Chapter 11
Gipsy camp
‘Sebastian! It’s been so long!’
The dark, young man shook hands with Sebastian casting me a furtive look.
‘Alex! How are you my friend?’
Sebastian seemed to have been in a much better mood ever since we had approached the place. He’d explained to me that we would meet our contact in a gipsy camp. He believed this contact was the least possible to betray us to the League.
We must have been near Athens, somewhere northwest. We had left the highway half an hour before then, taking a peripheral route that had finally turned into a dirt road. As the car sped up on the dry soil, it left a huge cloud of dust behind it. After a bouncing journey, I had noticed the gipsy camp trolleys and houses, most of them looking like shacks, made of scrap material.
As soon as we had entered the camp, we were escorted by a group of children who ran after the car screaming, all of them barefoot, the youngest completely naked.
We had driven through the camp till we reached a small but decent white house with a rose garden at the front. I noticed a young man sitting at the porch. As soon as he saw our car approach, he got to the yard to welcome us.
‘This is Emma.’ Sebastian introduced me to Alex in a way that made me grateful for not revealing his dislike for me. ‘She’s recently become one of us.’ he added meaningfully.
Alex looked at me with exaggerated enthusiasm as he shook my hand. He had dark hair and his skin was tanned but he obviously wasn’t a gipsy. I wondered if he was the contact we were looking for. He didn’t look much older than me.
‘Emma! It’s been a long time since I last met such a beautiful Confidant.’ he said with a charming smile.
Sebastian nodded in agreement but I did not miss his patronizing glance.
‘Well, you kids get to know each other while I talk to Angelica.’ He looked anxiously to the house and Alex told him without taking his eyes off me,
‘You’ll find her in the backyard.’
Sebastian was already on his way and Alex offered to make me a cup of coffee.
‘No more coffee for me. Thanks.’ I said. I had emptied the whole thermos Martha had given me but my mouth felt awfully dry.
‘Some juice, then?’ Alex insisted.
‘I wouldn’t say no to that.’
The way he was looking at me made me feel embarrassed. The last thing I wanted was to give him the wrong impression, making him think that I was available. I thought I should keep myself composed, considering that if Alex was one of the people who could help me contact the Crusaders, I would have to be, at least, polite to him.
I followed him inside. The house looked very simple, possibly not used as a permanent residence. There were only a few pieces of furniture, most of them made of bamboo, and a small TV set. What I found impressing was the huge pot with flowers that Angelica probably kept inside the house to protect them from the heat.
The kitchen was an extension of the living room, a low wall separating them. Behind it I could see Alex pouring juice in the glasses. Was he and Angelica a couple? He certainly looked conversant with moving around the house. Whatever the case was, his constant stare made me uneasy, as under no circumstances would I want to irritate my contact, either Alex or Angelica.
‘So, why do you need my sister’s help?’ he asked, giving me the glass. So he wasn’t the one. And he wouldn’t beat about the bush. Even better. I felt relieved for two reasons. First, Angelica was his sister, not his girlfriend, and second, because he wasn’t my contact. Both meant that there was no reason to be frustrated by
his flirting attitude. Still, I wasn’t sure whether I should entrust him with the reason for my visit.
‘I’m trying to locate someone.’ I said eventually.
‘Will that be, by any chance, the team of Crusaders?’
I tried to conceal my surprise at how easy it had been for him to guess my plans.
‘Don’t worry. It’s not the first time it happens. You’re not the first Confidant looking for them. Why do you need to find them?’
That was the hardest part to explain.
‘It’s kind of…personal.’
‘Oh. I see.’ He looked a little disappointed with my persistence to be secretive.
‘Angelica will probably be of help to you anyway. Would you like some more?’ He pointed to my already empty glass.
‘No, thanks. I’m fine.’ I said smiling.
There were a few awkward moments of silence that made me swerve on the armchair as his intense look was making me uncomfortable again. I decided to start a conversation.
‘So, do you live here? I mean, permanently?’
He smiled broadly.
‘No. I’m not one of them. Angelica usually spends a couple of months here every autumn. She helps the children with their school. In fact, she tries to persuade their parents to send them to school. She helps them with their homework until they get used to a schedule. They usually drop out you know. With my sister’s help they keep their routine until Christmas, some of them even make it through the whole school year. But I’m here only for a few days. She’s asked me to get her a few things. I was planning to leave tomorrow.’
I pretended to ignore the past tense he had used.
‘Do you live in Athens?’
‘Athens? No. My sister and I own a hotel in Corfu. We usually take some time off in autumn when there aren’t so many tourists. She’s very committed to her volunteering duties, you see.’
The voices behind us made him stop. I heard a woman’s voice talking loudly enough to make me realize that she and Sebastian
were arguing over something. That couldn’t be good. Alex comprehended my frustration instantly.
‘Don’t worry. Her bark is worse than her bite.’
A door opened behind us.
‘It’s not your decision Angelica. Or mine.’ I heard Sebastian’s angry voice.
Alex winked at me. ‘And that’s my sister.’ he whispered, adding
‘ She’s not in her best mood, as you see.’
I turned around to look at the tall slim woman dressed in a long blue dress who had just dashed into the kitchen. She had dark hair that she wore in a bun. Her inquisitive dark eyes were examining me suspiciously.
‘Angelica, meet Emma. Emma, this is the contact I told you about.’ Sebastian’s voice was cooler now.
‘Nice to meet you.’ I stood up to greet Angelica with a handshake that never happened. Angelica turned her back at me and started whispering to Sebastian. He nodded, his eyes fixed on the floor. Then he looked at the dark-haired woman.
‘That’s all we’re asking. Thank you Angelica. I knew you wouldn’t let me down.’ He turned to me. ‘I’m afraid you have to be patient for a couple of days. You’re staying here until Angelica gets in touch with Plato.’
My eyes widened in surprise. ‘Here?’ I asked, doing my best to hide my disappointment under the fear that Angelica might change her mind. ‘But…’
‘Do you have a problem with that?’ I perceived the hint of warning in Angelica’s tone.
‘No, of course not. I just don’t want to be a nuisance.’
‘Well, some things take time, you see. The whole world can’t be moving around you.’ Angelica’s scornful voice scolded.
Alex intervened as a pacifier. ‘Angelica, please. Emma already feels bad, it doesn’t help if you make her feel unwelcome.’
Angelica glared at him but Alex ignored her. His eyes were on me again.
‘Don’t worry Emma. There’s plenty of room. Besides, my sister spends too much time with her students and I really need the company.’
‘So, you’ll be all right?’ Sebastian asked, looking at me first and then at Angelica.
‘Yes Sebastian, we will.’ she said before leaving the room.
Her reaction had taken me by surprise and I was trying to get over her attack.
‘Sebastian, my car is in Monemvasia. I have to take it b
ack.’ I said.
‘I’ll take care of it. Here’s my phone number, in case something goes wrong.’ He gave me a small card with the address and phone number of “Pelagos”.
The three of us walked to the car. Unbearable as he had been to me all morning, I hated to see Sebastian leave. I didn’t know those people. My insecurities stroke me suddenly like a whip.
‘Listen,’ Sebastian told me in an unexpected tone of compassion, ‘you’ll be all right with them. They’re good people. I’d never leave you if I didn’t know you are in good hands.’
I nodded, trying to keep myself unabashed. I shouldn’t behave like a child. I had to ignore the strong urge to ask Sebastian to take me back to Monemvasia. Besides, my instincts told me that those people would take me closer to Christopher. The best thing to do was to cling to this thought. Christopher’s thought.
Sebastian sat behind the wheel, looking undecided for a few minutes. He turned to Emma. She looked so helpless as she smiled to him guardedly. Her sad face distressed him. She was still a child for God’s sake! How did she get into this mess?
‘Emma, just…find Christopher and… take care of yourself.’
‘I will.’ I said. Was that a tear in the corner of the old man’s eye? I wasn’t sure. But I didn’t have time to find out, as he started the engine and set off, leaving a thin cloud of dust behind him. I was able to understand what Christopher had seen to this man that made him feel so close to him. The frowned, angry Sebastian had
vanished, transformed into a sweet, caring, father-like figure for those last few minutes.
‘He’s right you know.’ Alex’s voice sounded reassuring behind me. ‘Despite my sister’s unpredictable countenance, we’re in general terms good people.’ He was standing next to me now. ‘So how about a walk? I’d love to show you around.’
Aware of my reluctance to confront Angelica’s hostile behavior, I had no option but to accept his offer.
It was still quite hot and I felt the drops of sweat slide down my back, damping my T-shirt. We walked up a small hill that overlooked the whole area. I could even make out the dim shapes of the buildings of a city, probably Athens. We sat silently on a flat rock, under the cool shade of a pine tree.
‘When there’s no smog you can see as far as the sea.’ Alex said in a dreamy manner. ‘But it’s at night that I think it’s best.’
‘So, what is Christopher to you?’ he asked in a carefree manner, startling me.
Sooner or later I’d have to explain to him and Angelica the reason I was looking for the Crusaders anyway. Those people had offered me their house and deserved an explanation. I wasn’t sure how much Sebastian had revealed to Angelica but there was no reason for more secrets. I had been so tired of keeping so many secrets from so many people. Alex was a Confidant, I could tell him everything without putting his life at risk. In fact, I wanted to tell someone, share my aspirations, my fears, my suffering.
‘Christopher is my life.’ I said, matter-of- factly.
‘Is he a Crusader?’
‘Ex. He’s in the Squad now.’
‘The Squad?’ His repulsed expression made me smile. He shook his head taking a deep breath. ‘Sounds dangerous. And what would someone like you have to do with a Squad guy?’
‘It’s a long story.’
‘I have plenty of time. And, as it seems, so do you. So let me try again. How did you meet him?’
Right there, sitting next to a stranger, in a place I wasn’t sure I could locate on a map, unsure of where I would be spending the
night or where I would be the next day, I started talking about Christopher. I recalled all the details. When I finished the story of my life, it was already dark. The lights of the city were flickering in the darkness. I sighed, still lost in my memories of Christopher’s gorgeous face.
Alex’s voice startled me.
‘Honestly, do you want to make up with him?’
‘Don’t you understand how I feel about him?’ I glared at him. ‘What we had was…so special. He was so special.’
‘He’s just a killer. He was involved in your father’s murder and then he came here to make you fall for him. Can’t you see? This is them, it’s how they work in order to accomplish their purpose.’
His prejudiced attitude and his accusations irritated me. He didn’t even know Christopher, how could he be so critical of him? I made a last effort to convince him.
‘He has regretted everything about the past. You just don’t get it, do you?’
‘Okay, let’s just think it over. A killer has a moment of epiphany and saves a girl and that erases his crimes? Makes him a saint? He’s a trained killer. What makes you think he can change? If you ask me, he’s where he wants to be.’
‘I have faith in him. And I don’t have to explain myself to you.’ I said dryly.
‘Don’t get me wrong but you need a normal life, Emma. The way things turned out, however hurtful it might have been, it’s for your best. Forget about him. You need to be with a normal guy.’
‘Really? Like you, for instance?’ I couldn’t help being ironic.
‘Why not?’ He smiled broadly, unaffected by my comment. ‘You could at least try.’ His smile made me furious.
‘Are you always so irritating?’ I looked at him with a frown. ‘Can we go back now?’ I asked anxiously as I stood up. He shrugged and then he stood up to follow me.
Luckily, Angelica was not in the house. I helped Alex make dinner, burgers and chips. Loss of appetite had probably been the first side effect of the stress I was under, because I had hardly touched my food. Feeling guilty, Alex was now in his best
behavior and did everything to make me feel at home. There was no more reference of Christopher, as if our argument had never taken place. I had decided it would be unwise to keep a long face to my hosts. Alex wasn’t bad after all, if I could just forget his earlier attack about Christopher, we would get along. I needed a friend desperately and, despite the fact that I’d only known Alex for a few hours, I really liked him. Under the circumstances, he was the only friend I had at that moment.
When Angelica showed up, she didn’t say a word. She just disappeared behind her bedroom door.
Second side effect. That night I hardly slept at all. Alex had offered me his room and he had slept on the sofa. But that wasn’t enough. My mind was on Christopher, the same as any other sleepless night. If only Angelica had been able to put aside her unsubstantiated dislike for me and reveal how and when she intended to contact the Crusaders instead of keeping me in the dark…
For the next couple of days I was still in the dark. Alex hadn’t left me alone for a minute. Acknowledging my frustration about the delay in my mission and about his sister’s behavior, he did his best to make my stay at the camp as pleasant as possible. He introduced me to the elders of the camp who insisted on organizing a feast to honor me, considering me as one of Angelica’s friends. Angelica was their benefactor and with good reason. When Alex took me to help the children while they were redecorating their school, a prefabricated single classroom painted in lively colors, with a handmade artistic sign on the door, I saw a dozen of huge boxes that Angelica had brought for them with things that intended to transform the pre-fabricated container so that it would resemble a school classroom; books, posters, maps, and colorful cartons. Alex saw my amazed expression and joked that most of this stuff would go on the black market sooner or later. He could be right, but I thought that the excitement on the children’s faces was worth the effort.
I was really impressed by the simplicity of the Roma life. Things that other children had for granted, were priceless to them. I was
impressed by their enthusiasm and next thing I knew, I was opening boxes of colorful children’s books and started organizing the bookcase. I didn’t stop until Alex saw me swallowing a couple of pills as the first signs of tiredness had made their appearance. My body was still fragile, I had almost forgotten.
All this time Angelica pretended to
ignore me. When Alex insisted on having a break, his sister didn’t have a choice. Right then, the camp chief brought ice creams and beverages for everyone. Angelica sat next to me for the first time. I didn’t dare speak to her. I just hoped that her cold heart might have relented by now. It was my heart that was throbbing with excitement when Angelica spoke without looking at me, concentrated on the bubbles of the sparkling coke in her glass.
‘Tomorrow morning we’re going sailing. You could have told me it was so urgent.’
Last summer, Christopher had explained to me that Sailing was the code word for meeting a League member.
‘Urgent?’ I was mystified. Who had Angelica talked to?
‘For some strange reason, you seem to be very important to them.’
‘Have you talked to them?’ I asked unable to conceal my enthusiasm.
But Angelica ignored my question. ‘Alex told me your story. I don’t know what you expect the Crusaders to do for you, though. But…it’s your life.’ She shrugged.
‘I’m looking for someone.’
‘I know. Did it occur to you that he might not want you to find him?’
Not her too, I thought. Of course it had occurred to me. Even more, he might have changed; he might have stopped loving me.
‘I’ll give it a try.’ I said calmly. ‘I have to.’
Angelica looked at me as if she wanted to say something more, but eventually she stood up straightening her dress.
‘Come on kids. Time for a shower. Line up.’ She turned to me. ‘There’s only one shower. Not enough water, I’m afraid. You can use the hose in my house.’
‘I know. Alex told me.’
In fact, Alex had said that the main reason he couldn’t wait to go back to his house in Corfu was his longing of a normal bathroom where he could take a real shower. At that time I had thought he was exaggerating but when I saw the hose I had to use in the narrow bathroom, I sympathized with him.
Alex sat next to me. ‘Well? Did she tell you about tomorrow? Big day for you, right?’
‘You knew this? And you didn’t say anything all morning? I don’t believe it!’
He wasn’t sharing my enthusiasm, I was aware of that. Nevertheless, he retained his good mood and his smile made me forget the bitter discussion with Angelica that had awakened all my doubts and insecurities about Christopher.
That night Alex suggested a celebration for the occasion was in order but I was aware of the fact that the occasion was just about saying goodbye.
He took me to a fair in a nearby village, Megara. I had accepted the invitation without second thoughts. Besides, the alternative would be to stay at home with Angelica and her pessimistic forecast. But soon I came to regret it.
Alex suggested going to the funfair, a huge amusement park. I hadn’t been to such a place for years but I found it an absolutely invigorating experience. We tried almost all the games, shooting bottles with ball pistols being my favorite. Alex was better at it than I was and he won a teddy bear at the second shot. It was very cute, with a pink hat on and a pink heart sewn on its chest with the phrase ‘Thinking of you.’ Alex’s childlike face revealed his contagious excitement and his sparkling eyes were fixed on mine, making it hard for me to escape his stare.
‘I want you to have it.’ he said seriously, giving me the teddy bear.
I took it from his hands, pretending to ignore the tension in his voice.
‘Of course I’ll take it, silly. What do you need a pink teddy anyway?’
We strolled among the stalls until we found one with the typical, Greek, delicious, junk food: souvlaki. We enjoyed our “light” dinner with cold beer joking and laughing like children. I was grateful to him for making me forget about my problems even for a few hours. Of course, Christopher’s face was still everywhere; his thought had never left me, not even for a minute.
Alex went a little overboard that night and almost crossed the line. He tried to sweep a drop of sauce from the corner of my mouth, leaning his finger on it longer than he should, before he put the back of his hand against my cheek. I froze, certain that he was going to kiss me. I drew back when his face was only inches from mine.
‘It’s getting late.’ I said.
‘Yes. It’s a big day for you tomorrow.’ His voice was bitter and it hurt me that there was no way to make it easier for him.
‘I’m sorry.’ I said, touching his hand softly.
He turned away from me. ‘Let’s go.’
On the way to the car, the silence was awkward. It was Alex who broke it first.
‘I’ll miss you, you know.’
‘I know. You’ve been a good friend. The best.’ I tried to sound funny and managed to get a smile from him.
‘I’m leaving tomorrow too.’
‘Going back to Corfu?’
He nodded. ‘It will be very boring without you around.’ He took a deep breath. ‘Angelica has met him, you know.’ He wouldn’t say Christopher’s name.
I almost drowned, as I gulped a piece of meat from my souvlaki in my effort to say ‘She has?’
He took his time to respond, taking another sip of beer, as if he wanted to torment me a little. Yet, I didn’t lose my temper. I knew he was angry at me so I didn’t want to irritate him more. I let him take another bite of his souvlaki, pretending to be patient
but in fact I was getting more and more curious with every second.
‘Well?’ I asked him eventually, my voice now obviously anxious.
‘They often come to our hotel. For a couple of nights or so, until a yacht appears in the bay. I guess he’s been there a few times. Two, maybe three years ago.’
I felt silly for the hope that had started to grow in my mind. All of Christopher’s traces had been lost ever since that summer. He was not coming back to this world.
Sometimes I wondered if he had really existed. I often thought of him like a character in one of my favorite novels. When you finish reading it, you know you’re never going to find the hero again. And all you can do, is go back to read the same pages, to refresh your memories of him, so many times that you will be able to recall the scenes later without looking them up. But the fact remains. The story is over. You’re left with the bittersweet taste of nostalgia. But sometimes there is a sequel. And Christopher’s story was not over yet. I had to believe it.
I didn’t have the chance to say goodbye to Alex. He was long gone when I woke up. I had hurt his feelings the previous night and there was nothing I could do about it now. Although I could not justify his childish attitude, I could fathom the reasons for it. To his eyes, I was in love with the wrong person. Besides, he had expected a different response to his flirting, too proud to accept rejection so easily. I wished things hadn’t turned out like that. It made me even gloomier. Why couldn’t I be happy about today? Wasn’t this sailing trip what I had always wished for? I knew it was the outcome of the meeting that worried me the most. It would be another step closer to Christopher, nothing else mattered.
We set off a little after ten.