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Five years ago? He would have fallen for it and jumped in to apologize and promise she was still his number one girl. They’d both been grieving the loss of their dear papa, and he’d felt his new role as head of the family keenly.
Alexandros had grown older and hopefully wiser. He now realized that playing into his baby sister’s need to be center of attention had done damage to his marriage and the way his wife perceived him. And he didn’t think he’d done Stacia any favors either.
“I can say it because it is true. Keep a civil tongue in your head when you are here or you won’t be invited back.”
“You don’t mean that,” Stacia yelped. “You wouldn’t exclude me from the family.”
“I should have excluded you from socializing with my wife a long time ago.” And how he was only realizing that in this moment did not speak well of his intelligence. “You are on notice. Take heed, or you will find more than just your social life curtailed in relation to me.”
“What are you saying?” Stacia asked, her voice pitching.
“That you are old enough to find a job, if not a career, and your allowance is now on the bubble. A bubble that will burst if your behavior does not remarkably improve.”
“I do not know what that wife of yours has been saying to you, Alexandros,” his mother butted in. “But Stacia is your sister and calling her a jealous cat for being uncomfortable with an inappropriate public display of affection is not what I expect from you.”
“There is nothing inappropriate about kissing my wife,” he told his mother curtly. “And I stand by my warning.” He gave Stacia a look. “Heed it.”
His mother’s mouth pursed with disapproval. “Your father left you head of the family and your sister is your responsibility.”
For once, he didn’t overlay the expression on her face with his own fear of her emotional fragility and saw his mother’s attitude for what it was. Damaging to his wife.
And that would no longer be tolerated.
His mother had grieved the loss of his father, but just like all of them, she’d grown stronger and more able to deal with her pain.
Now was the time to let her know she didn’t get to visit her disappointment that he had not married a Greek socialite on his wife. Ever again.
“One. Let’s be clear. My wife hasn’t said anything. Two. My sister is an adult, not a child. Three. If you want to take care of her monetary extravagances out of your own income, no one is stopping you.”
“How dare you talk to me like this? You still have not even bothered greeting me. I raised you with more manners.”
He walked forward and kissed both his mother’s cheeks, then stepped back. “Kalimera.”
“That is better.”
He looked down at her, letting her see his expression was not a happy one. “Good. Now, make sure your daughter stays polite and we will all be happy.”
Helena came running into the room, making a beeline for Petros. “Uncle Petros, Uncle Petros!”
His brother swung the toddler up and asked how her nap was.
Helena shrugged, the movement so like something he would do that, not for the first time, Alexandros thought his wife had her hands full raising a child so like him.
“I slept,” Helena informed her uncle.
“Would you like to say hello to your yia-yia?”
Helena tightened her hold on Petros, but nodded. Her usual vibrancy dimmed some, just as his wife’s did, as his daughter looked at the older woman.
Why? He’d watched Helena interact with his mother. She was not afraid of her yia-yia, but she also wasn’t enamored of her. And this was not normal for a Greek grandmother and her granddaughter, especially not his family. Alexandros could remember himself, his brother and their sister adoring their grandparents.
Helena should be thrilled to see her doting yia-yia.
Was it possible that Helena’s relationship with her yia-yia had been impacted by his mother’s less than approving attitude toward the little girl’s beloved mom?
His daughter gave her grandmother a kiss of greeting on each cheek, accepting the same in return, but made no move to leave her favored uncle’s arms to offer any further affectionate overtures. And Petros did not offer the child over either.
Neither did his mother reach for Helena.
