“You’re not the only one,” she confessed.
Nico’s brows furrowed. “The difference is, the Mara I fell in love with always knew where my parents lived and could have found me anytime to tell me she’d had a change of heart.”
A distressed expression crossed over her features. “That’s true, and no one deserves the truth more than you.” But before she could say anything else, a waiter approached.
“I couldn’t eat anything, Nico. Just coffee.”
Food was the last thing on Nico’s mind. “Two coffees,” he told the waiter who came right back with them.
Once they’d been served, Nico reached inside his knapsack and handed her the bag he pulled out of it. “These belong to you. They’ve stayed in a storage closet for nineteen years. Once I had a dream that I’d find you and learn what terrible thing must have happened, like kidnapping or worse, that prevented you from answering them.”
She sat motionless.
“I’d hoped to find you so we could read them together. But that day never came and I forgot about them until last night when I saw you walk out on the patio.”
Her hand shook as she lowered her coffee mug and looked inside the bag. An audible gasp escaped her lips and she pulled out one of the unopened letters. She studied the address on the front of the envelope, then pulled out another one.
“There are dozens of letters here!” she cried, sounding incredulous.
Her acting was phenomenal. There’d been no kidnapping or worse. He knew she’d received them and had sent them back unopened. “That’s right. All of them addressed to Mara Tito at the Vasilakis residence in Salonica.” He drank more coffee. “You’ll notice the Return to Sender handwritten on the side.” She couldn’t deny what she’d done. The proof was in her hands.
Alexa’s head reared, causing her shimmery chestnut hair to settle against her shoulders. Tears poured down her white cheeks. Her breakdown of emotion surprised him.
He broke the silence. “For a long time I wanted an answer to the question why, but I don’t need it now. Last night I met your daughter. Clearly you got involved with another man while you were in Greece and had his baby. For what it’s worth, I would say you’ve done a wonderful job of raising her.”
He put some euros on the table and stood. “Thank you for meeting me. Andio, Kyría Remis.”
“No—wait, Nico!”
He ignored her cry and walked away. Never again.
* * *
It shouldn’t have surprised Alexa that he’d said goodbye and left with an abruptness that took her breath away. His fear that something terrible had happened to her years ago crushed her with fresh guilt. Tonight he’d thought he’d learned the whole truth and was anxious to get home to his wife.
When she could get a grip on her emotions, she put the letters back in the bag he’d given her and left the restaurant on legs that barely supported her. During the drive home she trembled like a leaf. To her relief, Phyllis told her Dimitra had gone out with Kristos. Alexa’s grandfather had fallen asleep watching a soccer match on TV.
Thankful to be alone, she grabbed a letter opener from his desk and hurried to the bedroom. She undressed and got ready for bed. Before her daughter came home, she wanted to read the letters Nico had written and kept all these years. How amazing that he hadn’t thrown them away a long time ago.
Once under the covers, she emptied the contents of the bag. After a search she found the first letter he’d written to her in his unique penmanship. It was dated on the day he’d left Salonica.
Oh, Nico, darling... She drowned in tears. You really did send them.
The Return to Sender bore Monika’s distinct hand. Even though Monika had confessed what she’d done fifteen years ago Alexa was hit with a wave of fresh hurt. How could she have done something so treacherous?
Using the opener, Alexa pulled out the one-page letter. A gold ring fell on the bedspread. Her heart pounded so hard, she thought she was going to be sick.
Mara—beloved
I have to write this fast. We’re on a bus headed for the airport. I’ll post this before I get on the plane.
Do you have any idea how I’m feeling right now? After spending last night in your arms, I’ll never be the same. Saying goodbye to you felt like a part of me was being torn away.
Please wear this ring. I had it engraved for you. It’s our engaged-to-be-engaged ring.
The sobs kept coming. Alexa could hardly read what had been engraved on the inside: Gia Pánta. It meant forever. She slid it on her ring finger.
You should get this tomorrow. I’ll write you every night.