Time for Surprises

by Mette Barfelt

  "Miranda, come in." Kitty smiled at her, but King stood barking on the floor, waiting to be lifted. She picked up the wriggling dog.

  "I just wanted to see how you're doing."

  "How nice. Everything's fine. There's always someone stopping by."

  Jasmine came toward them with a glass of water in her hand, and Miranda regretted coming. If there was one person she didn't want to meet, it was her younger sister. Every time she saw her, she was reminded of her pregnancy and Vidar's affair. It was exhausting to behave normally with Jasmine after what had happened. Even if she tried to avoid her as often as she could, it was not always doable. They were family and worked at the same hotel.

  "What are you doing here, Jasmine? Don't you have appointments and customers?" Miranda's voice was direct, but she couldn't keep her contempt at bay.

  "Not now. Later perhaps, I don't remember."

  Miranda was about to rebuke her, but Kitty interrupted.

  "Jasmine tells me she's become such a good friend with the finance manager at the hotel. Gabriel, isn't that his name? He seems to be a popular guy. Don't you like him, too, Miranda?" Kitty looked at her innocently, and Miranda wished she was less fond of intrigue, nor as outspoken.

  She went over to the window, looking out so Jasmine wouldn't see her red face. The thought of Kitty catching them in a hot embrace was almost unbearable. And now her grandma was teasing her, too. You had to search long and hard to find such a cheeky grandma.

  "He's a highly competent manager. We have regular morning meetings. Update each other and such." Miranda turned to face them.

  "That's what I thought." Kitty smiled sweetly.

  "I think he's interested in me," said Jasmine and looked longingly at the sea. "It definitely seems like it could develop into something. It may be time to kick Hugo out the door."

  Miranda was losing her patience with her naive sister.

  "It would be him throwing you out, I'm afraid. It's his love nest you're hatching in, and it's an incredibly tricky situation you've put both him and the rest of us in." She'd wanted to say this for a long time and didn't regret reminding Jasmine of the complications she'd caused.

  Jasmine lost the remaining color in her pale face. "How negative you are. I'm only trying to open my eyes to new possibilities."

  Miranda walked to the door. Her sister's eyes were far too open already.

  27

  Miranda had dreaded the impending talk with Vidar all day. She hoped that Gabriel's assertion regarding the break-in was incorrect. She simply didn't see how it could be true. Why would Vidar wish to cause her trouble? It wouldn't help him in any way whatsoever if things went badly for her. On the contrary, if the hotel wasn't successful and went out of business, he would be without a job. Surely he wasn't so unhappy at work that he wanted that to happen?

  Miranda took her teacup into the living room, closed the door and sat in the armchair. The children were in their rooms. She was not a loudmouthed person but wanted to keep the children out of this, in case Vidar spoke loudly. He was already sitting on the sofa with a cup of coffee and the newspaper. His appearance hadn't changed much during the years of their marriage. His dark curly hair had a few gray strands by the temples, but he was just as slender now as when they met, thanks to the biking.

  Vidar put down the newspaper and looked at her. "What did you want to talk about?"

  Miranda appreciated the gesture. She couldn't stand it when he read his paper while they were talking. She preferred his full attention, and now his eyes were fixed on her. It might be best to be direct and settle it swiftly.

  "I want to talk about the break-in at my office some weeks ago. Are you sure you don't know anything about it?"

  Vidar glanced at her uneasily. "What do you mean by that? How am I supposed to know who broke into your office?"

  She felt in doubt. Was Gabriel mistaken? There was no way Vidar would sit here and lie to her face. She had expected him to admit he was the guilty one. Right now, she regretted not wanting to see the evidence Gabriel had. How foolish of her. And yet she felt there was something wrong. Vidar stared into his coffee cup and was not his usual self. He would typically be upset when accused of something he hadn't done. Apathy had never been his thing. Admittedly, she hadn't blamed him directly, only implied. Still, it seemed as if he didn't want to discuss it any further. Why was that?

  Miranda took a sour toad. She had toads handy everywhere, and right now it was good something was constant. She felt on shaky ground about this conversation with Vidar, and it hadn't even started. She tried to focus again and refused to go back to Gabriel to check the evidence. She trusted him, and she needed answers now. She had already postponed it too long.

  "There's proof that you're responsible for the break-in."

  Abruptly, he turned to look at her, a little anxious and with an unfamiliar color creeping up his neck. "What do you mean? Have you seen me on video or something?"

  Once more she regretted not being interested in the evidence. How to reply to him? That she knew it was Vidar but didn't need to see it for herself? That would sound terrible.

  "Gabriel has."

  Vidar burst into hysterical laughter of the kind she'd never heard before. "And you believed him, just like that?"

  She didn't reply but felt immensely stupid. At the same time, it was as if her emotions alternated between doubt and belief. Her intuition said it couldn't be anyone but Vidar. No one else had access to the cameras and the universal keys.

  Then his laughter turned into nervous sobbing. Miranda had never heard such strange noises before, and it dawned on her what had happened. She felt her entire world dissolve, literally in front of her eyes.

  "Miranda, I'm awfully sorry. I never meant to hurt you, and I didn't really. It just..."

  She took a deep breath, as Tony had taught her to do once. "Why, Vidar?"

  He snatched a napkin from the box on the table and vigorously blew his nose. "I feel so useless. The janitor job doesn't demand anything of me. It's completely meaningless."

  "But what's that got to do with me? It's not my fault William gave you that job." She didn't get his reasoning.

  He picked a toad from the bowl, even though he couldn't stand them. "If you had problems, I hoped you'd need my help to direct the hotel. It's those kinds of challenges I miss. But you chose to look for advice somewhere else."

  Miranda thought she had bad hearing. She refused to feel guilty about asking Gabriel to assist her rather than Vidar. And for cooperating with him in everything concerning the departments' progress.

  "So, this is my fault?"

  He spat out the toad and looked at her regretfully. "That's not what I'm saying. All I wanted was to draw some attention to my tedious job. It doesn't seem like you understand how uneventful my days are."

  Miranda sighed heavily. "I do, but I don't have any other position to offer you. The only thing you can do is apply for jobs, which you are doing. So you'll have to make the best of the situation until you find an exciting job again."

  "I realize that now."

  Then she remembered the issues they'd had at the restaurant and the spa and wondered if Vidar had anything to do with that as well. She needed to know, so she told him how the departments were doing.

  "Did you have a helping hand in that too?"

  Appalled, he looked at her, shaking his head. "I don't know any of the folks in Solvik, apart from those I train with. I can't remember talking to them about anything but biking. I don't know anything about those things."

  Vidar had never been blessed with a poker face, and she knew he spoke the truth. She was happy about that, but it didn't outweigh the enormous let-down she felt for what he'd done to her. During the last weeks, she'd taken one disappointment after another, and she knew she had reached her limit. They had no future together. It would be entirely impossible to repair even the smallest of his blunders. She could no longer consider only the children's best interests but had to think about how they wou
ld feel living with parents who didn't love each other. Because that was the truth. Vidar would never have done these things if he loved her. It was hard to face that their seventeen years of marriage was over. She rigidly held her tears in check.

  "It would be best for all of us if you move out, Vidar. Our marriage is over. An affair with both the housekeeper and my sister, who also got pregnant, and sabotage on top of everything. It's more than I can live with." She got up to fetch a glass of wine. "Or forgive," she added.

  Vidar sat with his head in his hands. "You don't mean that. I don't want to lose you, Miranda."

  "It's a bit late for that, don't you think?" Her voice was cool, and she couldn't hide how hurt she was. "I also think it's best if you find a new job." She couldn't risk him causing any more trouble. Next time it could go seriously wrong. You never knew what might happen if he wanted revenge.

  "I won't miss the job, only you. Can't you give me another chance? Please!" He looked at her with pleading eyes, and she swallowed hard.

  "I'm sorry. I don't have the strength for more surprises." She looked at him, hoping he would understand, but he didn't reply. "We need to tell the children as gently as possible."

  She took a gulp of wine and called for them. How she dreaded telling them this. She had no idea how to express herself.

  Sofie and Noah came sauntering into the living room and sat on the sofa with Vidar. They looked anxious and sensed that something was wrong.

  "What is it?" Sofie asked, looking at her.

  "Would you like to tell them, Vidar?"

  He shook his head, like she knew he would. When it came to uncomfortable matters, it was always left to her. But there was no reason to make it worse than it was. So she wouldn't mention the break-in at her office.

  "We've decided to split up. It will come as a shock to you, but it'll be the best for all of us going forward."

  Sofie started crying, and Noah looked at them, frightened.

  "The best for you, but not for us." Sofie eyed her accusingly. "You only think of yourself."

  She'd hoped Vidar would come to her defense, but no such luck. He remained quiet, glaring at his slippers.

  "Where are we going to live?" Noah looked from one to the other.

  "Dad will move out," she said, regretting that they hadn't discussed this before talking to the children. "We have to figure out how we'll proceed. This has come somewhat suddenly to all of us."

  "I want to live with Dad," Sofie said, looking at her angrily. "This is your fault."

  Miranda felt tears pressing. It was tough hearing her daughter's words, and she wondered where she'd gone wrong. Naturally, it would be easier living with her father. He had few rules and was flexible and relaxed regarding their homework. The children could do pretty much as they pleased.

  "I'm not the one who's been unfaithful. Twice. We can talk more about this tomorrow. It's late and way past your bedtime. But of course, we'll consider your wishes. You're old enough to decide for yourselves." She got up. "Now, go to your rooms, and I'll come up and see you in a minute."

  Sofie dried her tears and Noah followed her sadly out of the living room.

  "Didn't you have anything to say?" Distressed, she looked at Vidar. "You didn't have to make it look as if this was my fault. In fact, you're to blame for us being in this situation."

  He had the good grace to look ashamed. "Sorry, you're right. I'll go upstairs and talk to them."

  She was grateful for him acknowledging that the responsibility lay with him. Deep down, she hoped this was the end of all the bad stuff, and that she could start looking forward.

  ***

  When Miranda walked to work the next morning, her mood was as overcast as the sky. What a nightmare this morning had been, as well as an incredibly long night on her part. She'd lain awake, wondering if she was doing the right thing regarding the children. She didn't regret it but still felt guilty. Was she thinking purely of herself? Maybe she was. It wasn't because of the children that their father was moving out. They didn't want any changes. They preferred everyone to live under the same roof. Both of them had said so the night before when she'd comforted them as best she could.

  But the reality didn't hit them until this morning. Vidar had packed a suitcase which was standing in the hall when the children left for school. Both Sofie and Noah became upset again, and Miranda was dismayed by Vidar not trying to be more discreet. He wasn't leaving for work until after the teens had gone, so why couldn't he wait to take the suitcase down? It was almost like he'd done it on purpose, without giving a thought to how they would react.

  Miranda assumed he planned on finding an apartment in Oslo, since their house was rented out. This was a day she just had to get through somehow. Then she would take it one day at a time.

  ***

  Vidar threw his suitcase into the trunk and sped off toward the hotel. He made sure no one saw him and took the elevator up to his office, where he locked himself in. Then he took the universal key to the guest rooms, lifted the suitcase to avoid the wheels making a sound, and checked himself in. This would be his temporary home until he figured out what he wanted to do with his life. Such a pity their house in Oslo had tenants, he would have preferred to drive straight there. But it wouldn't look good to kick out the Danish family renting it.

  He threw himself on the bed and stared at the ceiling. What a horrendous twenty-four hours it had been. Not only had Miranda sent him packing, but she'd also fired him. He felt a mixture of bitterness and fear. She could at least have let him keep his dead-boring job until he found something better. Where would he find money to live off now? Miranda had taken it for granted that she would remain living in the house and that he had to find a place to rent. It cost money, and his account was basically empty. They would have to sell their home in Oslo when the rental agreement expired. Luckily, the house was paid off and would provide a healthy profit when sold. But it couldn't be put on the market for a long time. And he couldn't stay at the hotel. The cleaner would discover him, but he might allow himself a couple of days. The hotel wasn't that full. If he was lucky, he could stay until after the bike race.

  Vidar considered his options. It hadn't been a smart move to sneak into Miranda's office and ruin her PC. It was meant as a little prank, and not intentionally mean. He just wished to help her with her assignments, as they seemed so exciting. He'd wanted to work with her so that they could reach the hotel's goals together. No, that wasn't quite true. It was her position he yearned for. He'd wanted her to fail so that he could take over and prove that he was capable. He no longer remembered the details of his plan, but they were irrelevant now. The result remained the same: he was without a job and a family. He had totally messed up this time. There was no other way of looking at it. And he was convinced there was no way back. Even if Miranda managed to forgive him for the break-in, she'd never forgive his adultery. Especially since he'd been so dumb and involved himself with her sister, and there was a great chance of him being the father of her unborn child. He realized it would be unreasonable to expect Miranda to rejoice at the news of a baby, which she might have to help raise. Or to pay child support for, in the unforeseeable future.

  He'd been looking forward to more trips abroad. Come to think of it, what about the surprise journey he'd bought tickets for? It hadn't been cheap, and the tickets were non-refundable. He'd worry about that later, they wouldn't be leaving for a couple of months yet. Hopefully, she'd change her mind and let him move back. Then they could travel as planned. Now it was time to intensify the hunt for a new job, which he needed more than ever before.

  28

  The first thing Miranda did when she arrived at work was call the bank to make some necessary changes. She didn't trust Vidar any longer and knew that without an income, it would be impossible to know what he might do. Better to let him use his own account again, so she didn't end up paying for both him and his mistresses – not to mention future children. Ouch, what was she thinking?

 
She was swirling her chair when Gabriel showed up. She pointed at the seat across from her as she concluded her conversation with the bank.

  "What's up?" He looked at her, questioningly. "And why are you talking to the bank? I handle all of that."

  Miranda studied the man in front of her. His blond hair was newly cut, and what could be called curls were now waves. It was thanks to Gabriel that she'd asked Vidar to move out. He'd found the evidence that nailed him. She should be mad at him for the terrible decision she'd been forced to make the previous evening. But it wasn't anger she felt, it was more gratefulness for helping her see things clearer. It had hurt to see Vidar drive off with his suitcase, but she knew it was for the best, for both of them. Maybe not the best for the children right now but it would be, in the long run.

  Gabriel's intense eyes held her gaze, and she felt a ripple of excitement. Determined, she swept all thoughts aside and tried to concentrate on the issues at hand. There were plenty, and she feared it was just the beginning.

  Miranda quickly informed him about last night. Dwelling on it was agonizing. She would much rather forget everything in a hurry and move on with her life. Naturally, it wouldn't be that simple, but it was worth a try.

  "You poor thing," Gabriel exclaimed. "I'm sorry it ended like this. I only tried to find out who was responsible for the break-in."

  "It's not your fault. And I'm relieved you solved the case. But the children are distraught. It hurts being the one to cause them pain."

  "I know. You're the one asking Vidar to move out, making you the bad guy."