Time for New Beginnings

by Mette Barfelt

  Bettina understood her completely. The baby had to come first. She had never been a fan of motorbikes. The bike itself was impressively grand, but she didn’t like speed and was anxious about what could happen if they had an accident, and Christel was the passenger.

  “It’s been a long time since I’ve driven my own bike,” Christel said. “I’ve had to give up a lot for a baby that’s not even born yet.” Then she smiled. “But I don’t regret it. Nothing is more important to me than this one. I’ll have more than enough time to bike later.”

  “Sounds sensible to me,” Bettina said. She had noticed that Preben was far away, absorbed in his memories. He might even be wishing that the baby was his.

  They went back to the porch. They had forgotten about the koi, but it was just as well. The small bench would have been too intimate for the three of them.

  “Tell me about your wedding plans,” Christel said. “I’m so excited.”

  Bettina was far from excited. It felt awkward talking about the plans with Christel.

  “We want to have a large wedding, right?” Preben looked at Bettina.

  “We do?” She was picturing a small one. They had both been married before, so she didn’t think it necessary to make a big deal of it. It wouldn’t be like getting married the first time, anyway.

  “Of course we do.” He looked at her, baffled. “We got married in Oslo Cathedral. It was a magnificent event with close to three hundred guests.”

  She was lost for words. The cathedral was huge, and that many people was insane, in her opinion. Did he really want a rerun of his first wedding?

  “It’s an old, dignified church,” Christel added, “from the end of the 1600s.”

  As if that would be the determining factor. She had visited the cathedral and knew which one they were talking about. “I’m familiar with the cathedral,” she said and felt somewhat defensive. “I’m from Oslo.”

  “Sure, you know it,” he said. “Is it too many guests? What would you be comfortable with?”

  She wasn’t sure if she even dared tell him what she wanted. “I would love a small wedding with fifty to seventy guests. The Solvik church is pretty. Why not marry there? Since we will be living here in the future and all.”

  There was no reply. She could hear Preben breathe heavily, and birds twittering on the white picket fence. This was clearly not part of her fiancé’s plans. He looked immensely disappointed. She may as well tell him what she wanted the most.

  “Or why not marry in our garden? It’s so beautiful. Imagine all the spring flowers in the flower beds. What a wonderful sight it would be. We can take the wedding pictures on the bridge over the pond, with the romantic bench in the background.”

  “That’s a splendid idea,” Christel said and smiled amicably. “If you want a small wedding, this place is perfect. Besides, it will be nice for you to have other memories. Our memories are – you know – ours. You two have to create your own memories together. It’s unreasonable to think that Bettina will be jumping for joy over a repetition of our wedding.”

  Bettina was grateful for the unexpected support. Christel was so sweet and understanding that it was impossible to be frustrated with Preben. If they hadn’t been in this weird situation, she could easily have become a close friend. They were well on their way already.

  “I don’t know,” he said eventually. “It sounds dull to have a small wedding. As if it’s not important the second time around.”

  “Of course it’s important,” Bettina answered. “It’s just different. One thing doesn’t have to be better than the other. The most important thing is that we’ll be getting married, after all.”

  He tilted his brow, looking at her uncertainly. “It sounds like you want it to be over with,” he said accusingly.

  She looked at her fiancé, amazed. “I thought only women liked planning weddings. Men want to get it over and done with.”

  Christel started laughing. “Preben isn’t like most men. He was very involved in the planning of our wedding. He had loads of opinions, and nothing was left to chance.”

  It dawned on Bettina that they might have lots of intricate bargaining ahead of them. She got up. Her tummy was rumbling, so she’d start on dinner.

  After they had eaten, Christel went up to her room. Bettina and Preben chatted in the living room until late at night. It had been a nice dinner, but he wasn’t in his usual good mood. He had so much to think about. She still felt unsure about the new situation that had occurred due to Christel being around and decided to bring it up. She wasn’t one to hold on to things but preferred to clear up misunderstandings right away.

  “Are you sure you are completely over Christel? You know, we got together shortly after she left you.”

  He took her hand and stroked it lovingly. “Of course. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be engaged to you. It was a shock to see her again, that’s all.”

  She got that. “I can’t help noticing that you two are very similar, while we are very different. It may not mean anything, but…”

  “They say that opposites attract. And she’s pregnant, so there’s no reason to feel threatened by her. Remember, she was the one who left. Didn’t you hear how happy she is without me?” He put his arm around her and pulled her closer. It felt good to sit like this.

  “What about the wedding? We don’t agree on anything,” she said.

  “Don’t worry about that. Sure, we’ll agree. You can start thinking about your dress and flowers. And who you want to invite. There’s so much to do. Then we can discuss it next weekend.”

  This sounded reasonable, and she gave him a long goodbye kiss before he started on his way home.

  8

  Bettina had lain awake thinking for a long time before falling asleep the night before. She got up and decided to have a chat with Sara. The sweet smell that met her when she opened the door to the bakery gave her a craving for all sorts of delicious treats.

  “Did you have a great weekend?” Sara asked.

  “I’d call it interesting.” She told her about both Christel and the wedding plans.

  Sara didn’t know what to say, and they sat at a table with two cups of blackcurrant tea.

  “That’s the worst. It must be hard for you to have her staying after this.”

  Bettina couldn’t help but smile. “It’s a peculiar situation to be in. The problem is that I like her. And that makes it even more complicated.”

  Sara sipped her tea. “I’m glad I’m not in your shoes. It doesn’t sound cool. I had problems with Philip’s ex-girlfriend myself, so I know how it can be. I’ll tell you the full story another time. I have to drink up if I’m to finish before we open.”

  “And I have to get home and make breakfast for my fiancé’s ex-wife.” They both laughed. There wasn’t much else to do.

  They had breakfast, and Bettina went upstairs with some food. When she opened the door to the bedroom, she discovered that her aunt wasn’t embroidering as usual. She was lying down with her eyes closed and looked pale.

  “Aunt Mathilde, are you sleeping?”

  She blinked. “I didn’t sleep well last night. My heart wasn’t like it should be.”

  Bettina became wary at once. Mathilde didn’t look healthy at all. “Should I call the doctor?”

  “No, no, absolutely not. I feel better now. Some breakfast will help.” Mathilde raised herself up in bed and took the food tray.

  “Have some chamomile tea first.” She gave her the cup.

  “I haven’t been myself since Herman passed away,” she said between sips.

  That was quite some self-knowledge. Mathilde hadn’t lost weight and had a bit to spare. With all the food and cookies she was served, she had most likely put on weight, considering she barely burned a calorie throughout the day.

  “There have been many changes for you. It’s understandable. And it’s important to take time to mourn.” Maybe they hadn’t had enough empathy for her. It was never easy losing the person you loved the most.r />
  She took her empty cup. “Would you like me to stay while you eat?”

  “No, I’m fine.”

  “You can ring the ship’s bell if you’re not feeling well. I’ll warn our guest.”

  Bettina went back to the kitchen and cleared the rest of the breakfast. Christel had a new doctor’s appointment to check her blood pressure after the shock of seeing her ex-husband again. She finally had some alone time and decided to spend it painting. She was working on a landscape painting in subdued colors. Before moving here, she had worried that the days at the guesthouse would be lazy and boring and that there wouldn’t be enough to do. But the days went by so fast, and she always had something that needed to be done. Meals had to be prepared and made, linens and towels needed washing, the house had to be kept neat and clean. She had to attend to Mathilde. And she only had one guest at the moment. How would it be when the house was full? She had to take one day at a time. Good thing she liked to be surrounded by people.

  Bettina painted for a few hours before going down to the kitchen to prepare a roll for the patient. Mathilde had to eat something, and she needed to see how she was holding up. She ate a slice of rye bread since she already had the food before her.

  Christel showed up when she was finished.

  “How did it go at the doctor’s?” They had become good enough friends for her to ask.

  Christel beamed. “My blood pressure was higher than he liked. He told me to rest from now on. But, my goodness, what looks…” She got a dreamy expression and Bettina had to laugh.

  “Help yourself to lunch if you’re hungry. I just ate, and this is for Mathilde. She didn’t look well this morning. I’m worried something’s wrong with her heart again, but she’s refusing to see a doctor.” She made a cup of tea while talking.

  Christel fetched the bread. “Your poor aunt, that doesn’t sound good. It can’t be easy lying there without any purpose for living.”

  Bettina stirred the sugar in the cup. “It’s like she doesn’t have any will to continue without Uncle Herman. She’s not that old. She can easily live another thirty years.”

  “How sad, but one can’t just give up when alone. Life has so much to offer.” Christel got butter and cheese from the fridge.

  Bettina was thinking that she might be talking about herself, not only her aunt. Divorce was never easy. “You’re right. Anneli’s father died in an accident when she was little. It was far from easy to keep going after that, but I had no choice. Life has to go on, one way or another.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that. It must have been very hard for you,” said Christel.

  Bettina nodded and grabbed the tray to leave. “If you hear the ship’s bell, you know who it is. I told her to use it if she was feeling worse again.”

  “Of course. I thought of eating dinner at the café today. There was a sign outside tempting me with beef fillet in red wine sauce and small, oven-baked potatoes.”

  “That sounds marvelous. I’ll stick to leftovers from dinner yesterday. I ought to stay here and keep an eye on Mathilde. Anneli is eating at Jane’s today, and she’s going to practice after. So have fun at the café. They have a tasty lemon mousse that the baby will like.”

  She went up to the Tower. Mathilde was in bed, staring at the ceiling, looking hot and sweaty.

  “Are you not feeling better?”

  “Not really.”

  “Try having some food.”

  She lifted her head and accepted the cup. “I don’t feel like eating. I feel sick.”

  Bettina found a bucket which she put next to the bed in case of a mishap. Mathilde looked worse than this morning, and she didn’t like it. “Shall I call the emergency services?”

  “Under no circumstances. I can’t stand doctors or hospitals.” She said it with an effort that didn’t reassure Bettina at all.

  “Perhaps the doctor can come here. I don’t know how they do it in Solvik. But someone should examine you.”

  Mathilde pretended not to hear. She lay back down and closed her eyes.

  “I’ll be back.” Bettina left to do some painting. The workroom was at the end of the hall and not far from Mathilde’s apartment, so it was easier to check up on her from there.

  She painted for an hour, completely lost in the colors. It was satisfying to see the leaves on the trees become real the more she worked.

  She checked on Mathilde, but there was no change. She didn’t want dinner. There was nothing more Bettina could do if she didn’t want help. Frustrated, she kept on painting.

  Suddenly she heard Mathilde’s voice from far away. “Help.” Her voice was weak, but she was sure it was her. Neither Anneli nor Christel were home. She put down her paintbrush and took off her coat before running toward the Tower.

  Mathilde was partially out of bed, her flowery nightgown askew. She helped her back into bed. Then she found a tissue and dried off her forehead.

  “Are you hurting anywhere?”

  Mathilde pointed at her chest. “Here.”

  She reached for the phone. Her aunt was in no position to make decisions any longer. Maybe she never had been. “I’m calling the emergency services.”

  Mathilde weakly shook her head. “Call my doctor. His number is over there.” She pointed at the drawer in the bedside table.

  Bettina opened the drawer and found Doctor Thorsen’s business card. She quickly dialed his number and waited for a few seconds before he picked up. Then she explained the situation, gave him the address, and hung up.

  “Your doctor was about to leave for the day. He’ll be here in a few minutes. I’m going down to meet him.”

  Mathilde’s eyes were closed, her hand resting on her chest. Bettina left the room and went downstairs to wait. She was mad at herself for having listened to her aunt earlier. What if it was too late now? She would never forgive herself if Mathilde didn’t make it.

  Shortly after, the doorbell rang. That was fast. There sure were advantages of living in a small town where everything was nearby. She opened the door and looked straight into a pair of ice-blue eyes that she’d seen many times before. The face was familiar, but she couldn’t remember from where. Then it dawned on her.

  “Erik, what are you doing here?”

  He looked confused. “Didn’t someone call for me to come?”

  “But you’re not Doctor Thorsen.” She looked at him, just as confused.

  “Ah, he has retired. I took over earlier this summer. But what are you doing here, Bettina?”

  She opened the door to let him in. “It’s a long story. Come in, and hurry up to Mathilde first. I assume you haven’t met my aunt?”

  He walked into the hall and took off his jacket. “No, I haven’t had the pleasure.”

  Bettina wasn’t sure how great a pleasure it was, but Mathilde had been easier to deal with the last few days. “She has strong opinions,” she said to prepare him.

  They went upstairs. It was no wonder she hadn’t recognized him immediately. She hadn’t seen him since their school days. They had studied science together for three years and had often collaborated in chemistry and physics.

  She showed him the way to the bedroom. Mathilde gave him an indifferent look. “You’re not my doctor.”

  He covered a smile and politely shook her hand. “I am now. Doctor Thorsen has retired.”

  “I don’t think a young doctor like you knows his stuff.”

  Bettina tried not to laugh. She was definitely not well, so it wasn’t appropriate.

  “We’ll have to see,” he said and opened the bag to get the stethoscope. “What have you been feeling?”

  “Dizziness and nausea. I couldn’t get up to go to the bathroom. There’s pressure here,” she said and pointed at her heart. She dried the sweat off her forehead with the same wet tissue. Bettina wanted to give her a new one but stayed in the background.

  “Your breathing is heavy,” he said as he listened to her chest and lungs. “Have you had heart trouble before?”

  “I
had a heart attack last year.”

  “I’m afraid you might have had another one,” he said, packing his things away. “I’m calling an ambulance. It’s important they examine you as soon as possible.”

  Mathilde gathered enough strength to sit up. “Absolutely not. No hospital for me.”

  He pulled his fingers through his thick, blond hair in resignation. “It’s crucial, Mrs. Fredriksen. I can give you a tranquilizer if you want.”

  “Yes, please. But I’m going nowhere.”

  The doctor looked at Bettina as if he didn’t know what to do. Most people wouldn’t want to risk their lives but would accept help when they needed it. Mathilde wasn’t one of them.

  “I can’t force you. You have to face the consequences yourself if you don’t go to hospital.”

  “Sure thing.”

  He gave her two types of tablets and explained what to do. “I’ll come by on my lunch break tomorrow to check on you. But I’m not happy leaving you in this condition.”

  Mathilde didn’t respond. She had already closed her eyes and was pretending to be asleep.

  They went downstairs to the living room.

  “Your aunt sure has a strong will.” His brows creased with worry. “She needs to go to the hospital and get an ECG, and a proper examination. There’s not much I can do for her here.”

  “She has her mind set. Her husband passed away recently, and she’s stayed in bed since. She’s lost all enthusiasm for life.”

  “How come you live here? It must be like fifteen years since we last met.” He looked at her with eyes so clear she could almost see into his soul. She remembered what Christel had said. He was handsome. Even more handsome than he used to be. She lost her train of thought and forgot what he had asked.

  “Would you like something to drink? I’ve bought a splendid coffee maker. Or do you have to get home?”

  “No, nobody’s waiting for me. I’d love an espresso.”

  She smiled to herself and thought that Christel would like to know that. She was so smitten by him.

  They went to get coffee and cookies before sitting on the sofa in the living room.