An Uncommon Family

by Christa Polkinhorn

  “Anna, I’m sorry about the note.”

  Anna shook her head. “Yes, well, we’ll talk about that later. First, let’s find out what’s wrong with you.”

  The doctor checked Karla out, asked her about her symptoms, pointed a light into her eyes, and measured her temperature. “Headache?”

  “Yes, it’s a little bit better right now, but it comes and goes and it’s really bad sometimes.”

  “Neckache?” The doctor peered at her.

  Karla turned her head left and right, then shook her head. “No.”

  “Good.” The doctor smiled and turned to Anna. “This doesn’t look like meningitis. It looks a lot like the flu. I’m going to give her a shot for the headache and the high fever and some medicine.” The doctor took a syringe out of his suitcase. Anna left the room to join Jonas.

  “It looks like the flu,” she said. “I was so scared.” Anna only noticed now that her whole body was tense. She sat down and started to tremble.

  Jonas sat down next to her and put his arm around her. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t even have mentioned meningitis, but I heard of a few cases. Sorry.”

  “It’s not your fault. I’m glad you reacted so fast. It could’ve been, you know.” Tears welled up in Anna’s eyes. A sob escaped. Jonas hugged her; his body felt warm and comforting. Anna leaned her head against his shoulder. They sat quietly for a while.

  The door opened and the doctor stepped out. “Okay, she’s asleep. Again, I don’t think you need to worry about anything more serious than the flu. If anything unusual happens, or if the headache gets worse again, don’t hesitate to call me. Here is my emergency number.” He handed Anna his card.

  “Thanks for coming so fast,” Anna said. “I’m sorry I panicked.”

  “No problem.” The doctor smiled and waved as he walked to his car.

  Anna sat back down. “I’m exhausted.” She tried to get up again. “I better check on Karla.”

  Jonas held her arm. “Relax. Let me check on her.” He got up and quietly opened the door to Karla’s bedroom. Anna, who couldn’t sit still, joined him. Karla was lying on her side, deep asleep. Her face had lost its ashen pallor and looked more alive again. A tangle of hair hung in her face. Anna gently brushed it away from her forehead, which felt cooler.

  “Little devil,” Jonas whispered. They watched her sleep for a while, then tiptoed out of the room.

  Anna walked to the window and looked outside. The sun had just set and the yellow-leaved birches in front of the house shimmered in the last of the daylight. She turned around. “Thanks.”

  Jonas grinned. “For what? For scaring you to death?”

  “No, for being here. I think without you I would have lost it.” Jonas joined her at the window. “You know, Karla has never been seriously ill. I all of a sudden realized how hard it must be for a single mother—or father—when something like this happens.” She took a deep breath.

  “I know what you mean.” They watched as the last of the sun disappeared behind the trees.

  “Well, one thing is for sure, she got out of being scolded too much about her little scheming game,” Jonas said. “She got sick at the right time.”

  “Oh, she’s going to get it once she is better again,” Anna grumbled.

  “She’s aware she did something wrong. Besides, I was pretty harsh with her. And I don’t think it was her idea. I think her little friend had more to do with it.”

  “Maja?”

  “Yes, I think so.”

  “Doesn’t surprise me. I’m still going to talk to her. We can’t blame it on Maja. Karla is old enough to know better,” Anna said.

  Jonas cleared his throat. “Well, to be honest, I actually meant what Karla wrote on the announcement, except for the spelling error, of course,” he said with a quick grin. “I did miss you and when I saw you come in, I was very happy. That above all made my day.”

  Anna nodded. “Yeah, I guess she pretty much summarized my feelings, too. I wanted you to come to the reading.”

  “Hmm. So aside from being a dirty little schemer, she seems to know us better than we do.”

  “It’s still no excuse,” Anna said, then turned to Jonas. “I’m sorry I have been so hard on you. I had no right.”

  “That’s okay. I probably deserved it. Well . . .” Jonas checked his watch. “I guess I’m on my way. You sure you’re going to be okay? You can always call me if something unexpected happens.”

  Anna swallowed. “Actually, I’d love for you to stay . . . if you don’t have plans or anything. I’ll fix us something to eat. I’m starting to get hungry. I don’t have anything fancy, but . . .”

  Jonas glanced at her. “That would be perfect.”

  Anna examined her refrigerator. There was some leftover lasagna she had planned to warm up for Karla and herself. Anna sighed. It would have to do. She fixed a salad and asked Jonas to open a bottle of wine. “To spice up the simple meal somewhat,” Anna said.

  She went to check on Karla, who had woken up and was thirsty. Her headache was gone and the fever was down quite a bit. After drinking some juice, she fell back asleep again.

  “I think we can relax,” Anna said as she put the food on the table. Jonas poured them each a glass of wine. “She’s on the mend.”

  “Great,” Jonas said, then tried a bite of the lasagna. “This as well,” he added, pointing at his plate.

  After the meal, they sat in the living room, drinking wine, talking, and watching the darkness settle over the woods and the trees in the yard with their colored leaves.

  “I love fall,” Anna said. “The colors, the fog in the morning, it’s mysterious. But it also makes me a little sad or rather melancholic. Soon, the end of the year will be here again.”

  “Yeah, I know what you mean,” Jonas said. “You don’t see the changes of the seasons as much in the city, but out here in the countryside, you really become aware of the passage of time.”

  “Yes,” Anna said. “I’m going to build a fire. It’s getting a little cool. This is the time when it’s too warm yet for the heating but just right for the fireplace and the woodstove.”

  “Let me get some more firewood,” Jonas said and got up.

  “The stack is right next to the house,” Anna told him and went to check on Karla again. “She sleeps like a baby,” Anna said as she came back out. To her surprise, Jonas had turned off the light in the living room. The front door was ajar and he was standing outside on the patio.

  “Psst,” he said and motioned Anna to come outside.

  In the light of the almost-full moon, a group of deer—two adults and two youngsters—were grazing on the field next to the forest. When Anna stepped outside, the tallest one, a buck with antlers, lifted his head and stood absolutely still. Jonas and Anna didn’t move and waited. The male lowered his head again and continued to graze.

  “They must not have picked up our scent,” Jonas whispered into Anna’s ear. She felt his breath on her face and smelled the subtle musk of his cologne.

  “The wind is coming from their direction,” Anna whispered back.

  Jonas put his arm around her. The warmth of his body enveloped her like a soft blanket. She leaned lightly against him. They watched the grazing deer for a while. All of a sudden, the headlights of a car driving around the curve in the road nearby lit up a short stretch of the field. The shy animals froze, then sprinted off and within seconds disappeared in the forest. A cool breeze picked up. Anna shivered and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

  Jonas pulled her closer, rubbing her arm. “Cold?”

  “It’s getting chilly,” she said. She turned toward him. Flashes of shadows and light hovered over his face. His eyes, nose, and mouth shone lightly against the dark. Anna closed her eyes and felt his beard against her cheeks and his lips on her forehead. She took his face between her hands. Their lips touched, lightly first, then fully. They kissed for a long time. The warmth and the firmness of his arms felt good. When they stepped apart, Anna’
s heart was racing.

  “Sleep with me tonight,” Anna said when they were back in the living room. Her voice trembled a little.

  “I’d love to,” he said, embracing her.

  In the bedroom, Anna was gripped by nervousness. She tried to remember the last time she had slept with a man. It was all a blur. Jonas kissed her again. He sat on the bed, took her hand, and pulled her down next to him. He pulled off his pullover and loosened the belt to his pants. Anna tried to open the buttons to her blouse. Her fingers trembled, and after the third button, she tried to pull the blouse over her head. It got stuck and she had to pull it back down again. She guffawed and shook her head. “I’m sorry; I’m not used to this anymore.”

  Jonas smiled. “Just relax.” He helped her pull off her top all the way. Anna unhooked her bra; she was glad she was wearing one which closed in the front. Jonas cupped her small but firm breast and kissed her nipples. His hand slid down inside her skirt. The last bit of resistance fell away. Anna closed her eyes and gave herself over to the sensations of pleasure that surged through her body.

  They made love off and on until the early morning hours. It took Anna a long time to be able to fully enjoy it, her body slowly reawakening after such a long time of not making love. But Jonas was patient and sweet, making her feel beautiful and young again. In the end, her sex was sore but she felt satiated and happier than she had been in a long time.

  They slept late the following morning. When Anna woke up, Jonas was still asleep, his mouth half open, snoring a little. His arm was resting on top of Anna’s thigh. Anna heard the kitchen door open. She carefully moved Jonas’s hand off her leg and slid to the edge of the bed. She got up, grabbed her robe, and went to the bathroom. She checked herself in the mirror. Her mouth opened with a wide grin. She brushed her teeth, and ran her fingers through her tousled hair, then went outside.

  Karla stood in the kitchen, pouring herself a glass of juice. Anna gave her a quick hug. “How are you, honey?”

  “Better. My headache is gone, thank God. I’m still a little tired. But I don’t think I’m feverish anymore,” Karla said. Her facial color was almost back to normal and her forehead felt cool to Anna’s touch.

  “Well, I want you to take it easy today. Fortunately, it’s Sunday, no school anyway.”

  “Yeah, thank God.” Karla took a sip of juice. She pointed outside, to where Jonas’s car stood. “So Jonas spent the night?”

  “Yeah, he did.” Anna felt her face warm up. If Karla saw Jonas coming out of her bedroom, she would know.

  “Good,” Karla said. “That’s nice of him.”

  “Yes, he wanted to stay, in case you got sick again. Anyway, are you going back to bed again? I think you should.” Anna wanted Karla back in her bedroom, so Jonas could get up without her noticing where he had slept. Anna knew she was being ridiculous, but for some reason she felt embarrassed in front of her niece.

  “Yeah, I’ll lie down for a little longer, I guess. I’m getting hungry though.”

  “I’ll fix us some pancakes for breakfast. You think you can eat those?”

  “Sure, I’d love pancakes.” Karla picked up her glass of orange juice and got ready to go back to her room.

  The door to Anna’s bedroom opened, and Jonas stepped outside, dressed in his pants but without his shirt. He brushed his hands through his wildish white hair, which stuck out in different directions. Karla stared at him surprised, then glanced at Anna, who felt heat flooding her face.

  “Well, hello, Jonas,” Karla said with a big grin on her face.

  “Hello, sweetie, feeling better?” Jonas said. He gave Anna a quick glance, but didn’t seem embarrassed.

  “Well, I’ll see you a little later.” Karla went back to her room.

  Anna rolled her eyes at Jonas and pushed him back into the bedroom.

  “What’s the matter?” he asked her.

  Anna grinned. “Couldn’t you have waited a few minutes?”

  “Why? And why is your face so red? Ah.” Jonas laughed as well, realizing why she was embarrassed. “I’m sorry but I didn’t know she was up. Besides, she has to know sooner or later.”

  “Yeah, I know, but . . .”

  Jonas guffawed. “This is funny. You are the aunt and she is the niece. But you behave as if you were the young girl, having been caught doing the unspeakable.”

  “I can’t help it,” Anna said with an embarrassed grin. “Anyway, I’m going to take a shower and fix some breakfast.”

  “Good, I’m going to join you.” Jonas took off his pants and stepped into the shower after her.

  “Psst,” Anna said. “She’s going to hear us.”

  “Anna.” Jonas rolled his eyes. “You are an adult.”

  “Oh, all right.”

  Anna was stirring the pancake mix when she saw Maja drive up on her bike. She leaned it against the wall and lifted a bouquet of flowers out of the bicycle basket. Anna narrowed her eyes. Seeing Maja again reminded her of the girls’ scheming. I’ll talk to them later.

  “I heard Karla was sick,” Maja said when Anna opened the door. “May I see her?”

  “Yeah, sure, she’s still in bed but feeling better.”

  “Oh, great.” Maja seemed relieved.

  “Thanks for the flowers,” Anna said.

  Maja knocked on Karla’s bedroom door and disappeared inside. Anna went into the kitchen and put the flowers in a vase. She was just about to open the bedroom door when she heard giggling inside. She listened for a while.

  “They slept in the same room?” It was Maja’s loud voice. “Great. Love it. See, I told you it would work.”

  Anna pushed the door open, and caught the two girls giving each other high fives. They stopped as soon as they saw her, their grins fading from their faces. Anna put the vase on the credenza near the window and faced the girls.

  “This is just about as good as any time to tell you what I think of your scheming. It’s wrong, it’s disgusting, and I’m ashamed of you both. If you continue to do this kind of nonsense, I don’t want you to hang out with each other anymore.” She glared at Maja, whose face turned red. She lowered her head and looked down at her feet. “You are friends and you should encourage each other to do the right thing, not to plot and interfere with other people’s lives. And, one more thing: what happens between Jonas and myself is none of your business and has nothing at all to do with your dirty little games. Have I made myself clear?”

  “Yes ma’am,” Maja said.

  “Sorry,” Karla mumbled.

  Anna stared at them for a while. “Okay, that’s settled. Karla, get ready for breakfast. Maja, if you’re still hungry, you can have some pancakes with us.”

  “Thanks, I’d love to.”

  “Breakfast in five minutes.” Anna turned around and closed the door a little more forcefully than normal. “Little rats,” she murmured.

  Jonas sat in the living room, reading a newspaper. He looked up when Anna stepped into the room.

  “What are you grinning about?” Anna asked him.

  “Tough Auntie Anna,” he said and winked at her.

  “You should support me and not make fun of me,” Anna said, suppressing a smile.

  “Oh, I do, I do. Now, what about those pancakes?”

  Chapter 48

  Jonas was humming as he shaved. He stretched the skin on one side of his face and pulled the razor across his cheek, inhaling the lemony smell of the shaving cream. He stopped and grinned at the face in the mirror. “You look like the cat that got the cream.” He was happy, happier than he had been in a long time.

  The doorbell interrupted his musings. He wrinkled his forehead and glanced at his watch. It couldn’t be Anna and Karla yet. It was too early. He put the razor on the shelf above the sink and got ready to wash the soap off his face, then hesitated. It was probably Mrs. Schatz, the snoop from next door, bringing him goodies again. Ever since Anna had started coming by on a regular basis again, Mrs. Schatz had been on a baking spree. Her face gleame
d with happiness whenever she handed him another plate of her homemade delicacies. “For you and your guest,” she would say, and wink at him. She was a good soul, but Jonas was in no mood to deal with her that early in the morning.

  He left the shaving cream on half of his face, figuring that he could get rid of her faster that way. When he opened the door, he stepped back startled. “Martina?”

  “Hi there, sorry for dropping by without warning. I’ve just come from the airport and my room at the hotel isn’t ready yet. So I thought I’d see if you’re around.” She pointed at his face and grinned. “I got you out of bed, obviously.”

  Jonas was flustered. “Well, no, I’ve been up . . . I’m actually waiting for someone. I thought it was them.” Bad timing, I hope Anna and Karla don’t come early today.

  Martina peered at him. “You don’t seem glad to see me. Is anything wrong? Aren’t you going to ask me in?”

  Jonas sighed, stepped aside, and motioned her to come in. “No, I’m glad to see you. It’s just . . . kind of inconvenient right now. I . . . How did you get in? It’s usually locked downstairs.”

  “Well, obviously, it was open,” she said, looking at him puzzled. “Listen, I can come back later. I didn’t mean to—”

  Jonas heard the sound of the door opening downstairs, the cheerful chatter of Karla and the darker, quieter voice of Anna. The one time I hope they’d be late. Damn it.

  Martina glanced at Jonas, recognition in her eyes. “Ah, I see. I’m sorry, Jonas,” she whispered.

  When Karla and Anna reached the top, the two women stared at each other. Karla’s eyes showed shock and reproach. Jonas cringed.

  Martina smiled at them. “Hello,” she said. “I just dropped by to give Jonas this.” She pulled out an envelope and handed it to him. “There are a few paintings of mine in this gallery. I’m having an exhibition there later. I would love it if you all took a look at them. Just wanted to let you know. I’m on my way. Ciao.” She waved her hand and started walking down the stairs. “Great to meet you again,” she said to Anna and Karla.