She listened to his heartbeat as his chest rose and fell in a slow, peaceful rhythm. She hadn't fallen asleep yet, she was too worried about the upcoming video call with her papa. Tolvin insisted he speak to him, show him who he was. But her dad wasn't like that, he...he wouldn't understand. She slowly and carefully slipped out of his hold, stiffening and freezing when he muttered in his sleep. She waited until he fell back asleep to move again and slipped from the bed. Tip toeing to her laptop, she grabbed it and went into the next room which was a small office.
Setting up her laptop, she pulled her hair up into a ponytail and waited for it to connect. Once it did, she placed a call and waited again. She bit her lip nervously and fumbled with her hands.
"agapiménos?" (Sweetheart?) Her father took off his reading glasses and looked at the screen. "Eínai argá sto télos sas , eísai kalá ?" (It is late on your end, are you okay?) She knew with the time difference, it would be around ten in the morning there. It was around one in the morning where she was. She smiled and nodded her head, speaking softly.
"Mou leípeis , bampá ." (I miss you, papa.) She felt a tear in her eye and wiped it away, smiling again. "Skeftómoun gia ti mamá , kai póso mou leípei pára polý " (I was thinking about mama, and how much I miss her too.) She sniffled and tried to smile through it. Her father leaned forward and looked down a moment, then back up at her.
"Aftí tha eínai perífanoi gia ti gynaíka pou échoun gínei ." (She would be proud of the woman you have become.)
She felt even more guilty. All the traditions of their family dictated that a Greek woman was to remain pure until she was married, only to give that gift to her husband. She thought Nik might be that man, they...well, they didn't wait. He unfortunately had been killed and now she had fallen in love with Tolvin. Whom she was...sleeping with. She swallowed hard, smiling. "Sas efcharistó papa" (Thank you papa.) She thought for a moment and looked back at the screen.
"Tin epómeni forá pou tha kalésete, tha íthela na sas parousiásoume mia polý kalós mou fílos . Tha eínai próthymoi na... na na ton gnorísoume ?" (The next time I call you, I'd like to introduce you to a great friend of mine. Would you be willing to to get to know him? )
Her father knit his brows and she swallowed nervously, waiting. "Énas fílos ? Léte óti ... eínai af̱tós , íso̱s , perissótero apó ó, ti éna fílo ?" (A friend? You say he...is he perhaps, more than a friend?)
She shifted nervously and chuckled, hiding her lie. She was a horrible liar. "Eínai ... eínai fílos , Papa . Aplá ... énas fílos ." (He's...he's a friend, Papa. Just...just a friend.)
Her father stared her down in that secret service sort of way he always did when trying to get more info and she avoided his eyes as much as possible. Finally he spoke. "polý kalá" (Very Well.) She only prayed her father kept an open mind. She smiled and nodded. "Tóra boreíte na xekourastoún, eínai argá glykó korítsi mou" (Now you rest, it is late my sweet girl)
She hated lying to him and hated that Tolvin didn't know all about her dad. But, really she just didn't exactly know how to explain it. Oh, yeah by the way my dad is this secret service guy who's sorta not all that way retired and he believes in traditions and no other way. She chewed on her thumb nail and smiled, nodding. She said her goodbyes and kissed her fingers then pressed them to the screen before disconnecting the call. She pulled her legs up to her chest and stared at the screen for a moment. She felt emotional, she felt bloated too. Maybe she'd go hunt down some chocolate until she could fall asleep, drown her worries with some Ben and Jerry's.
Setting up her laptop, she pulled her hair up into a ponytail and waited for it to connect. Once it did, she placed a call and waited again. She bit her lip nervously and fumbled with her hands.
"agapiménos?" (Sweetheart?) Her father took off his reading glasses and looked at the screen. "Eínai argá sto télos sas , eísai kalá ?" (It is late on your end, are you okay?) She knew with the time difference, it would be around ten in the morning there. It was around one in the morning where she was. She smiled and nodded her head, speaking softly.
"Mou leípeis , bampá ." (I miss you, papa.) She felt a tear in her eye and wiped it away, smiling again. "Skeftómoun gia ti mamá , kai póso mou leípei pára polý " (I was thinking about mama, and how much I miss her too.) She sniffled and tried to smile through it. Her father leaned forward and looked down a moment, then back up at her.
"Aftí tha eínai perífanoi gia ti gynaíka pou échoun gínei ." (She would be proud of the woman you have become.)
She felt even more guilty. All the traditions of their family dictated that a Greek woman was to remain pure until she was married, only to give that gift to her husband. She thought Nik might be that man, they...well, they didn't wait. He unfortunately had been killed and now she had fallen in love with Tolvin. Whom she was...sleeping with. She swallowed hard, smiling. "Sas efcharistó papa" (Thank you papa.) She thought for a moment and looked back at the screen.
"Tin epómeni forá pou tha kalésete, tha íthela na sas parousiásoume mia polý kalós mou fílos . Tha eínai próthymoi na... na na ton gnorísoume ?" (The next time I call you, I'd like to introduce you to a great friend of mine. Would you be willing to to get to know him? )
Her father knit his brows and she swallowed nervously, waiting. "Énas fílos ? Léte óti ... eínai af̱tós , íso̱s , perissótero apó ó, ti éna fílo ?" (A friend? You say he...is he perhaps, more than a friend?)
She shifted nervously and chuckled, hiding her lie. She was a horrible liar. "Eínai ... eínai fílos , Papa . Aplá ... énas fílos ." (He's...he's a friend, Papa. Just...just a friend.)
Her father stared her down in that secret service sort of way he always did when trying to get more info and she avoided his eyes as much as possible. Finally he spoke. "polý kalá" (Very Well.) She only prayed her father kept an open mind. She smiled and nodded. "Tóra boreíte na xekourastoún, eínai argá glykó korítsi mou" (Now you rest, it is late my sweet girl)
She hated lying to him and hated that Tolvin didn't know all about her dad. But, really she just didn't exactly know how to explain it. Oh, yeah by the way my dad is this secret service guy who's sorta not all that way retired and he believes in traditions and no other way. She chewed on her thumb nail and smiled, nodding. She said her goodbyes and kissed her fingers then pressed them to the screen before disconnecting the call. She pulled her legs up to her chest and stared at the screen for a moment. She felt emotional, she felt bloated too. Maybe she'd go hunt down some chocolate until she could fall asleep, drown her worries with some Ben and Jerry's.
