Startled by Anna's outburst, Melpo stood up, suddenly sober.
"See what you've done to my baby? You see! You should be ashamed of yourself! Decent men don't act like this, but I forgot! You're not even much of a man, you've already proved that to me!" she shouted, full of reproach.
"I am sorry, Mrs. Bouras. I must ask you to leave my cabin," Nikolas replied, maintaining his calm.
"You're doing it again, insulting me!" Melpo was shaking with anger. "How dare you ask me to leave my daughter! You are going to pay for this! You will pay dearly! I'll make sure of that! Anna! Anna! Where are you! Come out of that bathroom this instant, do you hear me?" Anna emerged, still in tears.
"Oh, there you are. Now I'm going to take you back to our cabin," Melpo said with maternal authority.
"All right, Mother," Anna replied. She gave Nikolas a look that pleaded for understanding as she supported Melpo with her arm and slowly walked her to the door. She turned around and addressed a slightly bewildered Nikolas:
"I'll see you tomorrow, as we planned, okay?"
Nikolas nodded in agreement. He moved forward, prepared to help, but Anna shook her head "no."
"I'm sorry," whispered Anna.
Melpomeni held on the corridor railing and shuffled toward their cabin, mumbling as she went, with Anna walking next to her to make sure she did not fall.
"You're not going to see him tomorrow or any other time. I'll make sure of that!" She tried to focus her eyes on Anna. "What would people say? He has no money, no manners, he is no better than a sailor! And you're still a baby!
"You know what?" continued Melpomeni. "My father wanted me to marry a rich old man, much older even than your father! Can you believe that ... at sixteen?" She began laughing hysterically. "Some girl in Paris saved me thank God ... listen to this ... This high-class place he went to in Paris, with all the most beautiful girls, some from well-to-do families. He chose the prettiest. She was very young, close to my age. After they married, he collapsed while she was performing some kind of oral-"
"Mother, Mother, please!"
"Let me finish." She brushed Anna's modesty away with her hand, eager to go on with her tale. "As I was saying, his heart ... Well, let's just say it was more excitement than he could handle. His poor heart, it just gave out ..." She brought the palm of her hand to her mouth, giggling. "He breathed his last breath smiling while she pulled the last string of pearls out of his ..." She stared at Anna. "How do I know all this?" She laughed out loud as Anna finally relaxed and smiled.