***COMPLETED***
Welcome back to Mykonos, Greece!
To any newcomers, please read My Greek Lovers first as this is the continuation of the story!
Continue on the journey of Kristy as she begins her new life as a food blogger living in Mykonos, Greece.
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There are many wonderful traditions in the Greek culture, but Easter is by far the biggest holiday. Eros explained the children get two weeks off to spend time with their families and all the restaurants are closed to celebrate the Holy Week.
During this time, the ovens in every Greek home get very busy, and ours was no exception. On Good Thursday, Eros taught me how to make the traditional Tsoureki, an Easter brioche bread with dyed red hard-boiled eggs, the color symbolizing the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. On Good Friday, we visited the church and placed flowers on what Eros told me is an Epitaphios. It's a wooden casket to represent the tomb of Christ that's canopied in gorgeous flowers.
Last night we all gathered at the church for the most amazing service I've ever been to. The Resurrection Midnight Mass was an evening procession through the streets of Chora listening to psalms being chanted as we followed the Epitaphios. Then at midnight, we made our way back to the church holding white candles lit with Holy Light by the Priest. The church bells rang above the hymns of the service and we all chanted "Christos Anesti" which means Christ is Risen.
Tonight we were having our Easter feast at Costas's house where he's been up since the early hours of this Easter Sunday morning, cooking Kokoretsi, a whole lamb over a charcoal roasting spit. "What else are the typical foods during Easter?" I asked Eros as we took the last of the Easter cookies out of the oven. "Mageiritsa soup is a traditional dish, made with chopped offal and herbs" He answered. "It's also a ritual to take a red-dyed egg and crack it with another person while we say 'Christos Anesti' and reply back 'Alithos Anesti' which means Truly, he has risen. The person whose egg doesn't crack during the exchange wins." He says with a playful smile.
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Just we finished plating our last batch of Lamprokouloura, or Easter cookies, we were washing our hands when the house phone rang. "Hello," Eros answered and handed it to me. "It's Emily, agápi mou" He said with a reassuring smile when he saw me hesitate. "Hey!" I answered in a nervous mumble and Emily replied the same exact way. "Hey" both ends of the phone fell silent again before we both decided to speak. "I'm sorry," we said in unison. "No! I'm sorry Emms! I should have told you right from the beginning. You're my best friend and I never wanted to hurt you!" "No! I get it! You were in a difficult spot being the middle man in all this. It's not your fault!" "I missed you! I mean I miss you every damn day but I really missed talking to you!" "Me too! Wait, you're like all religious now, isn't it like a sin to swear or some shit?" "God excepts me for who I am because he knows I've been best friends with you for far too long for a swear to not slip out every once in a while!" "Guilty as charged!" "And I love you for it!" We both let out a laugh and sigh knowing everything between us has been forgiven but what still remains is Theo. "So, have you talked to Theo?" "Ugh," She sighs. "I actually haven't talked to him yet" "You haven't!" I repeated, shocked she didn't jump on his ass the second I last spoke with her weeks ago. "I donno...I guess I'm waiting for him to grow some balls and tell me himself like he should've but I'm also totally avoiding it. I mean I'm here and he's there, it's not like it's going to change things. I'm going to go out tonight to find someone else!" I sigh feeling bad for the situation she's in knowing she's probably avoiding it because of my wedding. "Look Emms, if coming out here for the wedding and seeing Theo and Athena is too much, I'll totally understand" "HEY! The maid of honor, and best friend HAS to be there! No Matter What! No one else can take my title!" "I know but-" "NO IF's, AND's, or BUT's! I wouldn't miss you getting married for the world!" "Ok! Geez! I love you too!" I said poking fun at her adamancy, trying to lighten the mood. "BFF's for life!" She said. "No if's, and's, or but's about it!" I replied with a smile on my face I wish she could see.
