Tidal Shift
Page 14
“I hope we haven’t imposed, but I was really worried. So, how is she?” asked Anika.
“She has a headache. And she’s had quite a shock, of course,” Charlotte answered in a calm voice. “But nothing too serious.”
Anika looked hesitant. “And she’s had that for a while now?”
“What?” Charlotte was baffled by the question.
“The headache. Is that why she went to see all those doctors?”
“Which doctors?”
“Well, she was…” Anika was interrupted by a young man who was approaching them with a huge bouquet of flowers. “Excuse me, is this room one-twelve? Frau Müller?”
“Yes, but you can’t go in right now.” Charlotte looked at the flowers. “Heavens, there are so many flowers here it’s like a funeral.” She turned back to Anika. “What doctors?”
“I’m just supposed to deliver them. Are you about to see Frau Müller?” The courier looked around uncertainly. “I have to get on with my next delivery.”
Christine took the flowers. “Give them to me. Is there a card?”
“Yes.” He nodded eagerly. “If you could just sign here for me. Thank you, and get well soon!”
There was a small card nestled in among the flowers. Christine tried to decipher the signature, but could only see the florist’s logo. She carefully tried to shake the card out of the bouquet. Her mother gave her a stern look.
“That’s none of your business. Seriously, Christine, you’re already turning into your father. So, Anika, what’s all this about doctors?”
“I’m not so sure myself.” She bit her lower lip hesitantly. “Frau Müller asked me if I knew a good internist, and also who my GP was. Then she wanted the address of an orthopedist who was recommended to her. I asked her what was wrong, of course, but she said it was nothing. She said she just wanted the addresses in case.”
“In case of what?” Charlotte wrinkled her forehead. “I don’t understand. She looks like she’s in excellent health.”
“Yes, that’s what I thought too. But then I saw her coming out of Dr. Fiedler’s practice the other day. She looked so serious and kind of distracted. I called out to her, but she got straight into a taxi and was gone.”
Christine suddenly remembered something. “Where is your GP’s practice?”
“In Paulstrasse. His name is Dr. Christiansen,” answered Anika.
“Then it was her!” Christine waved the bouquet of flowers excitedly. “I went shopping in Westerland the day before yesterday and had coffee at the Italian café in Paulstrasse. The doctor’s surgery clinic is right opposite there, right?” As Anika nodded, Christine continued, “I was reading, and when I looked up for a moment, I thought I saw Aunt Inge coming out of the door. But whoever it was disappeared right away, into a taxi. I thought I must have been mistaken.”
Charlotte leaned forward. “You’ve knocked the card in the bouquet. Be careful, you don’t want it to fall out of the wrapping. But I don’t understand. If Inge ever gets ill while she’s here, she always goes to our doctor. He’s just around the corner from us, and Inge knows him very well. And now it seems she’s gone to two different doctors in just a matter of days.”
Johann shrugged. “Well, you can all ask her in a moment. I’m sure there’s a really simple explanation.”
Discreetly, Christine tried once again to decipher the note on the card.
“Maybe Inge has something serious and doesn’t want us to find out. Who’s Mark Kampmann?” The card was visible now.
“What?” Charlotte was still deep in thought.
“Mark Kampmann. Do we know him?”
“Only if you’re in trouble.” Heinz’s voice made them all jump. “He’s a lawyer in Westerland. I know him by name, but not personally. What about him?”
“Nothing.” Christine and her mother answered in chorus. “It doesn’t matter.”
“If it was nothing, then you wouldn’t be talking about him.” Heinz caught sight of the flowers. “Gosh! They must have cost a pretty penny! Who are they from?”
“We don’t know. The card isn’t visible.” Christine pulled the bouquet away. Heinz grabbed at it.
“You just have to shake it a bit, then the card will fall out. It’s not taped on.”
“Dad.”
They both tugged at the bouquet, but before Charlotte could step in, the card fell through a slit in the plastic wrapping, landing right by Renate’s feet. She leaned over quickly, bumping heads with Christine on the way down.
“Ow!” With a pained expression, she gave Christine a dirty look and reached for the card. Heinz helped Renate get up. “Have you hurt yourself? I’m so sorry. Up you come.”
Christine was still crouching on the floor, rubbing her head, when the door opened and the doctor came out with the nurse.
“Okay then, you can go back in. We’re done.”
“So?” Heinz clasped the doctor’s arm while still holding onto Renate’s with the other hand. “Do you have any news for us yet?”
“Everything’s fine.” The doctor gently freed himself from Heinz’s grasp, unlike Renate, who was looking adoringly at Heinz. Charlotte thought of the chocolate longingly.
“If Frau Müller feels ready, she can go home.”
“And what about all the flowers?”
Yet again, Christine found herself astonished at the things her father considered important in life.
“We can’t take them all with us. I mean, it’s just not possible. We’ll have to come back for them. Right? Charlotte?”
She looked at the ceiling with a resigned expression. Renate quickly snatched the flowers from a surprised Christine, pushed past them all, and stormed into the room. She waved the card.
“Wonderful news, Inge, you can go home. And look, Mark Kampmann sent you this beautiful bouquet of flowers. Isn’t he the one—”
“You can give those to the nurse for taking such good care of me.” Inge already had her trousers and blouse on and was holding a cardigan in her hand. “But I’ll keep the card. I’m taking the bouquet from Till with me. Seriously, you lot and all your flowers. Anyone would think you were going to my funeral.” Shaking her head, she packed her things up into her raffia bag.
“Inge?” Her brother’s voice sounded strict.
“Yes, Heinz, I can go home. Everything’s fine, you don’t have to worry.”
“How do you know Mark Kampmann?”
Inge paused for a long moment, then pulled her jacket on.
“I just happened to meet him. I’ll tell you about it later. Right now I just want to get out of here.”
Chapter 19
* * *
Charlotte had suggested going to their place first and unwinding over a coffee. It had taken some effort to convince Inge, especially once Heinz had announced he was going round to Petra’s afterward to fetch Inge’s things and settle her bill. “Things just don’t seem safe enough there. You’re staying with us now, and I don’t want to hear another word about it.”
His wife looked at Inge in the rearview mirror. “Heinz, Christine and Johann are sleeping upstairs. Where’s Inge supposed to sleep, on the sofa? There’s no space downstairs.”
“Why not? The den is big enough, and the couch can be folded out. We used to sleep five to the room, so I’m sure it’ll be fine with just the one.”
“Heinz.” Inge sounded tired. “There used to be two bunk beds, and we were kids then. I’m going to stay with Petra. I certainly don’t want to leave her alone. I also need my peace and quiet, and there’s no way a burglar’s going to break into the same place twice.”
“Ha!” Heinz turned around from the passenger seat to look at Inge. “As if you’re an expert on crime statistics. Don’t make me laugh!”
Charlotte went down a gear as she passed a road sign. “And you are, I suppose? Leave your sister in peace. You can see she’s exhausted.” She saw her sister-in-law’s grateful look in the mirror. “Let’s have a coffee first, and then we’ll see.”
Charlotte nodded and decided not to ask about all the doctors’ appointments just yet. There was sure to be an opportunity soon. And perhaps it would be better if Heinz wasn’t there.
He snorted. “Vacation! In peace! You know what I think? I think you’re in trouble. I’m seventy-three years old, and I’ve never needed a lawyer. You’re almost ten years younger, and you have another new one. Something’s not right there. I’m not stupid you know.” He turned around again and looked at her, his eyes narrowed. “I know you.”
“Heinz. The last lawyer I had was because someone did a hit-and-run on my car in the parking lot in Essen-Herdecke. That was twenty years ago.”
“Well, I’ve never needed a lawyer.”
“Good for you.”
“Stop it you two.” Charlotte pulled at the steering wheel impatiently. “Seriously, how old are you?”
She drove onto the driveway and turned the engine off. Another car pulled up behind her. “Christine and Johann are here now, so stop fighting,” Charlotte admonished her husband.
“I’m not fighting.” Heinz let his seat belt clatter back into the holder. “Inge started it. She’s acting strange.”
His sister didn’t answer, but she slammed the car door harder than necessary.
“And my car isn’t a bus! You don’t have to slam it like that.” Heinz climbed out and pushed the door shut gently. “See? This is how you close it. Don’t take your moods out on my car.”
Christine and Johann watched as Heinz stormed into the house in a huff.
“What’s wrong now?” Johann took Inge’s bag for her. “Sibling tension?”
She waved her hand. “Oh, he’ll get over it. If he doesn’t know about everything that’s going on, he gets anxious. But it gets on my nerves when he smothers me. So, as far as I’m concerned, I’m quite happy for him to go off in a huff.”
Johann stood back to let her go ahead of him into the house, while Christine waited for her mother.
“So?” She looked at Charlotte curiously. “Did you ask why she went to see all the doctors?”
“No, your father would have gone into a panic if I had. I’m waiting for a better opportunity. But I do think there’s some explaining that needs to be done, if you ask me.”
The opportunity came earlier than Charlotte had expected. Heinz stood up abruptly after the coffee—which they all drank in a relaxed atmosphere because he didn’t say a single word, instead just pressing his hand to his stomach with a pained expression.
“I’m going to lie down for an hour. I’m totally exhausted. Perhaps certain people around the table here should reflect on the fact that I’m no longer a young man. I’m just not capable of dealing with excitement and secretiveness like this anymore.”
He shuffled slowly to the door and left. Charlotte stood up and sighed.
“I’ll be back in a moment. Help yourself to more coffee.”
Inge breathed out deeply and leaned back. “Johann, please don’t think it’s always like this. We’re usually a very peaceful family.”
He laughed. “Christine’s already told me that many times. Look, I know what it’s like. There are enough nuts in my family…Sorry.” He looked at Inge and Christine with embarrassment. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
“Don’t worry.” Inge propped her chin in her hand and looked at her niece. “Do you think I’m crazy?”
“No.” Christine searched for the right words. “Just…different. It seems like you’ve changed somehow. It’s as though…as though you’re planning something that we’re not sure is good for you…I mean—”
Inge interrupted her decisively. “You can’t be the judge of whether or not something is good for me, my dear, because you have no idea what my plans are. Just try to have a little faith in me. After all, it has nothing to do with you if I have to change my—if you’ll forgive me for saying so—frightfully boring life.”
Charlotte heard her last words as she walked in. “You have to change your life?”
“Yes,” said Inge, her expression serious. “After all, I don’t have much time left.”
Mother and daughter gave a start. Johann just shifted slightly in his seat.
“Why?” Christine dared to speak up.
Inge answered calmly, “I’m sixty-four. If I’m lucky, I’ll have a few good years yet, but certainly not as many ahead of me as when I was thirty.”
“But you feel okay, right?” Charlotte looked at her sister-in-law searchingly.
She nodded, startled. “Of course.”
“So why have you been having appointments with lots of doctors here?”
Inge blinked and frowned, then took a deep breath and spoke in a firm voice, “Why are you spying on me?”
Johann had been composed so far, but the level of family intrigue and involvement was too much for him now. He stood up. “I’m going for a run. See you later.”
Christine wondered whether she should follow him, but decided against it. She waited until she could hear him go up the stairs, then said, “He’ll never believe me that I have a completely normal family. Aunt Inge, we want to know once and for all what’s going on. Are you ill? Is that why you left Uncle Walter? Is there something you’re afraid of? Tell us.”
“No, for God’s sake!” Inge slammed the flat of her hand down on the table, making the cups clink. “I don’t want to talk. Not yet, and I’ve said that a hundred times. And don’t treat me like I’m stupid. Stop asking me questions. I’m calling myself a taxi.”
Christine jumped at the outburst, and her mother went pale. Pulling herself together, Charlotte said, “Well, you know best. But I’d like you to remember that you have a brother who is very worried about you.”
“I’ll never be able to forget, you can count on that. I’m just going to the bathroom, then I’m leaving. Actually, you can drive me, Christine.”
Christine nodded and looked at her mother. She stayed silent until Inge had left the room. “After you’ve gone, I’m calling Uncle Walter. This has gone far enough now. I want to know what’s going on.”
Once Christine’s car was out of sight, Charlotte let the curtains in the kitchen drop back down. She took a cup of coffee with her into the den and dialed Walter’s number. He answered after five rings.
“Müller.”
“Hello, Walter, it’s Charlotte.”
“Ah, how lovely, Charlotte. We haven’t spoken in ages. How are you? Is everything well? The yard work and gardening keeping you busy?”
“Yes, yes, everything’s good. Listen, Walter, why didn’t you come out here with Inge?”
“Where?”
“Walter! To Sylt! Why is Inge here by herself? What’s going on?”
Silence. Charlotte counted to five.
“Walter? Are you still there?”
“Yes. I’m still here. Well, let’s see…Why didn’t I come? I had so much to do. Pia’s tax return isn’t done yet, and you know how unorganized she is with these things. The receipts are all over the place, half of them have disappeared, and there are coffee or wine stains on half of the documents. I couldn’t work like that, you know. She certainly doesn’t get it from me. And then I still need to do Gertrud’s VAT return, you know, the landlady from Elephant. She can’t manage it herself either. And then…”
“Walter, you’re retired. And your wife is having a midlife crisis.”
“Inge? Nonsense. You’ve got the wrong idea!”
Charlotte willed herself to stay calm. Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out.
“Charlotte? Are you still there?”
Breathe in. “So did she say when she’s coming back?”
He hesitated before answering. “Not exactly. But she doesn’t have to. I know where she is if I need her. Don’t worry. I eat at t
he Neumanns’ every day—they offered. And in return I’m sorting out their insurance documents.”
In comparison to her brother-in-law, Heinz was downright simple.
“Walter, I think Inge is having some problems. I don’t think it’s a good idea for her to be by herself.”
“Problems…what kind of problems? I’m sure I’d know if that were the case. And besides…”
“Who are you on the phone with?” Heinz had appeared next to her and was leaning over to listen in. “That’s Walter. Give him to me.”
He lifted the receiver to his ear. “Walter, is that you? Yes, hi. Inge was attacked…When? Yesterday evening…No, but she was in the hospital overnight…Severe concussion, shock, that was all that can be ascertained that quickly. She looks bad, and in terms of how she’s been affected internally, you just can’t tell when you’re not an expert…You know how things are with this health reform. The state health insurance schemes don’t want to pay up, so the clinics turn vulnerable invalids out on their ear after just one night. Inge had no chance…Oh, you have private insurance? I see…Now? Well, she’s…”
“Don’t exaggerate so much,” hissed Charlotte, taking the phone away from him. Then she continued in her normal tone, “Walter, it’s me again.”
He sounded worried now, asking, “Why didn’t you tell me right away? There you are talking about your garden, and you omit to mention that my wife was almost beaten to death.”
“Walter, you were the one who started asking about the garden, and I didn’t want to get you upset. After all, you’ve got high blood pressure. Inge had a fall after a burglar broke into the apartment. She suffered a mild concussion, but apart from that she’s fine. She didn’t want to stay with us, so she went back to Petra’s. She wanted some peace and quiet.”
“Was something stolen? Inge always leaves her jewelry lying around everywhere. And her money.”
“No, I don’t think so. But I think it would be best if you came out here. She seems different somehow. By the way, do you know her friend Renate?”