“ Impressive, isn’ t it?” Larry grinned.“ The whole city is like that. One big beautiful ruin.”
They passed a large park in the center of the city with dancing fountains in the middle. Hundreds of tables with green and orange poles lined the park, and the air above them was carpeted with blue awnings.
“ That’ s Constipation Square,” Larry said.“ What?”
“ Its real name is Constitution Square. People sit at those tables all day drinking Greek coffee and watching the world go by.”
On almost every block there were outdoor cafés, and on the corners men were selling freshly caught sponges. Everywhere flowers were sold by vendors, and their booths were a rage of violently colored blossoms.
“ The city is so white,” Catherine said.“ It’ s dazzling.”
The hotel suite was large and charming, overlooking Syntagma Square, the large square in the center of the city. In the room were beautiful flowers and an enormous bowl of fresh fruit.
“ I love it, darling,” Catherine said, going around the suite. The bellboy had put her suitcases down and Larry tipped him.“ Parapolee,” the boy said.“ Parakalo,” Larry replied. The bellboy left, closing the door behind him.
Larry walked over and put his arms around Catherine.“ Welcome to Greece.” He kissed her hungrily, and she felt the hardness of his body pressing into the softness of hers and she knew how much he had missed her and she was glad. He led her into the bedroom.
On the dressing table was a small package.“ Open it,” Larry told her.
Her fingers tore the wrapping apart and in a small box inside was a tiny bird carved in jade. As busy as he was, Larry had remembered, and Catherine was touched. Somehow the bird was a talisman, an omen that everything was going to be all right, that the problems of the past were finished.
As they made love, Catherine said a little prayer of gratitude, thankful to be in the arms of the husband whom she loved so much, in one of the most exciting cities in the world, starting out on a new life. This was the old Larry, and all their problems had only made their marriage stronger.
Nothing could hurt them now.
The next morning Larry arranged for a real-estate agent to show Catherine some