family home has me wondering if I will ever set foot inside that house again? Then I wonder why such a ridiculous notion has popped into my head.

I know that I will see Andreas again though, as he has promised to take me along to the bar in Oia when I audition for the job.

Having completed my uploads, I sit on the balcony chair and feel the warmth of the sun on my skin, thinking of what an eventful few days it has been. I still can’t believe that Christos and Andreas are brothers, and find myself idly thinking of how that could work, if I somehow did grow closer to Andreas. Then again, he has never been anything other than courteous towards me, but perhaps that is because he is nothing like his brother.

As the sun beats down and the sound of music pumps out gently from a bar across the road, I concentrate on topping up my tan. The soothing effects of the sun soon have me drifting off into a glorious snooze.

THIRTY

A little after six in the evening, Andreas calls me and asks if I am free in around an hour.

‘I am sorry it is a little short notice, but I wondered if you would be up for that trip to Oia later?’ he asks me.

‘Do you mean to audition?’ I ask, feeling a sudden ball of nerves in my stomach.

‘Yes. I realise it isn’t much time to get some songs together, but there is a resident pianist, and one or two musicians,’ he says. ‘They would be mad not to fall in love with you,’ he says, before quickly adding, ‘With your voice, I mean.’

‘Do you really think so?’

‘I am certain. When I explained you were going home tomorrow, my friend was keen to see you before you leave,’ he explains.

‘Of course, then yes, I would love to go to Oia,’ I say excitedly. ‘And thank you for setting that up for me,’ I tell him gratefully.

‘It is my pleasure. And, of course, it will be the right time to enjoy that famous sunset,’ Andreas reminds me.

‘Sounds wonderful,’ I say, imagining sitting in a bar and watching the sun go down. A singing audition in Greece though?This might just be the craziest thing I have ever done in my whole life.

I quickly shower and change and in no time at all Andreas has arrived. He looks handsome this evening in a peach-coloured shirt, and some dark jeans. On his wrist, he wears a leather rope bracelet, in contrast to his brother, who is never without his Rolex on his wrist.

‘You look nice,’ he comments on my knee-length white dress as he opens the car door for me to climb inside.

‘So do you,’ I return the compliment.

The drive to Oia is short and beautiful as we drive along the mainly empty road, passing fields of grapevines and rugged mountainous scenery, interspersed with pink and yellow villas. As we climb higher, we enjoy wonderful views below, and my stomach begins to churn. Shouldn’t I be looking for a singing job back home, and looking for a place to rent? And didn’t Dad say another local pub is reopening and that they would be looking for singers? Maybe I could combine that with another part-time job to earn a decent living wage.

I tell myself that the work here would only be until the end of the summer, so I guess I would at least have the experience to look for something when I get home.

We pass a row of donkeys on the white pavement below a cobbled stone path that leads up to a church, before the road becomes busier with cars and quad bikes, as we near our destination. Thankfully my nerves have begun to give way to a feeling of excitement.

‘No going back now then,’ Andreas says with a smile as we pull up outside a white building that looks seriously cool. A sign above the door has the words ‘Theo’s Bar and Restaurant’ in black writing against a silver backdrop. Two marble sculptures of Greek goddesses sit either side of a heavy black-wooden door at the entrance.

‘This place looks expensive,’ I say to Andreas as we approach the door. ‘And it appears to be closed.’

I almost suggest leaving, as once more my nerves get the better of me. Am I really good enough to sing in a place like this?

‘It only opens at eight o’clock,’ he tells me as he rings a bell. After a brief conversation on an intercom, a man around the same age as Andreas appears at the door.

‘Andreas, welcome.’ He shakes us both warmly by the hand as Andreas introduces us.

Stepping inside onto a marble-floored reception area with a chandelier overhead, I glimpse the restaurant ahead, ready for service. Orange high-backed velour chairs contrast perfectly against white walls adorned with black and white art.

The guy who greeted us is called Mikail and he offers us a drink, before leading us to a room a little further along a corridor.

The spacious room has a piano in one corner, and a patio door leading to a large outside area, filled with chairs and tables that give dramatic views over the island.

I take in the bar on one side of the room and the sumptuous sofas dotted about.

‘Wow, this is gorgeous,’ I say as I look around the beautiful room.

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