Stavros was devastated upon reading the letter and Melpo pretended to comfort him. "But I have a big surprise for you, Stavros," she said.
"What is it, Melpo? You seem to be glowing."
"I adopted a little boy. Wait until you see him!"
"You did what!?"
"Plato, come!"
Plato came promptly, holding the baby like a precious package.
Stavros stared at the infant. He ticked his chin and the baby moved his little arms and gurgled at Stavros.
"Oh my God, oh Zeus, what a joy!" Stavros beamed at Melpomeni. "This is the best thing you have ever done, Melpo." He went over and gave her a kiss. Melpomeni had never seen Stavros so happy.
"God wanted us to have him." She smiled. "I was visiting Dr. Vassili Tsipras at the Evangelismos Hospital to see how I could help with his work taking care of the poor and the unfortunate," she lied, unconcerned about how blatantly unlike her this sounded, "when he came and handed me this little boy. 'He is all yours, if you want him,' he said. 'But Doctor, this is so sudden.' I said, 'How? What?' 'His mother just died during delivery,' he said, 'but at least I saved the baby.' And so, I took him as mine." Melpomeni held the baby, waiting for further praise from her husband.
Stavros took the baby in his arms. "Come here little fellow, we are going to name you Alexander." He was so thrilled with the little boy, that he didn't even think about how ridiculous Melpomeni's story sounded, or what her true motives might be. He looked at Melpo. "Don't you think he looks like Anna when she was this age?"
"You think so, Stavros?" She tried to scatter Stavros' thoughts with her hand movements. "Ah, it's all in your mind, Stavros."
Melpomeni turned away. "Forget Anna, Stavros, she's gone."