“Xenia! Xenia! Wake up, my girl – we don’t have much time!”

The day hasn’t even started yet and mom has sent Eleftheria to to get me out of my bed. Even from where I was, I could hear grandma in the kitchen.

Chaos first thing in the morning, I thought tiredly, pulling the blanket over my unkempt head. Eleftheria gave a cry when she saw me falling back into my bed.

Every time that Uncle Makis visited, our house didn’t have a moment of peace. Uncle Makis has married the biggest snob of our village. Even if he searched for such a lady, he wouldn’t find her.

I say that she threw herself at his feet. I earn a smack whenever I say that in front of mom. Uncle Makis is a sterling man, I tell you. How he took that shrew as a wife, I’ll never know.

Oh, yes. That shrew has a name – a name from the comedies of the sixties.

Afroxyllanthe is her name, and she was a merchant’s daughter.

Madame Afroxyllanthe was visiting us today -

And I didn’t like that at all.