‘How?’ Kostas asked.
‘If you say you are no longer going to make your deplorable plan a reality, what are you hoping to do? Sweep the idea under the carpet? That can only happen if nobody ever finds out and, what can I say? It is a very small island, and people, they talk.’
‘And when people know… they are going to hate me.’
Kyriaki nodded. ‘Yes.’
Kostas put his hands to his head. Suddenly he felt that no matter what he did, this wasn’t going to end well. There was no right answer. No winners in this situation.
‘However,’ Kyriaki said, kicking a little at the astroturf. ‘Really that will be their initial reaction. Like when you visit the doctor and he hits your leg with a hammer. It is something you cannot contain, it just happens. After, they will hate only the idea, not you. But that will take a lot of time. Years I expect.’
‘Well, that is great,’ Kostas said, flinging his arms out. ‘I cannot wait for that.’
‘But it will take a lot less time if you give them something else to focus on. Something good.’
‘Like basketball courts?’
‘Yes. However, as I said, to turn the opinion of the people faster, to have a chance again with Faye, you have to take the biggest risk of all. Are you prepared for that, Konstantino?’
And then, all at once, he realised what his grandmother was trying to tell him, and his stomach began to churn and tie itself in knots at the very concept of it. ‘You want me to tell everyone about my resort idea. To let them know what I had planned. You want me to?—’
‘Own your mistakes, Konstantino,’ Kyriaki told him. ‘Something your father never ever did. That is the action of a good man. You do not hide things, you do not run from things, you face things with courage and determination just like you did in every game you played.’ She put a hand on his arm. ‘And, if you do it as publicly as you can, if you stand up right in front of people and you admit to them what you have done wrong and how you are going to make sure you put it right, you will have a chance for redemption with the people of this island.’
Go on record. Speak the truth. Not pretend any more. It was a scary proposition but one that had a chance to really set him free.
‘That scares you, Konstantinomou?’
He nodded. ‘Yes.’
‘Good,’ Kyriaki replied, patting his arm. ‘It should. That is how we know we have made important decisions.’
‘But what if it does not work?’ Kostas asked her. ‘What if I tell my truth and people still hate me for what I was going to do?’ He swallowed. ‘What if Faye hates me?’
‘Oh, Konstantinomou, I am afraid that what happens with other people after you have been honest is out of your control.’ She sighed. ‘But it has to be enough to know you did as much as you could to make things right.’
It felt horrible. If he did this he was signing up to be publicly humiliated and loathed and perhaps even the good he wanted to do wouldn’t be welcomed from someone like him. But perhaps that’s exactly what he deserved to feel. Maybe he needed to go through this to come out the other side a better, stronger, more put-together person.
‘And, Konstantino,’ Kyriaki said softly.
‘Yes?’
‘If you and Faye are meant to be together, there is nothing on this earth that can get in the way.’ She squeezed his arm. ‘Give her time. Give her space. From what I have heard, she is a woman who has had to be many things to many people and then had to discover who she is all over again. So, take your time and be patient. But if you are serious about her, Konstantino, then become the man she deserves to have in her life.’
He took a deep breath. ‘OK.’
‘OK?’ Kyriaki asked. ‘We can go and eat now?’
‘Yes,’ Kostas said. He checked his watch then picked up the helmet. ‘OK, we better go. We do not want to be late.’
60
CAVA BARBARO, AVLAKI
‘He’s late,’ Faye remarked, swigging at her dry white wine. She didn’t know why she was drinking. It had been Dimitria’s suggestion to order wine but Faye needed to keep a clear head. And alcohol seemed to make her one of three things lately – aggressive, sleepy or hyper. None of those mixed well with this kind of meeting.
Dimitria checked her watch. ‘Do you think he is coming?’
‘If he isn’t coming he should have had the balls to let you know. Even if it was through Alexandros.’
