Worrying Letter

Letters had been coming back and forth from UK to Greece in the past few months. Written words were the only connection between her and Spiro, and were almost sacred to her. Sitting at the table, Louisa Durrell held her head in her palms, eyes closed and her thoughts back in Corfu, with the most amazing taxi driver that had ever ridden the roads of the island. She smiled lightly at the thought of him, sitting in his car, driving people from one place to another, maybe assisting another family who needed help to get around the island.

Ah, the memories. She went back to the moment when they first met; the sound of the taxi stopping behind her and Spiro getting out of the car announcing that he could actually speak English. It blew her mind when she heard him talk. She was even impressed at his language skills. She didn't show it at that time but she was impressed indeed.

It was dark, Margo and Leslie went to their rooms, the sound of the town slowly disappearing as time was slowly moving towards midnight. Should she write another letter? She was worried. Her hand reached out for paper and a pen. She hovered above the page, pen between her fingers, trying to decide whether to write it or wait a couple more days. Going back to what she could remember about the words she had put into her last letter Louisa was a bit worried. Few weeks ago she got very sick. It wasn't anything serious but it had made her feel like those days were her last. Louisa closed her eyes.

She tried to imagine the words she last wrote to Spiro and figure out if she had put something odd into it that could have made Spiro worried or change his attitude towards her. She couldn't think of anything. Her breathing was shallow, her heart beating a little bit faster, eyes filling with tears. How she missed him, so much. The whole situation with the war coming made their relationship fall apart. If only she could have stayed with him but she had to come back to Britain with her kids. Larry stayed in Corfu and she missed him so much. At least Spiro was there so if anything happened, he would take care of him. Resting her hand on the table, she let go of the pen and put the papers back into the folder for later. Louisa sighed, leaning against the chair and taking a sip of tea. No alcohol for her. She gave up drinking when they came back to UK. The war was raging around, she waited for the day when they would call her and Leslie to join the fight. She as a nurse in a hospital perhaps, Leslie as a soldier. She shivered at the thought.

These evenings were the worst. The kids went to bed, she stayed up late with too many thoughts. Never a good sign. She felt so alone. Lonely even. Looking at her hands that held his, feeling her fingers touching the few spots on her neck where Spiro kissed her before they parted. Tears ran down her cheeks. Why was she doing this to herself? This was torture but she couldn't help it. She would rather feel miserable, sad and lonely when remembering everything that happened during the few years her family spent on the island. She would rather cry her eyes out just at the memories of the few and precious moments she spent with Spiro than to feel nothing and even forgetting it all. Those memories might be painful, but it made her feel alive and loved too. Separated but still together, their hearts beating in the same rhythm, their souls connected in love that started as an amazing friendship and grew into something deeper than they had anticipated.

Would she ever see him again? Would they ever feel embraced by each others arms? Would their lips join in a soft kiss?

More tears ran down her cheeks.

Through the watery iris Louisa checked the time. It was way past midnight and she should be in bed, trying to fall asleep. Rain drops landed on the windows and it didn't take long for the heavy rain to come. Even better for her melancholic evening. The sound of rain was soothing when you were in a good state of mind. Lying down in bed, listening to the drops bouncing on the glass was a very comforting lullaby. Now it only made her even sadder. She got up from the chair and blew out the candle that gave light to the room. Taking the first few steps towards her bedroom Louisa heard at first, a soft knock on the front door. She turned around, facing the sound and unsure whether there was a really a knock or it was her wild imagination.

No sound followed, so she made her way towards the back of the house. There was another knock and now it was more urgent. Louisa knew it wasn't a halucination. What if it was the army after all? Either way she had to open the door and face whatever was behind it. Her feet took her to the hallway. She could see a person standing behind the door through the little glass window. She worried for the worst. It was the military!

Louisa opened the door with anticipation, holding her breath as if trying to prevent someone from stealing it. When the door opened fully, she couldn't believe her own eyes.

„Spiro!" she exclaimed. It was a bit too loud but she didn't care. Even if her voice woke the whole street up she wouldn't care. Was she dreaming?

Spiro was standing in the doorway, soaking wet, literally ignoring every single rain drop that fell on him, they couldn't make him any wetter.

„Louisa!" Spiro sighed with relief.

He didn't know what to do. He wanted to cry, he wanted to smile, he wanted to scream with joy from what he saw in front of himself. Instead, he closed the distance between them and embraced Louisa in a big, cold, wet hug. No matter how wet and cold he was, Louisa felt warmth coming from him. Feeling his body against hers she knew she wasn't dreaming. This was too real. Her emotions went crazy. Her lips curved into a wide smile, her eyes filled with tears again. Happy tears this time.

„I miss you calling me Louisa," she whispered, not leaving his embrace.

Slowly she started making small steps back to lead them both inside the house. With her feet she kicked the door shut.

They just stood standing there, in the hallway. Water dripping down from Spiro, Louisa's clothes absorbing the rest of the British rain. Breathing in sync, their hearts picking up speed. They both felt like this was their only moment they had together and neither of them wanted to let go of the other.

„I missed you," Spiro answered, nuzling Louisa's neck with his nose and lips.

Breathing in her perfume, the smell of her skin. His hand went up her back, his fingers diving into Louisa's hair. His hand on her hip tightened. Time stood still, the whole world around them stopped existing. Never loosing contact, they pulled apart to look into each others eyes. Spiro smiled lightly, Louisa pouted.

Moving slowly they joined their lips in a kiss. Closing eyes, Spiro and Louisa prayed for this moment to last forever. Forgetting about the war, forgetting about all the worries in Britain or back in Greece. If only they could stay together and never part again. The kiss deepened and the months of not seeing each other started showing. They ignored the lack of oxygen in their lungs and kept kissing each other as if to not waste any single moment.

After a few seconds they both had to take a little bit of air and flush their suffocated bodies. Staying in the embrace they rested the head on each others shoulders. Louisa rested her head above Spiro's heart, listening to its beating. He was alive. He was real and he was there with her. Right now, right there. She kissed his neck and had to smile. He was so wet, even his skin didn't have a proper chance to dry during the short time he was inside the house. Now was not the right moment to go all mortherly on him. She needed him, his presence, the feeling of safety he provided for her now. No mater if wet or not, she wasn't going to let him go.

„Your letter worried me. If I didn't come I would have gone crazy. I had to see you, I had to know that you were ok," he whispered with his pigeon English.

Louisa smiled at his adorable accent. And not only because of the accent. She remembered what she wrote in her last letter. She informed him that she was very sick but she forgot to mention one important information.

„Oh my darling. It was just a bad flu," Louisa gasped and raised her head to face him again.

He was a bit shocked but on the other hand he would have gone through everything again if he could see her. All the hours on a boat and then on a train. It all was worth it. This moment, when he could hold her again in his arms was so damn worth everything. He pressed her against his body even tighter than before.

None of them was too eager to leave the embrace. Who knows how long they were standing there in the hallway, wet, cold but in love.

The End