“Thanks, I will.” Anneli was at Jane’s and would be home soon. She would have liked to see the stroller, but it had to wait until tomorrow. A few minutes later she was asleep on the sofa.
10
It had been an emotional roller coaster all day. Christel rolled over on her side. The baby kept kicking and playing in there. She hadn’t planned on buying anything but was glad she had. It was reassuring to know that the things were already bought. It meant she could avoid the stress of having to buy it alone. But she shouldn’t have let Preben pay. What had she been thinking? She usually never gave in that easily. She had put aside money for the equipment and had been saving ever since the first time she saw Ted on the ultrasound scan. It was so lovely to let someone else be in charge for a change. She must have slipped into a familiar role that felt comfortable. But she had no right being in that role. They had both moved on with their lives. And that was how it had to be. She’d make sure to pay him back.
What a surprise it had been to see Preben again so soon. She thought he only visited on the weekends. But she had no reason to complain. They’d had a fine time at the store today. Just like when they were married and strolled around stores, enjoying themselves. Preben wasn’t like most other men she knew, who disliked shopping. He used to enthusiastically follow her around for two or three hours before they would find a cozy café to relax. If only they had been able to have children together…
***
“We are expecting important guests today,” Bettina told Sara the next morning. She’d taken a refreshing dip, and her hair was still wet. She had lots to do and hadn’t taken the time to find the hairdryer. She had to buy extra food. Both Elfrid and Willy liked everything edible and knew how to take pleasure from a good meal.
“My future in-laws are coming to stay until Sunday.”
“You’re going to have a full house. Isn’t Christel staying at yours?”
Bettina nodded slowly. “The more, the merrier.”
Sara laughed. “You’re so tolerant. Isn’t that the word for someone who is sweet and can handle everything?”
“I don’t know about that, but I’ll give you a report. Let me see…” Bettina took a minute to make up her mind. “I need a six-grain bread, a walnut bread, and four baguettes. You know, I’ve tried everything you have, and all are delicious. Please tell your bread baker.”
“I will. Frank is passionate about baking, no one compares to him,” Sara said.
“And I’ll have eight cinnamon buns in reserve for when Willy gets peckish between meals.”
“And you have those tasty cookies of yours. They’ll run out rapidly, for sure.”
Bettina got her wallet. “Good thing I made more last night.” She told her about the spontaneous Babyshop trip.
Sara was in a good mood and laughed again. “Last summer, I was the one who entertained the town with drama, but I think you’ve taken over.”’
Christel was surprised when Bettina told her the news of the upcoming visit at breakfast. “I didn’t expect to see them again. But I didn’t know this was your guesthouse either.”
“I couldn’t turn them down. Will it be a problem, do you think?” She put the cinnamon buns aside for later use.
“No, not in the least. I’ve always been friends with them. Willy isn’t my favorite, but Elfrid is sweet.”
Bettina served her a fried egg and a few bacon strips. “It’s exactly how I would put it myself. What a womanizer. I don’t know how Elfrid stands it.” She filled the glasses. Shortly after, Anneli showed up, and she told the story a second time.
“I haven’t met them,” Anneli said and looked like she didn’t care. “But I already have grandparents. I hardly need more.”
Bettina didn’t know how to reply. They got on well with Karsten’s parents and had kept in touch. “I don’t know them well. Willy is one of a kind, and not in a good way. So we’ll have to be considerate toward each other.”
“It’ll be fine. I’m usually in my room doing homework when I’m home anyway.”
***
Christel made her way up to the room while mulling over the upcoming visit. After the divorce, she had lost all contact with her in-laws. She didn’t think it was deliberate from either side. It was just how it turned out. Perhaps it was a natural consequence of going different ways when there were no children. As long as she had no contact with her ex-husband, nobody expected her to stay in touch with her in-laws. But it would be awkward to meet them again now, in a situation where both she and his fiancée would be present at the same time. She knew his parents a lot better than Bettina did. As a married couple, they had spent time with them during the years that they were married. The good news now was her big belly. His parents had taken part in their disappointments and hope and strongly wished for more grandkids. How would they feel about her pregnancy? She’d finally succeeded but with another father to the child than their son. She didn’t know how they would react. Better to relax in her room until they arrived. She would need all her strength.
***
Bettina was stressed thinking of all the preparations that had to be done to offer Preben’s parents a pleasant stay. Did they expect to eat all their meals at her house? Or would they eat out? She couldn’t remember if she had told them that she only served breakfast. Most likely she would have to serve them both lunch and dinner. Especially since Christel shared all the meals with her at the guesthouse.
She had called Preben before he went to work and told him that his parents were on their way. Fortunately, she’d persuaded him to come out after his meetings were over. It was his job to entertain his parents. She would have more than enough to do with preparing food for the whole bunch.
She went upstairs with Mathilde’s lunch. “My future in-laws will arrive this afternoon. They’ll be staying until Sunday. I thought you might want to meet them. You will be related to them soon.”
Mathilde reached for the food tray and looked at her over the edge of her glasses, uncomprehending. “I see no reason why we should meet. We are only talking about marriage into the family here.”
Bettina felt her heart sink and looked at her. She’d hoped that Mathilde would be tempted to leave her bed. She was starting to get really fed up with serving her. Her aunt had stayed in bed long before she was feeling sick a few days ago, so she couldn’t even blame it on sickness. She would have to come up with something better. “I wish you would join the rest of us. It’s not pleasant for anyone that you’re lying here alone. I could also do with some help with the flower beds. I don’t know anything about gardening.”
“The garden will be fine for a while longer. It’s fall, and everything grows less now. Moreover, I’m in no condition to crawl on my knees and dig around in the dirt.” She drank her tea in one gulp, despite it being hot.
Elfrid and Willy arrived early afternoon with a suitcase each, which suggested a much longer stay than four nights. Bettina watched them from the living room window. Willy parked the silver-gray Jaguar in the guest parking, got out of the car and walked around to open the door for his wife. He was a chivalrous gentleman. Few opened the door for anybody in this country, unless they were paid to do it, and barely then.
Willy was wearing a navy-blue suit and a white shirt. Around his neck was the familiar silk scarf, neatly arranged. He had more than fifty of them, and he wore a new one whenever they met. There was a gentle breeze today, and the wind grabbed his gray fluffy hair that was carefully combed back with wax. Willy was in his seventies; his wife a few years younger. He was of medium height, round around the waist, and very charismatic.
Bettina knew she should help them, but remained watching them from the window, fascinated. Elfrid was the same height as her husband but chubbier. She had a perfectly beautiful face with classic features and full, pink lips. Her hair was thick and gray and set up in an elegant chignon. According to Preben, she had never had bangs, and her hairstyle had always been the same. The burgundy suit she was wearing looked stunn
ing on her, as did the high heels.
Bettina couldn’t stand there any longer and went out to greet them. “It’s so good to see you.”
“Haha, the pleasure is ours,” Willy chuckled and gave her a heartfelt embrace. His hug was long as always, and she felt a choking sensation due to his strong arms.
“That’s enough now,” his wife warned him.
Willy let go of her, and she gave Elfrid a normal hug.
“Wonderful to see you, Bettina. We don’t see each other often enough.” The older woman smiled amiably and looked up at the house. “It’s a stunning place you’ve moved to. Look at this castle, Willy.”
“I’ve never seen the like of it,” he said and lifted his suitcase.
Bettina grabbed the other one, but he protested loudly. “No, no, I’ll take care of these. You go inside and look pretty.”
She smiled to herself at the comment. It would never get boring as long as he was here.
“We’ll have to walk around this gorgeous garden later.” Elfrid took her purse and purposefully followed them into the house.
Bettina led them up to Hepatica, where they would be staying.
“Good grief! We’ll live like royalty here, Elfrid. This is precisely my style.” He dropped the suitcases by the wall.
“Oh my, what a lovely room. Sky blue walls and a sea view. What more could we ask for? Did you paint this exquisite piece of art, Bettina?” Elfrid walked over to the large painting above the bed. “Have you seen anything more beautiful, Willy?”
Willy had not. “How pretty… We might stay here for a long time.”
Bettina felt disheartened and went to the door. “See you downstairs when you’ve settled in. Then I’ll show you around.”
An hour later, Bettina was done with the guided tour. They had praised everything so much her ears were sore. It was nice to learn how much they liked the place, but it was too much positivity at once. In the end, they had walked through the garden and sat on the bench overlooking the koi pond. While Elfrid admired the landscaping, Willy left on his own to go sightseeing. It didn’t take long until they heard him yell.
“Haha, I knew it. Elfrid, hurry. Our biggest dream is about to be fulfilled.”
Bettina didn’t know what he was talking about until they found him in the garage, rocking Christel’s stroller.
“Oh my, Bettina. How could you keep this a secret?” Elfrid hugged her with the same intensity as Willy had.
He looked immensely pleased, and his wide smile made his cheeks thick and puffy. “I discovered that the side door was slightly open, and was wondering if my Jaguar would fit here. And then I got this amazing surprise. You have no idea how long we’ve been waiting for this, Bettina. You have our most heartfelt congratulations.” Willy embraced her again before she had time to correct them.
Finally, he let go, and she caught her breath. “I’m sorry to disappoint you. The stroller isn’t mine. I’m not at all pregnant.”
Both looked at each other with a mix of bewilderment and disappointment, and then they looked at her.
“Oh my,” Elfrid said. “I guess we jumped to conclusions.”
***
Christel felt rested and went downstairs to see if she could help Bettina with anything. When she didn’t find her, she walked outside to the porch to see if she was in the garden. She knew that gardening wasn’t Bettina’s favorite activity, but couldn’t contribute to that end. It was troublesome to bend down to weed since her belly was so big and got in the way.
Christel stopped abruptly when she caught a glimpse of people in the garage. They were all standing in a group, admiring her stroller. How kind of Bettina to tell them about her. She hoped they were happy on her behalf. It was best to greet them. Get it over with right off the bat. She felt a little anxious.
“What on earth,” Willy exclaimed. “Christel, what are you doing here?” He walked toward her, and embraced her as the dear family member she was, then stroked her back tenderly. “But what is this?” He looked astonished at her belly, which prevented intimate contact.
Elfrid watched the whole show wide-eyed and speechless.
“I’m finally pregnant,” Christel said and smiled happily.
“Oh my, is this your stroller?” Elfrid looked from her to the blue stroller.
“It sure is. Preben insisted I buy it yesterday. It was kind of early, in my opinion.”
“Congratulations,” Elfrid said and hugged her warmly. “But this is getting too much for me. I need something invigorating.”
“Good idea, my dear. So do I.”
Bettina needed something refreshing herself. It wouldn’t be easy to have them stay here, and she suspected this was only the beginning. Then she remembered there was no whiskey in the house, which was Willy’s favorite. She hurried to send Preben a text message, asking him to pick up a bottle on his way over. She closed the garage door and followed the others over to the house.
“Imagine, our son is finally going to be a father. Who would have thought?” Elfrid said in a faint voice.
“Haha, yes, I can’t believe it.” Willy was in a great mood.
Bettina felt a wave of shock running through her body. She realized they had no way of knowing what was going on. She was sorry to disappoint them, but there was no other way. “Preben is not the baby’s father.”
Elfrid seemed dizzy and staggered from one side to the other for a moment until her husband took hold of her arm. She scratched her forehead. “Oh my. I don’t understand this.”
If Bettina heard “oh my” one more time, she’d go nuts before the night was over. Elfrid had to have a bigger vocabulary than that.
“Have a seat in the living room, and I’ll get refreshments. Preben is on his way with whiskey for you, Willy. Would you like a beer in the meantime?”
“Yes, please, I’ll help you. Sit down, dear, I’ve got this.”
Elfrid nodded. Christel made herself a cup of hot chocolate.
Bettina poured rosé wine for them, and Willy found a bottle of beer in the fridge. She gave him a glass from the cupboard.
“So what’s going on?” Elfrid had gulped down some wine and was ready for a thorough explanation. “I didn’t know you had married again, Christel.”
Bettina knew that Christel had no doubts regarding the way she had conceived her child. Neither did she have a problem with having no husband to show for. All fired up, Christel told them about her way to pregnancy.
“Haha, that was indeed smart. You’re nobody’s fool, Christel.” Willy stroked her arm. Then he poured the beer into the glass.
“It was a clever move,” Elfrid admitted. “Sometimes one has to help nature on its way.”
Bettina glanced at Christel, who appeared touched by their sweet words. She saw her feverishly blink her eyes. Perhaps she hadn’t expected such understanding. And she might be wishing it was her own parents who were supportive and not two people she was no longer related to. Bettina swallowed hard. How complicated life was occasionally.
“Thanks, you are so kind.” Christel’s smile was full of gratitude.
Bettina tried to lighten the mood. “Would you like to have dinner here, or were you planning to take a trip to town?” She was hoping for the latter but was afraid the answer would be the former.
“No, we’ll go into town another day. We’d gladly eat here if it isn’t a hassle for you.” Elfrid looked at her and smiled warmly.
Of course it was a hassle. It wasn’t that easy to cook for all of them. “That’s fine. I’ll get started.”
“May I help you?” they all asked simultaneously. At least she didn't lack helpful hands in the house.
“No thanks, I’m ok for now. I have most of it prepared.” It was a lie, but she needed some time to herself. “Preben will be here soon, so enjoy yourselves and catch up.”
She went upstairs to Mathilde with a cup of tea and a glass of sherry, so she didn’t have to worry about her. Then she started chopping the tomatoes for the pasta sauce and
put them on the stove to simmer for as long as possible. She fried the ground meat with the onions. And she unpacked the baguettes she’d bought from Sara that morning. They would go well with the Italian dish. She had no intention of serving starters. And ice cream and berries from the freezer would have to suffice for dessert. How convenient it was that Christel was staying here, so she could entertain the newly arrived guests.
Shortly after, Preben arrived and placed two bottles of whiskey on the counter. He wrapped his arms around her and gave her a passionate kiss; the kind that lasted a little too long and was reserved for the bedroom.
She laughed. “But I saw you yesterday.”
“That’s not often enough. What can I do to help?”
“Go and chat with your parents. They’re all sitting in the living room. I’m ok.”
“All right, call if you need me.” He made a cup of coffee and poured a glass of whiskey for his father.
***
Preben was happy to see his parents. They had been on vacation for several weeks, and he hadn’t had a chance to talk to them much. He dispensed hugs then sat next to Christel on the sofa.
He smiled to himself. The vacation had been good for them. His father’s skin was as dark as leather; he simply loved being tanned. His tan never had the chance to fade, thanks to his weekly visits to the salon. He was a regular customer all year round.
His mother’s skin was light and smooth as porcelain. This was not due to surgery, but rather the parasols she used for shelter as soon as there was a glimpse of sun. They were complete opposites, and he had often wondered what kept their marriage alive when Willy took a fancy to the women around him. But Elfrid valued safety the most, which was presumably why she was still with him.
***
Time for New Beginnings Page 12
