“Come outside with me where my cell phone will work better. My parents will want to ask you some questions.”
“All right.”
They walked through the sliding doors into the late-afternoon sun. It was quarter to five already. She watched and listened as he communicated in unintelligible Greek with his parents. During the silences, she read between the lines. Her heart went out to all of them.
After a few minutes his penetrating gaze landed on her. He handed her the phone. “They speak English and are anxious to hear anything you can tell them.”
Fran took the cell phone from him and said hello.
“We are overjoyed you found our Demitra,” his mother spoke first in a heavy Greek accent. In a voice full of tears she said, “Our son tells us you’ve been at the hospital with her the whole time.”
“Yes. She’s the sweetest little thing I ever saw. A cherub. And now that she’s awake, she seems fine.”
“Ah…That’s the news we’ve been waiting to hear,” Nik’s father broke in. “We want to meet you. I told him to bring you and the Petralias to Mykonos when Demitra is released. After the funeral, you will stay on as our guests for as long as you wish. He tells me you’ve just started your vacation. We’d like you to spend it with us. Because of you, a miracle has happened.”
“Someone else would have found her if I hadn’t, Mr. Angelis, but thank you very much for your kind words. Here’s Nik.” She handed him the phone. “I’m going to the lounge,” she whispered.
“I’ll be right there.” His deep voice curled through her as she walked back inside the building.
Once again she found Kellie and Leandros seated on one of the couches. You didn’t have to be a mind reader to guess they were having an intense conversation that wasn’t going well. Judging by Kellie’s taut body and his grim countenance, they were both in agony. But when they saw Fran, they stopped talking and stood up.
Kellie rushed over to her, as if she were glad for the interruption. “Dr. Xanthis came to talk to us a minute ago and said he’ll release the baby tomorrow once the DNA testing is done. I was just telling Leandros that since she’s been reunited with her family, you and I can continue on with our vacation while he flies back to Rhodes.”
Obviously Kellie wanted Fran to fall in with her wishes despite anything Leandros had to say. But her comment caused his firm jaw to tighten, making Fran uncomfortable. “My project supervisor can finish up the work there. I have a helicopter waiting to fly the three of us back to Athens. One of my employees will drive the car home.”
Kellie tossed her blond head. “Don’t be silly, Leandros. I don’t want to interfere with your work. Besides, Fran and I want to sightsee in places where we’ve never been before.”
“Where exactly?” he demanded quietly. Fran had never heard him so terse.
“We’re going to do some hiking, but haven’t decided all the details yet. After dinner, we’ll get out the map to plan our next destination.”
Just when Fran didn’t think she could stand the tension any longer, Nik entered the lounge and walked up to them. He darted her a searching glance. “Did you tell them about my father’s invitation?”
The girls exchanged a private look before Fran said, “I haven’t had time yet.” Kellie’s troubles with Leandros had weighted them down.
In the next breath Nik extended them all a personal invitation to fly to Mykonos in the morning and spend a few days with his family. “My parents insist.”
“I was planning to pay them a personal visit anyway, Nik. We’d be honored to come,” Leandros spoke up before Kellie could say anything. “Under the circumstances, I’ll drive us back to Athens in Kellie’s car. Tomorrow we’ll fly to your villa.”
Uh-oh. That meant a lot of hours for them to talk, but Fran decided that was a good thing. Kellie could approach him with the plan they’d talked about last night.
“Excellent.” Nik shot Fran a level glance. “I realize you came here on vacation, but if it wouldn’t inconvenience you too much, would you mind staying with me at the hospital overnight?
“Between the two of us taking turns, we ought to be able to comfort Demi while my brothers arrange for Melina’s and Stavros’s bodies to be flown home on our company plane. I’d very much like your help when we take Demi in the helicopter to Thessalonika airport in the morning. From there we’ll fly on the plane to Mykonos.”
Her heart thudded. Nik honestly wanted her help with his niece? He couldn’t know she wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the adorable child. Another night to hold her thrilled Fran to pieces.
Trying to sound in control she said, “If you feel it’s necessary, I’d be glad to help.” She looked at Kellie, knowing her friend didn’t want to be left alone with her husband right now. The situation was precarious. “What do you think, Kellie? Would it be all right with you?”
Fran knew Kellie was stuck in a hard spot. She couldn’t say no to Nik who’d already lost part of his family, but that meant she’d have to face Leandros sooner than she’d expected. It was providential they’d come up with an idea last night. It had to work!
“Of course. I’ll see you tomorrow and we’ll resume our vacation.”
If Kellie worked things out with Leandros, maybe she wouldn’t want to go on a trip after all. Fran was hoping for that outcome. “All right then.”
The news seemed to relax Leandros a little. No doubt he was thankful for this much of a reprieve so he could talk to his wife. “Fran? I’ll bring your bags in from the car.”
Nik shook his head. “Don’t bother, Leandros. I’ll come with you and put them in my rental car.” He turned to Fran. “I’ll be back in a minute.”
After the two men walked out of the lounge, Fran put an arm around Kellie’s shoulders. “I’m sorry about this. I had no idea Nik would ask me to stay on. Frankly, I didn’t know what to say.”
“Neither of us had a choice. It would have been churlish to refuse him.”
“If I stay overnight with the baby, are you going to be okay?”
Her friend took a shuddering breath. “I thought I’d have two weeks to be away from Leandros, but this situation has changed things for the moment and can’t be helped. Wish me luck broaching your suggestion to him,” she whispered in a pain-filled voice.
“Kellie, last night we talked a lot about Karmela, but I sense there’s still something you haven’t told me. What is it?”
Her head was bowed. “I was afraid to tell you. N-night before last, I told him this vacation was more than that. I wanted a separation.”
Fran groaned. “No wonder he looks shattered.” Fran was aghast that their marriage had already broken down to that extent.
Her friend’s lips tightened. “He said I wasn’t thinking clearly before he stormed out of the bedroom angrier than I’ve ever seen him. On our drive back to Athens, I’m going to do what you said. I’ll tell him that since I haven’t gotten pregnant, I need something substantial to do and want to work with him in his private office. I’ll remind him I was once a part of an advertising agency and am perfectly capable.
“But if he turns me down flat, and I’m afraid he will, then he needs to hear what I think about the sacred Karmela. Up until now I’ve been careful about saying anything negative, but no longer. I might as well get everything out in the open right now.”
Fran would have told her not to plunge in with Leandros where