The Pirate's Treasure Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

            A short while later as they sat in Dmitri’s grandparents’ house Ellie couldn’t help but wonder what was happening to her. It all seemed so surreal. Kimmie and Jonas were chatting away as if they had known each other for years over the various homemade dishes before them and though Dmitri’s grandfather was attempting to make conversation and make the girls feel welcome in his home, she was sure that his wife was less pleased to have the two unexpected guests at her table.

What was she doing there? Logically she knew when he had explained he was taking her back to his family’s home she should have come up with some excuse, any reason to not allow herself to be drawn deeper into the web that she knew was really of her own making, but instead she had smiled and followed him to the whitewashed house and bent to the unseen force that seemed to be guiding everything around her lately.

She watched Dmitri slowly rising from his place at the table and taking his empty dishes to the sink of the cosy kitchen where they were eating and heard him whisper some words in his native tongue to his old grandmother before kissing her cheek and picking up another bottle of wine to open. His eyes caught hers once more as the cork popped out into his hand and he smiled and nodded slightly before resuming his seat. Why did she feel all her will drain whenever Dmitri was near her? Common sense and logic seemed to vanish when he would look at her with those deep oceanic eyes and like the foam on the ocean she was helpless to stop herself being washed along with this strange tide that seemed to envelope her so completely.

Aware she was starting to stare she finished her meal of stuffed mousakka and stuffed vine leaves then Ellie sipped from  her glass of rose wine and carefully moved her empty plate away from herself.

“That was a delicious meal Mrs Xanatos.” She said as she put the wine glass down knowing she needed to say something to her hostess and wanting a distraction from her thoughts, “I’ve never had better mousakka in my life.” Heracles translated the sentiment for his wife and then looked at Ellie.

“Megara doesn’t speak English.” He explained, “But I thank you on her behalf. My wife is definitely one of the best cooks in all Greece.” Dmitri nodded as he started to fill their glasses again

“My grandmother’s cooking is renowned in the islands. No one has ever left disappointed from her table. She makes the feasts we have on board the Sea Siren too.” Ellie smiled, it was nice to see a modern man with old fashioned pride in his family, just another quality to admire in him…

“Well it is truly lovely. I’m stuffed.” She repeated but as he moved to fill her glass again she quickly put her hand over the top of it and shook her head, “Thank you, but I’m fine with what I have. I don’t want to get drunk tonight.”

“Probably wise.” Dmitri commented as he filled Heracles’ glass instead, “You’ve had a bit of a shock tonight and wouldn’t want to do something you’d regret. I understand that.” His words seemed to strike her and blush filled her cheeks deeply which he seemed oblivious to as he took his seat once more.

“I’d love that!” Kimmie said excitedly, breaking the moment and turning to look at her friend, “Ellie, Jonas has just offered to take us to the hottest club on the island. You want to go? We were meant to be having a good old fashioned fun night.”

“Sorry but I don’t feel like it tonight Kimmie. I think I just want to go back to the hotel and get some sleep. This has been one helluva night and I didn’t sleep much yesterday either.” Ellie replied apologetically, Kimmie’s smile faded slightly,

“Oh..yeah, right…” she sighed regretfully, “I should come back with you and make sure you’re okay. Sorry Jonas, I guess we’ll have to take a rain check.”

“Or I could walk you back and then Kimmie doesn’t have to disappoint Jonas.” Dmitri chipped in. “It’s been a long time since a girl has agreed to go anywhere with him and its clear that your friend doesn’t want an early night.”

“You’d do that? Dmitri that would be great. Thanks.” Kimmie nodded enthusiastically, “I know she’d be in safe hands with you.” Ellie looked at Dmitri,

“I wouldn’t want to spoil any plans you might have had… I mean you could always go clubbing with them too. Or if you have work to do I wouldn’t want to be an imposition.” She insisted. Dmitri shook his head.

“Ellie, when will you accept that you are not imposing on anything?” He said and looked at her with a look she was starting to know well, “I want to make sure that you are looked after while you are in my homeland. Besides, I said earlier I would walk you back to your hotel. Whenever you want to go, just tell me and I will take you there.” Kimmie grinned

“So its settled. Shall we go now Jonas?” The younger man nodded and spoke a few words in Greek to his grandparents and then added something to Dmitri that made his older brother’s eyes narrow and gain a quick, sharp reply again in Greek before the younger brother walked to the doorway and pulled on his jacket before holding his hand out to Kimmie.

“Kimmie.” Ellie said as her friend started to leave, “be careful okay? Don’t do anything you’d regret in the morning. Promise?”

“Yes Mum I promise.” Kimmie teased her, “Though I doubt I’d regret anything I get up or down to tonight.” She added cheekily then winked as she went outside.

            Once Kimmie and Jonas had left Ellie gave a quiet sigh and Dmitri leaned over to her slightly,

“It’s okay, you don’t need to worry about her. Jonas will take good care of her and he is my brother…if he doesn’t respect her I’ll deal with him for you.”

“Sorry, I don’t mean to disrespect your family, I just know what she’s like. She seems like a woman of the world, but really she’s just a pussycat and I don’t want her hurt.” Dmitri could see the shadows of her own ghosts being raised in Ellie’s eyes and he smiled understandingly.

“I think you’re tired. Perhaps we should start to walk you back too?” He offered, “Sleep might make you feel better tomorrow.” Ellie nodded and turned back to Heracles

“It was so nice to meet you and your wife. Thank you for the meal and for your hospitality Mr Xanatos,”

“Heracles, please.” The older man insisted, “Any friend of my grandson’s is welcome in our home and I hope that we will meet again soon. Goodnight.” Ellie shook the older man’s hand and smiled politely at the older woman as Dmitri found his jacket and slipped it on.

“I’ll be back once Ellie is at her hotel.” He told his grandfather who nodded in acknowledgement and watched the younger couple leaving with a smile on his wrinkled face, perhaps Dmitri would get his answers after all.

            The night had turned darker and a cold wind was blowing in from the sea which made Ellie feel chilly as she walked along the path. Seeing her start to tremble in the breeze Dmitri removed his jacket and set it around her shoulders making her jump slightly as she felt the sudden weight there.

“You look cold.” He explained quickly, “I am used to the weather here, you should have brought a jacket out with you.”

“I was planning to have had quite a bit of alcohol by now that would have numbed me to the weather.” Ellie retorted, “If that man hadn’t stolen Kimmie’s bag we would have been partying.”
“And I wouldn’t have known you were back.” Dmitri added, “I must admit that I am a little surprised to see you here. I was sure when you left that I wouldn’t meet you again.”

“Please don’t ask me what happened Tri.” Ellie said, stopping walking and turning to look at him, “It’s not that I won’t tell you, but I’m just not in the mood to think of it tonight.”

“I wasn’t going to.” He replied as he stopped walking too and shook his head, “Ellie, I don’t want to make your life awkward in any way, I never have wanted that. All I need you to know is that I am your friend. If you need to talk you know where you can find me or leave a message for me. The Sea Siren isn’t exactly a hard thing to spot from anywhere on the harbour.” His face broke into a gentle smile as they stood there and he saw her glance to where the galleon was docked safely and proudly.

“Thanks.” Ellie said and turning back she looked at him again, “Tri I’m just so tired and I need to sort my head out that’s why I’m here.”

“Because you felt you could do that by coming back?” He asked she shook her head and laughed

“Oh no, this wasn’t planned at all. I needed to get away to clear my mind but I didn’t specifically set out to come back to skopelos. I just told Kimmie we’d get the first available flight to wherever it would take us and this, well Skiathos really, was that flight.”

“Then why didn’t you just stay there?” He asked intrigued by the things she was telling him, “I mean Skiathos is a beautiful island too and much more geared for tourists that we are.”

“It just seemed a natural thing to do.” Ellie confessed, “We didn’t even realise what we were doing until the ferry was underway, then we decided to go back to the hotel we’d stayed in before and they had a room. It was good luck.”

“Or maybe it was something more.” Dmitri said more to himself than to her, “How long will you be staying?” he asked more directly, Ellie shrugged almost losing the jacket and feeling him quickly reach over to replace it his hands so close they practically brushed her cheeks and making electricity surge through the core of her bringing up the remembrance of how his hands could make her feel.

“I…we hadn’t decided probably a few days. Kimmie has work to go back to soon.” She managed to stammer as he withdrew his hands once the jacket was secured around her again. Dmitri nodded, oblivious to the effect he was having and the panic it was raising inside her mind that she was about to repeat a mistake of the past.

“Then if you and Kimmie want to join us on a cruise some night then just come to the harbour, I’m sure that Jonas wouldn’t object and we could easily cope with two stowaways.”

“Thanks Tri, we might just do that.” Ellie said and then coughing to clear her throat she started to feel a few drops of rain on her skin, “Oh no it’s starting to rain.”
“Then we’d better hurry to get you back to your hotel.” He replied and putting his arm around her waist he started to usher her on through the busy streets and along the road to her hotel.

            The rain was falling harder as they eventually reached the white marble effect tiles within the doorway of the Aeleos hotel where the girls had their room. Ellie felt guilty as she saw how wet Dmitri had gotten whereas his jacket and the mere size of his body had shielded her well from the downpour, only her hair showed she had been caught in the shower.

“You’re soaked, do you want to come and dry off a bit before you head back?” Ellie said as she removed his jacket from her shoulders Dmitri shook his head,

“I’m fine. What kind of pirate would I be if a little water bothered me?” He replied making her smile, “It has been nice to see you again Ellie.”

“You too Tri.” She said as she handed his jacket back to him, “Thanks for all your help tonight and for bringing me back even though you got wet. I wish there was some way I could repay you.”

“Do you mean that?” Dmitri asked, Ellie nodded,

“Of course, I don’t say things that I don’t mean.” she replied and he nodded,

“Then I hope you’ll accept my request to let me take you out tomorrow.” Ellie was stunned as she heard what he said,

“You’re asking me out?” she repeated, “Like a date or what?”
“Like two friends spending time together.” He clarified, moving as other people came into the hotel foyer not caring where the sprinkled water from wet coats or umbrellas. “Ellie, I’m willing to guess last time you were here you didn’t get to really explore the island and see what true beauty we have to see. I would like you to allow me to take you to see some of it and then end our day with a meal in a quaint little taverna that I know in Glossa. I’ll bring you back tomorrow night and I assure you that if you are looking for distraction from sad thoughts, you’ll find it exploring with me. Say yes?”

“What about Kimmie? I can’t just ditch her when she’s ruined her own plans to come all this with me to make me feel better…” Ellie replied, “As lovely as your plans sound I’m not sure its right of me to go off with you when she’s left alone here…”

“What if I give Jonas the day off too and suggest that he make plans with her?” He reasoned, “They seem to be getting on well themselves and then neither of you need worry about the other? Ellie, when was the last time you did something that you really wanted to do?”

            Thinking for a moment Ellie tried to weigh up his offer, being with Dmitri was something that she knew she would be glad to do. He had been right, too long she had been doing things other people wanted and here was an undeniably handsome, respectable man who seemed to understand what she needed offering her what she wanted most, an escape from her problems, at least for a short while and yet because he already knew her mistakes and her emotions, she knew she would be able to talk to him about anything she needed to say without having to explain about her secret to Kimmie. She could imagine what Kimmie would say when she told her the offer and how her friend would go ballistic if she’d given up the chance just because she wanted to repay her friend’s loyalty. Besides, Dmitri wasn’t the only one who’d seen the spark that filled Jonas’ eyes when the girls had walked into the house. Perhaps kimmie had an admirer of her own and what was wrong with a holiday fling as long as they both knew where the boundaries were…

            “Alright. Yes.” Ellie nodded eventually, “I’ll come with you tomorrow Tri”

“Great! I look forward to it.” Dmitri smiled, “I’ll pick you up from here at nine in the morning.” He took her hand and kissed it gently, “Goodnight Ellie, sleep well.”

“Goodnight Tri. Sweet dreams to you too.” She replied blushing as she noticed the reception clerk watching them say goodbye. Still smiling he released her hand and then putting on his jacket he turned up his collar and headed back out into the rainy night.

            For a moment Ellie was rooted to the spot as she felt the butterflies that had started when his lips touched her hand subside slightly, then she took a few steps back through the doorway and watched Dmitri breaking from quick strides into a run down the hotel driveway and out onto the main road back to the town. He would be drenched before he would reach home, catch cold and it would be all her fault. Quickly she went over to the reception desk and arranging a taxi to pick up Dmitri she paid for the journey with her credit card over the phone and left a message for him with the driver before finally retreating to her bedroom and walking out onto the balcony.

            She watched the car arrive at the edge of a marquee like canopy that covered some tables of a nearby taverna’s waterside tables and could see Dmitri lean in to hear what the driver was saying. There was a moments hesitation then as he looked back in her direction she saw him climb inside and the car head off into the rainy darkness and away from her view. Her message had been simple and obviously delivered.

“You kept me dry on my way home, now I’m returning the favour. Just get in and I’ll see you tomorrow.” Closing the French windows of the room she closed the heavy drape at the window and as she undressed for the night and eventually climbed into bed Ellie smiled to herself for the first time in ages she was starting to feel like a weight had been lifted from her and maybe coming back had been what she needed.