Wish You Were Here

Chapter 16



The lights were on in the villa by the time Alice got back.

‘Hello!’ she called as she closed the door behind her.

‘You’ve been gone for hours!’ Stella said, emerging from the living room.

‘I did say I was going out.’

‘I bring you on this holiday and I hardly see you!’ Stella cried.

‘But you never seem to enjoy my company when we are together,’ Alice pointed out as kindly as she could.

‘That’s not the point. I’d rather have your company than be totally bored out of my head.’

Alice winced, knowing that that wasn’t a compliment.

‘Anyway,’ Stella continued, ‘it’s not fair that you’re running around with some man and I’m stuck here on my own. Just what do you know about this man, anyway? He could be anybody.’

‘He isn’t just anybody. He’s Milo Galani and he’s lived on Kethos all his life.’

‘And that’s all you know?’

‘At the moment, that’s all I need to know,’ Alice said, taking off her shoes and putting her carrier bag down on the floor.

‘What’s that?’ Stella asked.

‘Just a blanket.’

‘Did he buy it for you?’

‘It was a gift, yes.’

‘God, Alice, you’re so naïve. He’s just some cheap holiday lothario. How do you know he doesn’t charm every single tourist who crosses his path?’

‘Does it matter if he does?’ Alice said.

‘Don’t you think it does?’

‘Look,’ Alice said with a sigh, ‘I hardly ever get to have fun – you know that – you’re always pointing it out to me. But Milo is a really sweet guy and I know this can’t go any further than a holiday romance so can’t you just let me enjoy it whilst it lasts?’

She left Stella standing in the hallway, charging up the stairs to the privacy of her bedroom and closing the door behind her. That hadn’t been true, had it? The bit about not going any further than a holiday romance. Alice knew in her heart of hearts that she didn’t want it to end. It was so much more than a holiday romance to her and she couldn’t bear the thought of going back to her old life in England at the end of the week.

Leaning against the door, she closed her eyes and thought of Milo. They’d made love at the temple of Aphrodite and it had been wonderful. Milo had been both tender and passionate with her and they’d slept in a warm embrace together afterwards.

But, as much as Alice hated to admit it, Stella did have a point. Just how much did she know about Milo? What if he was just some guy who seduced every tourist who came his way? She hadn’t let it worry her until now but today had got pretty intense between them with the looks they’d exchanged and the moments they’d shared. She was really beginning to develop feelings for him. But just who was he?

As soon as Milo had dropped Alice off, he reached inside his jacket pocket for his phone and discovered that it had gone flat. He cursed. He wanted to let Hanna know that he was running late but that he was on his way for Tiana. Hanna was pretty easygoing and Tiana always loved being there and he was sure it would be okay but, all the same, he hated being late. He’d just have to make up as much time as he could on the way there.

He knew he should have charged his phone up before he left home but he’d been so anxious to find out if Alice was all right that he hadn’t had the time. He smiled as he thought about their day together. He’d been so relieved to have found her and she’d seemed happy to see him too, hadn’t she? He hadn’t been imagining it this time, he felt that for certain. And then, at the temple…

He gave a long, low whistle. He mustn’t think about such things when he was on his moped – it was far too dangerous. Yet, he couldn’t get the image of Alice out of his mind. Her deep blue eyes, the softness of her skin and the way the breeze had caught her hair. She had been so beautiful and yet she was always denying the fact that she was. Did she not see it herself? When she smiled, the whole world seemed to light up. He wasn’t the only one to notice it either, he thought, as he remembered the outspoken dark-eyed man in Kintos.

‘And the pelican,’ he said, laughing to himself at the memory. No, Alice was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen because she made him feel the sort of happiness he had only ever imagined was possible.

When he arrived at Hanna’s, a young woman answered the door.

‘Is Hanna there?’ he asked, surprised to see a stranger in the house.

The young woman shook her head. ‘Are you Milo?’

‘Yes,’ Milo said, immediately on alert.

‘Hanna is sick. She’s in bed. I’m looking after her.’

‘And Tiana? Where’s Tiana?’ He was trying to keep his voice under control.

‘My husband took her home.’

‘What? When?’

The woman shrugged and Milo wanted to shake her by the shoulders at her casualness. ‘Two hours ago? Maybe three. I don’t know. We tried to ring you but there was no answer.’

‘My phone was flat,’ he said. ‘Look, I’ve got to get home. Give Hanna my love, okay? Tell her I’ll call tomorrow, won’t you?’

Milo leapt onto his moped and drove at almost twice the speed he normally did, taking the corners way too fast, but he had to get home as quickly as possible. Tiana had been left alone, he thought. She’d been taken home by a strange man and left in the house on her own.

Common sense told him that she would be all right. She was a sensible, mature girl, but what if something had gone wrong? She was still a child, after all, and accidents happened. What if she’d tried to cook something and had burnt herself? What if she’d gone swimming alone and had drowned? Or what if she’d fallen over and knocked herself out? The image of Tiana in a thousand different positions of danger assaulted Milo’s mind as he rode home and, even though he was going much faster than usual, time seemed to be slowing down and the journey seemed never-ending.

Finally, he was home but there was something else to worry about because there, outside their house, was his brother’s car.

He cursed to himself.

‘Tiana?’ he cried as he ran into the house but he was immediately stopped by the bulk of his brother, Georgio, who filled the doorframe of the kitchen and glared at Milo.

‘So, you’re back at last.’

‘Where’s Tiana?’ Milo cried.

‘In her bedroom with Sonya,’ Georgio said, his face dark and thunderous.

‘Is she okay?’

‘Yes, no thanks to you.’

Milo raked a hand through his hair. Of all the times for his brother to show up.

‘My phone went flat and Hanna fell ill and somebody brought Tiana home before I got a chance to find out,’ Milo explained, knowing it was going to do him no good at all.

‘Hanna’s an old woman,’ his brother said with a glare. ‘She shouldn’t be looking after a young girl.’

‘Hanna is a perfectly capable woman who’s raised more children than anyone else on Kethos.’

‘Well, she shouldn’t be looking after them now,’ Georgio said.

‘Milo!’ Tiana’s voice suddenly screamed and she ran into the kitchen to hug her brother. ‘Hanna got sick and this man brought me home in his old van that made a funny chugging noise every time we went round a corner.’

Milo’s eyes widened in horror at the expression on his brother’s face. It was like pouring petrol onto an already roaring fire.

‘Imagine what we thought, finding her here on her own,’ Georgio said. ‘Anything could have happened to her!’

‘I was okay, Milo. I didn’t break anything,’ Tiana said just as Sonya appeared at the door.

‘Milo,’ Sonya said and he knew that that was the beginning and the ending of the niceties. ‘We were so worried. We got here and Tiana was all on her own!’

‘I know,’ he said. ‘It’s never happened before but my mobile went flat and Hanna–’

‘It’s unforgiveable,’ Sonya said, moving towards Tiana and wrapping her arms around the child’s shoulders. Tiana squirmed in an attempt to get away but the grip was vicelike. ‘I can’t believe how irresponsible you are. Just imagine if something had happened to her.’

‘Nothing happened to her!’ Milo said.

‘Absolutely nothing happened to me,’ Tiana echoed.

‘This can’t go on,’ Georgio said. ‘This is exactly the sort of thing we’ve been worried about, isn’t it, Sonya?’

Sonya nodded.

‘Tiana,’ Milo said, ‘why don’t you go through to your bedroom and make sure it’s nice and tidy?’

For once, Tiana didn’t argue. It was as good an excuse as any to get away from Sonya and she took it without hesitation.

‘This is just bad timing,’ Milo said, as soon as Tiana was out of earshot. He knew how lame he sounded but it was the only excuse he had.

‘Bad timing?’ Georgio snapped. ‘It’s just bad.’

Milo tried not to grind his teeth in anger. His brother had always had the ability to make him feel about six years old. ‘Why couldn’t you turn up at any other time when we’re both sat in the kitchen having dinner together – a dinner made from fresh ingredients – put together by us? Or turn up when I’m helping her with her homework or cleaning a cut when she’s fallen out of a tree.’

‘What?’ Sonya all but screamed.

Milo winced. Maybe it hadn’t been such a great idea to mention that. ‘My point is, I’m here for her. I’m here for her when she’s stuck on her homework or if somebody at school has upset her and she’s crying. I’m here for her when she’s got a temperature or a tummy bug or is too tired to walk to bed and needs to be carried. I’m here for her when she wants to go into town for girly things or if she’s outgrown a pair of shoes.’

‘But you weren’t here for her today,’ his brother said.

Milo took a deep breath. That’s all that counted in his brother’s eyes, wasn’t it?

‘Look, this is not the time to talk about it,’ Milo said.

‘Then when is?’ his brother asked.

‘I don’t know what you expect me to say to that,’ Milo said.

‘We need to talk about this, Milo. We can’t keep putting it off.’

Milo shook his head. ‘It can wait – if there really is anything to talk about at all.’

‘If?’ his brother hissed. ‘This can’t go on. Just look at the life you lead!’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Out till late with God only knows who.’

‘It’s not late and tonight was a bit out of the ordinary, anyway.’

‘A young man like you shouldn’t be raising a girl. It’s just not right,’ Georgio went on.

‘She’s my sister – why isn’t it right? I can’t think of anything more right.’

‘Because you’re not settled. What kind of a life can you hope to give her? Your lifestyle, your job, a different woman every week—’

‘That’s not true!’ Milo shouted, his voice fuelled by anger.

‘I just think you should reconsider things,’ Georgio said. ‘I think we all made a mistake when we left Tiana here with you. Everything got so confusing after Mama died and we all thought it was best that she stayed here – in the home that she knew – but she should have been with us – right from the beginning. I think we can all see that now. For a start, Sonya and I have two salaries coming in. We can provide a stable environment for the girl.’

‘But we agreed, Georgio – she’s happiest here. She doesn’t need two salaries – she needs to be here.’

‘Well, we don’t see that any more,’ Georgio went on. ‘Sonya and I have been talking.’

‘Talking?’ Milo said, his voice laced with sarcasm.

‘More than talking,’ Sonya interjected.

Georgio nodded. ‘Nobody’s saying you haven’t done a great job with Tiana. We all know that you’re far more responsible than many your age.’

Milo gave an affronted laugh.

‘But it’s time, Milo. We all know it.’

‘Do we?’ he said.

‘Yes,’ Georgio said. ‘It’s time to put Tiana first.’