"I thought you were American," the woman challenged.
"I am American but I am also Greek. My parents are in Heraklion and my man is at
Souda Bay."
The woman listened unflinchingly as she stood motionless. Then she turned from Anna and started showing the women how to use the different guns at their disposal.
"Who is this woman, Uncle Leo?" asked a young man, unbuttoning the top of his black shirt and exposing his chest, while pacing around in a circle.
Leo looked at him. "Not now, son."
"I like her."
"You do? So do I, so must every man alive. Listen, Ikaros, this is not the time."
"But I can't tell my heart not to love!" jested the young man.
"Well, this time you'll have to, Ikaros."
"Tonight I'm going to take her away. She'll be mine, all mine, and if she refuses to elope with me-"
Leo interrupted, "She already has a man, my boy."
"Oh, she does?"
"Yes, Ikaros. A real man."
Ikaros brought his right hand to the short dagger at his waist. "Well, I guess I'll have to do something about that." He yanked off his Cretan headgear and threw the black tasseled scarf on the floor. "Uncle Leo, you must talk to her for me, you must!"
"I will son, I will." Leo let out a deep sigh and thrust his hands into the air.
Older women came, bringing food: stuffed grape leaves, yogurt, bread, and wine. Everyone ate and talked in serious tones, except the young man, who still paced in unsettled circles.
The plan was to go sleep early, wake up at 3:30, and leave by 4:00 a.m., to arrive at Maleme around 6:30 or 7:00 in the morning.
The long-bearded priest came and did Vespers.
He then took Anna aside to talk to her.
"I am going to break church rule tonight. Oh, God forgive me ... Miss Anna, you are to sleep in the sanctuary tonight."
"I don't need any special privileges,
Father," protested Anna. She did not know the Father had already been warned by Leo about Ikaros.
"Trust me, child," he said simply.
Anna took a blanket and went into the sanctuary from the far left door of the three, the one closest to the icon of the Virgin. She had just settled down to rest when she let out a yelp as she felt something touching her foot. Thinking it was a mouse, she leapt on a chair. But then she heard "Shhh … " She got down, and to her surprise, she found another woman there, hiding under the holy table.
"What are you doing here?" asked Anna, peering closer.