“You’re my family. No one else is more important. If we decide to live there, I’ll step down as CEO.”
“I wouldn’t want or expect you to do that. Never!”
He stared into her eyes. “Why not? Don’t you realize no place is home to me without you? I’ll do anything, Kellie,” he vowed. “I know we can make this work. It’s not too late. For the sake of our unborn babies, I’m pleading with you to reconsider. If counseling will help us, then it will be worth it for all our sakes. We’ll postpone our divorce while we’re in therapy.”
If Leandros had said these things to her a month ago…
But he’s saying them to you now, Kellie.
For a proud man like her husband to be willing to undergo therapy told her how far he’d come. She moved closer to the coffee table, where she could see the list of names on his laptop. He’d done all this without prior knowledge that they were expecting twins? She couldn’t believe it.
After supplying her this kind of proof that he was serious, she had to believe he’d planned to fly to Philadelphia today. But for Leandros to submit to marriage counseling…It just wasn’t like him.
He was a dynamic wonder in the business world and a law unto himself. He’d probably last one session and that would be it. She couldn’t imagine therapy working on him. But since she’d been the one to suggest it in the first place, how would it look if she told him no?
Kellie knew exactly what he’d think. During one of their arguments he’d told her she was inflexible, unreasonable and didn’t really mean what she’d said. He would have every right to accuse her now of not putting their children first.
The more she thought about it, the more she realized the wisest thing to do would be to try out one of these therapists in Athens. When the counseling didn’t work, then she’d fly back to Philadelphia and the divorce could go through. She’d have to let her aunt and uncle know. The news would be welcome to them, because they adored Leandros and were crushed by the news that he and Kellie were getting a divorce.
He watched as she sat down and scrolled through the list of names. All seemed to have impressive credentials. She was glad he’d included some women. She preferred their therapist to be a female, who would understand Kellie’s point of view about things. Leandros probably wouldn’t like it, but he’d said this was her choice.
She looked at their ages. The first woman was forty-eight, younger than Kellie’s aunt. The other therapist was seventy-six. That sounded pretty old, but she did have a long record of running a practice. At that age she’d probably seen thousands of couples, with every type of problem, enter her office. To still be in business meant she’d enjoyed a certain amount of success.
“Today is a workday.” Leandros’s deep male voice permeated to Kellie’s insides. “Is there a name on the list you’d like to call now?”
He stood behind the couch, more or less looking over her shoulder. Though he’d sounded in control just now, she sensed his impatience for their therapy to get started. Actually, she was anxious, too. The sooner they met with someone and discovered counseling wouldn’t help, the sooner she could go home and start getting over Leandros once and for all.
“I’m rather impressed with this older woman, Olympia Lasko.” She glanced back at him. “The notes say she’s been in practice forty-five years. That’s longer than any of the other therapists’ histories. I think it speaks quite highly of her.”
“I couldn’t agree more. Go ahead and phone her.”
Leandros didn’t act the least upset with Kellie’s choice. If he was, he’d learned how to hide his true feelings. That ability made him the shrewd genius who’d become one of the leading business figures in Greece.
She reached in her purse for her cell phone and made the call. It rang several times before a woman answered. “This is Olympia Lasko.”
“Oh—” Kellie’s voice caught. “I guess I expected a receptionist.” She spoke in Greek.
“I’ve never used one. Your name, please.”
“Kellie Petralia.”
“What can I do for you?”
“M-my husband and I are on the verge of getting a divorce and need marriage counseling,” she stammered. “Could I see you soon to discuss our situation, or are you too booked up?”
“Both of you come to my house tomorrow morning at ten o’clock.”
“Both?” Kellie had planned to talk to her first and explain things.
“I never see you individually. It’s together or nothing.”
“I see.” She bit her lip. “Then we’ll both be there.”
“What’s your husband’s name?”
“Leandros Petralia.”
“Thank you. When you enter the driveway, keep going until you reach the side door. Just walk in.”
The other woman rang off without making a remark about Kellie’s husband. Ninety-nine percent of the time, people couldn’t refrain from commenting on him and the famous Petralia name. Kellie sat there blinking in surprise.
Leandros walked around to look at her. “When can she see us?”
“Tomorrow at ten. We’re to go to her house. She must work out of her home.”
“Would that we all could do that,” he murmured.
“I can’t believe she had an opening this fast.”
“My dentist always leaves the first hour free for emergencies. It sounds like she operates the same way. I’m impressed already.”
Kellie got up from the couch, unnerved by the prospect of talking to Mrs. Lasko in front of Leandros without any private time first. “She’s very different than I’d supposed.” No chitchat of any kind.
“Let’s keep the appointment. If we decide she’s not the one for us, then we’ll try someone else.”
Leandros was being so supportive, just as he’d always been during their visits to the hospital, that Kellie felt like screaming. But not at him. She was frightened, and nervous of being alone with him. “I think I’m hungry now.”
“Why don’t we drive to Chora and have an early dinner.” He was reading her mind. She needed to be around other people and he knew it. “Do you have any particular cravings at this stage in your pregnancy?”
“Not yet.”
“Let’s try a restaurant you haven’t been to. The Circe is on the far side of Chora. It’s cozy and the cuisine is basically traditional Andriot.” He’d probably been there with Petra. Of course he had, you fool. If the therapy didn’t work out, Kellie would have to take part of the blame, because she couldn’t rid herself of her demons. “You’ll love their seafood mezes and froutalia.”
“I’ve
