40
The scent of things to come
Thessaloniki, June 1983
‘Why did you do it, Eleni?’
‘Do what?’
‘You know what, the overdose?’
Eleni and Electra were sitting facing each other on a red bench in the park, feet up the bench, legs crossed on the ankle, soles touching, munching on a pack of crisps. They had just split from their mates who had gone on to the larger park across the road to skate, as they both had to be back home within an hour from finishing school. Their skateboards were sitting next to each other under the bench.
‘My dad was so upset that he called your mother. They spent an hour talking on the phone. Did you know that?’
‘Kind of. My mum said she had had phone calls from parents. She was not happy about that.’
‘Your mum is fierce. God, I’m scared of her.’
‘My mum, fier
