Page 74 of Summer in Greece

‘Wait, koukla mou. Come back!’ Manno cried as I started up the runway.

My heart skipped at the sound of his voice and I realised I didn’t want to be parted from him. I turned and saw him striding towards me. Oh! I wanted him to whisk me up into his arms and carry me away. Confused by my foolishness, which unsettled my quest to become a nurse, a great feeling of happiness raced through me. I rushed towards him.

He grabbed my hand, his words almost tumbling over each other. ‘When will I see you again? I don’t want you to go. We are never alone together and there’s so much I want to say, and more than that. I like you a lot. A lot!’ He leaned forward, slid his cheek against mine until his mouth was over my ear. ‘I want you,’ he growled. The words were so unexpected, they overwhelmed me. I stared at him like an idiot as he withdrew to a respectable distance and continued. ‘You must come and see my house. When will you return?’ Then he got so excited he was speaking to me in Greek but didn’t seem to realise. His eyes narrowed as he spoke, and there was such passion in his tone that I thought perhaps it was just as well that I did not understand him.

People seemed to move in closer and I wondered if they were eavesdropping. Aware that my cheeks were blazing, I glanced around hurriedly, hoping nobody heard or understood whatever he was muttering.

Josephine rolled her eyes. ‘I’ll wait for you at the top.’ She nodded at the ramp.

Unabashed, Manno returned to speaking English and continued. ‘I am not happy that you leave me. I am even more not happy that you are leaving with the English.’ I knew he meant Corporal Perkins. ‘Give me one kiss, just one, to remember you by.’

‘Certainly not. How bold of you!’

The people hovering nearby gave up pretending and gathered around. Unsure of myself, I tried to imagine what Sissy would do. Life was difficult without a role model and, in truth, I really wanted to kiss him – oh dear – I really did. But, not there on the quayside in front of all the gawping strangers.

He grinned. ‘I made you angry? You become more beautiful when you are a crazy woman. I am in love with you, koukla mou. My nurse.’

I glanced up into a blue sky that seemed to be twinkling with mischief. ‘What a ridiculous thing to say, Manno, stop it! People are watching us. You don’t even know me, and you’re causing me untold embarrassment.’ Yet I was thrilled to be called a woman, and a nurse. However, my future was dedicated to atoning for the deaths of my companions on the Britannic. I would tend the sick, fulfil Sissy’s dream, and save some poor mother’s son as I had cost so many theirs. I felt myself grow, right there on the quayside. Yes, Manno made my heart race. I could even convince myself that I was falling in love with him; and longed to feel his lips pressed against mine. Nevertheless, my only experience of love came from the writings of Victor Hugo and a DH Lawrence book that belonged to Sissy, which I was sworn to keep away from my parents’ eyes.

Despite the tingling dramas that made me narrow my eyes and squeeze my knees together, I was determined not to be swept away by the fickle and flimsy chords of my heart. I had a greater calling, and by God, I would fulfil it!

‘Write to me? My heart is breaking, is bleeding all over the port!’ Manno cried, then he snatched a red rose out of the flower-seller’s bucket and went down on one knee. ‘Swear you’ll come back to me, koukla!’

Aware that people had stopped whatever they were discussing in order to watch us, and one man appeared to be taking a little money from some of them, it occurred to me that the scoundrel might be taking bets! I could cheerfully have killed the mailman.

‘Manno. Get up! You’re making a spectacle!’

‘I will, but only when you promise to return. I should have given you a pigeon in Kea. Forgive me. Swear you will send me letters. Say you will come back to Syros.’

‘Perhaps; I’ll think about it, but who shall I write to?’

‘Me, of course.’

I smiled despite my embarrassment. ‘No, I mean how shall I address the letter, if by some faint chance I do decide to write to you?’

‘Ah, I understand. Manno Psaras, Syros, Cycladese Islands, Greece. Psaras – it means fisherman in Greek.’ He reached into his pocket and produced a small curled seashell on a ribbon which he slipped over my head. ‘Here; is for you. Every time you press it against your heart, I will be with you. I swear to the Gods of Olympus, I will think about you every day until we meet again, koukla mou.’ He lifted my hand, kissed my palm, then curled my fingers as if I were holding the kiss.

My breath wouldn’t come, such was my longing . . . I had a need for him. I was afraid of him in an odd sort of way, yet also fascinated . . . like a moth near a candle flame. There was danger and captivation in equal measure.

Overwhelmed, I forgot about our audience and stood there blinking like a kohl-eyed actress on the silver screen, unable to deal with his words or our parting. Perhaps I would never see him again. At that moment I wondered if my feelings for him were love. They were different from anything I experienced with our courteous and suave Corporal Perkins. There was no rational explanation for the increase of my heartrate, or my fluttery breath, or the way I felt my body tingle, and arch towards him. My body was drawn to him as a thirsty animal is drawn to water. Inside, I was burning, pure as fire, yet at the same time my feet were rooted to the spot and I was afraid.

He placed his hands on my shoulders, his eyes sparkling. Conscious of another new sensation that startled me, I folded my arms over my tingling nipples and wondered if that was normal. I must ask Josephine, she seemed to know everything. Manno’s face became intensely serious. ‘I have no more words for you,’ he said. ‘Just this . . .’ He lifted my chin and brushed my lips with his.

I stepped back and gasped, shocked by his lack of manners. To behave in such a bold way, and in public too! Somebody shouted, ‘Bravo! ’ and started clapping, and I hopped it had nothing to do with me. I felt everyone’s eyes boring into me. I should slap him! Such effrontery, my parents would expect me to retaliate, defend my reputation. How dare he kiss me . . . without asking . . . and on the lips . . . this was too shocking!

With a huff, I lifted my chin, spun on my heel, and headed for the ship.

‘Goodbye, koukla mou!’ he cried. ‘I love you! Until we meet again!’

The blaze in my cheeks would have lit a bonfire. Yet still, I turned and glanced back one last time before entering the vessel that would lead me to my destiny.

Oh, Manno!

*

On board the Athena, I shared a cabin with Nurse Josephine. We divided the cabin space, and set about arranging our meagre belongings. No sooner had we organised ourselves, a knock sounded on the door and an orderly presented us with instructions to report to the medical station.

‘Right, here we go,’ Josephine said, smoothing down her apron. ‘Let’s find out what they have in mind for us. Where are we headed?’