“I’ve never known my Allan to back down from a dare - he’s stupid that way. My loves manipulate him all the time.”
“You don’t think much of him.”
The buzzer sounded and Nicko opened the main entrance downstairs for him. As the elevator door opened I grinned. “I thought you’d chickened out.”
“Just because I came, don’t think I’m going to fall for some story.” I laughed, amused by the double meaning.
“Not even a story you wrote? Nicko, what do you say to us teleporting him to your home in Athens. We can go for a coffee in the plateia.”
I knew that Allan was dying for the story he’d written to be proven true and it was easy getting him to swallow it all, hook, line and sinker and I reeled him in with a joy I could not conceal. “Now, let me tell both of you why I’m here.” I explained about the damage inflicted by the Screamer.
“How will you get home?”
“I can’t. This is where I’m hoping the two of you will help me. I need to find your Robert and Cherine. They have to meet and fall in love. I can help open them so that they link. Once they learn to teleport they can take me home.”
Since I knew that Robert was heading for or already in Siam (as they still call it here) I felt it would be better we concentrate on finding Cherine first. This was why I needed them, I could not present myself, I had a fear she might fall in love with me (okay, I know my loves will laugh at me, but I did not dare risk it, however remote the possibility).
I had a thought. “Before we look for her, what are the chances of roping in Alki?”
Allan was not of much use to us yet, he was being torn apart by too many conflicting emotions. He’d explained he’d never been to a paedophile site and had no such interest. When he thought of the concept, he’d been disgusted by his imagination and promptly changed the ages. His book was not a great success until a Japanese film producer decided to make a Manga movie of his story. Nicko must have guessed, for he promised to get me a video copy of the movie. Allan told us he has a few spare copies at his home. I guess the girls are going to love watching it.
“I don’t know, he visits my father now and then, but I don’t know him that well. You’ll have to teleport him or else he won’t believe you.”
“No, I’ve got a better idea. Let’s go to his house after stopping at an art shop.”
“Kyrie Georgiade, ó Nikos Spiropoulos.”
He opened the door, glanced at us without much curiosity. “Niko, your father is well?”
“Yes sir. I’ve come to see you because I’ve made some new friends I think you would be very interested in meeting.” He first introduced Allan.
“Ahh! You are the man who embarrassed me by using my name in his book! Come in.”
“This is Robert Teller. He is an artist and he told me he wants to sketch a few faces for you.”
“A drink?” He acted as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening, being tolerant of Nicko and whatever he is scheming.
I held up the pad with the first face I’d sketched. “I cannot do any of them justice, they are far too beautiful for me to capture properly, so please forgive my lack of talent.”
His eyes widened. “She is beautiful! Something dreamy about her. You are exceptionally gifted to portray that in a quick sketch.”
“Her name is Melina. We all call her Meli. She writes books and creates worlds within her mind.” I flipped to the second sheet. “This is Bernadine. You could spend a lifetime searching and not find a sweeter heart.” He nodded, but asked for the pad. He peered at her from close and handed it back.
“This is Julie. Alki, take a close look at her also. Go through all three again if you wish.” I handed him the pad.
The others silently went to stand behind Alki. Niko was awed by the pictures, but Allan had tears running down his cheeks. “They are exactly as I imagined, just that…I never could have created such beauty.”
Alki silently handed the pad back. I pushed it to his side of the coffee table. “Keep them. Meli, Bernie and Julie. Three daughters of Alki Georgiades.”
“What!”
“They are your daughters Alki. Meli and Bernie are my wives. Alki, the story Allan wrote, he borrowed it from us, the Cherinians really do exist in other realities and my family all love you deeply and call you pappou. I do not expect you to believe me, so I have prepared a beautiful gift for you. I cannot give it if you are afraid or angry. Eisai pallikari? Can you face the unknown with courage?”
“What is this about Nicko, what are you trying to do?”
“He is speaking the truth sir, he teleported me to London, collected Allan and teleported us back. He really is a Cherinian. That is why Allan used our names in his story. Please give him the chance he asks of you.”
It took a while but, although he did not believe, he settled down and agreed to allow me to gift him with the memories of his alternate. I could sense his mind racing as he tried to work out how and why I was trying to con him. I closed my eyes and entered his mind.
I whispered, “He’ll be like that for hours. Nicko, go get him a blanket, his body temperature is dropping. If the two of you then want to go for a walk I’ll wait here.”
By the time Alki opened his eyes tears had been coursing down his cheeks, on and off, for hours. His eyes were red as he looked at me and I could see he already loved me. “I cannot refuse to believe. How is it possible?”
“Watch me.” I aged myself, brought myself back to a young teen and reverted to my normal aspect of about twenty three to twenty five. I grinned. “Would you like me to project the girls for you?”
“They will be more real?”
“You’ll see them through your own eyes. Alki, these two are in danger of falling in love if I do, shouldn’t you kick them out?”
I thought he would laugh, but the memories he’d absorbed made him see the truth. “If they are willing to risk the pain, it should be their option.”
“Why have you done this to us Roberto? Is there a Robert and Cherine in our world?”
“Yes. I want you to be their pappou. Could you?” It was like asking a man who is dying of thirst if he wants a glass of water.
Alki insisted we all sleep at his house and we stayed up late talking. Slowly I sensed it become real for them and a hope began to grow that would kill them if it was impossible for them to be part of such a dream.
I changed my mind so the first task fell to Nicko. He had to fly to Siam to bring Robert back. He was going with an employment offer from Alki we hoped he could not refuse. I instructed Nicko not to tell him the truth and to be shameless in his emotional blackmail. He had to make Robert feel that he needs him in Athens. Nicko understood and promised.
Alki insisted I stay with him and, each day, when he returned from work and had his nap, we’d go out for a meal with a bottle of wine and talked until late. After sort of glancing through the memories I’d given him he went through them again, but this time slowly, savouring each memory. I had edited out all personal or private moments so I knew my Alki would not mind. He was almost like a child in his excitement and could not wait to meet Cherine. I hoped I was not building him up to expect too much.
“I bought the apartments and I’m seeing to it that everything is as it was for you and Cherine.”
“I wish Nicko would call, I’ll be a nervous wreck by the time he returns.”
“If I may? Roberto, why don’t you paint, it would pass the time. It is not good for you to do nothing all day.”
I grinned at him. “You’re just hoping I’ll have to leave them behind with you.”
He laughed. “It had crossed my mind. It would be something to say I have paintings created by the prime Robert.”
I did an oil painting of a normal family scene. In it I sat in a corner reading while my loves lounged around, some on the sofas, some on cushions on the floor, their heads resting on the thighs of another or some playing a game. I used all Jade had taught me and the layered textures brought the painting to life. It was good for me seeing them so vividly and I knew he would treasure it.
Nicko phoned. “He’s a stubborn bastard, he refuses to give notice and return. He insists he signed a contract and he’s sticking to it.”
“Have you spoken to his employer?”
“They are a big corporation, I’m not certain which officer I should talk to, or what I should say.”
We got the details from the internet and Alki contacted them. He flew out and signed a big contract. Before placing his signature he insisted they send someone to Greece for two years. He told them he’d met Robert Teller and was impressed by the man and wanted him. They seemed surprised and explained Robert does not have the expertise, that he is still in training, but Alki insisted and they agreed.
I teased Nicko, “Remember that there is always more than one way to get around a Robert Teller.”
I now spent most of my time as the void, spying on the two of them. Little Cherine did not seem to be interested in peeking at Robert. I would have felt disheartened if she had not indicated she sensed something whenever I concentrated on her too much.
Feeling melancholic, Alki said, “For my alternate, theirs was a good marriage, but you had smashed through her defences. I want to have her love and children, but how?”
“We’ll take care of that Alki.” I sighed. “You think you have problems, I’m at my wits end. I’d thought to leave Dominique for when I return with the girls. That won’t work. I can’t go back in time to collect her for I might not be able to return. Even if I could, what chance is there of her falling in love with Robert and Cherine. She died when she was twelve, I can’t bring her back older.”
“You can give her the memories of her alternate.”
“That won’t work, she’s too young. If she’d been sixteen she might have understood, just like you didn’t have to be exactly the same age as my Alki.”
Nobody had warned Cherine to stay away, it was a hot day and she was bored. She’d already walked around, straying far from her home, which meant I hovered over her to watch out for her. Now she felt like exploring somewhere new but the lassitude the heat caused, discouraged her from taking a long walk. She looked down from her window, wishing she could go for a swim and saw the brown-green grass. She put on her swimming suit, wrapped herself in a towel and rushed down. She did not take into consideration that she was not in England and lay in the sun for too long. Alki had already told him to leave and Robert returned from work early and saw her.
“Hi.”
“Hello.”
“Oh good, you speak English. You look hot, can I offer you a cold drink?”
He left the door ajar and she followed him in. “Can I use your shower to wet myself?”
He handed her a coke and studied her. “You have a bad sunburn, by tonight you’ll be suffering. Get in the shower and I’ll go get some cream from the kiosk.” Robert was amused by the situation and in a good mood. He also bought a small chocolate and returned to his flat. I was dismayed, he’d chosen a spray instead of something he could massage into her skin.
“Spread your towel over my couch and lie down on it. Here’s a chocolate to keep your mind off the burning. This stuff will soon soothe you.”
I was relieved when I saw him massage what he’d sprayed onto her shoulders. Very gently he did the same for all the parts of her that were turning red. I felt like kicking him, he was not at all sexually aroused and the only thing he did out of the ordinary was a kiss he softly planted on her forehead.
“Take this with you and get your parents to put some on tonight. Cherine, don’t sit in the sun tomorrow.” At least Cherine left his apartment feeling she likes him.
Alki was just as worried as I was, while Nicko treated the news of the day more casually, telling us we expect too much too soon.
“You’re wrong Nicko, there should be an instant attraction between them because of the previous lives they’ve lived together.”
I cheered up. “It is possible, but not likely.”
The next day Cherine was on the pavement when Robert arrived by taxi. She saw him struggling to carry some boxes and smaller packages and offered to help. As soon as they were in his flat he took everything off a small table and began to open the boxes.
“I bought myself a computer. My boss suggested I buy it. He said I was wasting hours each day going to the office and back. He said that if I bought a computer he’d give me the programs for me to do most of my work at home.” He smiled at Cherine. “I hated travelling squashed up in the morning rush, it’s already hot by seven in the morning. This is going to be great!”
“Can I come here in the mornings then?”
“Sure, just don’t be a pest and let me do my work or else I’ll get fired.”
“I’m not a pest!” She was affronted.
“You are. You are a nice pest but…” He broke up with laughter at the look on her face. She was peeved when he spent the rest of the day calling her a pest. Like, “Hey pest, can you put the water to boil for coffee?” and so on.
As he installed the programs he explained everything he did and she listened with great apparent interest. I’ve never managed to get my Cherine to show any interest so I enjoyed the day. They might not be responding to each other in the ways I’d expected, but at least he is teasing her.
As she prepared to leave she thanked him for lunch. “I’ll see you tomorrow you boring monster.”
“Boring!”
“Yes, but at least you are a nice monster.”
“Grr.” He ran at her and she ran out squealing and laughing.
The next few days were similar. He’d do his work and she’d sit in the sun for a short while, have a cool shower, change into tiny shorts and a t-shirt and spend the rest of the day in his apartment. He’d prepare a light lunch with lots of salad and they both seemed happy.
Robert opened the front door and sat at his computer. A couple of hours later he got up to look outside. He worked again, but he kept on looking at the door. Finally he gave up and went upstairs to her apartment.
Cherine opened and her face broke into a huge smile as she saw him. “I couldn’t come to tell you, my mother said I’m not allowed to visit you.”
He’d been touched by the joy on her face. “Hmm, quite right, my mistake, I should have come up to introduce myself long ago. Hey pest, is your mother frightening?”
“Very!”
“Will you protect me if she wants to eat me?”
Marian saw that Cherine had cleaned and tidied the livingroom. “Are we expecting guests?”
“Robert said he wants to meet you.”
“He came here mum, he was worried I might be sick.”
“It’s none of his business.” Gosh, did she bring back memories!
By the time Robert arrived she’d changed and fixed her hair. She welcomed him with a smile.
“I apologise Mrs Blake, I should have introduced myself the first time I met Cherine. It was thoughtless of me, you must have worried, hearing she is visiting a man on her own.”
“Call me Marian. It would have been the proper thing to do, but since you’ve come, I’ll let it go. What is your interest in my daughter Mr Teller?”
“Robert. Interest? She’s good company and I end up eating lunch if she’s there, otherwise I forget.”
“I see. She is welcomed because she serves your dietary interests.” Robert wasn’t certain whether she’d made a joke, but he smiled. “It is not natural for a man of your age to want the company of a child. I’m not comfortable with the idea of her visiting you.”
“In your place I guess I’d also be worried. Marian, I don’t spend my time with her, only when I take a break from my work. Surely it is better she is supervised by an adult you know than for her to sit here alone or walk the streets?”
“I don’t know you Mr Teller.”
“Why don’t we fix that? Will you join me for supper? I know a great restaurant within walking distance.”
During the meal she calmed down and became a little more friendly. “What do you do Robert?”
“Work wise? I’m supposed to be in engineering design, but I’m working for a publishing company. I’m not certain I want to stay in that field.”
“What do you want to do?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know, I’m still searching, so the job keeps the food on the table in the meantime.”
“I think he should be a painter.”
“An artist! What makes you think I’d be any good?”
“I’ve seen how you draw when you get bored of your work.”
He smiled. “I’ve never considered the possibility.”
The next day I projected and sat at Kolonaki Square. I put the thought in his mind that he should come for a coffee. When he did I made him take the table next to me. I waited until he had his coffee.
“Excuse me, aren’t you an artist? Have I seen any of your work on the internet?”
“No.” He was startled. “The internet?”
“Must be someone else. I’m John Carruthers, artist extraordinaíre - at least I like to think so. You look like you should be an artist.” I passed over a pad and thick pencil. “Sketch something for me.”
“What?”
I examined what he’d done. He really was ignorant. I took the pencil and made some changes and handed it back.
It did not take me too long to convince him to let me teach him. But he’ll have to learn on paper before I start him on designing internet sites. It was agreed I will visit him after six in the afternoon as I did not want his Cherine to meet me. In the meantime I ordered him to practice freehand circles and straight lines.
The very next night he caught me by surprise. As he opened his door I saw Cherine. He introduced us with a smile. “She was the first to suggest I become an artist, so I arranged with her mother for her to meet you.”
I frowned at her. “So, you think he could be an artist. How do you know, are you an artist?”
“No.”
“Hmm, so maybe you have the eye of an artist? You must have to have recognised that he is talented. Are you his girlfriend, are you planning to marry - I’m asking because I must warn you, artists are not very good husband material.”
“I’m too young to marry!”
“You are? Good lord, how old are you? I thought you must be at least eight!”
“I am eight!”
“Oh.” I looked puzzled. “Strange, I married my first wife when she was eight.”
“That is in extreme bad taste! Are you trying to put ideas in her head John?”
I laughed. “A male put ideas in the head of a female about marriage? I doubt that has ever happened. Down to work young man.” I turned on Cherine. “You are not going to distract him are you?”
“How is he coming along?”
“He hasn’t caught fire yet. He’s bored by the drudgery of practising what I teach him. He has a good eye and steady hand so I’ll succeed. If it looks like I’m not getting to him I’ll have to enlist Cherine as my assistant.”
“You are an evil man Roberto, conspiring to make an adult and child become lovers.”
“Some evils are truly beautiful Alki.”
Cherine was going to school by the time I felt he was ready to start learning some of the graphic programs. I got him a pad and electronic pencil and we started.
“I’m enjoying this!”
“Robert, you are not good enough yet to be an artist. But you have acquired enough skills to start designing on computers. Here is a book on HTML. Study it and practice creating pages. Once you know what you are doing I’ll show you how to design original pages.”
Three weeks later Alki asked, while Robert was at the office, if anyone knows how to set up an internet site. Robert offered, praying I would help him do a good job. I made certain all of it consisted of his ideas, but guided him so that it was beautifully thought out and executed. When Alki saw it he praised him and appointed him as their fulltime site designer. This forced Robert to take it seriously and now I often spent four to five hours a day with him.
“Alki, can you invite them to your island home for Christmas? The Spiropoulos family also, they must get to know Cherine and love her.”
“I’m surprised Robert has not taken them with him when he visits.”
“He only thinks of them as friends. Maybe Nicko could call on him at a time Cherine is there.” I grinned. “Get him to take a very pretty girl with, I want to see how she’ll react if Robert is interested.”
Nicko had met a girl who in general looks reminded me of Dommi. Without him realising why he was interested he took her out a few times, but her personality was totally different and he lost interest, remaining only a friend. He asked her to meet him at Kolonaki Square and then they walked over to Robert.
“Nicko! Nice to see you. Hi, I’m Robert.”
“Marina. Nicko has told me a lot about you.”
“Was some of it good or did you agree to come because all of it was bad?” Jeepers, at his age I never would have dared crack that kind of joke with a pretty girl. “This is Cherine, my special friend and assistant.”
“How do you assist him?” Nicko asked her.
“She makes sure I practice and study hard.”
Robert was definitely interested in the girl but, though she was nice to him, he was not exactly the kind of man she was attracted to. I felt like celebrating when I sensed Cherine get jealous. She looked up and around as if searching and I guessed she’d sensed me.
She’d been far more careful than my Cherine, never letting slip any hints for him to pick up that she has special gifts. When the guests left she forgot herself because of her jealousy, wanting to draw his attention to her.
“Did you know your flat has a ghost?”
“What makes you think so?”
“I…I can feel it. It’s not here all the time, maybe it visits one of the other flats sometimes.”
“I love ghosts, I wish I could sense it.” His easy acceptance cheered her up and stopped her from cursing herself for taking a risk.
“If I feel it again, I’ll let you know.”
“What was it, a man or woman?”
“I don’t know, sometimes it feels like a child.” When I shared with Alki he roared with laughter.
“So Roberto, this is where you work? You are improving very fast, maybe I should open a company for designing web sites. Would you like to head the team?”
Alki had timed it so that Cherine would arrive while he was there. She ran in and stopped in surprise.
“Ahh, this must be your inspiration.” He gave her his hand. “I am Alki.”
“He’s my boss Cherine.”
“What an ungracious way to introduce me to such a lovely girl.”
Cherine was surprised by how much she liked him. They were soon joking and united in trying to tease Robert. When Alki offered to take them out for a drink they agreed and he made certain she tasted some of the tiny chocolate eclairs. As they were leaving to return home, he bought a dozen of them for her.
As soon as Alki left, Robert quickly told Cherine to go to her apartment, change out of her school clothes and bring the blouse for him to wash out the chocolate stains. She ran, got a change of clothes and ran back. She undressed to her panties, handed him the blouse and only then put on her casual clothes. Robert, for the first time, noticed how big her mound is and wondered what it would look like. He was disgusted by himself when he felt his arousal at the thought. I was elated, what with his lack of erotic interest in Cherine till now, I’d been thinking that if I introduced him to Jonathan they’d get on like a house on fire.
What made this moment doubly precious was that little Cherine sensed his momentary interest and her curiosity awakened. She struck a few poses she thought were sexy without eliciting any response from him so she worked out what had interested him. She had felt his self-anger so she prudently decided to wait for the next day.
Going to Ydra did not offer many opportunities to speed up their sexual awakening because he spent a lot of time walking the hills and sketching. He loved the island and their way of life. Marian was intent on going to the bars and clubs in the hope of finding a man who’d marry her. She kept me busy for a number of men found her interesting and I had to interfere.
“Good morning, you’re up early.”
Marian complained, “I went to bed early, this island is full of boring men.”
He smiled. “I hope present company is excepted?”
She blushed. As she answered politely, I sensed her mind shift gears. I could almost guess her thoughts. He’s not ugly, he is wealthy and so on. Alarmed I contacted him directly and warned him to back off.
As with us, on new years eve she got drunk. Cherine was embarrassed while Elia and Claire tried to pretend she was not part of their group. Only Alki behaved like a gentleman. Robert did not betray what he thought, but he was more lovingly attentive to Cherine, ignoring the pretty girls looking for a man.
They left without Marian and Cherine was overtired and crying. Robert carried her home and he was overwhelmed by feelings of tenderness. The only problem was that he also felt sorry for Cherine and that turned her into a bundle of fury the next morning, pushing Robert away from her again. I’d spent the night ensuring Marian did not get involved with anyone - especially any Norwegian men, so I was not in the mood to interfere.
Cherine had been and still was spending her days in the company of Alki. Her cheeky humour and spirit captivated him so he enjoyed himself. Elia did not pay her much attention but Claire spent hours each day with them, enjoying the feeling of looking after a girl and remembering her daughter. By the end of their stay she’d grown very fond of Cherine.
He was taken aback by her fury. She swore at him, demanding to know what made him think he has any rights over her daughter, that only she decides what is safe for Cherine and so on. She ended off by forbidding Cherine from visiting him again and showed him the door.
As soon as Robert was out of the apartment, Cherine exploded. Her mother had never seen her like this before. She thought to re-establish her authority by slapping her and, screaming that she hated her, Cherine used her gifts with all the intensity she is capable of. Marian screamed in terror until she crumbled and lay on the floor in a coma.
Cherine ignored her and went to her room, threw herself on her bed, wept violently and fell asleep. I could have used my healer to help Marian, but I felt I must not. It meant I had to contact Cherine. I tried to alter my voice and called to her mind, *Cherine, wake up, go to your mother.*
When she finally obeyed, almost against her will, she crouched by Marian and shook her, calling to her to wake up. She did not get any response and began to panic. She turned to the one person she trusted could help. She dialled for Alki.
I quickly asked him not to answer. After the second attempt she ran down the stairs and hammered at Robert’s door. She was almost incoherent from fear, but he understood her mother was very sick and picking her up ran to her apartment.
He made cold compresses that he put on her forehead, went to her bedroom and getting a perfume bottle waved it under her nose, shook her and called for her to wake up, but he got no response. Marian was hiding deep within her mind.
“What happened Cherine, did she fall and hurt herself?” She only stared at him. “We’ll have to call an ambulance.”
He had the presence of mind to call Alki who now answered. He promised to send a private ambulance and arrange for her to be taken to a private clinic. When Robert heard them arriving he took Cherine to her bedroom and told her to wait there. She refused. He explained that if they see her, the Greek social services will be called and she’ll be taken away. Quiet as a mouse she waited in her room until they were gone.
He went to her and hugged her to him until the worst of the shivering was over. Carrying her in his arms he took her to the kitchen, placed her on a counter and prepared some cocoa for both of them.
“Don’t worry Cherine, they have good doctors in Greece and they’ll make your mummy well again. The problem is, what do we do with you in the meantime. Would you like to stay with Claire if she’ll have you?”
She shook her head, her eyes huge and filled with tears. “No, I want to stay with you. Please?”
He could just imagine how Marian would react when she returned and learnt her daughter had slept with him. She’d probably report him to the police. He was about to refuse her when he looked into her eyes. “Okay.” She burst into tears. “Shh, don’t worry, your mum will soon be well and back again.”
“No, she won’t, she’s going to die.”
“People don’t die that easily Cherine, she’ll be back, I promise.”
“No. I killed her.” She heard herself, but was too filled with guilt to care anymore. “I was angry because she said I cannot see you again.”
