“Wow, he’s so gorgeous. Congrats, Christel.” He was lost in the newborn; it wasn’t hard to tell.
“Thanks. I’ll go upstairs and take a shower, if that’s all right.”
“Take your time,” he said, without turning around.
Bettina started unpacking the bags. He had been to Babyshop again. He must have been waiting outside for it to open so that he wouldn’t lose time.
“Goodness, Preben, did you buy the whole store? He only needed a romper and some diapers.”
His face reddened. “I got carried away. I see that now. But it’s great to get it over with.”
“That’s true.” There were two mint green rompers and two blue. And three light-blue PJ’s. Three outfits were suitable for a christening. Then there was a thick, warm overall to use in the stroller on cold days and a sleeping bag for the same purpose, several hats and socks, no less than four pacifiers with monkeys, and a big baby blanket and a smaller one. Bettina was speechless. And that was before she realized that he had more in the car.
“There are a few things in the car,” he said, without taking his eyes off Ted.
Bettina grabbed the car keys from the counter and went to get everything. She was so amazed by her fiancé’s generosity that she needed a few minutes to digest everything. She sat in the rocking chair and tried to breathe normally. She stayed there for several minutes before she managed to pull herself together. She wished she was able to relax and let her thoughts flow, but she couldn’t. Her thoughts were circling her fiancé and his peculiar behavior. She noticed that his car was parked right in front of the steps. Apparently, he’d been in a rush when he arrived.
She gave up on trying to make sense of the confusing thoughts. Instead, she got up, unlocked the car door, and started pulling out everything she found. It would be moved over to Christel’s car eventually. But before that, it had to go inside.
She wasn’t able to fit everything in the kitchen, so she had to use the dining room.
“I bought everything the saleswoman said was needed at the beginning.” He had come into the dining room and sat on a chair while she unpacked.
“So I see.” She wondered if a multi-functional play gym was necessary for a newborn. A thick baby blanket to put on the floor under the play gym was practical. And a nursing pillow for Christel. She pulled out a ton of toys. Rattles, bells, a musical tractor. And a stuffed animal three times the size of Ted. A keyboard to practice his musical talent that would be much appreciated by the mother. And what was more genius than a bathtub that could grow with the baby? Why the newborn needed a bubble-pistol was ambiguous.
“Uhum, I see a few things have been left in the car.” At this point, Preben’s face had taken on the unflattering color of beets.
“There’s even more?” Bettina looked up from the baby bouncer she had unpacked. It had a hoop with dangling toys which could entertain any child for a long time, according to the advertisement.
“A playpen and a car seat. I don’t think the seat of the stroller is safe enough. And you don’t want to take any chances.”
“Right. You can move it over to her car when you leave. No need to bring it inside. There’s enough equipment as it is to prolong their stay for several months,” said Bettina.
“Of course, of course.” He looked lovingly at Ted, who was sleeping in his arms.
Then Christel was back, staring open-mouthed at everything. “What’s all this?”
“It’s complicated for you to get to stores now. So I got a few things,” Preben said.
“That’s very thoughtful. But I’m up and running, so I’ll be fine.”
“Most of it is in the kitchen. Have a look there,” Bettina said with a strained smile, before changing her mind. It wasn’t Christel’s fault that Preben was so generous.
“Wow.” She was looking at everything he had bought. “Thanks a lot, Preben. I’ll pay you back.”
“Don’t worry about it. You have enough things to focus on now.”
At that moment, Ted woke up and started crying, and Christel took over. “He’s hungry. I’ll go up to my room and feed him.”
Bettina thought it best to get ahead of her fiancé; otherwise, he would follow Christel to watch her feeding Ted. “I’ll bring the nursing pillow, diapers, and some clothes. Preben, you have to get back to work, don’t you?”
“Eh, yes, I guess I should.” He got up reluctantly. “See you after work. Call me if you need anything else.”
***
Christel sat in bed with the nursing pillow as support, and Ted started getting used to how to eat. She couldn’t stop wondering about Preben. He had bought many of the things she had liked at the store the other day. She was touched by his thoughtfulness. At the same time, this was all wrong. Preben wasn’t hers. And all of this had to be incredibly tricky for Bettina. This wasn’t the way it should be. She was no doubt just as confused. She would make sure only to stay a couple more days. There was no other way.
She closed her eyes and tried to rest, but her thoughts went back to her ex-husband and everything he had bought for her. She was surprised, and it got worse when Bettina told her there was more in the car. At the same time, she was annoyed at herself for not having bought this on her own a long time ago. Then everything would have been ready, and this awkward situation would have been avoided. She was sure they were having a more extended discussion in the kitchen now. It was a shame because it had never been her intention to create problems between them. If only she had left a few days ago…
***
When Erik came by during his lunch break, Bettina pulled him into the living room. She had put the blanket, the play gym, and all the toys there since there was no more space in Christel’s room. She also knew that Anneli would enjoy playing with Ted, and her aunt would like having the baby around.
“There’s a playground in here. What happened?”
“Good question,” she said and shook her black curls. She told him how the morning had been.
He looked thoughtful. “I’ve seen many women being engrossed in their babies, the cute clothes, and equipment, but this is the first time I’ve heard of a man who’s just as eager. They’re usually more laid-back.”
“That was my impression, too.”
“Have you had a chance to talk to him?” He caught a lock of her hair and removed it from her face.
She shook her head, so it fell back again. “There wasn’t time. Or, to be honest, I sent him back to work. My head isn’t working, and I’m tired from last night.” A smile drifted over her lips. It had been a strenuous night, but something precious had come out of it. She felt a stronger bond with the man in front of her after what they had been through together. To welcome a child into this world was something unique.
“We were a fine team. It was a nice experience to have you there,” said Erik.
She smiled. “Likewise. I’m never going to forget it.” A deep furrow appeared on her forehead.
“But?”
She picked up a rattle from the floor. “All this has made me realize what I want the most, my own baby. And preferably today.”
He smiled but turned serious. No one said anything for several seconds, and she was wondering if he was thinking the same as her.
“Come, let’s have a look at your patients,” she said and set the toy aside. “We’ll check on Mathilde first. She turned up for breakfast this morning and was in a slightly better mood. But she sure is moody. And her condition goes up and down, I never know what to expect.”
“I’ve noticed that.”
The visit to her aunt was quick because she was sitting on her sofa, diligently embroidering. So they knocked on Christel’s door. She was in bed, resting, while Ted’s eyes were closing as he fell asleep.
“Do you have a digital scale, Bettina?” Erik started removing the baby’s mint green romper.
“One moment.”
She was back with the scale shortly after, and the boy was weighed and measured.
Erik dressed Ted. “It was provisional and spontaneous, but it turned out well. You have a healthy boy, 20 inches and 7 ¼ pounds.”
In the evening, when everyone gathered in the living room, it resembled a family party. Only the in-laws were missing. Anneli and Preben nearly fought over who would hold Ted. Christel was still tired, Mathilde was sipping her third sherry, and Bettina waited on everyone. Preben had gotten hold of Christel’s apartment keys, so the stroller was back in the garage, ready to use. Luckily, he had been smart enough to leave the other equipment behind. They had more than enough as it was, and could have opened a baby store of their own. And at that moment, a Jaguar skidded to a halt in the driveway. Bettina sighed and knew who had arrived. Weren’t there enough people here already? And weren’t mothers of newborns supposed to have a few days of quiet? She could tell from Preben’s face that he had been the one to inform them.
“They had to know,” he said in an apologetic voice and a sheepish look on his face.
Reluctantly, she went to receive the guests.
“We wanted to see the baby,” Elfrid said and hugged her.
“There’s no one we’d rather see than Ted,” Willy reassured her and offered a tender embrace she could have done without.
“Come in.” She hung their coats in the wardrobe while listening to congratulations and exclamations, all at once, and more gifts being unwrapped.
She fetched drinks and glasses. A dose of jealousy was unavoidable, and she wasn’t proud of it. She was the one who should have had a baby now, not Christel, who didn’t even have a man. She was ashamed of thinking like this because if anyone deserved a baby, it was Christel, after so many years of trying. After all, she had a daughter. But she felt so left out, as if she wasn’t a part of this. And she wasn’t since she was only engaged to Preben. The problem was that it didn’t feel like he was hers, but more like Christel’s. And it hurt to think about it. She had to keep all of this separate. It was just so hard.
Back in the living room, Elfrid had taken over the baby.
“Oh my, how cute. We should have one of these.” She stroked his soft cheek.
“Haha, he’s almost ours,” Willy chuckled and winked at Christel. “I’m sure we’ll get to borrow him.”
***
Christel looked at her former in-laws with mixed feelings. She was no longer a part of this family. At the same time, she felt like most things were as they used to be. Her feelings for Preben and his parents were the same as they had always been. Aside from the lack of intimacy, all of this felt familiar. She assumed it was natural, considering everything they had shared, but she couldn’t free herself from a growing desire to rekindle her relationship with her ex-husband. She was aware that these were wholly forbidden thoughts, and she had been trying for the last few days to distance herself from him emotionally, without any luck. It didn’t make things easier when he showed up at the guesthouse continuously. But she had to try harder, for Bettina’s sake. She didn’t want to stand in the way of her happiness. It wasn’t fair. She had had her chance. The fact that she had eventually given up was something she had to live with and accept the consequences.
***
Bettina looked at her future in-laws and felt an uncomfortable feeling growing inside her. With the situation being as it was, it wouldn’t be easy to grant them their wish of a grandchild. She could tell how lost they were in the baby. Chances were they would never get to be grandparents to Preben’s children. Sure, they had other grandkids, but it didn’t seem like their longing for more had diminished for that reason. She analyzed her feelings for a moment. She was blessed with a daughter and didn’t need another child. But need and desire were two separate things. Why were they so difficult to combine?
As the night went on, she feared that Ted would get seasick from all the rocking. Not to mention dizzy, after being handed from one to the other, like a package at the post office. Everyone held him several times, and they all adored him. Anneli was spending the night at home since she didn’t have handball practice.
“You’d better go to bed,” Bettina said and looked lovingly at her daughter. “It’s late, and you have school tomorrow.”
“Do I have to, Mom?”
She rarely had to ask her, Anneli was usually good at keeping track of the time.
“I’m afraid so, but Ted will be here tomorrow.”
“Ok. But then I want to hold him extra long.”
Christel smiled. “You will.”
“We have to get home now,” Elfrid said and motioned for Willy to get up. He followed her. Even Preben managed to leave, with a promise to come back the next day.
19
The next evening turned into something Bettina would never forget. She had cleaned up after dinner and started baking cookies. All the jars needed refills; they were empty after her guests had left yesterday.
The doorbell rang, and she wondered who it could be. She wasn’t expecting anyone. A few reservations had been waiting for her when she got up that morning, but they were for the next month.
Bettina washed her hands and went to open the door. She would gladly have done without the sight that met her. She opened her mouth in surprise and disappointment.
“Lauritz, what are you doing here?” She stood there, shocked, staring into her brother’s brown eyes. She hadn’t seen him for years, but he still looked the same. Tall and slim, like her, with dark hair that curled at the neck.
He made a face. “Is this somewhat unexpected, perhaps? Aren’t you happy to see me?”
A million thoughts went through her head at the same time. One thing was for certain; she was far from excited to see him. What was he doing here? And how had he gotten here?
“Come in.” She reluctantly opened the door. “Where did you come from?”
“Spain.”
She could feel her heart sink. So this wasn’t a courtesy call. He must have come straight from the airport. He had a large backpack, which might be filled with clothes for however long.
“You have to give me your best room.” The tone of his voice was surly, and she assumed that this was just the beginning of what she had in store. Her brother was not at all pleased about the inheritance. She could understand that it felt unfair, but she understood her uncle even more. Lauritz was seven years older than her and had never lived up to anyone’s expectations. That he was the complete opposite of her in so many ways was hard to fathom.
“How long are you planning to stay?” She didn’t want to offer him the Hepatica, which was the only available room with a private bathroom.
“We’ll see. It depends.”
“Depends on what?” She pointed to the wardrobe where he could hang his coat. She had no intention of being his servant. If he were to stay for a while, he would have to make do on his own.
“Don’t nag. Now, give me the room. I’m tired after the flight.”
“You can stay in Lily of the valley on the third floor. It has a sea view, and the bathroom is in the hall. But there are no other guests on that floor at the moment, so you have the bathroom to yourself.” She’d keep him as far away as possible.
“Bathroom in the hall? What kind of place is this? Don’t you have rooms with bathrooms?” He stared cheekily at her.
She should have known he wouldn’t settle for anything but the best. “I have one room with a bathroom left, but guests are coming.” No guests were arriving tonight, so it was a small white lie. But since she didn’t know how long he was staying, it was better to be on the safe side.
“I’ll take it. They’re not coming this late.”
She didn’t want to fight and gave him the key. “We had an unexpected birth here last night. A guest gave birth to a boy. They’re staying a few more days. And Aunt Mathilde isn’t well
. She most likely had a heart attack last week. So there are people to consider.”
“Good heavens, maternity ward and hospital combined. This wasn’t what Herman had in mind when he tripped on his roof tiles.”
She didn’t comment and went back to the kitchen to continue baking. Her hands were shaking when she placed the cookie dough on the baking sheet. Seeing her brother had affected her more than she liked. There was something about the way he acted. He wasn’t someone who was easily likable. She was wondering about the purpose of his visit. She would have to call her parents tonight to see if they knew anything. Doubtlessly they didn’t, or they would have called her right away.
Lauritz didn’t rest on his laurels because seconds later, he appeared in the doorway. “Nice house. I went around and had a look at all the rooms.” He fell on a chair and took a brown stick from the cooling rack.
Alarmed, she looked at his sly, sun-tanned face. Had he entered her and her daughter’s rooms too?
“The woman and the baby were asleep.”
“What? You can’t enter the room of our guests just like that. You have no right to.” She was upset and didn’t try to hide it. What a cheek! If word got out about this in town, she wouldn’t have to worry about getting guests in the future. You had to respect the privacy of the guests when running a guesthouse. That was rule number one.
He sneered and grinned sleazily. “Do you have something to drink? Beer, wine or something stronger will do.”
She could see where this was heading, so she had to be explicit. “Help yourself. If you’re staying here, you’ll do your part.”
“There, there, little sister, cool off.” He went over to the fridge, got out a bottle of beer, opened it, and drank straight from the bottle.
“We have glasses.”
“I’m sure you do.” He helped himself to another cookie.
“So, what are you doing here? Don’t you have a job on the Costa del Sol?” She placed the tray in the oven and started on another one.
Time for New Beginnings Page 22
