The nodding got more frantic.
‘OK, what’s your name?’
‘Stelios.’
‘Come and sit on the floor by me, Stelios.’
The boy did as he was told, eyes wide with wonder.
‘Children, you must always ask the owner if it’s OK to stroke their dog, because sometimes dogs just aren’t in the mood, just like you. They may be tired, hungry or not like being touched.’
Charlie repeated his words in Greek, which wasn’t usually encouraged for the bilingual teachers; it was English-only in the classroom. But the message was important enough to make sure every word was understood.
‘Luckily, Buster loves strokes, so say hello to him, Stelios.’
The boy put out his hand, gingerly at first, but as soon as the dog yelped and danced around, there was no stopping him. Stelios hugged and held onto Buster for dear life.
‘And now’—Charlie left a dramatic pause—‘I’m going to whisper in Stelios’s ear, and he’s going to get Buster to do some tricks.’
The boy listened with intense concentration before speaking in a strong voice that Grace had never heard before. He was usually so quiet.
‘Buster, sit!’
After Buster had placed his bottom on the classroom floor several times, it was time for a new trick.
‘Buster, beg!’
The classmates shrieked with laughter as the dog went up on his hind legs and waited for a treat from Stelios.
‘Buster, shake hands!’
There were plenty ofawwwws as the dog lifted his paw and Stelios reached out to grasp it.
Charlie whispered one last time in Stelios’s ear, and the boy made a gun with his hand.
‘Bang bang!’
Buster rolled over and the class went wild. Grace wasn’t too sure about bringing that sort of imagery into the classroom, but Stelios’s shining eyes wiped away her uncertainty.
Charlie’s eyes were shining too. She’d certainly been wrong about him. A more natural teacher she couldn’t hope to find.
It was like she had time and space on the island to delve deeper and not just take the people she encountered at face value. Her circle of friends had slowly diminished over the past few years as divorce, death and retirement had narrowed it down and people had moved away. She needed to widen it again. Will’s face flashed into her mind. Perhaps he was worth further investigation. Just as a friend, of course.
She mouthed ‘thank you’ at Charlie as he left with Buster. He mouthed back, ‘See you tonight.’ It was the introductory meal for the teachers, hosted and paid for by Elena and Giannis. She didn’t really want to go, but it looked like that wasn’t an option.
There were still fifteen minutes until the end of the lesson, and she needed the class to calm down after the excitement of the dog’s visit.
‘Who wants to draw a picture of Buster?’
It was a resounding yes.
She’d try and speak to Stelios’s mother this week about getting the boy a dog. Although it was a big commitment, it might help him over the worst, and as an only child, he would have the dog as a companion for years to come. Her girls had always had each other to rely on. Konstantina had driven off in a new BMW, so she didn’t think she was putting any financial pressure on her. If only all problems could potentially be solved so easily.
* * *
Grace was the first to arrive at the restaurant, which was a couple of streets back from the port. It looked like something out of a tourist brochure. Grey painted tables and chairs were laid out in rows on the cobbled street, each setting adorned with a red placemat, an upturned glass and a bowl, and on each table a caddy with olive oil, vinegar and serviettes. A narrow throughway for pedestrians separated one row of tables from another.
The cream plastered walls of the restaurant were broken up with red painted doorways and window frames, and a huge bougainvillea had been trained up and across the street, its strings of bright pink flowers hanging at different heights above their heads.
