Little Cherine Book 03 - BPost068
The girls were delighted. I could have spanked each and every little bum when they clapped, if not for the fear that the protector might attack me. When he heard them and saw their laughter he knew he had scored a point and sat back well satisfied with himself.
2071
I got my revenge when Savva arrived. He was startled and then saw Savva had his family with. He looked angry for a while and then suddenly laughed. The world stood still for me as I stared at him in amazement. He went to Savva.
“You are one of his Cherinians? So, you did not believe I was his father? I’m on drugs eh?” As Savva stared back, blushing slightly, my father stuck out his hand. They shook hands. “Thank you. I was in shock and you helped shock me back to reality.”
“You are not angry?”
“I’m certain my son called you and arranged it. I’m not certain he does not deserve to be put over my knee.” Savva (and others) grinned at the image.
I felt this might be a good time to tell him about our meeting John Smithson and promised that the girls will include in the telling all we learnt about him. “I wish I’d known of what you did for him when I was a child.” He did not answer me and changed the subject, but Cherine sent me her smile, showing me she is pleased by what she has sensed him emoting.
A while later, I noticed my father and Alki had moved off, to a corner of the sittingroom where the least of us were, with only Meli sitting within hearing, but obviously lost within her thoughts, to speak by themselves. To my loves and I, this was the same as being asked for privacy, so I involved myself with other conversations.
Alki was aware that Meli was listening to them, but my father was not; he hardly noticed her presence, for he was seeing a little girl of about five years old and was ignoring all he has learnt about us. Meli shared with me - and I hate to think of how my father would feel to know she has; at this time he is not yet used to the way sharing is a part of being a Cherinian.
Alki, it seems was in a mood to reminisce, though it may have also been partly a need to explain to my father. “Niko pressured his father into talking to me about his English friend. Elia knows me well enough to know that I will not employ an artist as a favour to him or anyone else. Apart from business reasons, I also have too great a love of art for me to prostitute it that way. When he came to speak to me, he brought with him some of Robert's art work, plus a number of urls for me to view his web art.
To Elia, I only showed interest in his web site work, but the truth is, I saw more promise in his private efforts. I could see that the company he was working for were allowing him to indulge himself at the cost of producing for their clients effective sites, and I felt that if he is willing to learn and allow me to teach him self-discipline, he has the talent to grow. It is perhaps the dream of any lover of the fine arts, that they will discover a new talent in a young person and influence them so that they grow and achieve their potential. I have found a few and mostly, to my regret, been forced to watch them succumb to the temptations society and big business lures them with.
When I met him, I was touched. Wilfred, from that first meeting, he showed respect and seemed to hang on to every word I uttered. I realised, or sensed, that he is starved for affection and will not react in a negative fashion to my patriarchal way of running my business. The truth is, as I realised once I came to know him better, your absence during his childhood and the soft kindness of Elia made him susceptible to any male adult who is willing to treat him as a son.”
“If that is so, then he was lucky to come across such a father figure as you - others of a more selfish temperament could have led him astray.”
Alki shook his head slightly, “Wilfred, I was speaking of first impressions, once I came to know your son better, I realised that he is not as soft and vulnerable as he seems. He is very vulnerable, but only to those he trusts and respects…if I had been selfish or tried to corrupt him in any way, I believe he would have walked away. Especially if I was asking him to betray his greatest love - his art.
For many months I was deeply puzzled by Robert. My interest in his private art showed, so he did not treat me as just his boss, he would bring any work of his he was feeling proud of and ask me for my opinion. I was honest, dashing his pride more often than not, but I saw that he does listen to criticism and tries to learn from it, that he was growing in his abilities, and therefore I was happy to make the effort to help him - Wilfred, I only hoped to influence him in his technical abilities, I felt that he is still too young for him to achieve a style of creativity all his own, I believed he needed to work at it for a few more years and he must do so on his own, influenced only by his own talent and dreams, the English word visions is more apt. Unfortunately he was not given the time to achieve anything close to his potential, as I’ll explain just now.
2072
During the first months, his work for me showed he was suffering, any spark of creativity I had expected of him was seemingly being extinguished by his need to produce the kind of work he thought I need. I worried that he was allowing his fellow workers to influence his efforts and is deliberately stifling all that is best in him. I made patience, hoping he will outgrow his wish to be the same as the others.
Even at that time your son was to show me he has the ability to catch me by surprise. He asked for a meeting and I agreed, ordering the chief of his department to join us. The first thing he told me is that he wishes to resign. In that stiff and puritanical way he has, he informed me he is not a team player.
I admit I was puzzled, as I thought I had been encouraging him to express his individuality and to express his own spark of creativity. He then accused his superior of altering all his artwork, changing whatever is original and of importance to him in his designs, so that it becomes mechanical and lifeless, only technically competent. He hardly had to show me his original work for me to recognise the truth in his allegations, but he came well prepared, with both versions of his work on a DVD for me to examine and see the truth for myself.
His overseer angrily resigned and I allowed him to leave our company, even providing him with a carefully worded recommendation so as to prevent him asking to remain with us.
The next day I asked Robert to join me for lunch, which is not something I usually do with any of my staff. He said two things that impressed me. When asked what was wrong with the alterations made to his artwork, he told me that they had not been spoilt, in a technical sense, but that the man had killed the soul of his artwork. I reminded him that we are a commercial venture and I will need to tailor his work to that which will serve our customers the best. He agreed, but insisted that he be allowed to produce the best work he can, since it is also what the customers are paying for.
I offered him the position now vacated by his previous head of the art department, but he refused me. He even had the temerity to advise me as to what kind of person I should employ!” Alki chuckled, but my father only stared at him.
“He asked me not to employ anyone with artistic aspirations, that I should rather look for someone who is a good manager and has experience in working with artists and has the ability to help them grow and produce the best they can.
I think that on that day, within that hour, it was when I began to love your son as the son I had always wished I could have had.”
My father did not immediately react to what was being confided, he took his time, thinking about what he had been told for a couple of minutes. Alki used this time to ask Marian to deliver them another drink.
“I get the feeling that you are not just gossiping about the past, that you have a reason for telling me what you just did.”
Alki nodded. “A couple. First of all, it is very tempting for all of us, because of Robert trying to drum it into us, to think of his exceptional powers as coming from Cherine. I wanted to help you see that your son was an exceptional man from before his meeting Cherine. The other reason is born out of my own surprise every time I think of it. All that I saw as weaknesses in Roberto, they have turned out to be the very qualities that make him the ideal leader for a people like we Cherinians hope to become.
I suppose there is also a third reason, one that costs my heart more than I sometimes feel I can bear. Wilfred, for your son to be our protector and leader, he is sacrificing that which was his greatest gift and love before he met Cherine - he is an artist and I have seen a few paintings of his which hint at a great talent. The loss to mankind of that talent, it is something my heart grieves for, even though he is leading all of mankind, even alien species, to a new future that will improve life for everyone and rid us of the worst excesses of our darker side.”
I felt embarrassed at having shared from Meli their conversation, but at the same time, my heart was deeply touched. Luckily Meli was able to ease my troubled conscience by assuring me that Alki has long wished to let me know what I learnt by eavesdropping, and she sensed he was pleased she was listening, in the hope that she’ll share with me.
Once I sensed that those who had been asked to come had all arrived, I set aside my emotions and thoughts for wallowing in later and explained, for our new members, about the experiment and it’s effect on crime.
2073
“I’m not going to talk anymore, what you will feel and see will explain itself. I envy you. The first time, it is a miracle.” I looked at Alki and he smiled, also recalling the yacht. “I’m sorry. Even now it is a miracle. Perhaps the miracle of it only grows on you.”
We all felt Alice when Cherine brought her in, but when my father was brought in there was no flow of love, but something came, I’m not certain what. As the circle glowed and became stronger, Dommi nudged me and I looked at her. With a nod of her head she got me to look at my father and I saw tears running down his cheeks. Cherine must have sensed something for she tried to draw from him again and suddenly the dam burst and we felt all that which he hid so carefully in his heart. I did not need all eyes staring at me to know I was sobbing. The golden circle grew even more powerful as Wendy sang and then it expanded, carrying it’s glad message to thousands around us.
Okay, so the golden circle showed me that I had loved him all this time and been hurt by him. I did not understand why I would have cared for this horrible man. Being my father did not seem like reason enough.
Snacks had been prepared and everyone had drinks or coffee. The break we took was longer than usual and then a space was cleared in the centre and the girls sat impassively, waiting for us to settle down. I sat where I would be able to see my father, but pulled Bernie and Jodine to me. Suddenly I whispered to them and they scampered away and brought Orshiir and Solace. They sat within my arms and I felt their love. It was a good clean feeling and I too sent them back my adoration of them. They squirmed to get even closer and then the girls began.
They spared us nothing. Meli telling the story with words, Wendy with emoting-music and Jade with pictures directly into our minds so that it was as if we stood within the scene. They went into details that explained all the important points very clearly and it was morning by the time they finished. They were forced to stop twice during my lessons by their audience. Perhaps the comment my father had made earlier encouraged them, but they disobeyed me, showing the full story, including the loving and marrying of my sister and daughters. They did try to explain it in such a way that all will see I could not have done otherwise, but by now I know how prejudice can blind us. I did not say anything though, what has happened has happened and we will have to bear the consequences.
My father sat through it mostly with a look of disbelief. At a certain point he realised there is no way this could be a fabrication and he looked totally absorbed. As he watched me smashed, dying, tortured, his face became cold and hard. We all felt it though. He was like that because he was struggling to control his pain.
This storytelling had been so different from any before that everyone, even Alki and Marian, were subdued and they all left quietly. Savva, unbelievably, has gone back to his hero-worship, which means I will have to be foolish again.
We all went to our bedrooms without words being spoken, but when I went to my father to tell him to sleep as late as he wanted, he took my hand and held it for a long time. I ended up not saying anything, just looking into his eyes.
“I think your father is going to prove that I can be wrong Robert. I felt he could never be a Cherinian, that we were only taking him in because of you.”
“Cherine, people change. Goodnight my loves.”
I had decided that Orshiir and Solace must not always be together and held Orshiir and my little Jade, my sweet female mirror image, and slipped off into a dreamless sleep.
When we went for breakfast I saw my father sitting and I could not tell if he had slept. His face was drawn and his eyes had darkened.
“Son, will you ask your mother to come here please?”
I took a chance and did so.
She sat herself opposite him and I’m certain that seeing him young again, that tight aloof coldness gone, must have reminded her of when she fell in love with him. Her face was serene as she looked back at him.
2074
“I did not know about your daughter Rose, that she was killed. I owe you many apologies. I not only owe you apologies for what I did to you, but also for what I did to our son. I saw a lot of you in him and that made me turn away from him. I cannot undo the past and you have found a new life. At least we owe this to Robert. He has given us both a new opportunity to live our lives correctly this time. Whenever I feel tempted in the future to close myself off again, I swear, I will remember you and prevent myself from doing so.”
“He has taken away my pain Wilfred. He brought my Laura back.”
“Yes, and married her.” His face became cold again and then he shut his eyes. “I’m sorry. Robert, I owe you an apology too. Even after all you did for me, all you showed me, I had no respect for you, saw you as pathetic. I see now that I could not accept that my son has grown up with all the weaknesses I saw in his mother and has become a bigger and better man than I will ever be. There are certain parts of your life I do not understand and find despicable, but I think you expected that. The greatness in you however is not diminished by them. I had no idea that you could be what you have become.”
“I’m not really interested in apologies dad. All I want or need from you is to feel, even if just once, that you did or do love me. That will turn all that is bitter in my heart back to sweetness.”
He laughed. “You talk like that son and you sound like one of those sensitive gay men - what do they call them now, Trans? Then I have to remind myself that this is the Robert, the one who went through so much for what he believes in. I can tell you that I love you, but I need time to show it. Do I have that time? Even if my face turns sour when I see you holding a daughter of yours, a granddaughter of mine?”
“I cannot give you forever dad. Would two hundred years be enough?”
As everyone laughed he shook his head. “I wish I knew where that silly sense of humour of yours comes from.”
My mother smiled, her eyes even warmer than usual. “Maybe Wilfred, you should look back and remember yourself as you were before we went to Kenya?”
I feel a certain peace within me now. I think I can look back and sorrow for the young boy, but also let go the bitterness. I can feel we will never be close, we are too different. However, I also know that he will be there at every storytelling and maybe one day I will feel what I’ve asked for, given freely. If not, maybe in our next lives. As for my humour, perhaps one day he will understand that I often use it to hide, instead of becoming cold.
Alice went for her examination in London, protesting that it was no longer necessary, that she truly believes in us, but I do not want a shadow of doubt to ever cross her mind. They have decided to get married in January, on my birthday. They asked if I mind, as they want to always be reminded at each anniversary that I made it possible for them to come together. I suggested that if that is the reason, they should get married on the birthday of Cherine. What they owe, if anything, is to her, without her our lives would have been so different. Somehow I doubt they will listen to me.
The three little monsters from the void made no secret of their joy when they were able to tell us they are expecting. I worried how they will stay for so long here. Are they also going to miss the wedding? What about the organising of the release of the souls? Is Solomon never needed?
They bubbled with excitement as they explained that they can now leave their bodies and visit the void. That brought up another puzzle for me.
“You have seen how when we are expecting a child and it acquires a soul, the mother holds the soul within her. Solomon, your souls are so very different from ours - if the soul of our baby is like ours, will you be able to hold it in the void?”
“Of course I will. How do we hold so many souls Robert? I will have to learn to override my instincts and allow her out to dance with all of you.”
It was like a light bulb went on in my mind. “Was that deliberate Solomon? Are you telling me you are all having daughters?”
“We would not dare to have a son while your wives do not.”
2075
“The two of you might like to be reminded that the day of our wedding is also the birthday of Samantha, our friend of aliens. That was one of the reasons I agreed to this date. It is fitting that the first children that stand as living proof of the ties between us join us in matrimony on her birthday. The truth is that without her we may never have become friends. I will speak to my wives, but this is what I wish. Usually at our weddings, the new brides are married to me and then all the girls. I think it would be appropriate for them to first marry Samantha and I will stand with the other girls. Does that meet with your approval.”
“Robert, you will be elevating Sam above yourself in the eyes of our people. It will cause a lot of confusion.”
“Then you may explain to them that if there are those who are higher than me and others who are lower, first and highest to me are my wives, then all my friends, Earth, Sparkler, Anadir and Gillian and then last of all Robert. If I find any lower, I’ll let you know.”
I wanted to do something for my father, so I called and arranged for us to visit and we aimed for the home of John Smithson. I did not warn John that I will be bringing my father with us. He first greeted Marian and my loves, then Alki and I. Only then did he look to be introduced to those he does not know. He politely smiled as he glanced at my father, and then his eyes widened as he froze for a moment.
“Wilfred Teller, good God, you look as if your son kidnapped you from the ship we travelled in…I’m pleased to see you.” He shook his hand. “I hope we have time to talk after Robert is finished with us.”
This must have been the first time Dad tried out his Cherinian gifts. He turned to me, “Why isn’t he a Cherinian?”
John answered for me. “Wilfred, they have offered, but until my friend Feizal can also accept, I cannot in good conscience become a Cherinian.”
“Nonsense! If he is attacked, as a Cherinian you can protect him.” Dommi led my father away, with the excuse he has some people he must meet.
I grinned. “Well John, at least you’ll have to admit I was tactful, even though the facts were staring us in the face.” I raised my hand. “It might not make sense, but were I in your shoes, I too would refuse.” I pulled out a small brochure I had prepared for Dad and handed it to John. “My father died and I brought him back - which is why he is a Cherinian now. When I mentioned I’ve met you and may soon be meeting you, I had to promise to extend his invitation - he has purchased a bar in Cyprus and would like to meet you again.” I grinned. “He was very surprised to hear that we’ve met.” I sent to Dommi that she should try to keep my father away from us for a few more minutes.
“He does not cause problems for your mother?”
“None, it hurts him to see her, so he intends staying permanently in Cyprus. I guess he’ll hardly ever comes to visit us. Even for Cherinians, life can be messed up.”
“I am very pleased that you unbent and brought him back…”
With a straight face, I told him, “I didn’t exactly just bring him back - I first killed him…I had to use my healer to stop his heart.” My warped sense of humour was both satisfied with sensing his reaction and the fury of my loves. I laughed and then explained.
He shook his head. “I don’t understand how Cherine can love you…it should have been impossible for her to fall in love with you - you have a sadistic sense of humour.”
I grinned. “Maybe I’m an acquired taste - like Chinese sweet and sour pork?”
“Never could eat that stuff.”
“John, on a more serious vein, we are slowly assimilating the ex-talented employees of the Mansfield organisation. We are choosing who we want, according to the way Cherine feels about them, and with the return of their psychic gifts we are including a few they will need as Cherinians - for instance, empathy. We need to find a way for your men to identify them so that they are not attacked, should they visit Dubai or meet elsewhere.”
2076
He nodded. “The problem goes far beyond that. They do not know all your Cherinians, and as they grow in number, it will be impossible to arrange that they all know each other. However, if our men sense they have psychic powers or gifts, they might attack them.”
The problem might have sounded insurmountable, but it did not feel impossible to me. I had been careful to keep my mind closed to my loves, not because I don’t want them to share, but because I want to test our Sammy. I sent, asking her to join us. I then repeated what we had just spoken of and asked whether she can find a reasonable solution.
She gave me a nod and asked John, “Do you mind?” He reassured her, so she then asked, “Do Feizal and his men want such a solution?”
He was unprepared for her question and paused to consider it. “Feizal, yes, definitely. As for his men, it never occurred to me to question their feelings on this.”
“After the attack by the others, I feel it is important Feizal is more open with them, so that he binds them more tightly to him. John, loyalty and trust must flow both ways, or else resentments will build up, destroying whatever is good between them.”
“I agree. What, in particular, do you feel he should be more open about?”
“Rather than ask ‘what’, I’d rather ask, ‘about who’.” She grabbed my arm. “Robert, we cannot arrange for the Cherinians to be easily identified by a badge or anything silly like that, we have to reverse our thinking so that as we grow into the thousands, we instantly know each other and are recognised by those who are our friends, but are not Cherinians.
I was going to suggest we educate the men about us Cherinians; they must learn what we represent for the future of mankind. Then it struck me, we have not done so with our own Cherinians, so this may be the perfect opportunity to teach them, plus Feizal and his men, plus us, of our family, even you and Cherine.” She bit her lower lip. “The clearer we are in our own minds about who we want to be, the more likely it is that we shall succeed in becoming something closer to what we dream Cherinians will become.”
John obviously felt uncomfortable about his answer to what she told us, but felt compelled to warn us. “This might not be a good time to ask the men to meet with you, there are a lot of mixed feelings among them. Perhaps we should give them time to calm…”
Sam cut in, “I’m sorry to interrupt you John, I think you are wrong. Why do you think there are mixed feelings among men so loyal to Feizal? Isn’t part of the reason due to them being asked to protect us? Aren’t they wondering whether we are monsters, or that maybe the imam who set the others against Feizal and us, might be right, that he might know something more about what we are, than they do?
Do not ask them to meet with us so as to learn about us, it will only cause a number of minds to be shut to any truths we try to help them see. Instead, let Feizal ask that they meet us so that we search for a way to avoid attacks. Once we are together, it can be pointed out that the only way they can identify any Cherinian, even those they have never met before, is by knowing what drives us, what our dreams are, and why it should make us feel different to those who only wish to use their powers to gain mastery over all of mankind.
By the way, I trust that both you and Feizal have realised that there will be talents who discover their powers on their own and try to use them for their own benefit? It means we, and all of you, must always remain vigilant and ready to protect ourselves and the entire world.”
Poor John. When I asked Sam to help us find a way, he’d thought of me as the typical father who wants to show off his little girl. She soon set him straight - heck, I think I can say she also set me straight. I never expected her to find an answer so quickly. I’m ecstatic.
Feizal arrived and after greeting us and exchanging a few pleasantries, John drew him to another room so as to discuss with him our thoughts. About an hour later, John came out on his own and told us, “Feizal wishes to discuss it with his father. We phoned him and he’ll be arriving in about half an hour. Can you wait? It would also give me time to arrange for food and drinks…being a bachelor I have nothing on hand.” We agreed to wait and thanked him.
2077
We ended up waiting one and a half hours and I noticed that it embarrassed John, but not Feizal. We enjoyed the platters of food and I encouraged John to sit apart with my father and talk. The difference in Dad is too obvious for anyone who knew him to miss, and John was soon relaxed and talking two a dozen. I find it strange that anyone can like him, but I am also glad he does. I hope he often visits Dad at his pub in Cyprus, at least until he has more acquaintances to keep him company.
The father of Feizal arrived and as he is more formal than his son is, it took us longer to get to the point where we discuss ‘business’. I soon realised he has had time to think on our proposals, that Feizal must have discussed the matter with him on the phone, which explains why he took so long to arrive.
“My most important question is this - how does being a Cherinian affect your religious beliefs? Do you still believe in the religions of your fathers?”
I glanced at my father, before replying. “My father is a Catholic, as is my mother. As for myself, I stopped believing in any god long before meeting Cherine. Because most of the Cherinians, at present, are Greek, I would say that not only are they Greek Orthodox, but also continue to believe. Cherinianism is not a religion sir, it is only a name given to ourselves in honour of Cherine. She, herself, is Church of England. As for Moslems, Alki and Marian, who as you know is the mother of Cherine, adopted a baby boy from Iraq and they gave an undertaking to raise the boy in the religion of his forefathers. The promise has been kept, as can easily be verified by you contacting the imam in Athens.”
His eyes, and those of his son, turned to look at Alki and Marian. He gave a nod, which was obviously a gesture of respect and his son mimicked him. “This was not known to us and it is bound to open many hearts. Is it possible to meet the child?”
“The child is not a Cherinian; both his mother and father wish him to remain a normal child for as long as possible. Since my protector and all Cherinians are aware of the children, they are kept healthy by our healers and any of us would sacrifice our lives to save them, should they be threatened.”
“Still, to tell our people that the brother of Cherine herself is of Islam! Mr and Mrs Georgiades, today you have given us a great gift.”
Alki shook his head. “My wife and I, we are the ones who have been given the greatest gift. Having a child to love, it is what is important, and we learn from him, for he returns from his lessons filled with enthusiasm and questions. With knowledge comes understanding and with understanding, fear and mistrust fades. Our lives are richer now in so many ways.”
I could sense that their minds are in a turmoil, they have really been shaken by what they have learnt. Actually, to tell the truth, I had not given any thought to the fact that Cherine’s brother will be a Moslem and had forgotten to consider how it will affect others. I sensed Samantha and turned to look at her, causing everyone else to do the same. Her cheeks flushed slightly, but Cherine put her hand in Sam’s and it gave her the courage to speak.
“Feizal, it is more natural for one as young as I am to respectfully listen and learn from one as wise as your father, so I ask, may I be permitted to speak of those matters his question implied, since my father has already answered the direct meaning of the question?”
“We would be honoured to listen to you, Samantha. You have seen unasked questions within the question my father posed?”
Sam smiled. “It is true of most questions. For instance, if I return form school and ask, ‘Is the food ready?’, I have asked the obvious question, to which I may receive the answer that it is, or that it is not. However, any mother knows that the question also implies that I am hungry and asking because I want to eat.” Feizal and his father both nodded in agreement, perhaps also struck by how the facts of her answer are usually ignored because they are so obvious.
“There was, many years ago, I believe he was born in 1883 and died in 1930, a writer whose books, such as The Prophet and Broken Wings, give me the feeling the author could have become a Cherinian if he lived now. I’d like to use him so as to illustrate the point I want to make. Khalil Gibran…”
Feizal gasped. “You know of him!? You say you have read his books? I apologise, please continue.” The brightness in his eyes as he stared at her made Sam blush and as she bit her lower lip, she allowed her hair to cover her face for a moment.
“We have learnt that the human mind has maybe a million doors, with most of them closed to us. Ludwig Beethoven was born with a door open that turned him into a musical genius. Khalil Gibran was born with a different door open and it enabled him to write his amazing books. Feizal was born with different doors open to him, as was John. The only difference between all of them and Cherine is that her door is the door to the gift of empathy and by Cherine linking to other minds, thanks to the link and a little help, it enables Normals to open doors within their own minds - especially once they have opened the door to empathy within themselves.
2078
It is rather confusing having your men react to us being Cherinians, as if our name declares us to be monsters, but I also believe that naming ourselves so that we became a group, hence opening ourselves to the possibility of being categorised by those who do not truly understand us, is partly to blame. From the first, when there were only two, Cherine and Robert, an important part of who and what they are was their expectations of the way the other will think and conduct themselves. As we grew in number, with some of us from the other side of the world, it was felt as a need that we sort of formalise our expectations without setting down rules and laws. In other words, we had to become family. To give ourselves descriptive names, such as The Talents, would not have been worthy of us. Naming ourselves after Cherine was perhaps the wisest thing we could have done, but at the same time, we are bound to find, over the coming years, that many times we will be misunderstood and feared because we named ourselves, making it obvious we are family.”
Sam grinned at me. “You know how in Greece women are beginning to keep their family name when they marry, hyphenating their name so that they honour both their fathers’ name and that of their husband? What if all of us stop thinking of ourselves as a group called the Cherinians, but instead, pappou Alki and Marian become Mr and Mrs Georgiades-Cherinian. We become, Mr and Mrs Teller-Cherinian…and so on for all of us?”
I nodded. “Point taken, my love, but it is unwieldy, so I think we’ll stick to naming ourselves, as a group or family, the Cherinians, without altering our surnames.” I looked at the proud way Cherine sat by Samantha, saw and felt how affected everyone has been by her, especially our hosts, but I held back the main force of my feelings for when we are back at home and alone as a family.
“It has been suggested that we ask our men to join us in a meeting with all the Cherinians for the purpose of learning how to identify each other, even should we recruit new men or you link and grow the number of Cherinians. I have told my son that I approve the proposal and I will join him in explaining to our men and inviting them to join us in such a meeting.”
There was some social chitchat, so that we can feel as if we have behaved like civilised people, with my father inviting John to the opening of his pub and, with tummies full and hearts greatly eased by what has been achieved, we returned home.
We were soon left on our own, even my father showing some tact and withdrawing to his bedroom, so we were soon free to help Samantha feel exactly how impressed we are by her and just how much she is loved. I think we failed in both efforts, but we all enjoyed trying. J
I should turn back the clock for a moment, as I did not take the time to describe how my father found/created the pub he is opening.
Dad was offered a pub in Limassol, close to the park where they have a mini zoo. He likes it because he can see the bright blue of the sea from his front door. It is not in a tourist area, so I expect he’ll never get too busy, but since Limassol has quite a decent sized British population of pensioners, he should be busy enough to enjoy it.
Keeping in mind what John had told us about my father when he was young, I tried to sense any stress or fear of running his own business, but he feels more excited than stressed.
“Let’s go for a drink - you do drink other things than coffees?”
He was walking away from the pub, so I asked, “Shouldn’t we have our drink in the pub you are buying? I’ll have a beer, if they have a pilsner.”
“No, Robert, I prefer to check the competition and I want to meet some of their customers. I’d like to hear what is their opinion of the pub I’m buying and why they are not there.”
I nodded. “A good idea. Now that I think of it, Henry mostly lives in Limassol and he enjoys a drink now and then - maybe he can find out what his local friends think of the pub.”
Being mid-afternoon, when most Cypriots are still at work, we were not surprised to find that most of the customers are foreign pensioners. A rather large and fat man with a beautiful head of pure white hair sat at a table by himself, whereas the other tables were crowded.
Dad asked him, “May we share your table”
2079
“I am expecting friends, but they will be arriving in about an hour, would that suit you?”
“Of course, Robert, sit, I’ll order the drinks…er, could we stand you a round?” He wanted a beer and dad left. I reminded myself that I must never refer to him as dad or father, as it would sound odd, what with him looking younger than me. Perhaps I should have helped him control his healer so as to look a bit more mature, but now it will only cause talk if I help him change his age.
The old guy seems to know all the British expatriates, as he calls them, and when asked about the other pub he provided a number of reasons why it is not popular. I had to remind my father, directly, to monitor the old man’s emoting as he speaks, so that he has a clearer understanding of his reasons for speaking as he does.
When we left, I asked dad to take me to the pub he wants to buy. When I asked for it, the owner reluctantly pulled out an exercise book and handed it to me. I found the pages I was expecting to find and handed the book to my father, with the relevant pages open. He hardly needed to see the comment at the end of the account.
Once we were outside, he asked, “How did you know? Did you spy on his thoughts?”
“No, I did not. Dad, I’ve been a foreigner in Greece for a number of years and the pub owners there have the same problems as those you’ll visit here. Their regular foreign customers ask for a bit of credit and soon the amount grows and the customer moves elsewhere once his credit line is cut off. Dad, may I ask you a question?”
His eyes bored into mine. “For you to be asking, it means I won’t like it - go ahead.”
“Do you really want your regulars to all be elderly? They’ll nurse their drinks so as to stay for hours and they’ll bore you with their stories - which they’ll tell you again and again. Why not start a new pub, a little bit outside of town and try to attract a younger set of customers? It will certainly be fun…and that should be an important reason for going to work each day.” I grinned. “It is also easier to refuse the young, when they ask for credit, since they don’t expect you to agree.”
I was almost tempted to check that I am not in an alternate reality when my father decided to take my advice!
It took a few months for the licence to be issued and the building, a barn, to be converted and I sometimes joined my father as he worked, doing a lot of the physical labour himself. I mostly concentrated on whatever painting needed to be done and, when he agreed, I created a number of full wall paintings, trying to give a feeling of sun, sea and happy youth enjoying themselves. Hidden within my paintings were a couple of Kaleidoscope Worlds, but I doubt they will be noticed by anyone.
One morning, I arrived with two mugs of cappuccino. My father stopped working to sit by me and he talked about a few small changes he wanted to make. As far as I am concerned, my role is only to be supportive of whatever he wants, so I encouraged him to make the alterations, reminding him that there is no target date set for the opening. As I was talking, his phone rang.
“John, good to hear from you.”
“Yes…actually, Robert is here, with me. Wait a moment while I ask him.” He then told me, “Feizal asks whether you would be free to meet with them at their camp, on Saturday, at about ten in the morning, their time. He says that if the girls don’t wish to come, could you ask Samantha to go with you. He has also asked me to come with, though I think my presence is only meant to be of a social nature.”
I confirmed my agreement and when he closed the phone I pulled a face. Typical of him, he didn’t ask, he just sat staring at me, waiting for me to explain if I want to.
“I should have made you look older. Part of his problem, I think, is that his men think I am only as old as I look and they do not like it when I speak. With you there as a middle-aged man, you could have spoken for me.”
He smiled. “Since a little girl will be speaking for you, I don’t think your age will matter.” I saw a little bit of wonder in his eyes as he added, “Her age will not matter, neither will her sex, even though they are Arabs. I don’t know where she gets it from, certainly not from you or me, but when she starts to talk, she has…presence!”
2080
I grinned. “Don’t say anything like that to her.”
“Why not?”
“She is afraid of me…I keep asking her to take over the Cherinians from me and if she hears you speak like that of her, she’ll be terrified that I’ll use your opinion of her as an excuse to make her our leader.” If he saw nothing else in my eyes, I’m certain he must have seen the love that burns so brightly in me as I told him, “She really is something…”
Saturday morning, I warned my loves, “I just checked on the internet and the temperature today is expected to be about forty six degrees - inland by the camp, it should be hotter. If you come with, you are going to suffer.” I’m so glad I’m not an insecure person, for they all gave no sign of hearing me.
After the private greetings and chitchat, we were taken to the main tent, where all the men were waiting. I noticed that none of them were wearing weapons and wondered whether they were told by Feizal not to, or whether they themselves chose not to, as a sign of hospitality.
I had been endlessly running through my mind various efforts at the speech I should make to convince the men that Cherinians are good, so, when Feizal spoke, I was only half listening, for I still had not settled on how I should best convince them.
“Out of courtesy to our guests, our discussions must be held in English. If anyone who wishes to speak cannot express himself to his own satisfaction, the words may be spoken in our tongue, but then the speaker must be patient, for they must first be translated into English.
It may distress us to speak of what happened during their previous visit, but I am being compelled to do so by Robert Teller and his family - not by any demand of his, but by the presence of all his children. When I saw them, it suddenly struck me that none of us would bring our children to such a meeting, if it were to be held in Greece, at a place of their choosing. Their trust in us is what compels me to speak more directly than I am comfortable with…in addition, for us, the English language is also not capable of expressing our thoughts as delicately or beautifully, for none of us speak it as fluently as we speak our own language.
You all know John Smithson, for to many of us he is a brother in our hearts - for has he not fought at our side for so many years like a true friend and warrior?. His loyalty and love of our people has made him a loved figure throughout our country. He passed on to me messages from Robert Teller, asking for a meeting with you - I stress, the meeting requested is not with me or my father.
I met with him, so as to politely explain to him the reasons why such a meeting would not be welcomed by any of you, nor by myself, but then I was given information that I am convinced you would want to be informed of, for considering before making your final decision.
I have given a lot of thought to what I am going to say and I ask that you listen with open minds to the person who is to speak to you - yes, I have decided that it should not be Robert Teller who speaks for the Cherinians, for the mind which offered me the information was not his, it was offered by Samantha Teller, his daughter. I do not do this lightly, for I know I make it more difficult for you, since she is a child, but when she speaks, I tell you, it is not a child who speaks, it is a person of great wisdom.
Samantha Teller, will you speak to us, as you spoke at our last meeting?”
Sam came to her feet, willing to try, but I felt my heart sink. I was certain Feizal chose to ask her to speak as a deliberate attempt to ensure his men will not change their minds, for though they are good men, they too, just as I, are slaves of their culture. I was certain that not one of them will be willing to change his mind because of the words or reasoning of a female child.
Samantha stared directly at the men and her voice was strong and clear - as she greeted them in their language, “This indeed is an honour and I thank you for making an exception for my sake. Feizal and all of you have caught me by surprise, for even men of my country would not listen to a female child. It reminds me of a story about a father walking in the mountains of Greece with his son and little daughter. As they are clambering over rocks, the father puts out his hand to hold to a rock as he climbs and his little daughter calls out to him, ‘Father, stop, there is a snake on the rock.’ The father ignores her and grabs at the rock and the startled snake bites him. The father, in agony, as the venom spreads like fire inside him, turns to his son and shouts at him, ‘Why didn’t you warn me about the snake? You have caused my death!’ The poor son, distraught with grief, cries out, ‘But I did not see the snake father, my sister did and she warned you.’”
I hope you enjoy reading this story of fantasy, adventure and love - and should some of it be true for our reality, I hope you will love our Cherine.
Αλέξανδρος Ζήνον Ευσταθίου
(Alexander Zenon Eustace)21st September, 2019
* posted on Steemit: 21st September, 2019
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