Chapter 3

It was six in the morning when Charlie woke me up. Slipping into a pair of shorts, I went for my early morning jog. Charlie, running next to me as I jogged along the beach. Finishing our half-hour run, with a sprint back to the apartment. Preparing some dried dog food with peanut butter for Charlie before jumping into the shower. After having some fruits for breakfast, myself, we were ready to go.

Turning the ignition key to fire up the engine, I looked at Charlie next to me. “Let’s do this buddy,” I said. Pressing my foot down on the accelerator the Jeep’s tyres span on the gravelled parking lot, before leaving a loud screech as I drove onto the road tarmac.

It was nine when I reached Avgorou. Driving into the village, it was like a ghost town. Then again it was Sunday morning. Everyone was probably still sleeping. I wasn’t going to hide in the shadows. I wanted people to see me, to put the word out, to say, “Michael is back”.

Rolling into the village centre, where the coffee shops are situated. On the left was the communist coffee shop, the Progressive Party of Working People. Opposite the conservative, the democratic party, coffee shop. Like it was seven years ago, nothing had changed. At both coffee shops, seated outside groups of men in their hunting clothes. All eyes directed at me.

Parking the Jeep on the left-hand side of the road, I sat there for a couple of minutes. I left the motor running while I got out. Marching into the communist shop, straight to the counter.

“Hi, Takis.” It was one of my father’s childhood friends.

At first, he didn’t recognise me. Looking closer, a few seconds later he smiled at me. “Good to see you, Michael.”

“Excuse me is that your car.” The voice came from behind me. I recognised the voice at once.

Turning around, in front of me was the officer that held me down while Savvas beat me, so many years ago. “You didn’t recognise it, officer?” The shock on his face, you would have thought he just saw a ghost.

Turning back to Takis, I smiled. “I will see you later.”

“My regards to your father!” Takis called out as I left the shop.

Eyes still glued to me when I got back into the Jeep. Putting the Jeep in gear, I drove off. My next destination was the cemetery. My mother’s burial spot was blooming with flowers. Placing the pink roses, beside her tombstone, I stayed for a while before I left to visit an old friend’s burial site. Tony’s gravestone stood out from the others. It was in a family plot. With my hand on the stone, I said, “I miss you, my friend.” Charlie was sitting next to me, looking up at me as I spoke.

“You have no right to touch my brother’s tombstone.” Take your filthy dog and leave now!”

Standing there was Mario, an angry young man. He hadn’t changed in looks. Older, but he had that posture like his father. Maybe it was the suit. Next to him his sidekick, Lucas. Older but still looked like a lost boy. Probably still controlled by Mario, like a puppet on a string.

“I see the words gone around quickly,” I said while staring into his eyes.

Mario stepped forward, making his fists into balls, ready to attack me. Lucas by his side was waiting for instructions. Charlie at once stepped between us growling at the aggressors. We stood there looking at each other, in the tranquillity of the cemetery. Suddenly voices were coming from the direction of the main gate. Sunday church service had finished, people were coming to visit their loved ones who had passed away.

I broke the silence between us. “Come on Charlie. let’s go.” Walking past both of them, as if they did not exist.

“That’s right, just run away like you always do. Coward!” Mario called out.

In the distance, I detected my aunt, Androulla at my mother’s grave plot. She was watering the flowers with the hose pipe, while my uncle Sotiris was removing any excess weeds that had grown. Getting nearer, my uncle noticed me first. Looking up towards my aunt, he gestured towards me with his eyes. I was not more than two meters away from my aunt when she turned to look.

With a stern look on her face, she said, “I was wondering who brought the roses.” The harsh look changed into a smile. “Come here, young man.” Embracing me, she hugged me, not letting me go. When she eventually did, she held my arms while she stood back and gazed at me. “You’re not the young teenager I remember.”

My uncle welcomed me with the same gesture as my aunt. I helped my uncle with what he was doing. Both of them firing questions at me. What was I doing all this time? How long will I stay? My aunt explained to me about my father’s situation. That he will need to change the way he lives now. Once we finished, they insisted on going around their house for lunch before I went to my parent’s house.

Stopping at the entrance of the house, brought back memories. Being careful not to clip the rear wheel arch on the gate as I entered the driveway. Once it was clear, I parked the Jeep under the canvas shade, something my uncle must have put up, while I was gone.

My uncle was already seated on the veranda, rolling up some tobacco. “You remembered to be careful when you drove into the driveway!” he called out.

My aunt appeared from the garden with a bowl of figs. “Sit down Michael, make yourself at home.”

We both sat down enjoying some figs while we chatted. Charlie was running around getting to know the environment. When I see him go up to one of the fruit trees, he starts smelling the stem. “Charlie!” I call out. At once he turns away from the tree.

“You have him well trained,” my aunt says leaning back to look into the house from the kitchen door. “Where is that girl? Always locked in her room! Can I borrow Charlie for a moment, Michael?” my aunt said with a grin on her face.

“Charlie over here now!” Leaping onto the veranda, he sat there waiting for the next order.

“Come on Charlie, come with me,” my aunt said softly to the dog.

“You have to be firm with him.” I interrupted. “Go, Charlie,” I said with a stronger tone in my voice. Immediately he followed her into the house. A few minutes later a piercing scream came from inside, making my uncle and me jump, out of our seats.

“Oh my God, where did you find him, mum.” Charlie is running out of the premises, not far behind him a fourteen-year-old teenager, making a big fuss over the dog. Looking for a stick to throw so that Charlie can retreat it.

“Come and say hello to your cousin Maria!” uncle Sotiris called out.