“Come in and don’t look at me like that,” Jonas muttered.
Anna and Karla followed him into the living room. “Well,” Anna said, peering at him. “What do you expect? You’re half shaved and a woman just walked out of your apartment.”
“She wasn’t in my apartment. She just got here. Now sit down and let me explain.”
“Who is she?” Karla asked in a belligerent tone. “Is this the same woman who was here before?”
“Yes, it is.” Jonas was getting angry. Damn women. “Excuse me one moment.” He went to the bathroom. Looking at himself in the mirror, he wondered if he should finish shaving first, then decided to leave it. He’d probably cut himself. He washed his face and went back into the living room.
Anna grinned a little. “You look funny with one side shaved.”
Good, Jonas thought, she doesn’t seem all bent out of shape. He cleared his throat. “You want something to drink?”
They both shook their heads. Karla still glared at him.
“All right, here is my confession,” Jonas tried to lighten the atmosphere. Two pairs of eyes still stared at him with questioning looks. “Martina has been a friend of mine for a long time. Back when Eva died, she really helped me a lot.” Jonas figured he could score some sympathy points by mentioning his wife’s death. “We have been friends ever since. At one time, we were dating off and on, but that’s in the past. I like Martina a lot but she is not someone I would want to be in a relationship with. She is a great artist, a great friend, but totally unreliable as a mate. She lives in Italy and we see each other every once in a while when she’s in town.”
“You don’t have to explain all this,” Anna said.
“Yes, I do.” Jonas glowered at her. “I’m not stupid. I see the suspicion in both of your eyes. I don’t want you to think the wrong thing.”
“So she’s not your girlfriend?” Karla asked.
“No. Not anymore.”
“It’s okay. I trust you,” Anna said.
“Me, too,” Karla piped.
“Well, wonderful. I’m honored.” Jonas couldn’t help a touch of sarcasm. “So that’s settled. Would you mind if I finished shaving now?”
“I don’t know, I kind of like you that way.” Anna’s eyes showed a humorous glint.
Jonas breathed a sigh of relief.
PART FIVE
Chapter 49
Anna grabbed her jacket, purse, and umbrella and was getting ready to go to the library when the phone rang. She looked at her watch and wondered if she should let the caller leave a message on the answering machine, then decided to answer. It was still early and her library assistant was usually on time, so she didn’t need to rush. She picked up the phone and was surprised to hear Edna’s voice. Edna was Richard’s sister and Nico’s aunt in England.
“I have some sad news,” she said. “Richard died.”
Anna felt a stabbing pain in her chest. She hadn’t even known that he was ill. They had kept in touch off and on over the years and she had even visited Richard once in England. Richard had been very warm and supportive of her.
After hanging up the phone, she sat down and looked out the window. It was the beginning of April, the month of change and instability, and the weather fit the month’s reputation perfectly. It had been raining intermittently all night; the snow was almost gone and the last patches were a dirty brown. The wind whipped the branches of the trees where the first buds and tiny green leaves sprouted.
Richard’s passing made her realize that the last connection to Nico was gone. His death awakened some of the old grief, but the beauty of the first signs of spring made her feel better again. March had been warm and spring flowers—yellow daffodils and blue and white pansies—erupted everywhere. Death and new life, so close together, she thought. She decided to get a card and send it to Edna.
A few days later, she pulled an envelope out of the mailbox with a stamp from England. She expected a card with the notice of Richard’s passing and was surprised at the size and thickness of the envelope. In addition to the card, there was a legal document and a letter from Richard informing her that he had left her a sizable amount of money from his estate.
Anna unfolded the letter. Dear Anna, it said. As far as I am concerned, you, too, were Nicolas’s wife—now widow—and in the event of my passing, part of the money that would have gone to him will be yours.
“This is too much,” Anna told Jonas. It was Saturday and Jonas was spending the weekend with Karla and Anna. Karla was at the movies with Maja, and Anna and Jonas were taking a short walk after dinner. A few sun rays pierced the fading dark clouds and it was pleasantly warm after a few stormy days.
“I can’t take his money. I wasn’t his legal wife and I’m not his widow. It really belongs to his Mexican wife.”
“It was his father’s last wish,” Jonas said. “And it may have been Nico’s wish as well.”
“You don’t know that.” Anna shook her head. “I doubt it. He was legally married to that woman in Mexico and he had children with her. His life insurance policy was in his first wife’s name as well. I don’t want his money.”
“That’s your decision, of course,” Jonas said. He stopped and peered at her with a serious face. He buried his hands in his lightweight jacket. The wind tousled his hair and gave his cheeks a pinkish glow. “But think about Karla. You could use it for her education. She’ll eventually need a more professional art education than I can give her. She may need to take classes abroad to really advance her career. And that can get expensive.”
Anna began to waver; Jonas’s suggestion did make sense. “I guess you’re right. I could use it for Karla.” She hesitated. “But I would like to find out how his wife and children in Mexico are doing financially.”
“Don’t they get some money from the estate as well?” Jonas asked.
“I don’t know. I would hope so, but Richard didn’t specify. And the woman has three children. I just don’t feel right, keeping it all for myself.”
“That means you would have to get in touch with the family,” Jonas said.
“I know someone who could find out for me.” Anna thought of her friend Gloria, the former receptionist for the firm Nico used to work for in Guadalajara.
“Perhaps finding out a little more about that part of your husband’s life would help you in some ways. Perhaps bring some closure.”
“I have enough closure,” Anna said in a curt voice. Then she sighed and added more gently, “Perhaps you’re right.”
“Carmen and her youngest son still live in the same place,” Gloria said on the phone. “The two older children have moved out and gotten married. The youngest one is finishing up his studies at the university.”
Anna was stunned. “How did you find this out so fast?”
“Pure coincidence. I have a friend who happens to know the family. I explained the situation to her and she went and talked to Carmen.”
“Gloria, I didn’t mean for you to get in touch with her. I just wanted to know their financial situation.”
“They’re not rich but my friend found out that they were included in the will. I think they’re doing all right. And I didn’t tell my friend to contact her. She did it without my knowledge. I guess I should’ve made it clear not to do that; I’m sorry. But anyway, Carmen told my friend that she knew Nico was involved with a woman in the United States. But she only found out that he had married again after he had died. She was really shocked about that. But she wants to meet you.”
“Meet with her? Gloria, are you crazy?”
“Anna, she sounds like a really nice person and I think it would be good for both of you. She’s in a similar situation as you. She, too, has only half the story. Don’t you think it would help you both to put this part of your lives behind you?”
“Gloria, I don’t want to start digging up the past again.” Anna sighed. “Let me think about it, okay?”
After hanging up the phone, Anna plopped onto the sofa and
groaned. “Just when I finally thought I could move on with my life.” Ever since Anna and Jonas had become more involved with each other, Anna had hardly ever thought of Nico. The pain of his betrayal had all but disappeared. Now, it was mostly curiosity that made her consider traveling to Mexico. She wanted to find out once and for all how a person could live a perfect double life for almost ten years.
The following few days, she began to make plans. Karla’s spring vacation started in three weeks. She would spend about two weeks in the Ticino with their friend Lena, so it would be perfect timing. Anna could fly to Mexico, spend a few days there, and then fly back via New York to visit with Susan and George, her old friends she hadn’t seen in years.
Chapter 50
Karla tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. She was worried about Anna being so far away. Karla had never been apart from her, except during her vacations with Lena. But that was different; that was just a three-hour drive by car and they talked on the phone every day.
Yesterday, Jonas and Karla had taken Anna to the airport. Karla had cried when Anna walked through passport control. She was afraid she would never see her again, just like her mother. Fortunately, Jonas was with her and that helped a little. Jonas was here now, spending the night. Tomorrow, they would drive to the Ticino to Lena’s, where Karla would stay until Anna came back.
Jonas promised he would wake her up in the early morning when Anna called from the hotel in Mexico. If only it was already morning. Then Karla would know that Anna was all right. Anna’s husband had died in a plane crash and Karla’s mother in a car accident.
Karla sat up; she would never be able to fall asleep. She kicked the down comforter aside, got up, slid her feet into her flip-flops, put on her robe, and walked downstairs. Jonas was still up, in front of the fireplace, reading. He peered at her over his reading glasses. “Can’t sleep, huh?”
Karla shook her head and plopped down on the sofa next to him. She shivered a little. It had been a rainy and unusually cold April. Jonas handed her a blanket. “I’ll stoke the fire again. Want something to drink? Warm milk might help.”
“Warm milk with chocolate?” Karla said.
“Yes ma’am, coming right up.” Jonas got up, and placed a couple more logs in the fireplace, then went into the kitchen. He came back with a mug of hot chocolate milk.
Karla warmed her hands on the mug, took a small sip, and burned her tongue. “Ouch.”
She sat it down on the table, then snuggled up to Jonas, folding her legs underneath her robe. He put his arm around her. It smelled of burning wood and one of the pine logs made a loud popping sound. A meow came from the kitchen. Karla’s black-and-white cat had woken up and joined them in the living room. She jumped up on the sofa and crawled onto Karla’s lap. Karla stroked her soft fur and Dotty began to purr loudly.
“I wonder where she is now,” Karla said.
“Hmm, let’s see. She’s probably over the Atlantic Ocean right now. She should arrive at around five o’clock in the morning our time. This time difference is a funny thing, isn’t it?”
Karla nodded. She leaned forward, trying to grab her mug without displacing the cat. Jonas picked it up and handed it to her. She took a sip, then handed it back to Jonas. “Jonas, are you worried about her?”
Jonas shook his head. “Not really. Well, to be honest, a little bit. Are you worried?”
Karla nodded. Tears collected in the corner of her eyes. A small sob escaped. Jonas hugged her, unsettling Dotty, who jumped down and gave a protesting meow.
“Don’t worry. It’ll be okay.”
“I know.” Karla took a deep breath and wiped her eyes. She took a few sips of chocolate milk. The warm liquid felt good and calmed her a little. She started to yawn. Dotty tried to climb back onto her lap again.
“Why don’t you try to get a little sleep? You’ll be very tired when I wake you up at five.”
“I guess I could try,” Karla murmured.
“I could tell you a good-night story,” Jonas volunteered.
“A fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen?” Karla grinned. “I know them all by now.”
Jonas chuckled. “Here we go again, children growing up. My kids used to love them, and then one day, they laughed at me when I wanted to tell them another one.”
“I loved them, too,” Karla said. “It’s just . . . well . . .”
“Yeah, yeah, I know, you’re a young adult now. What about listening to some soothing music? You have all these CDs.”
“I guess I could,” Karla said. She lifted Dotty up and placed her next to Jonas on the couch. The cat got up and shook her head, as if to say she didn’t like the arrangement. She stretched her body, jumped down from the sofa, and curled up by the fire.
“Don’t forget to wake me up,” Karla said, yawning. She went upstairs and put on a CD by Andreas Vollenweider with soothing harp music. This time, she fell asleep fairly fast.
Loud voices calling for help, flashes of fire, and then it was all red. Karla was suffocating. She tried to call, but no sound escaped. She struggled against the fetters. She was trapped. Finally, a scream, then another one. Karla shot up, her heart thumping in her chest.
“It’s okay,” she heard a voice say. Someone was holding her, tapping her back. “Wake up, Karla.”
Karla’s rapid breaths slowed down a little. She stared at Jonas, who held her. He was in his pajamas. “You were dreaming,” he said. “It’s okay now.”
Karla exhaled. Another one of her nightmares. She was still trembling. Jonas held her. After a while, she calmed down enough to speak. “What time is it?”
“It’s four thirty in the morning.”
“And Anna?” Karla was still confused.
“In about half an hour.”
“I don’t want to go to sleep anymore.”
“Well, we might as well get up. I’ll get some coffee started.” Jonas brushed his white hair out of his face. It stuck out on all sides and made him look like an aged punk rocker, except the different colors were missing. In spite of her shock, Karla had to smile.
Downstairs, Jonas lit the fire again. When Karla came down, it smelled of coffee. “Can I have some, too?” Karla asked.
“Hmm. You really shouldn’t, but okay for once, with lots of milk.” Jonas heated up some milk, poured a shot of coffee into Karla’s mug, and added steaming hot milk and sugar to it. He handed her the cup. “Just don’t tell Anna.”
“She lets me have some once in a while, with lots of milk. I like hot chocolate better, but today is special,” Karla said.
“I guess you’re right.”
They sipped their coffee and looked out the window. Karla watched the play of light and dark as the trees and bushes and the neighbors’ houses became visible, as if they were slowly walking out of the dark. She squinted her eyes and examined the sky. There was a band of whitish yellow right above the horizon, then a thick slab of orange leading into crimson. A group of patchy purplish clouds hung above the trees.
The phone rang, startling Karla, who spilled some of her coffee. She put the mug down and stared at Jonas as he answered the phone.
“Hello there,” he said into the phone and winked at Karla. “How are you? Good. Listen, someone here wants to talk to you really badly. She’s getting ready to rip the phone out my hands. Here you go.” He handed Karla the receiver.
“Anna,” Karla screamed into the phone. “How are you?”
“I’m fine. How are you?”
“Fine. I miss you.” The relief of hearing Anna’s voice brought tears to Karla’s eyes again, but she didn’t want to make Anna feel bad, so she held them back.
“You sure you’re okay?” Anna’s voice sounded concerned.
Karla nodded, then realized that Anna couldn’t see her. “Yes, I’m fine. I’m just glad to hear your voice. How is Mexico?”
“Busy and noisy.” Anna laughed. “I just got here; I’m in my hotel, getting ready to sleep, or at least try to. It was a very long trip and I’m
exhausted.”
“What time is it there?” Karla asked.
“It’s about eleven at night.”
“We just got up. It’s early in the morning here. We’re having coffee . . . and hot milk.” Karla grinned at Jonas, who chuckled.
“Well, let me talk to Jonas, sweetie. And be good. I’ll call you again tomorrow, okay?”
“Okay, Anna, love you a lot.”
“Love you, too.”
Karla sighed and handed the phone to Jonas. She listened for a while, then got up and started pacing around the room. She was so happy that Anna was okay. She lifted up Dotty, who was asleep on the rug in front of the fire. She pressed her against her chest so hard that the cat winced, slipped out of her hands, and hissed at her. “Sorry, Dotty, didn’t mean to hurt you.” Karla patted the cat, who seemed to have already forgotten the somewhat rough treatment. She turned on her back and let Karla stroke her belly.
Chapter 51
Anna was groggy after her long flight to Guadalajara. She felt odd and disjointed, as if hurled back into the past—a past she had tried to put behind her. After talking to Karla and Jonas, she tried to sleep, but although she was exhausted, it took her a long time to settle down. She began to question her decision to make this trip. What was she doing here? What would a meeting with Nico’s other wife bring? She could be at home with Jonas and Karla. She had a home, a man, and a child whom she loved and who loved her. Did she have to come all the way to Mexico for it to really sink in? Anna shook her head.
The following day, Gloria, who had picked her up at the airport in the evening, met her at the hotel. Her friend had gotten a little heavier and older but she was still basically the same bubbly person. They embraced enthusiastically.
Gloria still worked for the same engineering firm that Nico had worked for. After filling each other in on the latest news, they went out for breakfast. Since Gloria had to work during the day, they decided to meet for dinner. Anna spent the day doing some sightseeing, but wasn’t much in the mood for it. She hadn’t slept well the night before, so she went back to the hotel to take a nap.
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