Willa

Chapter Sixteen: A First *

"Pass the Bread Demitra" Calliope asks and her sister one year younger does just that.

Demitra is fairer than Calliope and Teddy, she has green eyes and blonde hair, that of her grandmother Maria tells me, but she is just as loud as the rest of the clan, including Thea who is twelve and equally as fair but with their parents darker brown eyes.

The Nomikos table was always full, not a chair left in the house that wasn't pulled up to it. Emma and I were sat on the uncomfortable garden chairs among a sea of Nomikos, young, old and the in between. There were twenty or so, loud and fast speaking family. Emma and I couldn't understand a word of anything.

I spoon some Stifado into my mouth and practically moan at the taste. "There will be some for Mary too" Maria calls over the crowd, smiling at me widely, before returning to her conversation with her sister. She knew my aunts loved her food, we frequented their restaurant regularly, which was slightly awkward now that I worked there. They would often turn up on date nights, on my shift days, and enjoy teasing me about it as I took their order.

Emma placed her hand next to mine on the table. I hesitated a little at the way her little finger brushed my hand.

Was that an accident, I considered, as I swallowed my mouthful. I looked up from her hand to find Calliope opposite me looking at me teasingly from behind her glass

I return the look as Teddy jumps onto my lap "can I sit here Willa" she asks.

I nod "of course Ted" i return, and I take a sip of my drink.

Emma leans in, her light strawberry blonde hair falling over my shoulder. "what's in this" she asks me, pointing at a dish in the middle of the table that bubbles at the edges of a white serving plate.

"It's a dead lamb" Teddy informs her matter of factly.

Emma frowns "oh" she says grimacing and dropping the serving spoon back into it.

"What an enticing description Theodora" I reply, holding her upon my lap as she traced her little hands over my arm. "Perhaps work on that descriptive delivery before you join the restaurant as wait staff"

Emma laughs, it is loud and takes her by surprise. She places her hand over her mouth to hide it. I find myself turn and smile at her, a slight surprised smile of my own, she was cute... oh she was cute... damn it.

***
"Kalinikta Willa and Emma" Maria called.

Calliope opened the front door for us "Goodnight Maria" I call back, before turning back to Calliope with my hands full of foil covered foods for Erica and Mary.

"Tomorrow... court three at two p.m...be there Jameson to have your butt thrashed..."

"Oh I will be there... to thrash yours" i rebuff and I walk out onto the front path, with Emma and Calliope whispering behind me. I flip around and glare at them suspiciously "what is this" I ask, pointing between them and waving my finger about.

Emma turns, and I catch sight of a grin she soon hides as she walks towards me. Her short mustard coloured sun dress is bellowing out in the breeze, revealing far too much thigh. I draw my eyes away, chastising myself internally for the inappropriate way they had taken in her beautiful figure.

"Saw that" Calliope calls.

I throw up a middle finger and cock an eyebrow "see you tomorrow" I return matter of factly.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do" she calls again as we walk side by side to the small car that Mary and Erica had let me borrow from them. Mary didn't much like driving, so she had been quite happy to make me her personal chauffeur whilst I wasn't busy. I had needed the driving practice, and in return, I could have the car.