by Edina Davis
“Please do me a favour, Carry, and now focus only on yourself, your husband, and your baby, which you will hold in your arms in November. Don’t waste a single thought on Carina anymore.”
When she saw Carolyn’s doubtful expression, she continued: “You don’t seriously think that Carina poses a danger to your marriage? Her vacation is over soon anyway, and she’ll fly back to the States. Alex met her one single time and just talked with her. Nothing more, nothing less. You told me so yourself.”
“Yes, but Alex ignored me the whole time!” Carolyn now finally burst out.
“And that was surely your own fault, Carry, isn’t that the case? I know you well enough to imagine how stiff and silent you sat there.”
Carolyn’s silence told Laura that she had hit the nail on the head.
“So, go home, tell Alex that he’ll be a father soon and just be happy for a change. You have every reason to be. Alex’s parents will surely also be delighted. They really help you wherever they can.”
Carolyn remained silent. She knew that her friend was right about everything. But still, this uneasy feeling just wouldn’t go away.
“Well,” Laura urged, “will you at least think about what I said to you?”
“Yes, of course I will,” Carolyn said quietly. “I know you’re right.”
Yes, you know very well, Laura thought, but will that change anything? Loudly she said: “So, let’s chat with my Mum for half an hour. She’ll also be pleased. You do want to tell her, don’t you?”
“Yes, certainly, of course,” Carolyn murmured uneasily. “But I definitely don’t want her to tell anybody else, at least not for now.”
“If you tell her so, she won’t.” Where will this lead to? Laura sighed.
CHAPTER 53
Since visiting Carolyn’s parents’, Alex was very confused. He thought about Carina, who was so different from her sister, far too often. How was that possible? Before he had always thought that monozygotic twins were identical, in appearance as well as in character. As he now knew, that had been somewhat naive of him. Carina really was enchanting, so carefree, happy, and charming. She laughed a lot and made others laugh, a trait he missed in his wife.
Carolyn … in hindsight he realized that she had hardly talked during that afternoon. Had she said anything at all? No, if he remembered correctly, she had just sat there the whole time and he hadn’t even noticed! He had had a lively conversation with Carina and his in-laws and not even thought of Carolyn! Only later, when they had left and Carolyn had sat next to him in the car in absolute silence, had he realized it. When he had asked her why she had been so quiet, she had once more put forward her dubious headache. After they had arrived home she immediately had gone upstairs, and he had chatted with his parents downstairs for a while. After all, it had been an early Saturday evening, not even eight o’clock.
He frowned pensively. Carolyn was acting very strangely at times. But was his wife’s behaviour really the only reason he constantly had to of her sister?
In the following weeks, he noticed an increasing change in Carolyn’s behaviour, which he didn’t like at all. It seemed to him that she was withdrawing from him increasingly, she even avoided his caresses. Once she was dead tired, another time she had to study, then she felt sick or had her ominous headache.
At some point his collar burst. “What the hell is the matter with you?” he asked sharply, after she wanted to repel his advances off once more with her curious migraine aura.
Carolyn winced. “Nothing’s the matter,” she whispered, intimidated. “I’m just exhausted and have a splitting headache.”
“You’ve had them all the time recently. I’m getting tired of hearing it. You’ve been insufferable for weeks now, don’t you notice that? My parents also noticed that you’ve changed.”
“Oh, so I have changed, really?” Now Carolyn became furious as well. “The only one who’s changed is you. And I know exactly since when and why!”
“Oh, that’s interesting. Then you know more than I do. So, out with it, I’m listening!”
“Since the afternoon at my parents’, exactly since then.” Well, now it was out and at that same moment she would have loved to have bitten off her tongue.
Strangely, Alex hesitated with his reply.
“Ah, so you know exactly what I’m talking about,” Carolyn concluded. “You know exactly that you treated me as if I weren’t there that afternoon.”
“I treated you as if you weren’t there? You were the one sitting there like a stuffed dummy and not interacting with anyone.”
“Yes, blame me for the fact that you only had eyes for Carina. It was absolutely disgusting how you hung to her every word and laughed at her stupid jokes.”
Suddenly Alex became noticeably quiet, although his eyes took on a dangerous glow.
“Yes, as a matter of fact your sister was very charming, and it was a nice and relaxed afternoon for me. Carina and your parents were nice to me and we had a wonderful conversation. Your parents were completely different than usual, much more at ease and friendly. If I were you, I’d give this some thought.” With these words he rolled to the other side and turned the light off.
Carolyn soon heard that he had fallen asleep. She, however, lay awake until dawn.
***
The young couple’s relationship cooled noticeably as of that night. A few times, Alex tried to relent and discuss the matter, but without success. Carolyn increasingly retreated into a kind of shell. Alex was desperate. How had it happened that he and his Carry hardly had anything to say to each other?
One evening he confided in his father. Timothy Carpenter listened to his son very attentively, then looked at him solemnly and asked frankly: “Did you give Carry a reason to be jealous of her sister Carina?”
“No, Dad, of course not! You and Mum, you know very well that I love Carry more than anything. She has no reason at all to be jealous of anyone.”
“I’m not talking about anyone, son, but about your wife’s sister. Well, does Carry have a reason?”
Timothy clearly noticed his son’s short hesitation.
“At least she thinks she has one,” Alex replied evasively. “Father, I love Carry!”
“But that’s not the point, Alex. When women think they have a reason to be jealous, there usually is one. Do you find her sister attractive?”
“Of course, she’s attractive, after all, she’s Carry’s twin,” Alex tried to joke. His father didn’t react to that.
“You know exactly what I mean. So, how is she, this Carina Harris? Does she appeal to you?”
“Yes, damn it, she appeals to me!” Alex flared up. “So, what … what of it? Carina’s charming, has a sense of humour and is incredibly attractive. But that’s not a reason for Carolyn to be jealous. After all, I’m married to her and not to her sister.”
“Dear boy, you have a lot to learn. Women have a keen sense of when their loved one is fascinated by another woman and immediately …”
“But I’m not …” Alex started to defend himself, only to be interrupted by his father.
“… and immediately all alarm bells go off. I’m some years older than you and have my experiences with women. And don’t try to make me believe that you only have brotherly feelings for this Carina, son. It’s not that easy to deceive one’s old father. So, don’t even try.”
Alex avoided his father’s glance and remained silent.
“Alexander Carpenter, set this right very quickly, do you hear?” Timothy urged. “Give your wife a nice bouquet of red roses and invite her out to dinner in a good restaurant at the weekend. Show her that she means a lot to you and that no other woman can hold a candle to her. And, by God, stop thinking about this Carina! That’s your father’s well-meant advice.” With these words he got up and walked towards the door, then suddenly stopped, and said: “I’ve got a brilliant
idea, my boy. How about you and Carry go to Paris for ten days during your holidays?”
Alex looked at his father as if he had lost his mind. “I don’t really know, Dad, but …”
“Rubbish!” his father interrupted him firmly. “I’ll give you the journey for your second wedding anniversary.”
“But our anniversary isn’t until …” Alex started once more.
He was again interrupted by his father. “So, it’s a little advance, my son. You can’t keep me from giving my children a present!” With these words he left Alex alone to give him time to think.
CHAPTER 54
Alex was just leaving the flower shop in Eastbourne when he suddenly bumped into someone. The big bouquet of roses fell to the ground and he bent down to pick it up. At the same time, he opened his mouth to reprimand the other person. He heard a cheerful laughter that sounded familiar to him.
“Well, if that isn’t my dear brother-in-law! It’s incredibly nice of you to give me roses. But isn’t it a bit too much to fall onto your knees in front of me?”
Carina stood in front of him and cheekily winked at him. Alex was so surprised to see her that he at first didn’t know what to reply but only stared at her in admiration. Boy oh boy … the woman was really hot. She had pinned her long, shiny curls artfully together at the back of her head. Her beaming eyes had a golden-green shimmer and her full mouth glistened wet. She wore a white top, slightly gathered under the breast, a short red skirt, and white sandals. His glance quickly wandered to her long legs and he was ashamed of the thoughts that were racing through his head at this moment. Were Carry’s legs just as long?
“Did you eye me long enough now?” Carina, who was of course fully aware of the effect she had, laughed. I knew it, she thought with malicious glee. It will be child’s play to take him away from her.
“I’m sorry, Carina. I’m just surprised to see you here,” Alex finally said. “I didn’t know you were still in merry old England. You’re probably flying back to the USA soon?”
“Ah well, not yet. I’ve a few days left. How about it, do you have time for a drink? My treat.”
Alex hesitated. He instinctively felt that it would be better to refuse Carina’s invitation and yet he spontaneously agreed.
They went into a small pub by the pier and ordered two cokes. It didn’t take long before everything was just as it had been during that afternoon in the Harris’ house. They talked, laughed, and talked, and suddenly three hours had flown by.
When Carina excused herself to use the bathroom, Alex looked at his watch and was startled. It was almost a quarter to six! He had wanted to surprise Carolyn with the flowers today! The flowers … my God, the red roses … he had left them on the street. How could something like that happen to him? You know very well how that could happen, said the voice of his conscience.
“A penny for your thoughts,” Carina’s smoky voice breathed close to his ears. A pleasant shiver ran through him and he felt as if he had been caught doing something forbidden.
“I really need to go now, Carina,” he said nervously. “It’s already quarter to six and I promised Carry to be home at six. I invited her out to dinner today and I also need to get new flowers.”
“No problem,” Carina said. “I also promised my parents to be home in time for dinner. So, let’s go.” She paid the check and then, when they went outside, asked surreptitiously: “I hope your Carry isn’t too angry if you come a bit later?”
“No, that’s fine. Carry isn’t like that. She was in a good mood this morning and said she had a surprise for me.” He winked at Carina impishly. “Yes, and I also have a surprise planned for her. Well, it was my father who had the great idea that Carry and I could go on a little holiday trip. So, he just booked a ten-day-journey to Paris for us, with all the trimmings. Imagine, Carry and I together in Paris, the city of love! She’ll be beside herself with joy when she hears that. So, don’t worry unnecessarily. I’m convinced it’ll turn out to be a wonderful evening.”
“Well, everything’s going smoothly then,” Carina said with emphasised indifference while a storm raged inside her.
My, me! So her dear sis had a surprise for her beloved Alex and he planned to take her to the city of love. How sweet!! Too sweet for her taste. She had arrived just at the right time today to add some spice to the situation or rather to cook her sister’s goose.
***
Alex had a bad conscience. This had to happen to him today of all days. After the conversation with his father, he had intended to straighten things out again with Carolyn. After all, he loved her!
He thought back to the previous evening when she had returned home so late. After she had finally arrived at nine o’clock, he had been so relieved that he had just taken her into his arms silently. They had been really close for the first time in weeks and he had invited her to dinner at her favourite restaurant for Friday night. Radiant with joy, she had then told him that she would have the most wonderful surprise for him at the restaurant. At night they had made love tenderly … And now this!
It wasn’t only that he came late, just one day after their reconciliation, no … it was more than that. Just when he had stopped thinking about Carina, she had stood in front of him in the flesh, more beautiful and enchanting than ever. He mustn’t see her again on any account!
Armed with a big bouquet of red baccara roses and an apology on his lips he stormed into the apartment at six thirty. However, the words choked in his throat when he found Carolyn in the living room.
She sat rigid and pale on the couch next to the telephone table.
He approached her and wanted to embrace her, but she shoved him away.
“Darling, I’m so sorry. I know I’m far too late. You know, I ran into Kevin in town and we went for a beer. You know what Kevin’s like. He talks and talks and then I look at my watch and …”
“Save your lies!” Carolyn interrupted him, dangerously quiet. “I know who you were with.”
Alex caught his breath. How could Carolyn know that he’d been with Carina? She couldn’t possibly have seen him with her.
Carolyn read the unspoken question in his eyes.
“How I know? Well, some minutes ago she called and asked whether we wanted to come over for a barbecue tomorrow afternoon. My parents and she would be delighted to see us. It had been so much fun the last time. Yes, and then she asked whether you had returned home on time. I should – please, please – not be angry with you, as it had been completely her fault and so forth. Yes, that’s how it was.”
Alex was dumbstruck.
“I’m sorry, Carry. Yes, I ran into Carina by sheer chance in Eastbourne, and yes, I lied. I didn’t want to worry you again unnecessarily after we recently had such problems because of her and were only reconciled yesterday. I still should’ve told you the truth. Please forgive me.”
Carolyn just looked at him sadly and remained silent.
After a long unsuccessful attempt to try to come to terms with his wife that evening, Alex got into his car, full of frustration, and drove to Seaford. A storm raged inside him. He was furious with his wife. Why did she have to make a drama out of everything? He really only had the best intentions, wanted to do everything to please her, even came home with a bouquet of red roses and now that! Was it his fault he happened to run into his sister-in-law? Should he have ignored her, have acted unfriendly? What the hell did Carolyn expect from him?
When he arrived in Seaford, he parked the car near the beach promenade and walked the few metres to the Beach Comber. He got himself a pint of Bass at the bar and sat down in a small booth. He needed to think, and for that he needed some peace and a cool beer.
After the initial anger at Carolyn had subsided, he was overcome with self-doubt. He wondered why he had lied to his wife. He had never done that before. He could have told her, quite frankly, that Carina had run into him by chance in Ea
stbourne, there was nothing to it. She was Carry’s sister and he had had a drink with her, that was all.
But was that really all, or was he now also lying to himself? After all, he had told his wife he would be there at six to take her out for dinner after they had spent a wonderful night of reconciliation with each other. He should have refused Carina’s invitation; it was as simple as that. But he had not only accepted the invitation, but he had also stayed out unduly long and besides … yes, besides, he had enjoyed Carina’s presence so much that he had completely forgotten about time and his own wife. That was unforgivable! He got up and went to the bar to get a second beer when the door suddenly opened.
“So, I did see correctly. I was walking on the beach with a friend when I saw you crossing the street. But I wasn’t sure because you wanted to take Lynn out to dinner. When my friend wanted to go home, I thought I could come and have a quick peek. And yes, it’s you. Something’s not right then.”
“Carina, that’s not possible. Now we run into each other the second time today. Come on, let’s sit down. I’ll tell you everything then.”
Carina’s eyes lit up. Had her little scheme already been successful?
They had barely sat down when Alex started talking. Everything bubbled out of him and the more he talked the more he saw Carolyn as the only guilty party. After he had got everything off his chest, Carina put her hand on his and looked deep into his eyes. And then he knew …
CHAPTER 55
In the meantime, Carolyn lay awake in bed, tossing and turning. She kept thinking about the events of the past day, Carina’s call, and her own reaction to it. Laura would reproach her for overreacting once again and for cutting the ground away beneath her own feet, because of her lack of confidence towards her sister. Maybe Laura was right about everything and she was just imagining things.
But why had Alex lied to her then? If everything was so harmless, he could have told her straight away about the incidental meeting!
