The Berlin Vendetta: Book 3 in the series 'The Enigmatic Defection'
Page 18
He all but ran from the building. She was a bitch. She was disloyal. She was downright nasty. She didn’t care about him at all. He didn’t need her and he certainly did not want to sit through a concert listening to her squawking. He smiled despite himself at the last thought. Shirley squawk? She had the most beautiful voice in the world. He ran for some time and in The Philharmonie the concert began as Shirley leapt on stage.
Johann sat next to Helen. She put her hand in his. “You must be exhausted,” she said.
“I’m okay. Have you seen Daniel?”
“He was here earlier but then he left. Connie said he said he has something to do.” Shirley walked to the side of the stage and began pushing a piano which she made to look heavy but which ran easily on castors. She looked round her, behind her and into the audience.
“Well, reunification didn’t do much for the stage hands here,” she said. “If you want a job done do it yourself.” She put her hand over her eyes to peer at everyone. “What a motley crew. I think I’ll go home.”
“Never,” yelled a male voice from the crowd. “You’re one brave lady, ma’am.”
The applause was thunderous as everyone stood. There were cheers. There were catcalls. It was some time before they quietened. Shirley sat at the piano and ran her hands up and down the keyboard. “I get the publicity,” she said. “But there are countless people who were involved over these last few days who did more. Congratulations, everyone, on the reunification. This is a day never to be forgotten. I’ve written a song to celebrate it. Do you want to hear it?”
There was a roar of “Sie bitte” and the song which followed was obviously appreciated by the applause after it. The concert progressed and in the interval Shirley went to her dressing room. No Daniel and she didn’t think he was at the concert. He certainly was not with her here, she thought as she went into the shower, and it was a tradition. She needed him. She wanted her babies who she had seen fast asleep in Katy and her mother’s arms. She showered, made for the stage and leapt onto it to do an energetic number.
She reached the penultimate song and the music began. Not much introduction as it went straight into the song. As she started to sing Daniel walked in to stand near the side. In the exact place as where he stood when he came to her concert from East Berlin not long after Joshua’s alleged death, she noticed, and she would do him an injury when they were alone. She began to walk down the steps towards him while she sang.
Her eyes never left his face. He felt his legs were as weak as the time she did this before. She stood in front of him, reached forward to touch his face and tiptoed to kiss him. “My husband,” she said. “Isn’t he gorgeous?”
“I’m not,” he whispered. “And you’re not having the babies.” She smiled and backed away from him singing as she went. He sat on the floor leaning against the wall, not sure his legs would hold him. Which was ridiculous in the circumstances because she would probably go back to Joshua, even if it was only to prove her loyalty. And, anyway, what did Daniel know of her true feelings for either of them? She had married Joshua. She had lived with him. She felt upset when he died. The music for Shirley’s final song began and Daniel felt he should go.
But not before she finished her song because it was outstandingly beautiful. It spoke of love. It spoke of loyalty. The words had feelings which made Daniel want to cry all over again. When it finished the audience were once again on their feet.
But this time Shirley did not give an encore. Instead she ram down to where Katy and her mother stood with the babies. She kissed them in turn, took them and ran back on stage with them. She bowed, went into the wings and Daniel started to follow her.
She was not having the babies. She was not taking them from him. She was not getting away in the way she had been doing the last few days and ignoring him. They were his babies and she could make more with Joshua. Good luck to her if she wanted to do that. But the crowd hindered his progress and he could only move slowly. When he reached the dressing room she and the babies had gone.
She took the babies with her from another exit to the one being used by the general public. So she was not having the babies? The bum. The disloyal, accusing jerk. He hadn’t even got the backbone to fight for her because he obviously did not have any current information concerning Joshua. Well, he could stew in his own juice and she didn’t care. All she cared about were these two beautiful little people. After all, she was the one who cared for them before he decided to make an appearance so they were hers more than his. She strapped them in the back of the car, pulled away from the kerb and had soon left The Philharmonie behind. Daniel also left the building to begin jogging through the streets.
Shirley drove for a while round the city and felt inordinately lonely. This should have been a triumph and it was so wonderful to have the infants back. Sometimes she felt she would never see them. She wanted to go home with them and to have Daniel with her. She wanted them all to be together.
But if he hadn’t the guts to fight for her she wasn’t sure she wanted him. What use to her was a man who backed down at the slightest sign of trouble? She drove for some time before taking the babies back to Susan and Stefan’s house.
They were all there except for Daniel. Everyone wanted to congratulate Shirley on what she had done. All were pleased at the outcome. She sat on a sofa holding the sleeping babies and Susan and Stefan brought in food and drinks. As everyone began to eat the door opened and it was Daniel.
He walked over to Shirley, bent to pull her to her feet and put his hands on her shoulders. “You’re not staying married to him,” he said.
“You don’t know?” Susan asked. Daniel looked at her briefly and turned back to Shirley.
“It’s got nothing to do with what he’s done. We may have to marry for the third time but we’re marrying and you’re divorcing the man. I should let you just go your own sweet way which you usually do, anyway, but I’m a masochist, I guess, and I love you with all my heart.”
Katy giggled. “He doesn’t know,” she said.
“Know what?” Daniel asked.
“You tell him,” Katy said to Shirley.
“I’m not sure I’m inclined to do so,” Shirley replied, sitting down once again with the babies.
“Tell me what?” Daniel asked.
“Shirley and he were never really married. His first wife was still alive. Shirley found out and went to see her.”
“How did you realise she was alive?” Helen asked. “We havn’t seen you to ask.”
“He had on a wedding ring which wasn’t the one I gave him. I checked in the records office. He has a little son, Peter.”
“And you didn’t think it would be a good idea to tell me?” Daniel’s tone was hot.
Shirley stood with the babies and made for the door. “You gave me no chance and I am not staying here to listen to your nonsense. Go out again and sulk or else come up with me.”
“Well, go on then,” Katy said as Daniel stood looking at the door. “And don’t muck it up this time. Men!” She rolled her eyes skywards. “They are so obtuse.”
“Too right,” Shirley called back and Daniel virtually skidded after her towards the stairs. “Goodnight, everyone. I’ll see you in the morning, God willing. Maybe both of us will see you.”
“Both,” Daniel said, taking Samuel. He put his arm round Shirley and they walked up the stairs together.
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Books by Sylvia Wheatley on Kindle
Why Didn’t You Tell Me?
A book on leading people to Jesus
Revelation – the Book with a Blessing
A book on Revelation
The Letter To The Romans
A study on Paul’s letter to the Romans
I cannot but God can
I cannot live the way God wants me to live.
My only hope is that God will take over.
The Sermon on the Mount
When Jesus speaks it is worth listening.
Thos
e people who listened on the mountain
were blessed to hear Him and so are we.
The Berlin Divide
Book 1 in the series ‘The Enigmatic Defection’
A romantic thriller set in East Germany and England
before the wall came down
The Berlin Hope
Book 2 in the series ‘The Enigmatic Defection’
Shirley felt she had got it right. She divorced Daniel in order to ensure his safety in East Germany where he has defected. She has married Joshua to try to convince the East German authorities that Daniel is on the level. But things are not what they appear to be and her involvement in the intrigue which surrounds Daniel deepens.
The Berlin Vendetta
It is eleven months later and a few days from
the reunification celebrations in Berlin on 3rd October, 1990.
Shirley is unwillingly drawn into a
plot to overthrow the government which takes her
into danger and intrigue.
The Tangled Web
Book 1 in the series ‘The Web of Lies’
A Christian romance set in Alaska and Great Britain
Will The Web Break?
Book 2 in the series ‘The Web of Lies’
A Christian romance and thriller
Your Time or Mine
Book 1 of the quadrilogy, ‘When Times Collide
This is a book about a young lady who accidentally discovers a
way to travel in time and travels back to just before the
first world war where she makes a friend who will change her life
Your Time is Mine
(Book 2 of the quadrilogy, ‘When Times Collide)
The first world war begins and Sylvia continues to travel back
in time while carrying on her own life in the year 2002
Your Time Remains Mine
(Book 3 of the quadrilogy, ‘When Times Collide)
In the nineteen forties the war is over for the world but for many its results are very real. Sylvia and Madeleine once again become
involved with the casualties of war and go on to live their lives
in both their times, not realising what lies ahead of them which
will complicate their lives even further.
Your Time or Mine Forever
(Book 4 of the quadrilogy “When Times Collide)
Sylvia and Madeleine are shot into 1914 as the time passage becomes unstable. Sylvia takes on the identity of Nyree Nouveau and Ann Lombard and Madeleine becomes Katherine Nouveau and Denise Nightingale.
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