Where Shadows Linger (Intertwined Souls Series Book 2)

by Mary D. Brooks

  Hannah had been right—it was a long process.

  The previous night had been a turning point. Zoe didn’t know how it happened but at two a.m. something had changed with Eva. They each had their own bedrooms, but last night Eva came into her room. She had stood watching her for some time and Zoe held her breath for a long time hoping Eva would make a move towards the bed. Zoe’s heart was breaking from the look of utter despair on Eva’s face. She was so close but she just couldn’t do it. It was only a matter of time.

  Chapter Three

  “You do have a slim waist for such a big girl.”

  Eva looked down at the seamstress who was taking her measurements. Unsure of what to say, she remained quiet. She had been given a tour of the area where she would be working before being taken to the sewing room to get her new uniforms. The room, which was quite small and hidden away at the back of the factory, was a hive of activity. Eva counted four sewing machines being used, and noted that there seemed to be three different conversations going on at the same time.

  “All right, you’re in luck,” said the seamstress, bringing out three neatly folded white uniforms. After she had wrapped and tied up the clothing in brown paper, she picked up three matching white hats and gave them to Eva. “These remain the property of the factory. If you lose them, you pay for them.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Eva replied and took the bundle of clothing before leaving the sewing room. The noise and the heat were overwhelming as she made her way towards the office.

  “So let me guess—you’re 36-25-35?” asked the man whom Peabody had instructed to escort her on her tour of the factory.

  “Excuse me? Mr…”

  “Earl Wiggins.” He was a bearded, tall, broad shouldered man in his early twenties with short blond hair and piercing blue eyes.

  ”Mr. Wiggins, you do not ask ladies that question,” she admonished him mildly, and continued to walk away from him.

  Earl hurriedly walked in front of Eva, making her stop.

  “I’m known as the Errol Flynn of the factory,” he said.

  “I thought your name was Earl?” Eva asked, frowning in puzzlement.

  “No,” Earl said. “Errol is my nickname.”

  “Hey, Wiggy! Give the girl a break. She hasn’t even started working here yet!” called a strident male voice.

  Eva saw four men leaning against a machine and laughing at Earl. She turned back to find Earl stroking his beard, a very smug expression on his face.

  “Is this some game, Mr. Wiggins?”

  “Nah.” Earl waved off the men and took Eva by the hand. “I’m the welcoming committee for beautiful girls who start working here.” He chuckled. “A beautiful woman such as you deserves to have a welcoming committee.”

  “Uh huh,” Eva answered, turning once again to walk away.

  “Let me take that heavy load off your hands.” Earl smoothly took the uniform package as they walked. “So, Mrs. Eva Muller, what will Mr. Muller do while his wife is slaving away making biscuits?”

  “There is no Mr. Muller,” Eva replied. She was very surprised that he had not commented on her name or her accent. It was refreshing not having to tell Earl the usual “yes, I am a German, and, no, I’m not a Nazi” response she gave to people she first met. Even though the questions were quite flirtatious, she found Earl endearing. He reminded her a little of her childhood friend Wilhelm.

  “I see.” Earl nodded as he kept pace with Eva. “You still wear his ring?”

  Eva looked down at the silver ring on her finger. Zoe had given it to her on the Patris during their voyage to Australia. The memory remained fresh in her mind.

  The sun had begun to set over the harbor at Cape Town, South Africa. Shadows formed across the becalmed sea while Eva leaned on the railing and looked out over the serene vista before her.

  This was going to be one of the last stops the Patris made before reaching Australia, where their new life awaited them. Eva watched the sky turning a reddish-gold and smiled. She felt a hand on her lower back and turned to find Zoe looking up at her. Zoe put her arm around her waist and they looked at the sunset.

  “Did you have a good time shopping?” Eva asked.

  Zoe nodded. She kept her eyes on the scene before her. Eva was slightly surprised not to have Zoe regale her with the shopping news or the latest ship’s gossip as had become their sunset ritual. No malice was involved, but Zoe enjoyed telling Eva what some of the other refugees had been up to.

  “Evy, let’s go inside,” Zoe said, and took Eva’s hand, leading her away from the deck railing.

  “Didn’t you want to see the rest of the sunset?” Eva asked, a little bewildered. They both loved sunsets, but particularly Zoe, as she was fond of painting them.

  When they arrived back in their closet-sized cabin, Eva sat on the bunk and patiently waited for Zoe.

  “Remember when you were sick and you asked me to spend our lives together?” Zoe asked tentatively.

  Eva was not sure where this was going. Without realizing it, she scowled.

  “Don’t do your scrunchy face,” Zoe said, and knelt in front of her. She gently smoothed out the skin between Eva’s eyes that tended to bunch together when she frowned.

  “What’s this about, Zoe?”

  “Well, do you remember that day?” Zoe persisted, causing Eva to worry more.

  “Yes. My brain is a little damaged but my memory works.”

  ”It was the best day of my life.”

  “Yes, it was for me, too, and still is,” Eva replied. They looked at each other for a moment before Eva sighed. “Zoe, don’t do this to me. What is it?”

  “Uh, yes.” Zoe cleared her throat. “You know today I went off the ship with Elena?”

  “Yeesss,” Eva patiently said. She was tempted to ask Zoe to hurry up and say what was on her mind. Normally, that wasn’t a problem with Zoe. Normally, Eva had to slow Zoe down. For a brief moment, Eva had a terrifying thought. “You haven’t changed your mind?”

  “About what?”

  Eva took a shaky breath. “Are you trying to tell me that you don’t want to...be with me?” she asked, her voice breaking. “I know it’s taking a long time for me…to get my mind-“

  “What? No! Why would I want to tell you a stupid thing like that?” Zoe sat back, looking bewildered.

  “Because you’re asking me to remember that special night.”

  Zoe looked at Eva with a perplexed look on her face. Finally, she groaned loudly, took Eva’s hands, and held them against her heart.

  “I would never do that. Never. Do you hear me?”

  “I hear you, but my heart’s about to jump out of my chest here,” Eva replied. It was true the organ in question was beating so fast she thought it would jump out of her chest. Zoe put her hand over Eva’s heart and looked into her eyes.

  “I wasn’t going to tell you that I didn’t love you anymore,” Zoe said, taking Eva’s left hand. With her free hand, she reached into her pocket and took out a ring. “I wanted to give you this.”

  Eva looked down at her hand where Zoe had slipped a simple silver band onto the third finger. She couldn’t find her voice as tears began to flow down her face. Zoe tenderly brushed them away.

  “It’s not what I wanted to buy you, but that can wait for our first wedding anniversary,” Zoe said. “I love you, Evy.”

  Eva stood up on shaky legs and took Zoe in her arms. “I thought...”

  “You think too much,” Zoe said, and kissed her tenderly. “And you talk too much,” she added as Eva gazed at her ring.

  Eva brought her thoughts back to the present. She noticed Earl staring at her and stammered, “I...um...my husband died during the war.”

  It’s the truth—Erik did die on the Eastern front. Not a lie. Eva watched Earl transform from the joker of moments ago to being very serious.

  “I understand. I’m sorry I asked,” he said earnestly. “Too many boys never made it home.” He handed the bundle of clothing back to Eva.

>   “Hmm.” Eva nodded, considering what Earl had told her. She was impressed with her newfound guide. Earl knew that she was German and that her husband may have been the enemy. It had been the first time since she had arrived in Australia that she had experienced a compassionate attitude.

  Eva shyly looked up at Earl and smiled when he matched her long strides.

  “Has anyone ever told you that you look like Ava Gardner?” he asked.

  “I don’t see the resemblance, but I have been told I look like the actress,” Eva replied. In Egypt, Zoe had convinced her to go to the local cinema so they could see an English-language movie. Ava Gardner was an actress in the film that had captured Zoe’s attention. Zoe had been mesmerized by her, so much so that Eva had been a little worried until after the movie, when Zoe had told her that the actress looked so much like Eva, they could be twins. Eva, however, did not see the resemblance.

  “So what was his name?” Earl leaned in and whispered.

  “Erik. He was a doctor.”

  “So are you here alone?”

  “You ask too many questions, Mr...” Eva replied, stopping when she realized she had forgotten his name.

  “Wiggins.” Earl took off his white hat and held it against his heart. “Earl Edward Wiggins,” he said, and bowed.

  Eva chuckled. “Well, Mr. Wiggins...”

  “Call me Wiggy; everyone else does.”

  “Wiggy?”

  “You shorten the Wiggins.”

  “Why?”

  Earl scratched his beard thoughtfully. “It’s just the Aussie way.”

  “Ah. So I would be called ‘Mulli’?” Eva asked gravely, which caused Earl to look at her for a moment, and then laugh.

  “I like you, Mrs. Eva Muller,” Earl said, putting his arm around her shoulders. “Actually, you would be called ‘Muzza.’”

  “I’m confused.” Eva shook her head and got out from under Earl’s arm.

  “Ah, don’t run away from me, Eva Muzza!” Earl seemed to be hurt, but the twinkling in his eyes told Eva he was feigning. He stood in front of her, making her stop once more.

  “Are you always this annoying?” Eva asked. She was not offended by his banter. She was surprised she was enjoying the teasing.

  “Annoying? I'm not annoying.” Earl knelt on one knee. Eva looked around the factory floor. The women workers were laughing and shaking their heads. “Marry me, Eva Muzza, and become Mrs. Wiggy!”

  “Sorry, not today,” Eva said with a chuckle.

  “Are you sure? We can honeymoon in the shortbread section.” Earl went down on both knees with both hands outstretched, begging the now very amused Eva to marry him.

  “Wiggins, get up off the floor and leave the poor woman alone.” Peabody had come out of the office and stood at the doorway, scowling.

  “She was about to marry me, Mr. Peabody,” Earl declared, as he stood and dusted the dirt off his white trousers. He put his hat back on his blond head.

  “If every girl that was about to marry you did so, we would have to have you carted off as a polygamist.” Peabody snickered. “Isn’t your shift over? Go home.”

  “I was about to do just that, Mr. Peabody. And offer the lovely Mrs. Muller a ride,” Earl said, snatching back the uniform package from Eva and holding it up for his boss to see.

  “I would be wary of our factory Romeo, Mrs. Muller,” Peabody advised, winking at Eva before he went back into his office.

  “So, Mrs. Muller, would you like a ride home?”

  “My mother always told me not to ride home with strangers,” Eva joked back when Earl replaced his arm around her shoulders.

  “But since we’re nearly engaged, that’s all right,” Earl replied. Eva looked at him and shook her head.

  “Seriously, where do you live?” Earl asked.

  “Glebe,” Eva said.

  Earl took off his hat and put it inside a large green canvas bag. “Well, if you really want to go on public transport, it will be crowded and smelly. If you ride with me, I promise we won’t get married on the way.”

  Eva could not help but smile. “All right. Because if we did, my sister, Zoe, would be very surprised.”

  “Zoe? Hmm, how old is she? Would she be interested in marrying me?” Earl showed Eva the way to his car.

  Eva was surprised that she allowed herself to be led to the dark sedan, and even more surprised that she had mentioned Zoe to him. “She’s too young for you.”

  “Ah, womanly rivalry.” Earl nodded. “I like it when girls fight over me.”

  Eva laughed as he opened the car door for her and she got inside. She was amazed at how easily Earl had got under her defenses and made her feel comfortable. He hadn’t done anything other than joke with her. She put it down to his uncanny resemblance to her long-lost childhood friend. When Earl tossed the brown paper package on the seat behind them and climbed behind the wheel, Eva found herself wondering how Zoe was going to like her new acquaintance.

  ***

  “Zoe, who’s that?” Elena asked, leaning on the railing of the apartment’s balcony and looking down. Standing beside her, Zoe glanced down too. In the street below them, a car had stopped at the curb. A tall, blond-headed man got out, walked around the car, and opened the passenger side door.

  Zoe frowned when she spied a distinctive figure exiting the vehicle. “Eva,” she said.

  “Getting out of a car with a young man, no less,” Elena observed.

  They both watched as Eva talked to the stranger. She was holding a package and looking up at the man. “I wonder what that’s about. She does look pleased with herself.”

  “She is? She looks like she’s just having conversation,” Elena commented.

  Zoe smiled. She knew how to read Eva’s body language and this was definitely a good mood for Eva. “Oh yes, she’s very pleased with herself.”

  Below them, Eva smiled and waited while the man got back into the car.

  “She’s relaxed and happy,” Zoe continued. “Whoever that man is, he’s really made her comfortable.” It was not just the fact that Eva was smiling; she smiled at people even if she did not like them. But Zoe knew when Eva was upset or happy just by looking at her shoulders. It was an odd way to ascertain how a person was feeling, but Eva had a slight shoulder twitch that manifested itself when she disliked someone or was in a situation that made her uncomfortable. Zoe had noticed it in Egypt but didn’t tell Eva, because she didn’t think Eva knew about it herself. It was also the perfect barometer for Zoe.

  “How can you tell?”

  “I know.” Zoe smiled at Elena. “It’s the little things.”

  “Well, do you know what’s going to happen now?” Elena asked and pointed at their landlady, who was hurrying towards Eva.

  Zoe smirked. “I believe it’s called a payback.”

  “Payback?”

  “Eva has avoided Mrs. Jenkins for weeks.” Zoe saw Mrs. Jenkins wobbling down the pathway, and then glanced back down at Eva, who had clearly had also seen her. Zoe giggled.

  “What’s so funny?” Elena asked.

  “Mrs. Jenkins wants her nephew to go out with Evy,” Zoe explained, catching Eva’s eye as she looked up at her. Eva gave her a slight shake of the head. “It’s been a real cat-and-mouse game,” Zoe continued.

  “The cat’s got the mouse?”

  “Nearly.” Zoe smirked. “This is better than the wireless dramas.”

  “Aren’t you going to rescue her?”

  Zoe smiled devilishly. “Not yet.”

  ***

  ”Miss Muller!”

  Eva closed her eyes momentarily and steeled herself for a conversation with Mrs. Jenkins. She had been avoiding her for weeks and had even resorted to getting Zoe to go to the Jenkins’ apartment to pay the rent. Eva glanced up at the balcony again and caught what looked like Zoe winking at her.

  “Mrs. Jenkins, so nice to see you,” Eva said, plastering on a fake smile. She heard guffaws from above, and resisted the urge to look up and stick her tongue
out at Zoe. I’m going to get you for this, Zoe, just you wait. “How are you?”

  “It’s too hot,” Mrs. Jenkins said, stating the obvious. “It’s not supposed to be hot in October. Usually it gets hot in December, but the weather has gone strange on us.”

  “Indeed,” Eva said, and gave Mrs. Jenkins a smile.

  “Eva, can I call you Eva?” Eva nodded. “Eva, I’ve been meaning to talk to you for weeks!” She fanned herself with an old magazine she was holding in her hand.

  “Really?” Eva feigned interest and hoped Zoe was going to come downstairs and rescue her. She knew it was not going to happen because, when she glanced back up to the balcony, Zoe was still leaning over the railing, grinning widely. I’m really going to get you for this! Eva was feeling desperate.

  “Yes, didn’t Zoe tell you?”

  “Hmm, she did, yes.” Eva nodded. “It must have slipped my mind.”

  “Of course.” Mrs. Jenkins patted Eva’s hand. “Now, I wanted to ask you if you would like to go to see a film with my nephew, Harry. Harry is coming down from Queensland, and he doesn’t know many girls, so would you be interested in seeing a film with him? He’s really very nice and polite.”

  Eva was stuck. She looked up and saw no one at the balcony railing. She prayed that Zoe had taken pity on her and had decided to come down to rescue her.

  “I...um,” Eva stammered. She mentally sighed in relief when she saw Zoe and Elena exit the building and come towards them.

  “Hey there.” Zoe smiled at Eva. “Hello, Mrs. Jenkins.”

  “Hello, Zoe. How are you, dear? Is Mr. Hatton treating you well?”

  Zoe said, “Yes, ma’am, he is.”

  “Good, good, because if he doesn’t, tell him Mrs. Jenkins will come over there and have a word with him.” She chuckled. “Now I was telling your sister that my nephew, Harry, is coming down from Queensland and he doesn’t know any girls here, so...” She paused to take a breath. “I asked Eva if she wanted to go to see a film with him.”

  “When is he coming down?” Zoe asked.

  “Next Saturday.” Mrs. Jenkins put her arm around Eva’s waist and looked up at her. “He has problems with the krauts, but I assured him you’re a good kraut and not like those nasty Nazis.”