Authors note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, events and incidents are the products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
I am submitting this as part of the
Valentine's Day Story Contest 2024
.
Original Valentine
"It's raining."
"I know Arsenios, it's Ireland. That's why I bought the rain gear."
"It's cold. It's raining and it's cold" Arsenios continued to grouse.
His wife, Kyriaki, turned her face away, rolling her eyes heavenward. He had a point, the weather was foul, a bitter breeze and dreary continuous shower of rain making Dublin a world away from their home in Athen's. That had been the point though, Kyriaki had wanted something different for this weekend away, something neither of them had done before. This island on the edge of Europe had seemed ideal when she had booked the weekend away for them, even Arsenios hadn't grumbled too much at her choice. Until the cold bite of February weather in Ireland had gnawed into their Aegean flesh that was.
Kyriaki kept her back turned on her complaining husband while she snapped off some photo's of Dublin main thoroughfare, O'Connell Street. They, along with several other people gathered beneath a statue to Daniel O'Connell, were waiting on their guide to arrive. She had prebooked a walking tour for them to enjoy on their first day in the capital and whilst she was looking forward to exploring the streets and sights, Arsenios continued to moan about the weather.
"For God's sake, stop whining" Kyriaki finally snapped at him. They were speaking in Greek but no doubt the other tourists waiting with them understood her sharp tone and the way it silenced the man beside her.
"It's Valentine's weekend. It's almost ten years now that we've been married" Kyriaki said softening her voice, "Can't we enjoy it? No fighting, just a little fun? Please?"
It was the 'please' that appeared to mollify her stiff-necked husband. Arsenios wasn't a bad guy or a poor husband, but he did suffer from a lot of pride. She had been born on the island of Crete, almost thirty-five years before. Her family hadn't been wealthy, but they had instilled a focus in their daughter that promoted hard work and a positive attitude. This had led her to leave home at eighteen to study in Athens. That was where she had met her husband to be, both attending the same University, he just a year ahead of her.
Arsenios hailed from Drama, a city of Macedonia, his upbringing and values different from his wife, a greater focus on their orthodox religion being the paramount difference. After they had graduated, Arsenious had used his business degree to start what he foresaw as an entertainment empire, nightclubs, bars, music venues. Kyriaki had instead taken a job in a ceramics factory as a junior manager, her passion and drive making her the operating manager before she was thirty and a vice president in the company, multiple factories across a number of industries, just three years later.
While her career had soared, Arsenios's had plummeted, his empire consisting of a single small bar and a café. His pride had taken a knock from this although to hear him talk, it was he who was the business genius in their family, not Kyriaki. So he took her 'please' and then deigned to give her a single nod of agreement.
Argument disarmed; Kyriaki looked about her in the hopes their guide would arrive soon. Both she and her husband had pulled on protective rain jackets and waterproof trousers over their clothes, so the drizzling rain wasn't an issue. A bit of walking would alleviate the cold as well. All that was needed at this point was for their guide to show up.
On cue but still five minutes late, a young man appeared, a golf umbrella angled over one shoulder to keep the worst of the weather from hitting him. He had wavy brown hair, blue eyes and a boyish face that seemed genetically disposed to be always smiling and good humoured. He was tall and lean, side-stepping puddles with practiced grace as he approached the dozen tourists waiting on his arrival.
"Cead Mile failte" he said in a bright voice, his voice carrying to them all. "That's Gaelic for a hundred thousand welcomes. I'd also like to add a hundred thousand apologies for my lateness and the weather. Only one of those being my fault."
His cheery nature instantly disarmed the tourists, Kyriaki included, and his smile was answered by eleven others. Arsenios the only hold out.
"My name is Eoin, that E O I N, but pronounced like Owen. Leave it to the Irish to complicate something as simple as a four-letter name, eh? Now I think I have you all but let me just check." Eoin began to read through a list on his phone, calling out the names and the corresponding tourist would then identify themselves. There was a couple from Japan, a group of four from Italy, two middle-aged women from the US, and elderly couple from Scotland. Then Eoin reached the final two names on the list.
"Kyriaki Pantelaki and Arsenios Latridis... did I get that right?"
"Yes! Very good" Kyriaki gave a little hand clap, excited now to be starting.
"Excellent" Eoin flashed her a friendly smile, "I'll keep it easy for myself if you don't mind. How does Kiki and Arse... Arsenios sound?" The young man coloured as he realized how close he had come to an unintentional insult. Luckily the others in the group didn't catch his words. Unluckily Arsenios did. He began stepping forward, his face as dark and thunderous as the rolling black clouds that littered the sky above him. Kyriaki put a restraining hand against his chest.
"No. It was an accident, let it go" she whispered furiously in Greek. Arsenios didn't reply, he just turned on his heel to take up a place at the very back of the group. With a long-suffering sigh, Kyriaki went to join him. They followed Eoin as he led them across the bridge spanning the river Liffey, following him towards their first stop which was Trinity College. Kyriaki allowed herself a smile as her husband trudged ahead of her. The young man had not only stumbled upon an insulting way to phrase her husbands name, he had also found the accepted short form of her own name, 'Kiki'. Between her husband's rigidity and her own professional profile in the company she worked for, it had been a long time since anyone had called her that. She found she liked it. Kiki.
<<0>>
Eoin brought them into the century's old college, the tour group visiting the Long Library and viewing the Book of Kells. Inside, she had been able to move more towards the centre of the group, asking questions of Eoin who, despite being barely twenty in years, seemed well informed. Her husband, irritated by the weather and the tour, continued to sulk at the back of the group, offering occasional disparaging comments about the sights, comparing them unfavourably to Paris, Rome, London and of course Athens. Kiki chose to ignore him, it was easier than picking a fight and god knows she'd had enough of them.
