With Love, Greece.

Chapter 17

After my epic breakdown, Demetri drove me back to the studio where he put me in the shower, washed away the grime and sweat and held me until my muscles and my mind finally relaxed. He shampooed and conditioned my hair, washed my face with my facewash and cleansers, exfoliated and shower moisturised my whole body, all while muttering to himself about the number of products one woman has to use. Demetri was clearly the seven-in-one type man.

Once I had dried myself off, changed into my loose playsuit and applied a little make up. Demetri bundled my dress for the wedding, an overnight bag, and myself into his car and drove me back to his.

I refrained from looking at the church as much as I could and parked myself as close to the back of the taverna as possible. We had two hours until the wedding was due to start, and Demetri wanted to get me full of fluids and food.

The taverna had started to pick up now the temperatures had slowly started to drop, so the Andreas' were busy controlling their kids or seeing to the hungry tourists.

I heard someone clear their throat, but at first it didn't cross my mind as someone trying to gather my attention, it was so soft and gentle. When it happened again, I looked up from where I had been staring at a page in my planner. Everyone was busy chatting, laughing, eating and drinking. But when I looked to where the little old lady was sat in the corner with her cup of coffee resting on her lap, this time she wasn't looking down at her lap, this time she was looking right at me.

She lifted a shaky hand and tapped the seat beside her. I glanced around to make sure she was looking at me, and when no one else seemed to be aware of what was going on, I rose from my chair and went and parked myself next to the frail old lady.

She had been sat here, in the same place, with a steaming cup of coffee that Demetri would refill every so often, every single day since I had arrived on the island. She was always here before I arrived in the morning, and sometimes, if I stayed late with Demetri, I would see Mela and Niko, or one of the other cousins, lead her to their car and take her back home.

"Hi," I whispered, turning to face her. "I'm Alana."

She nods, "I know who you are dear."

I was surprised by the strength of her voice, and her confident English speaking. "You speak very good English," I smile.

She smiles and nods again, "I should hope so. I studied English and taught it to children when I was younger, many, many years ago."

My eyebrows rise, "wow, that's amazing." I look down at her nearly empty coffee cup and add, "can I get you another one?"

She shakes her head and reaches for my hand again, squeezing it in hers; she is surprisingly strong for a ninety-two-year-old.

"Tell me, the first time I saw you, you looked so happy. Now, you look like you have a broken heart. Did my Demetrios do that to you? I give him a slap over the head if he did," she speaks, releasing my hand and raising a shaky finger.

I laugh, "no. no. He didn't break my heart."

"Good," she nods, placing her hand back onto mine. "You have his heart. You've had it since he first laid eyes on you. Take good care of it for me."

I swallow the lump forming in my throat, "I will," I whisper, my eyes searching for Demetri in the crowd of tourists.

"What's gotten you so sad?" she asks, drawing my attention back to her.

I sigh and look down at our clasped hands. "I'm just, I'm worried I've let someone down, someone I love."

She nods, "because you've planned his wedding?" she asks.

I look back towards her, surprised. "I know what's going on, you're the talk of the taverna."

I smile and shake my head, "yes, sort of. I don't really know. But I know that if she was here, she'd probably be disappointed in me."

"Why?" the old lady asks.

"Because I did this," I reply, throwing my hand towards the church. "I gave my dream to the person who took it away from me in the first place."

"Would she be mad at you for that? Would she be disappointed at you for following your dreams?"

I shrug, "I wanted to do this for her, and I feel like it's not hers anymore."

"You haven't answered my question. Would she be mad at you? Would she be disappointed with you? With what you've achieved considering the circumstances."

I continue looking at the church, the fairy lights are becoming visible as the sun starts to set, the whole thing look magical. "No, she wouldn't be mad or disappointed in me."

"Then that's the most important thing," she replies.

I look back to her, "but what about this, this was my dream and now it's gone."

She leans forward slowly and places her coffee cup onto the table, then she places her other hand over mine as she leans back. "So make new ones."

I look towards where Demetri has emerged from the back of the tavern. Don't ever stop dreaming.

"He'll give you everything you could ever dream of."

I nod, my heart beating a million miles a minute.

"Don't let a bump in the road alter your whole course. You have a destination in mind, you can either take the long road around or power through all life throws at you until you get there. I've seen you and you've powered through all life has thrown your way. Now, you do that with him by your side, and you will be invincible. He will fight by your side until his last breath."

I quickly wipe away the tear dropping down my cheek. I promised Demetri I wouldn't cry anymore today. I'd be strong, and I knew I would be with him. I'd do it with him by my side.

"What was her name?"

I look back towards the old lady, her face soft and tender. "She was called Sophie."

The old lady smiles and points her finger in the air, "strong name, good name. From the Greek, Sophia."

I nod, "yes. Although I'm not sure that's what my parents had in mind when they named her, but yes, Sophia."

"Like fate."

Fate.

I look to Demetri again; his gaze finds mine through the swam of tourists. He looks towards his great-grandma next to me and smiles.

Fate.

Sophie bought me here.

Fate bought me to him.

"I should know," she adds.

"You should know?" I ask.

"Sophia is a good name," she smiles.

I don't wipe away the other tears. "Your name is Sophia?"

She nods, leaning forward and picking up her coffee cup just as Demetri arrives with a fresh coffee pot.

Fate.

Dreams.

Future.

Demetri.