Chapter 13

James and Mitch were drinking ouzo under the hot Greek sun talking about Angela. James was really glad for the chance to delve deeper into her past and Mitch was an endless source of information. The old man didn't actually look that old. If it weren't for his white hair and a few wrinkles on his face nobody would think he was a day older than forty.

James thought it was very easy to like him. After all, they had in common their genuine interest in Angela and the fact that they loved her.

"Angela's mother was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen in my life", Mitch was saying. "She had the same ginger hair like her daughter but green eyes. Every year I waited for her to come and she never disappointed me".

"You loved her", James remarked. It was a statement, not a question.

"Everybody did", Mitch replied diplomatically and took a sip of his ouzo. "She was a remarkable woman. It's a pity that her son turned out to be just like his father".

"Nobody is like that creep. Even Nick is far better than him". James damned himself silently for letting that slip.

Mitch looked puzzled and James knew that he had no idea that so many horrible things had happened to Angela. He bent a little forward and asked with his Greek accent, "What do you mean James?"

"I don't want to lie to you", James said calmly. "If you want to know what he did you will have to ask Angela. Although I'm not so sure that she will tell you", he added.

Mitch frowned and James smiled reassuringly, but the Greek wasn't ready to drop the subject yet. "What I know is that John is a bastard who treated the mother of his son like shit. He lied, cheated and spent all of her money gambling".

"These are not the worst of his crimes", James protested.

"I know that Nick and Angela suffered the months they spent with him but I'm guessing that you are talking about something else".

James nodded. It wasn't such a good idea to talk to Mitch. He felt that he would betray Angela and he had fought really hard to gain her trust. Now it was his chance to prove he was worth it. He wouldn't say anything else, he decided. It was her story to tell after all.

"Well son?"

"I'm sorry but Angela's trust is too valuable for me. I won't betray her that easily. I know you love her but I don't have the right to-"

"Bullshit", Mitch cut him. "I have raised her and helped her when she needed me. And it was me that brought you here or did you think that it was Georgia's idea to tell you Angela was in Greece?"

"No. I was certain that it was not her idea", James admitted. "However, I can't explain Angela's problems without her consent-"

"Listen to me", Mitch said and he sounded determined to get the truth. "Two days ago John called me". Seeing the look of surprise on James' face he smirked sardonically, "Oh yes, he did. He asked for my help. He said he wanted to see Angela one last time before he died and apologize for all that he had done in the past. I agreed to pass the message to her because I thought that he wanted to say sorry for the way he treated her and her mother". He paused and drew in a deep breath trying to calm himself. "But if he has hurt her in any other way I'll be damned before I let him see her or even speak to her on the phone!"

James folded his arms on his chest. The old man looked like he was about to have a heart attack. Last night James thought he knew the truth but it was obvious that this very morning he had made a great discovery.

"You are her father", he said bluntly.

Mitch was startled. Clearly he didn't expect that. For a while he didn't respond probably thinking the best way to handle the situation.

"Are you going to tell her?", was the first thing he asked.

"Tell her? She would never believe me and, anyway, the only person who should is you", James said striving to sound composed when in fact all he wanted to do was to punch Mitch on the face. How could he let Angela suffer all these years when all he had to do was take her away?

"Don't be so angry boy. Nobody could hate me more than I hate myself".

At his words James laughed hard. "You are more like your daughter than you know". His anger though didn't fade. "You and her mother have hurt Angela as much as John. You are as responsible as he is".

"I'm not going to deny that", Mitch replied. "Tell me, what did he do to Angela?"

James contemplated the question. Part of him wanted to protect Angela, to tell Mitch the truth and make sure that John would never have the chance to speak to her and part of him wanted to force Mitch to confess and apologize to Angela for his absence.

"Well since you decided to care about her now..."

"I always did care about her", Mitch shouted but James didn't stop.

" ... it's your job to tell her the truth and then she can decide whether to trust you or not. But mark my words", he threatened while getting up from the chair, "if she decides that she doesn't want to see you again I will be at her side. I will do anything necessary to protect her from feeling anymore pain. Do you understand me?"

Mitch smiled looking happy. "I really do like you James", he murmured.

Angela was lying on the bed feeling exhausted even though she shouldn't. She had slept for hours but the tiredness persisted. The doctor had warned her that during the first months she would have to be very careful but the truth was that she hadn't followed his advice. She jumped on a plane, came to Greece and spent her days feeling emotionally drained. If it weren't for James...

At the thought of him and everything that had happened between them Angela grinned. A relationship with him wouldn't be such a bad idea ... Life with James promised so many new things, feelings and sensations that she had never explored before.

When he made love to her, he was full of passion and demands but out of bed he was sweet, unpredictable and tender. She felt a rare combination of being both a sexy woman and a girl who needed his warm hug in order to be safe. It would seem that James was correct. Maybe she really was in love with him...

All thoughts of love were scattered as she heard a soft knock on the door.

"Hello", Mitch said when she opened the door.

"Uncle", Angela replied and beamed at him. She looked at the hallway searching for someone. "Where is James? I thought you were together?"

"He agreed to wait outside while you and I talk". Angela walked inside and he followed. "How are you today aggele mou?"

"Tired. I don't want to leave the bed". She frowned and she sat on a chair. "You said you want to talk. Is it about John?" Her whole body stiffened as she waited for his answer.

"Among other things", he said.

"I don't like mysteries uncle".

"I know", he laughed. "Well, I better start explaining. I know that as soon as you hear this you will probably hate me but it's very important to listen to what I have to say first".

"Hate you?", she wondered. "How could I possibly hate you? You have been more like a father all these years and I'm sure that if I lived here-"

"Aggele mou don't say anything else", he cut her. Angela pouted but she remained silent as he asked. "About 30 years ago I met your mother. I know you have heard that story a million times over the years but there are some things that we left out. You see when I saw her I was completely smitten. I did everything I could to win her heart but you can't force someone to love you. She gave me an ultimatum; we would be friends or she would leave and I would never see her again".

"Why have you never told me all this?", Angela interrupted. She was getting tired of lies and secrets. Just when she thought she knew everything about her mother she discovered something else.

"She made me swear never to tell you".

"But why?", she asked perplexed.

"I have no idea".

"And why are you telling me now?"

"James can be very..." He stopped and looked amused. "Very persuasive".

But Angela didn't laugh. "So if it weren't for James I wouldn't have learnt anything?"

"Please Angela. Don't interrupt me again. There is one more thing I have to say". Angela nodded in agreement and he went on, "For three years your mother came here and stayed for the summer. We had a great time together and I never mentioned again that I loved her out of respect to her request. However, two years later, one night when I was extremely drunk I said all the things I felt, things that she imagined but I had never dared to confess before. I told her that I loved her, that she never gave me a chance to be with her, that I would do anything in my powers to spend one night with her and then I would never mention it again. I believed I could live with the memories. Apparently I was a fool". He took a deep breath while Angela waited patiently for him to continue. "Your mother said that she couldn't quit her whole life and stay with me here without revealing the reasons that made it impossible for her to move in with me. However, she did agree to my ridiculous proposal".