by Blobel, Iris
The room looked like some of the most important items and clothes had been taken. She opened a few drawers but because she wasn’t sure what she was looking for, Sarah headed back into the kitchen. She placed a kiss on her mother’s cheek and moved towards the door.
“Where are you going?”
“Home.”
“I’m sorry, honey.”
“That may well be, but I’m tired and sick of lies. You lied to me, Mum. You told me she ran away.” She shook her head in disgust. “Mum, I’m worried sick about her and now you tell me you kicked her out?”
“Sarah, listen—”
Half-turned, she stilled with the touch of her mother’s hand on her arm. Sarah gave Lisa a smile, however false. “You lied to me. I dropped everything and came here because I worried. But you lied. Your words about raising us? I have no doubt it must’ve been hard, and I appreciate all the sacrifices you made, but you always blamed everybody else for your mistakes. That is exactly why Dad left you.”
“Don’t you dare—”
“Speak to you like that?”
Her mother glared at her, but she was too tired to care. “Let me know when you hear from Rachel. I assume you haven’t called the police so I keep leaving messages on her phone. She might come to me.”
Without waiting for a reply, she left the room and stepped out to wait for the taxi.
Chapter Four
Markus was exhausted. He’d spent two hours on Saturday morning with his niece and nephew at the playground before taking them back home.
Annie laughed softly. “Good practice for when you have your own kids.” She cupped his face with her hands. “That is, should you ever give Sarah a call.”
“Give it a rest.”
“Marco. Honestly, I don’t get it. I thought—”
Markus removed her hands from his face. “I called her,” he whispered. “Timmy answered the phone.”
“What?”
Raking his hand through his hair, he remained silent.
“This doesn’t make sense. You need to call her again.”
“Look, I had a meeting the other day with Mike. The offer from Sports TV sounds really good.”
“No way. No way are you going to move over to Sports TV only to travel the world to talk about soccer. You’re not running—”
“I am not running,” he said through clenched teeth.
She took a step away from him and let out a long breath. “Look, I’m taking the kids to the coast for a few days. There’s a spare room. I think you should come as well to think things through without the pressure from everyone.” She tilted her head and met his gaze. “Please, Marco. In my motherly gut, I have a feeling you’re making a mistake.”
He chuckled dryly. “Motherly gut?”
A big grin sported her face.
“Need a babysitter?”
“Not at all. Miles is not coming. He needs to study for some massive exam.”
“So you do need a babysitter?”
“Honestly, Marco. It’s actually more work to take a frustrated, sex-starved man on holidays I have to cook for. It’s out of my sisterly love for you that I’m inviting you to join us.”
He raised a curious brow. “Sex-starved?”
“You said you slept with Sarah, didn’t you? And you’ve been a pest since then.”
“Geez.”
“Tomorrow morning. About ten. We’ll take your car. It’s bigger.”
He shook his head, gave her a kiss on her cheek, and turned to leave.
“Don’t you wanna join us for dinner?”
“Too scared.”
He headed towards the door when Ellie started to cry. His sister’s laugh stilled, and he chuckled at her attempt to remember some Italian curse words. He loved her dearly and as much as he looked forward to a few days at the beach and some surfing, he was worried she’d brainwash him into doing something stupid.
His mind went back to Sarah. He’d tried to call her again a few days ago, but she hadn’t answered the call. Tired of figuring out what was going on, he hadn’t left a message. It hurt like hell, though, that she wouldn’t talk to him. Of course, he’d accept that she’d gone back to Timmy, as long as he could have her as his friend. His best friend.
Then he remembered a message coming through from Oliver earlier in the day. He’d been too busy watching the kids so he’d never read it.
In perth 4 a few days talked to saz last nite u need to call her.
Everything inside him tightened with frustration.
“I friggin’ did call her,” he mumbled to himself when he got into the car.
How could his life turn so out of control within a few days? He hit the redial button and had Oliver on the line within seconds.
“Did you call her?” Oliver said by way of answering the phone.
“I did.”
“Good. I can take it, it’s all sorted.”
“She’s not answering my calls.”
There was a long pause before Oliver finally asked, “Come again?”
“You heard me.”
“When was that?”
“Yesterday.”
Oliver cursed. “This is ridiculous. Mate, I’m on a boat to some island and Tam reckons I’ll lose connection any time soon. Give her another call. Rachel’s—”
The connection broke.
Rachel what? Markus couldn’t believe it. One morning spent with Sarah, and his life turned into chaos.
He rang Sarah. Again. No answer. Markus did a quick U-turn and in less than thirty minutes stood in front of her door. Her car was in the driveway. Looking around, he noticed a few windows slightly ajar so he went to the back to retrieve the spare key. Although he’d done it a couple of times before, he was aware it might get him into trouble this time. He looked around again before heading down the small path to the back. Sarah’s spare key was part of her self-made wind chime of ten keys in the pergola. He untied the key, but before he opened the door, he knocked first. When nobody answered, he went inside.
“Sarah?”
Silence greeted him.
“Sarah?”
He walked down the hall, to the kitchen, and then back to her room. When he walked past the spare room, he saw a travel bag on the bed. Looking around, he noticed that the bed was made, whereas Sarah’s bed had been rumpled. Leaning against the door jamb, his gaze fell on the window and the yard behind it. Nothing made sense.
Markus went back into the kitchen and found a pen and paper in one of the drawers. He wrote:
CALL ME, M.
And left it on the table. Then he headed back home to pack his bag, never leaving his phone out of sight.
***
A phone call from a hospital woke Sarah. The nurse informed her that her sister had been admitted a few days earlier. They wouldn’t, or weren’t able to, give her any further information on what happened, but assured Sarah that her sister was in a stable condition, and she was more than welcome to visit Rachel after ten o’clock.
Relief washed through her like a fine wine as she slowly sank back into her pillow. Staring up at the ceiling, an overwhelming feeling of wanting to know more about Rachel’s hospitalisation overcame her, but at the same time the realisation that she hadn’t disappeared as she thought she would have.
Grabbing the phone from her bedside table, she dialled Oliver’s number.
“What are you doing in Perth, honey?”
“Sweet pea, I got engaged and now I’m celebrating in style.”
Sarah sat up straight and nearly screamed. “Oh my God. Engaged? Who to? And why? And why haven’t you told me earlier? And—”
“Will you shut up?” He laughed. “So what was the first question?”
“Who?” she asked.
“My Tammy girl.”
“The Tamara? Coach Becker’s niece?”
“That’s the one.”
For the first time in days, Sarah had experienced a rush of happiness inside her. She knew how much Oliver had wanted to be wit
h Tamara and the news of their engagement had been wonderful indeed.
“Next?”
It’d taken her a moment to figure out what he was on about. “Oh, yes. Why do I only find out now? Do Ty and Marky know?”
“Markus knows. I told him the other day.” He paused. “Look sweetcakes, I love you, you know that, right. Tell me what’s going on.”
“Never mind, Oliver. You enjoy your time with Tamara. We’ll talk when you get back.”
“Bullshit.”
Sarah had been taken aback by his sudden outburst, but hadn’t replied.
“Listen, Saz. Tell me what’s going on.”
So she’d told him, every painstaking detail—how much she’d fallen for Markus, how she’d seen him with Melanie and hastily jumped to stupid conclusions, the evening at her mother’s, and how she’d found out Rachel was in a hospital.
“I can’t talk to Marky right now, you understand, right? Of course, he’d be all helpful and there for me, moving swiftly from sex to best buddies again. I’m not sure whether I want that. I want to get through the Rachel business on my own and then go to Marky and tell him what I really feel.”
“You sure?”
She’d nodded, but remembered he couldn’t see her. “One hundred percent.”
“So you’re finally admitting that you’ve fallen for him,” he’d said with a grin in his voice.
“Bugger off.”
“Sweetcakes, I’ll be back in a couple of days. I’ll come over straight away from the airport to help out. Ty will be back on Friday. We’ll get you all sorted, I promise.”
“Thanks, Oliver.”
“Hey, don’t worry too much. It’ll be all right. Trust me.”
The first tears touched her cheeks, but she couldn’t have cared less. “Love you, Oliver.”
“Love you, too, sweet pea.”
“Say hello to Tamara and congratulations again. We’re going to have to celebrate the occasion when you get back.”
“Of course.”
She’d smiled and hung up. It was as if the weight on her shoulders had been halved and she felt better already.
***
A couple of hours later, Sarah sat in the hospital room, holding her sister’s hand. She couldn’t help but feel sadness of how little she knew about Rachel. She realised her mother had been right saying Sarah had distanced herself from the two, but she’d been wrong thinking Sarah had been ashamed. Nothing could’ve been further from the truth. She so desperately wanted to have a family that she often pretended to be part of Markus’.
Sarah had been two years old when her father had left. Even looking at photos or listening to the vague stories her sister remembered, she had no memories of him at all. She had often looked up at Markus’ dad and wished for him to be her father. It’d sucked not to have a dad, not having a person to make a father’s day present for, or not having anybody to watch football games with when Markus hadn’t been around. She’d never been a girly girl, but more of a tomboy. Hanging out with the boys, kicking the football, or hitting the cricket bat had been more her kind of fun, than sitting around with the other girls talking boys or make-up. Although, during teenage years she’d become very popular with the girls in her class because of her friendship with three of the hottest guys in the neighbourhood. The fuss about it all had been beyond her.
Unlike her, boyfriends had come and gone in Rachel’s life. Some stayed longer than others, but none had hung around for more than a couple of weeks. Rachel had made sure of it. She’d pushed them away just as she’d pushed others away, including Sarah and her mother, so nobody was able to leave her behind like her father had.
“Hey.”
Sarah turned to her sister. “Hey there.”
“What are you doing here?”
Letting out a long breath, Sarah moved her sister’s hand to her chest. “Making sure you’re all right.”
“I don’t want to go home.”
Sarah nodded. “I know.” Then she hesitated. “The doctor said you can leave today. You can stay at my place.”
Her sister stared at her. “Why?” she finally whispered.
Taken aback by the question, she shrugged. “You’re my sister.”
Rachel snorted. “Feel pity for me?”
“You know that’s not it. You’ve been through something terrible. I’m here to help.”
Rachel turned and gazed towards the window. “I didn’t know the hospital was going to call you when I gave them your number.”
“I’m glad they did. I was so worried.”
Closing her eyes for a moment, she murmured a soft, “Why?”
Something tore at Sarah’s heart. Here she was with her sister in hospital and they couldn’t have been any more foreign to each other than two strangers on the street despite growing up together.
When Rachel opened her eyes, she met Sarah’s gaze. “I’m just so tired.”
Sarah nodded, not knowing how to reply. She rubbed her sister’s hand, hoping Rachel would tell her what had happened.
They both turned around and looked towards the door when the nurse came in.
“How are you today?” the nurse asked as she took her temperature and noted it on the chart. Rachel never replied, and the nurse didn’t bother to ask again.
After a long moment’s silence, Rachel said, barely audible, “Mum kicked me out.”
Sarah’s gut tightened as she gave a slow nod.
Closing her eyes, she continued. “It was pathetic, really. I can’t even remember how it started. We were talking about the guy from across the road, joking around—”
Sarah tenderly wiped her sister’s tears, surprised that Rachel let her.
Letting out a big sigh, Rachel continued, “I can’t really remember what happened next. She lost the plot, I s’pose. Accused me of bad manners, bad attitude, and everything else under the stars.” She turned to look away again. “It turned out she had a little night out with him the previous week. Next thing I know she goes spastic on me and tells me to leave.”
Sarah sat with her sister’s hand in hers for a long while. Anger rose within her. Anger against at her mother for putting someone else in front of her own daughter. For not explaining facts to Rachel as they were joking around together.
She figured this was only half the story, though. From where she sat, she was able to see choke marks on her sister’s neck. Her face was swollen and bruised. She’d have to wait for all of it a little bit longer.
Now she wiped away her own tears.
“Let’s get you home, Rachel. I can’t promise you the world, but I can try to help you.”
She saw her sister giving a hesitating nod.
“I’ll be back in a second. I’ll just get all the paperwork organised for you.”
“Sarah?”
She turned to look at her sister.
“I don’t want your pity.”
Sarah nodded. “See, a few years ago when I was about to lose my job and my place, Markus reached out for me, and I said the same thing. Fortunately, he ignored my pride.”
Rachel stared. “Where are you going with this?”
“It’s not pity. Sometimes we hit rock bottom, and for a moment or two, we have to try to swallow our pride. It’s hard, I know.”
By God, she knew. It’d taken days of arguments and bad language between her and Markus before she’d accepted his help. They’d drawn up a contract to make sure she’d pay back every little penny. At her request. Sarah hadn’t liked the idea of taking Markus’ money. A few years later, she appreciated his stubbornness, because owning that house meant everything to her. Not in a material sense, but in a way of feeling secure. No struggles with rent, no bastard of a landlord, no worrying about what tomorrow brought. She was finally settling, thanks to Markus.
She placed her hand on Rachel’s arm. “Trust me. Been there, done that.”
Then she left the room, walked to the toilets at the end of the hall, and retrieved her phone. She hit the speed dial butt
on and waited for him to answer, but it went straight to voice mail. “Sorry for not answering your calls. Something came up. Will try again later.” And with a smile on her face, she added, “By the way, you coming into my house is a bit creepy.”
Markus. Leaning her head against the cold tiled wall, tears trickled down her cheeks. She missed him so much, her whole body ached. What she’d give for him to say, Hey, I know you were lying when you said ‘no regrets.’ Or tell her off for saying it. Even if he didn’t, anything as long as he’d come and be with her.
Her phone buzzed a few times with a few messages coming through. Her mother wanting an update. Her boss agreeing to a day off. And Oliver asking for an update as well?
Sarah switched off the phone, quickly splashed a few handfuls of cold water into her face, and went to the nurses’ station. Half an hour later, she was in her car with her sister driving home.
Chapter Five
Markus laughed when he heard Miles trying his hardest to get the seats for the children into his car.
“Whose idea was it to use your car?”
Shaking his head, Markus replied, “Your wife’s.”
“Why doesn’t she—”
“She is taking the kids off your hands for a week so you can study for your exam,” Annie said.
Miles stood up and gave Annie a kiss. “And I really appreciate it.”
A few minutes later, they were on the road.
It didn’t take long before his niece and nephew were asleep, and Annie turned to him and said, “Have you heard from Sarah?”
“I got a message yesterday. Apparently something’s come up.”
“What?”
He shrugged. “How the hell am I supposed to know? Timmy’s dick?”
Slapping him his arm, she said through gritted teeth, “Language, Marco.”
Checking the rearview mirror, he replied, “They’re asleep.”
They drove in silence through the next town. Markus was glad he hadn’t mentioned that he saw a travel bag in Sarah’s guest room. Annie would’ve probably given him hell if she’d known that he’d snuck into Sarah’s house without her knowing it. Most likely she would’ve ignored the argument that he’d done it many times. And he would’ve had to agree with her. Somehow it had been different. The status quo between them was derailed and nothing seemed the same.