At that final remark, Stavros took the large black marble paperweight and picked it up, heavy with all his anger. He raised his arm, ready to throw it. Melpomeni ducked to the floor, shaking. At the last minute, Stavros regained control of himself, slowly walked over to the desk, and put the paperweight down.
There was a sudden knock at the door. Stavros went to open it for the steward.
"Come on in, Kostas," he invited him.
Kostas walked in and upon spotting
Melpomeni on the floor, calmly helped her up. He had seen them quarrel before and was aware of how delicately she needed to be treated.
"Are we ready to sail, Kostas?"
"Yes sir," the man replied. "But sir, there are rumors that the Germans are beginning to drop bombs on the British radar posts all over the island," said Kostas with genuine concern.
"I know, but I will risk it."
Melpomeni was sobbing uncontrollably, mumbling between bursts of self-pity, blowing her nose loudly into the pressed handkerchief Kostas had handed her. He always carried an extra one for occasions like this.
With the powerful engines of the graceful cruiser at full power, it took off, sailing east. Melpomeni wanted to go with them, but Stavros refused. With unaccustomed docility, Melpomeni obeyed.
After two days of searching on the open sea and along the eastern and southern shores of Crete, at Kostas' suggestion they headed south toward the small island of Gaidouronisi. With tears in his eyes, Stavros saw the remains of his beloved yacht, which he had planned on naming after his daughter, Anna. He never got a chance to tell her because he had wanted to surprise her on her next birthday.
Stavros ordered the crew to disembark and search the island. They came across the collapsed cave, the fire pit, and the white chapel on the northwestern point of the small island. They found two shallow graves, consisting of mounds of sand and beach pebbles, with crosses made of dry cedar sticks. Stavros was summoned immediately.
"What is it, men? Did you find them?" he demanded as he rushed up to the small semicircle around the graves.
"Come and have a look, sir," Kostas said, lowering his head.
Upon seeing the graves, the world turned upside down for Stavros. He felt all of his dreams, his ambitions, his zest for life and life itself buried right there in those shallow graves. Stavros threw himself on top of the graves and began crying loudly. It was a long time before he stopped quivering.
"We must give them a decent burial."
"Yes, sir," replied Kostas, slowly approaching the grieving man and placing his hand gently on his downtrodden shoulders. "Come, sir."