Carry and Carrie - In the Twin’s Shadow Page 17

  Now it was out, and she was a bit shocked at herself. What would Alex say? He probably thought she was completely crazy. She looked at him with fear. Alex was now indeed stunned and looked at her as if he doubted her sanity. After a while, which seemed like an eternity to them both, he said: “You’re joking, Carry. You’re not serious, are you?”

  “Yes, I’m completely serious!” she called out euphorically. “You know, Alex-Darling, I’ve been sensible all my life. Everybody only knows me as the obedient Carolyn, who always does what she’s told. Carolyn, the sensible and … the boring one! I want to break through this wall, Alex, once in my life I want not to be boring! I want to do something extraordinary, something absolutely crazy, and I want to do it with you, do you understand, my dearest, only with you! I love you, Alex. Please, let’s be irrational!”

  She looked enchanting, full of vigour, with flushed cheeks and a fire in her eyes that he had never seen in them before. He cast a loving glance at her, took her hands into his and spontaneously said: “Yes, my Carry, then let’s be irrational.

  CHAPTER 47

  “Where’s my dear sister?” Carina wanted to know when she had arrived home and couldn’t see a single trace of Carolyn. She’d looked everywhere and had noticed that the girls’ room seemed uninhabited. Then she had dashed downstairs into the dining room, where her parents sat over a cup of tea.

  When she heard her daughter’s question, Debbie grimaced, as if she was about to cry, but said nothing. Philipp also just sat there with a petrified expression and remained silent.

  “Hello, hello,” Carina called out impatiently, “is anybody home? I asked you something! Where the hell is Lynn?”

  While her father continued his persistent silence, Debbie now started sobbing hysterically, something Carina had always hated. Still, she got up, went around the table to her mother and put her arms around her neck.

  “Now, don’t cry, Mummy. What’s the matter? Please, just tell me!”

  “You tell her, Phil,” her mother sobbed. “I can’t. Oh, it’s so terrible! How could she do that to us?”

  The crying got louder, and Carina almost shouted at her mother to finally be quiet. But she kept herself under control, turned to her father and said very quietly: “Just tell me, Daddy. What did Lynn do to you? She didn’t get pregnant before her wedding, did she?” Now she couldn’t suppress a mocking smile after all.

  “Your sister went away,” her father finally said.

  Carina became curious. At the same time, she immediately saw her wonderful plans threatened. Lynn had gone away, one day before Christmas Eve. But why, the hell?

  “I want to know what’s going on right now,” she said, in a cutting voice. It became increasingly harder for her to keep her composure. She glared at her parents. “I’m listening!”

  “There isn’t much to tell,” her father remarked. “Some days ago, Lynn came to us and said that this time she wasn’t in the mood for the whole family brouhaha, yes, that’s exactly how she worded it, family brouhaha, and that she wanted to travel somewhere with Alex over Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Then she packed her large brown suitcase and Alex picked her up the day before yesterday. That’s all. When we asked what had gotten into her, she just smiled and said she simply felt like doing something completely different. Besides, we would have you here.”

  Debbie started to sob once more. “This ungrateful child! I always knew it; she doesn’t have a heart.”

  Carina was thunderstruck. This couldn’t be happening! How could this bitch dare to ruin her plans, this boring … but stop, apparently, she wasn’t quite as boring anymore. It was actually rather courageous of her to just present their parents with a fait accompli. Chapeau!! And she didn’t seem to be as prudish as she always pretended to be. To just travel “some place” with Alex some months before the wedding.

  Carina was deeply disappointed, so much that she sank down onto the chair and remained silent.

  Her parents completely misinterpreted her behaviour and Debbie cried: “Do you see, Phil, how sad our Carrie is now? Lynn’s breaking her heart as well. I’ll never forgive her for this, I swear, never!”

  Carina flew back to the States on January 6. She was glad to get away from her parents. Oh boy! That had been a terrible time! Her mother’s constant whining and her father’s gloomy silence had been almost impossible to bear. Carina now desperately needed distraction and she already knew how she would get it. There was this new guy … this dishy Edmund Miller, nicknamed Eddie, also a son from a wealthy family. She just hoped that he hadn’t looked elsewhere during her absence. Shortly before her departure she had noticed that little Alyssa Gabriel making eyes at him. She wasn’t even half bad looking with her large blue eyes and dainty figure. Well, she wasn’t a real challenge, at least no problem for a Carina Harris! A relishing smile played on her red painted lips. Thinking about the pleasure ahead dissipated the memory of the past two weeks.

  Only one day later, Debbie and Philipp Harris experienced yet another shock. Carolyn came home, however accompanied by her recently wed husband.

  Debbie almost fainted when the two informed her that they had married on December 27 and would now of course move into their apartment at Alex’s parents in St. Leonards immediately. Unlike Debbie and Philipp, the latter had been delighted when they had heard the news some days before. They had immediately offered to prepare the apartment on their house’s upper floor for them now, which the young couple had accepted radiant with joy. Miranda and Timothy Carpenter were pleased for the young couple and intended to support them to the best of their ability.

  How different they were from her own parents! Carolyn felt accepted by them while her parents always made her feel guilty, even though she had always been an obedient daughter to them, apart from this one time.

  But this one time she had only thought of herself and it felt good and right. She could be sure of Alex’s parents’ goodwill and this gave her the necessary strength to endure her mother’s reproaches and accusations and her father’s icy silence. She was blissful! Nothing else mattered. Her parents would calm down eventually.

  CHAPTER 48

  Soon after their return from Las Vegas, Carolyn and Alex duly registered their marriage in Lewis but refused a subsequent wedding celebration on a grand scale.

  Instead, they celebrated their wedding in a small circle of family and friends. Alex’s parents had organized the celebration and had of course also invited Debbie and Phil, who came, but their reserved manner left no doubt how much they had been offended.

  Laura and Johnny had of course also been invited, just like Johnny’s friend and fellow student Jeremy Edwards and Alex’s friends Kevin Howard, Dave Jones, and Charlie Carter, who at an advanced hour, created a cheerful atmosphere with their music.

  It was a wonderful celebration which even Debbie Harris couldn’t spoil with her doleful expression.

  At the end of the evening, Alex had a special surprise for his young wife. He announced to his guests that he would perform a song he had written for Carolyn shortly after their first kiss in the glow of the setting sun.

  This magical moment had inspired him to his song Magical Love.

  Carolyn felt a shiver running down her spine when Alex started singing.

  Your love is like music, your love is fantastic, your love is like magic …

  Everyone present was moved to tears, apart from Debbie Harris, who watched everything with a stony face and an ice-cold glare.

  Your love is a miracle, your love is so magical …

  Carolyn noticed nothing around her. Her eyes were glued to her husband’s lips. Alex, her beloved Alex, had felt just like she had done back then, and had expressed his feelings with this song.

  Yes, their love was magical. It was like the most beautiful symphony, fantastic and unique … their love was a miracle!

  Carolyn and Alex had been happily
married for almost three months now. Alex loved his wife dearly and fulfilled her every wish.

  So far, however, the young couple had had to abandon any honeymoon plans as they didn’t want to neglect their studies in the middle of the term. Still, they were ecstatic about each other and Alex’s parents also did everything in their power to make life for Carolyn as agreeable as possible, since they had learned in the meantime that the girl hadn’t had an easy time in her parental home.

  Carolyn got along extremely well with her parents-in-law and as they supported the young couple in every respect, they could both continue their studies without any problems. In addition, Carolyn continued to work at the Seaford pharmacy and thus financed her studies herself. This was especially important to her because, in her opinion, Miranda and Timothy were already doing enough for her. The young couple lived rent-free in the beautiful, large apartment and didn’t even have to pay for their own living expenses. Carolyn had initially protested, but Timothy and Miranda were deaf to her objections.

  Carolyn had never before experienced such loving care and she was immensely grateful to her parents-in-law, loved and admired them. She saw her own parents only very rarely, as her mother, even after months, still made her feel as if she had done something wrong. Debbie made an effort to treat Carolyn and Alex friendly, but her eyes spoke a different language.

  Well, it was fine with her, she didn’t miss her parents, especially not her mother. Her in-laws gave her all the love and security she had so dearly missed in her own parental home.

  To Carolyn, her current life sometimes seemed like a beautiful dream from which she would eventually wake up again.

  ***

  During the summer holidays, the young couple travelled with Alex’s parents to their holiday home in Nerja. They spent a wonderful time there, carefree, and completely detached from the daily routine, which by now had also taken over Carolyn’s and Alex’s life, despite their great love.

  After these carefree weeks in Spain, it was difficult for them to find their way back to everyday life. They still had three weeks to go before university started again, but the first dark clouds slowly began to appear on the marital horizon.

  They had just been home four days when one morning Alex sat at the breakfast table in silence and with a sullen expression.

  “What’s eating you then?” Carolyn asked innocently.

  “Nothing, everything’s alright,” Alex replied with a reserved expression, biting listlessly into his toast.

  “But something’s bothering you,” Carolyn insisted. “It’s blindingly obvious!”

  Alex didn’t reply, just stared bored past Carolyn.

  Now she became angry. “What kind of behaviour is that!” she called out in irritation. “Would you please tell me immediately what’s your problem?”

  Now Alex also lost his control. “You want to know what my problem is, do you? It’s quite simple, my problem is that I’m bloody bored, damn it!”

  Carolyn was so shocked that she couldn’t speak for a moment. Was this the same man who, not long ago, had dedicated a song to her about the magic of their love?

  She had to swallow several times before she said quietly: “I didn’t know you were bored with me.” Tears shot into her eyes and slowly ran down her cheeks. “I thought we were happy, and we had a marvellous time in Spain,” she added with a quivering voice.

  “Yes, and we did,” Alex admitted. “But now we’re back here and still have more than two weeks holiday. Today is Friday and what did we plan? Nothing! Day after day we sit around in our four walls!”

  “But we go outside every day, go for walks …”

  “Yes, we go for walks and what else? Carry, we’re not eighty! We’re only young once! We both work hard and that’s good. But don’t you think we should live in our little spare time?”

  “Are you saying we’re not living, Alex?” Carolyn sobbed.

  “Yes, that’s just what I want to say, my dear. Do you know how long I haven’t seen my friends? Do you?” he flared up.

  “Oh, that’s what it’s all about!” Carolyn shouted back. “The only thing that matters to you is that you want to do something without me, not that we do something together!”

  “But we do absolutely everything together. I can’t take a single step on my own! You never liked me spending time with my chums.”

  “That’s not true at all, Alex. I like Kevin and the other boys, and I got on well with them from the beginning!”

  “Yes, in the beginning you were very enthusiastic about me performing with the boys. You thought it was great to be the lead singer’s girlfriend, didn’t you?”

  “But that was something completely different!” Carolyn called out in indignation. “We’d just met, and everything was so new for me. But now we’re married and have plans for the future. We work hard so that we can one day provide our children with material security and protection.”

  “Oh, and that leaves absolutely no time for some fun now and then?”

  “But we have that! It’s only four days since we returned from vacation. Didn’t we have fun there?”

  “But I want to do something with my friends again!” was the stubborn reply. “I feel like doing a gig with the boys again. Can’t you understand that?”

  “Yes, I understand that very well, Alex. I know exactly what you’re missing! You’re missing the groupies’ admiration, isn’t that the case?”

  “That’s just typical!” Alex said with contempt. “You and your jealousy … that’s almost pathological. You’re jealous of everyone and everything, my music, my friends … yes, even my mother!”

  “What?” Carolyn shouted indignantly. “I’m jealous of your mother? I love your mother and you know that!”

  “And why don’t you like it when she makes breakfast for us occasionally, or when I drink tea with her downstairs?”

  Carolyn didn’t know the answer to that, she didn’t understand it herself. She sobbed quietly.

  Alex now realized that he had gone too far. Even though he knew that his accusations weren’t without some reason, he suddenly felt sorry for Carolyn. It wasn’t always easy with her, but he also had his rough edges. Weren’t there ups and downs in every marriage? If only she wouldn’t be so possessive!

  All the same, he shouldn’t have been so rude to her. In a marriage one needed to discuss things quietly and sensibly, without yelling! Had his parents ever quarrelled at this level?

  After all, he loved his Carry more than anything and now he had made her cry. They had never argued so badly and he needed to apologize to her right away! He sat down next to her, put a comforting arm around her shoulders and said peaceably: “I’m sorry, darling. I shouldn’t have exploded like that. Please forgive me.”

  “It’s alright, Alex,” Carolyn sobbed. “I got loud as well and you’re right with some of the things you said.”

  “I’m a little difficult sometimes too, dear. Let’s not argue anymore. The next time one of us has something on his mind, we’ll discuss it quietly, okay? I do love you, my little one.”

  “I love you, too, Alex, very much so.” Carolyn smiled at him under tears. “And I promise not to be jealous anymore, neither about your Mum nor your friends.”

  “What do you say, we give Kevin and the others a call right away and ask them if they have time to meet tomorrow, and you come along as well?”

  “Really, Alex?” Carolyn beamed. “That would be wonderful!”

  They fell into each other’s arms and marital peace was restored.

  CHAPTER 49

  On a Friday night in November, Miranda and Timothy surprised Carolyn and Alex with a present. They were all sitting in the parents’ living room having a glass of wine together when Alex’s father, with a mysterious expression, pulled out an envelope from his waistcoat.

  “We have a surprise for you,” he smiled and
handed the envelope to Alex.

  “Yes, open it!” Miranda urged.

  When Alex saw the contents of the envelope, he smiled all over his face. “Look, Carry, isn’t that cool of Mum and Dad?”

  Carolyn’s eyes also widened when she saw her in-law’s generous present.

  “Gran Canaria! That’s unbelievable!” she called out, radiant with joy. “Now we’re getting our honeymoon after all, just heavenly!” She first ran to her mother-in-law, embraced her, and heartily kissed both her cheeks. Then she ran to her father-in-law and embraced him. “Many, many thanks to both of you, you’re so kind!”

  “You’ve earned it,” Timothy said with a smile. “You both work very hard and that has to be rewarded.”

  “Thanks, Dad! Thanks, Mum!” Alex now also embraced his parents. “That’s very generous of you and we’re absolutely delighted!”

  Carolyn and Alex sat with his parents for a long time that evening, making plans for the two-week-journey to Maspalomas on Gran Canaria.

  Carolyn lay awake for a long time that night, but this time, because she was happy and felt fortunate.

  How wonderful her life was since she met her Alex! Now she finally had a real family, was loved, and cared for as never before. She could really be grateful for such happiness! She never again wanted to spoil it with her stupid jealousy that sometimes emerged inside her for no reason.

  With this thought and a serene smile on her lips she finally fell asleep.

  The following weeks went by very quickly as they were both extremely busy with their studies. Carolyn became increasingly excited as the departure date approached. She already started packing her suitcase a week earlier and couldn’t sleep a wink during the last night.

  Finally, the moment had arrived, and Alex’s parents drove the young couple to London Heathrow airport. After a wordy farewell and thousands of good wishes, Carolyn and Alex sat in the plane, happy and relaxed. Alex took Carolyn’s hand and looked deeply into her eyes.