A Greek Odyssey - Jason Fic

CHAPTER 2

As Lexi reached the bottom of the stairs she could smell dinner. It smelt like her favourite - Lemon Roast Chicken. She sniffed the air appreciatively and suddenly realised she was famished.

'Hi darling' said her dad. 'Mum's been a bit delayed at work with a difficult birth, she'll be here hopefully within the hour. So I made your favourite as I thought it might cheer you up.'

'Thanks dad, I really appreciate it', she replied with a small smile and sat down at the table with a sigh. Her brother sat down opposite her and flashed a sympathetic grin her way.

'Lexi, he's a wanker that's all I can say. It's really gutless to finish it like that over the phone. I might not be as old as he is but I'd never treat a girl like that - or I hope I never would!'

Joe came into the room carrying the steaming plates of roast Chicken. 'Now, now James,' he said brightly giving James a warning look telling him to shut up. 'We're not here to slag the guy off. The way Michael's gone about things wasn't kind, but what's done is done.'

'Yeah, yeah dad' replied James testily, giving his dad a filthy look.

Joe set the plates down in front of them both 'dig in! before it gets cold'. He remarked, sitting down and started to eat his dinner. 'Lexi, me and James have got an idea which might solve all your problems at once if you're interested.'

'Don't say you've found me another boyfriend, cos I'm not interested' Lexi said with a rueful expression.

James rolled his eyes in Lexi's direction. 'No, I think that's the last thing you need at the moment, luv. Can you make any changes on the holiday still?'

'Yes, as far as I know I can, why do you ask?'

'Well, what about the possibility of me taking Michael's place and then maybe amending the accommodation to the same place mum and dad are going? I'm sure you don't still want to go to the same place you were going with him, do you? Then I'll pay my share of the holiday and we can halve the fees they charge to make the amendment. What do you reckon? James asked.

'I quite like that idea. I could really do with a holiday still and I guess your idea solves all my problems,' she replied, spearing a baby carrot on her fork. 'I was actually sort of dreading it a bit, because he'd told a load of his friends where we were going and they'd gone and booked up down the road from where we were staying. I didn't want to rock the boat at the time by kicking up a fuss, so I just went along with it.'

'Right, well that's your problem solved then isn't it? You get down the agents as soon as you can and we'll get it sorted. I promise you won't have to baby-sit me.  I'll be a good boy and behave myself,' he laughed.

'I'm not worried about keeping an eye on you James. I'm more worried about sharing an apartment with you and your filthy habits to be honest.' She retorted, raising an eyebrow at him.

'What do you mean? I don't have any filthy habits! I'm a good boy, me!' He replied, with a look of innocent amazement.

'Well, I can think of a good few actually. How about the time that mum and dad decided to decorate your bedroom when you were 5 years old and when they pulled the bed away from the wall to paint, there was a line of snot  where you'd wiped your fingersrather than get out of bed and get a tissue? Or the time where you had an odd fixation with showing everyone how far you could wee standing up - you were caught peeing off the top of the shed and then the same day the neighbour came around with her daughters wet shoes where you'd tried to teach her to wee standing up! She's still known as rusty buckles to this day. Need I go on???'

'Yeah, but that's not recently Lexi, I was 5 years old at the time! I'm now a reformed character he said looking all sheepish and blushing. 'You always drag it out when I bring a girl home too, just to embarass me. No wonder I can't keep a girl, she must think I still do things like that!'

They finished their dinner in a companionable silence and then James went upstairs to get showered as he was off with his mates down the town and Lexi went off upstairs to watch tv. A few minutes later her mum Anna came home and Joe filled her in on their day and especially the developments in Lexi's day. He told her all about the idea they'd had and she whole-heartedly agreed with him that it would be the best thing for her. Not only would she get a rest but she'd be in the best of company to do that.

'Do you want your dinner Anna? Joe asked, putting her dinner in the microwave and turning the dial ready to switch it on.

'No, I'll go up and see Lexi first. She might want a woman to woman chat.' Poor thing's only had you and James to talk to. It can't have been easy for her,' Anna laughed. She knew that sometimes James particularly, could be outspoken and that might not have been the way to make Lexi feel better. Plus, he had a habit of bulldozing his ideas through even if people didn't necessarily agree and she didn't want Lexi agreeing to something just to keep the peace, or because she thought it would please them.

Lexi was curled up in bed in her pyjamas watching Eastenders and looking very pale. 'Hi Alexia', said her mum using her real name, which she was only called when her mum was worried or cross with her.

'Hi mum, how was your day? I hear you had a difficult one today.' Lexi said, sitting up in bed and tucking her dark hair behind her ears.

'Long and difficult darling. Thought we were going to lose the baby today, it was touch and go as it was breach and the mum had gone into labour at 37 weeks. Luckily she was seeing the midwife and the midwife realised the baby was breach and sent her straight up the hospital for a scan to make 100% sure. By the time the poor woman got up to the hospital she'd gone into labour and baby was nearly ready to arrive, so we had to do an emergency caesarean and had trouble getting the baby breathing. But it's fine now, a beautiful baby girl they called Rosie.'

'Oh that's good to hear mum,' Lexi put her arms round her mum. 'Mum, give me a hug will ya?'

'Sure darling' she replied, drawing her only daughter to her into a hug.'It might seem like the end of the world now, but believe me often these things are for a reason and I have a feeling that you are meant for a far greater man than Michael. It's a feeling I have about you, you're far too special to be with a lad who treats you the way he's treated you.'

'Thanks mum, that's really kind of you' Lexi said giving her a wan smile. 'At the moment the last thing I feel like is another bloke, in fact I'm off blokes now for a very long time. I can't be doing with all this messing about with my feelings and trust.'

'You'll feel differently in time hun, I promise, not all men are bad.'

'All the ones I meet are it seems,' Lexi said with a look of regret crossing her face and lay back down in bed, letting out a big sigh.

'One day, things will change I'm sure of that,' her mum answered stroking Lexi's dark hair. 'I have the day off tomorrow shall we go down the agents and change the holiday? Do you want to come away to Finikounda with us and relax? You never know it may help you feel more positive as you'll have something to look forward to.'

'That would be lovely if you wouldn't mind doing that with me, we could then have some lunch in town afterwards couldn't we mum?'

The following morning they were up bright and early and Lexi was feeling a lot more positive about things. They got the park and ride into town as Cambridge was unbelievably expensive for parking and arrived at the agency at around 11.30 am. As she walked in the agent who'd booked the holiday looked up and said 'Oh hello, you must be psychic I was just going to ring you!'

'Oh, why's that?'

'We received a letter today saying that the hotel you and your boyfriend booked has been closed due to health and safety reasons and we needed you to come down and change it for free or get a full refund.'

'That was lucky then, because I was coming in today to cancel my ex off the holiday - we split up, so I've decided to change the place to Finikounda in The Pelopponese - Greece. and My brother is going to take my ex's place - that's if the holiday company I'm going with does it? So that's worked out really well the hotel being closed hasn't it? The agent nodded sympathetically and then went to get the holiday brochure. They found the same complex, the Panorama Resort where her parents were staying, the agent then rang the tour operator and got it all changed over and said they actually owed her £100 because it was a cheaper holiday.

They left the agents feeling in a good mood and Lexi was starting to feel excited now. 'Mum, I'll treat you to lunch with my money shall I? Come on, where do you fancy?'