Page 51 of Footprints in the Sand
Harry texted her, asking if she wanted to go for burgers later. Dimitra wrote back with a resounding yes.
DIMITRA: But only if I can give Cash a few of my french fries. He deserves it.
HARRY: You spoil him more than I do!
DIMITRA: He deserves it.
Just as Dimitra prepared to text him back, biting her bottom lip and thinking of another way to bring him into her world, Eva called. Dimitra’s heart jumped.
“Eva! It’s you!”
Eva’s voice wavered slightly. “I’m sorry it’s taken me a little while to get back to you! Things have been a little crazy over here.”
“Summertime on Paros is wild,” Dimitra agreed.
“Yes. Right.” Eva still sounded strained.
It took Dimitra a second to remember that Eva was calling her back, which meant that Dimitra had something to ask her. “Right. So Finn stopped by the house.”
Eva gasped. “Really? Is he okay?”
“He’s fine. He was really worried about you,” Dimitra said. “He said that somebody had used the bank card associated with the bank account you and Finn still share.”
“Oh my gosh.” Eva’s voice was a string. There was the sound of things being tossed here and there, presumably Eva looking for her wallet. “The card isn’t here. Someone took it.”
“Don’t worry,” Dimitra assured her. “Finn already canceled the card.”
“Without telling me?”
“He tried to get ahold of you,” Dimitra said softly.
Eva groaned. Dimitra wanted to wrap her arms around the girl and tell her it would be all right. It had to be.
“He bought a motorbike?” Eva asked with a funny laugh. “That’s insane.”
“Do you know who might have taken it?” Dimitra asked.
“Unfortunately, yes,” Eva said.
“Go to the police,” Dimitra urged her. “They’re good people. They’ll help you.”
Eva was quiet for a moment. “Do you know the cops here well?”
“They were friendly with Kostos,” Dimitra said. “They all grew up together.”
“Oh,” Eva said. “That’s nice.”
But there was something in Eva’s voice that Dimitra couldn’t read.
Soon after, they got off the phone, and Dimitra had to get ready for her burger date with Harry and Cash. It was chillier than she’d reckoned for, mid-sixties, which was a rarity this late in July, so she opted for a jean jacket and a pair of loose-fitting dark green pants. She was in her fifties, for goodness’ sake. She deserved a few french fries. She deserved pants that let that happen.
At seven that evening, Harry and Cash were waiting for her at the boardwalk, stylish and glowing in the sunlight. Dimitra greeted Harry with a kiss on the cheek and Cash with a kiss on the head. Her heart swelled, and she thought,My boys!Because of the future, because of everything they couldn’t be to one another, she and Harry had decided to remain friends. But it was the kind of friendship that made her weak at the knees. It was the kind of friendship that made her listen to love songs on repeat. It was the kind of friendship that forced her to reckon with what Kostos had been like during their marriage—and how wrong that had often been.
In her fifties, she was growing and learning more than she’d ever thought she would.
At the burger place, Dimitra ordered a mushroom and swiss burger, and Harry got the double cheeseburger with bacon. “Ginny never lets me order this down in South Carolina,” heexplained. “She’s always telling me why I shouldn’t eat meat, why I should exercise more.”
“She loves you,” Dimitra said with a laugh. “How awful!”
