Meet Me In Greece

It was Mrs. Bertha Walsh's last dying wish to spend the remaining days of her life with her family at home and not in a foster care. The eighty-nine year old woman who suffered from Alzheimer's, had been a widow for ten years now and often forgot many things. She lived with her daughter, the mother of her three lovely granddaughters and who would kiss her goodbye whenever they leave home for work and school-and whose names she could barely remember. Though the disease corrupted most of her memory, there were still two things Mrs. Walsh would never forget and that no illness could creep it out of her. It was her eldest granddaughter Laura and the man called Luis.

The seventeen year old Laura was the only one who knew about her grandmother's so-called secrets which every night she get to listen. Whenever it's time for their bedtime stories, Laura would prepare her extended patience in hearing the same thing over and over again-and most of it she just didn't believe. She thought that they were all just made-up. Her grandma would tell her about the unfortunate fate of a black man who fell in love with a white woman. Because the world wasn't ready yet to embrace the unacceptable bond between the two different races, the man had to be beaten up to death to permanently part him from his love. Mrs. Walsh claimed to have seen the crime herself but she couldn't remember who exactly the man was. There were also times when she couldn't even recall telling such story whenever Laura would ask more about it. And so she had the impression that it was just the disease causing her grandma to imagine and believe things sometimes.

Another favorite story that excite the old woman and loved to tell Laura every single night, and always made her smile, her wrinkling face would blush like it was just the first time she had ever tell it was how deeply in love she once was. There's a man she called Luis who had nothing to give but flowers and his love. He was not rich unlike the other guys in town but he was the only one who had ever make her feel special without even touching her. Unfortunately, Bertha's parents wouldn't approved of him because he was financially incapable to match with their family's reputation of wealthy politicians. But their love was way too strong that despite the threats, they managed to continuously exchange letters and kept each other warm. They once ran away to Greece one summer, an idea of Bertha. She had to persuade Luis to it, who was hesitant because he simply couldn't afford the trip and the trouble it would surely cost. But it was a promise of a once-in-a-lifetime journey where they can be in love and free even just for a while. Bertha paid for two tickets for the travel on cruise, which they filled with memories and love. Together they shared the sunsets and sunrises in the long stretch of beach in Athens, not worrying about the chaos of their reality.

" I was the most beautiful woman in the world." Mrs. Walsh smiled at Laura, her voice was low and soft. " With those flowers he used to give me and he'd put one behind my ear. Luis made me feel like I was the prettiest. " she continued. As Laura looked into her grandma's weary and puffy eyes, the lines of wrinkles stretching around them as she smiled, she could see both sadness and happiness.

But this story that brought her grandma almost back to her youth full of life, also gave Laura both the chills and confusion. For she didn't know who Mr. Luis was. Neither could it be her late grandfather simply because his name wasn't Luis but Donald. Not even close. And no such name was ever mentioned to them, not even before the Alzheimer. This time, Laura finally asked.

" Isn't grandpa Donald your only great love? He is your husband remember? "She softly asked.

"No! Luis is the only man I ever loved." She began to sob. " Even when he suddenly disappeared after our trip, and stopped sneaking out to our yard every night to give me flowers, he's still the only man I love." Tears started to drip down her flaccid cheeks.

This was why Laura never wanted to ask. She leaned closer, her face clouded with sudden guilt. " I'm sorry grandma, I didn't mean to make you cry."

" I know my dear that you're not like them. You won't make me stay away from Luis right? " Her eyes were begging.

" No,no grandma I won't. I promise." Softly Laura assured her.

A few weeks later, family and friends gathered around to mourn Mrs. Walsh's funeral and as she was slowly brought to the ground, sealed in a coffin. Laura clutched in her hand the heart locket grandma gave her few days before her passing as she stood still, all in pain.

After the funeral, Laura rushed to her grandmother's room and did exactly what she was told when Mrs. Walsh was still alive. She grabbed the dusty old box hidden beneath the bed and opened it. Goosebumps wrapped all over her as her grandma's precious secrets lay naked before her very eyes. In it were old black and white photos of Mrs. Walsh and in every picture there's a man smiling next to her. He was black, to Laura's surprise. There were exchanged letters too, so old that they already turned brownish and each had a name written on it: Luis Atkins.

There was also a picture of an old oak tree, sitting underneath it's shade was Mr. Luis. He was holding a flower with his handsome bright smile. At the back of it was grandma's handwriting saying:

To you I promise my eternal love...'Til my

very last breath.

-Bertha, 1952

Shaking, Laura rushed outside with the photo in her hand-the same oak tree that stood in front of their house was the one in the picture. It was all real. He was real.

But Laura was puzzled to see an unfamiliar figure of a man standing beneath the tree. He was black but he certainly wasn't Mr. Luis. She walked towards him.

" You must be Bertha's granddaughter. You have her lovely blue eyes." The stranger said smiling.

And with each closer look, the man's face resembled of someone Laura couldn't quite recognize.

" I'm sorry sir, but I'm afraid I don't know you." She sniffed.

The man introduced himself. He was Robert Atkins, Mr. Luis' brother. And under the old oak tree Laura listened to a jaw-dropping revelations of the long forgotten past. Mr. Robert was her grandmother Bertha's only ally when Luis went missing. He said, the night after their return from Greece, his brother was abducted and taken away somewhere nobody knew to torture. Robert and Bertha searched everywhere but couldn't find him. Until one night, when he was walking her home, they witnessed their fear came to reality. From the distance they could see a silhouette of three men in the dimly lit yard where the oak tree stood. The other two men was doing their dirty job, beating up the man on the ground who was begging for his life. Even from a good distance, Bertha could still recognize her own father and Donald walsh-the man she was arranged and forced to marry. Then right before she could run and save her beloved, gunshots filled the air and two bullets hit Luis right in the head. Her father had pull the trigger onto him. Bertha could only collapse into her knees in sudden grief. Nobody in the neighborhood dared to speak against the unlawful execution of the black man now stumbled on the ground. Robert was also threatened to death including his family. So he had to flee as far as he could with a heavy heart.

Robert told Laura how he wanted to keep his promise to his brother that if anything happens to him, he'd be sending Bertha flowers everyday in his behalf. But it was too impossible back then. And he also shared how Luis saved all his money to buy Bertha a gift, the locket necklace she treasured the most. Now, it was for Laura to keep in remembrance of a love that once bloomed in this cruel world.

As Mr. Robert departed, Laura sat on the grass leaning against the oak tree. The sky above changed color as it prepared for the coming of darkness. This will be the first night she won't be hearing her grandma's bedtime stories. But more than ever, she felt happy for her. She now finally understood why grandma chose to forget who the man was in her tragic story. Maybe because it was way too painful to believe. She knew, somewhere her grandmother could finally be free to love the only man who has ever made her feel the most beautiful.

" No one can separate you now from him, grandma. I promise you." She closed her eyes, almost whispering to the heavens.

Somewhere far, Bertha is young and beautiful again, dancing freely in the beach of Athens. Luis tucked a flower behind her ear. He had long been waiting for her. Now they can finally disappear into the beautiful paradise together.