Just as they were clearing their plates, there was the buzz of a phone.
Both Sofia and Charlotte reached for their bags but shook their heads moments later.
‘Not me.’
‘Nor me.’
Maddie grabbed her bag from the stool beside her. They’d been told way back on the first island that it was bad luck to put handbags on the floor as your money would drain away, so in most places little stools were provided to put the bags on. She remembered with a racing heart that Sofia had set an alert to tell her if she had a new email.
Her son’s name flashed up as the sender.
‘Oh God, it’s Dan. I don’t know if I can face opening this.’
Sofia patted her leg.
‘Do you want one of us to do it?’
‘No, I’d better do it. If it’s bad news, I need to know first.’
‘OK.’
Her heart was in her mouth as she pressed on the newly delivered email. Its contents had her in tears within the first few seconds.
The words became so blurry that she had to hand it over to Sofia.
‘Read it out loud, please.’
Sofia fished her glasses out of her bag.
‘“Mum. I’ve been hoping you’d contact me ever since that terrible day. We miss you like hell too. Things were said on both sides that never need be repeated. You’re right that dad would be so sad and disappointed in all of us, and we owe it to his memory to try and build bridges. Elsie says hello and that she’s looking forward to seeing her Granny M very soon. She can’t actually speak yet, obviously, you haven’t missed that much, but we can interpret baby talk. Love you. Dan.”’
Sofia’s eyes were full of tears now, too.
‘And look, there’s a video of Elsie, waving.’
Maddie took the phone and sobbed all over it, until Sofia took it back off her and passed her a serviette.
‘You don’t want it to go rusty. What a strange day. And we’re only halfway through it. Talk about dramatic!’
Sofia had been deeply hurt by the way Cassandra had treated her. Normally, she would never put up with that kind of behaviour from anyone, but the woman’s age, and– more importantly– the fact that she was Adonis’s mother, had gagged her more effectively than anything could. Combined with Aphrodite’s bitter little comment earlier, she’d be glad to get out of here.
Maddie was still grinning from ear to ear.
‘I’m so happy. I could kiss both of you.’
‘Let’s settle for a round of beers.’
Maddie stayed attached to her phone for the next half hour as the others dozed in the sunshine. Sofia came to with a start at a flurry of buzzing.
‘More messages?’
‘Not exactly.’
Maddie shook Charlotte’s leg.
‘Listen you two. I hope you don’t mind me bailing, but there’s a flight out of here tomorrow morning on the little plane, which connects with Athens and then on to Manchester. Dan’s going to pick me up from the airport.’
Just saying the word Dan made her friend smile, thought Sofia, so how could she be so mean as to make a fuss, especially when Maddie had stepped in so magnificently this morning.
