Storm at heart

Chapter 4

One month had already past since her visit to London and there was no sight or sound from mister Alexander Stone. Countless times she picked up the phone to call the lawyer in Athens to enquire about the progress of the matter, but she always hang up. What she did not know could not hurt her. Anyway, if there was some development, she would be contacted by the lawyer- right? But the think that puzzled her most, was the relationship between dear, old mister Dimitris and that arrogant man.  Why did he pass half of the estate to some hotel tycoon? It was like offering a fly to a giant. The worst part of it was, that the staff was restless and each day that past by, it was more difficult for her to keep a calm  face and reassure them that there would be no changes, that they would keep their position. 

Everyone knew by now- nothing could be kept a secret in a small town- that there was some English co owner.  Further details were unknown, but for how long? 

She took her cup of coffee and sat behind the reception desk, opening the bills. If there were no damn Alexander Stone, everything would be perfect. 

«Why did you bring him into the picture in the first place? What where you thinking?» she whispered to the picture of Dimitris, who took again his rightful place on the reception counter. «We were just fine as we were!» she added annoyed.

«You are barking at poor Dimitris again, aren’t you?» Manos gave her fleeting glance while delivering the packages of the washed linen.

«If you don’t stop talking to that picture, they will take you away in a straitjacket.» the young man smiled at her and continued to bring in package after package. 

His presence reassured her, clamed her nerves. But wouldn’t any other male presence have the same effect? Everything seemed so uncertain and she would relax again if she knew Alexanders intentions.  Uncertainty always frightened her. That’s why she would never become an artist. She had the techniques, the “hand” for it, but she lacked the «fifth element» as Dimitris had put it, the  «ether».

She touched the picture tenderly and went to the storage room to  arrange the newly brought linen. 

«This damn things are getting heavier and heavier!» she shouted while she was about to being buried alive under fresh smelling sheets. She tried to push the linen back on the last top shelf, but she didn’t have enough strength.

 «Mano! Could you come here for just a sec?»  The moment she felt her arms succumb to the weight, the sheets were pushed back by two male hands. 

«Thank you…» she said taking a basket next to her with small bags of lavender. This was her little secret. Small bags of lavender between the sheets did not only smell heavenly but insured also a good nights sleep. She never used synthetic sent,  nature could provide the most exquisite perfumes, a gift for the body and the soul. 

«Mano  could you....» She pointed to the second basket with the rest of the small bags. Her back was still turned to him while she put the lavender in the folds of the linen.

There was no reply and she suspected that Manos had left her. She turned her face to the door ready to call for him again when her eyes fell upon the tall man that was leaning against the door with his hands crossed in front of his chest. It was Alexander Stone himself!

He was the last person on earth she expected to see in her small storage room. He was looking at her with an amused smile on his face. She on the other hand was frozen in her place.

«Oh! You found her!» said Manos, putting his hand on the mans shoulder. A friendly gesture which confused her even more.

«Do you know who that is?» she asked Mano distressed. It was safe to speak in Greek.