Read The English Lesson (The Greek Village Collection Book 11) for Free Online Page A

declared there was nothing wrong.
    She will take the stairs today. Her old legs have energy and besides, she does not want to lose this mood she is in by growing cross, or worse, hysterical, about being stuck in the lift. The cat investigates the lift and then springs up the stairs.
    The sound of multiple ticking grows louder as Toula nears the top.
    The chiming begins as she opens the upper door and without bothering to raise her voice to call out to Apostolis, she goes straight to the kitchen to make his snack. Five minutes later, after she has given the cat half a tin of tuna, they are eating in silence. At one point, she opens her mouth to tell him that she will be booking a ticket, but maybe it would be better if she bought the ticket first. Made it a fait accompli , as they say in France.
    'French,' she says aloud, helping herself to another thin slice of the feta and spinach pie that she made the night before.
    'Pardon?' Apostolis has a tendril of spinach hanging on his chin. He does not look up.
    'Nothing. I just thought of a word and it was French.'
    'Oh.' He turns the page of the magazine he is reading. He has been subscribing to this magazine about clocks for years. His rule about not reading at the table has never been upheld when his magazine arrives. Toula suspects that if it was her magazine, there would be stern looks and a brief word. But how does he even read them? His English back in school was never very good and he has had no reason to learn since. Only occasionally does she catch him running his finger under the script very slowly. When he becomes aware of her watching, he stops.
    It had better be a fait accompli . A done deal, as they say in England. Buy the tickets first. She swallows a mouthful of the thin red wine to stifle her excitement.
    After his snack, he retires to his study. His radio, which he always leaves on, is turned up louder than its usual low mumble. His door is open just a crack. Toula decides the bedroom phone would be more private. But in this decision, she becomes uncomfortably aware that she is trying to hide something. It is not a secret, so she does not go upstairs to use the phone. She goes upstairs to take off her earrings, which are pinching a little. It is just coincidence that she decides to call Alyssia whilst she is there.
    The bedsprings give as she sits. The cat appears, leaps onto the bed, and curls up on her knee.
    'Hello Alyssia?'
    'Ella Mama, ola kala ?'
    'I am well.' Toula decides to practice her English.
    'How is Baba?' Alyssia switches effortlessly from Greek to English and back again.
    'He is as always. I have the card from Katerina.' The cat’s fur is so silky and smooth.
    'Good, I will tell her. I am sorry you will not be able to come. She would so like it if she saw more of you and Baba, but I guess this is the life we have chosen.' Her laugh is like ice cubes against crystal to Toula's ears. Her spine straightens and she looks far beyond the crack of sunshine between the slats of the pale grey shutters, imagining her beautiful daughter, a woman of the world, living in London.
    'So I am not coming?' Toula teases her beloved offspring and rubs the cat’s nose.
    'Mama, I know how it is with Baba. It's okay. I will explain to Katerina how far away you are. Maybe if you got a computer, we could Skype?'
    'Well, I have a surprise to tell you. I am coming!' There, she is committed now. The quivering in her chest grows stronger but the lightness inside her head is wonderful. The cat jumps off.
    'What? How did you talk Baba into coming? Really, Mama? That is so wonderful. I will pick you up from the airport, of course. Do you have your times and dates yet? Come for a while, Mama. Do not come just for a few days. A week, no two, at least. How did you manage this with Baba?' Alyssia’s intake of breath fills the phone.
    'Your Baba, he is not coming. Baba, he does not know yet that I am coming.'
    'Oh.' Alyssia's deflation is as noisy as her earlier outburst was. How