The cage-like waiting area was packed with passengers. The heat was intense, and some people had madly opted to wait in the sun. Grace managed to find two seats in the shade on one of the concrete benches.
Anna was quiet, which wasn’t exactly a surprise. Grace was still wondering why on earth she’d agreed to accompany her colleague to Athens, but there was no going back now.
After an uneventful boat journey during which Grace shared her snacks with Anna and they both had a little snooze, they arrived at the port of Piraeus to a teeming mob of people.
Grace followed Anna down the gangway into frenzied crowds fighting to be first to get on the boat. The port police blew their whistles as hard as they could, and the cars driving off the ferry tooted their horns to try and force a path through the mass of people. Children were crying all around her. A man going the opposite way managed to bash Grace’s leg with his suitcase and didn’t even glance back. It was utter chaos.
‘Sorry, Grace. I didn’t think. I have brought you to Athens on one of the busiest days of the year. Everyone is trying to leave for their holidays.’
The girl looked close to tears. It wouldn’t benefit either of them if Grace had a hissy fit.
‘Don’t worry. Let’s find a taxi, shall we?’
Grace had to smile as Anna bartered with the taxi driver over the price of the fare. Even the wealthy Greeks she’d met loved a bargain.
As they left the port behind, Grace stared out of the window at the furniture shops, cafés and petrol stations that lined the route. There was nothing out of the ordinary so far. The journey to the clinic in central Athens would take them a good forty minutes. It was still incredibly hot outside, and although the taxi had air conditioning, the car seats were boiling to the touch where the sun hit them. Another little doze wouldn’t hurt.
It seemed like the phone rang the second she shut her eyes.
It was Flo. She had to take it. They’d not spoken since the row earlier in the week. Grace had tried to message her, but there’d been no response.
Her daughter’s voice came through loud and clear.
‘Mum… I’m sorry for overreacting.’
‘And I’m sorry too, sweetheart, for not reacting enough. I really am thrilled about your news.’
‘I know, and I know you had loads of questions you wanted to ask.’
‘Well… a few.’
‘I can answer the one you were desperate to know the answer to. A friend called Max, who’s also a lecturer at the uni, is going to be our sperm donor. He’s gay too and wants to help us. He says he’s happy not to play any part in the child’s life unless we want him to.’
‘Sounds good.’
Grace wondered what the legal implications were, but she wasn’t going to voice that aloud, especially after they’d only just made up. She hated falling out with either of her daughters, even for a day. They only had each other.
‘I can hear that tone in your voice, Mum. You’re worrying that Max is going to change his mind and apply for custody or something.’
‘Of course not. I’m sure he’s a lovely guy.’
‘Mmmm. Anyway, remember Jilly is a law lecturer, so we’ll probably have some sort of document drawn up.’
‘That does make me feel better.’
‘See. I knew it.’ But there was a smile in her daughter’s voice. ‘We’re going to get on with it as soon as we’re back for the new term. I’d love to be pregnant by Christmas.’
Grace stopped herself from speaking.
‘And… before you say it, I know it isn’t always that easy. And that I might have to be patient.’
‘I wish you all the luck in the world, my darling.’
‘Thanks, Mum.’
The taxi driver was talking loudly in Greek to Anna.
‘What’s that noise? Where are you?’
