Over the Fence (6 page)

Eva considered it before shaking her head again. “I’m exhausted and some rest would do me good. Plus, I’ve had more than my fill of a child’s incessant crying for one day.”

“Then we’ll see you tomorrow?” She tucked a small teddy bear into her pocket and packed away the child’s drinking cup. “Chris said you’d have to use our Internet for a conference call.”

Eva nodded and explained that she would visit her parents first thing in the morning, then be over for her conference call. After that, she would watch Leonie’s soccer practice. Tomorrow promised to be far more enjoyable. Now, she just longed for her half-eaten salami sandwich, a glass of wine, and a little rest on the backyard lounge chair.

Eva had barely made herself comfortable in the yard, enjoying the last rays of the sun, when she heard voices coming from the neighbor’s house. Angry voices. Although Eva couldn’t make out the words, it was obvious there was a heated discussion going on. There was a nagging woman’s voice, then a door slam, and finally peace. Eva sighed and bit into her sandwich. She knew the voice all too well. Stefanie apparently hadn’t changed a bit.

David locked the door, whistled to Ruchti, and jogged onto the path adjacent to the house. After his pointless argument with Stefanie, he had to find a way to counteract the excess adrenaline. David hated it when Stefanie picked fights in front of Jonas. The last few years had made David feel worn out and beaten down. On days like this, he wondered how long he could continue putting up with the whole thing before he completely went to the dogs.

Both he and Stefanie knew that since she had cheated on him, he only stayed for Jonas’s sake. He loved his son, and his son loved his mother.

Stefanie had threatened that if he left, she wouldn’t let him see Jonas. She knew how to hit a sore spot. Of course, he could sue for his rights as a father, but Jonas would be the one to take the brunt of a custody battle. David wouldn’t let his son experience the type of war his parents had fought over him. Stefanie knew it and used this to force him to stay. They hadn’t slept in the same room for over six years.

But Jonas was fourteen now. Only a few more years and he wouldn’t need Stefanie or David. Each year, Jonas withdrew further and further from his parents; he was developing into a fine young man.

David reached the small patch of woods without remembering how he’d gotten there. Running gave him a sense of peace, and he felt better able to cope with another confrontation with Stefanie. Even though he knew he would eventually give in, at least he had stood up to her this time. It was a slap in the face for her to ask him—actually it had sounded more like an order—to drive her and her friend to the airport. After all, she had booked this trip without his knowledge. Not that he didn’t have time to take her. It wasn’t about that. It was that he felt exploited, and that realization hit him hard.

When David got home, he saw Stefanie standing at the door with her luggage.

“Jonas is already gone?” he asked.

Stefanie nodded and David was relieved.

“Are you going to take us or should I call a taxi?”

“This is the last time you will treat me like this; otherwise, I’m moving out. Jonas is old enough to decide when he wants to see me. You can no longer use him as a bargaining chip. You got it?” He saw her wince.

“Yes, I’ve got it. Now let’s go.”

Six

Eva rang the doorbell at her sister-in-law’s house. During her visit to the hospital, she had spoken with the attending physicians and found out that her mother was recovering from the operation very well. Eva had picked up her father in a wheelchair and pushed him to her mother’s room. Even though he was coming home in three days, he had a long road to recovery ahead of him. Being with her parents was amusing, even though most of the jokes were at Eva’s expense. They teased her about her lack of cooking skills, but cooking traditional Bavarian meals was a daunting task; if her father thought that she was going to spend hours in the kitchen every day, he was going to be sorely disappointed. She still had a job to do, and he was going to have to reconcile himself to cuisine that was faster and easier to prepare.

Kati opened the door, beaming. “Hello! Have you recovered yet from yesterday?”

Eva nodded and smiled. “Now I understand what you’ve been going through every day.”

“Oh, no big deal. You get used to it, and I’ve had a lot of practice.” Kati led the way into the cozy kitchen and started making cappuccinos. “How are the parents?”

Eva told her about the visit and how her mother had given her some cooking tips. Kati laughed. “Yes, that’s how she is—always thinking about others, as if
not
having pot roast for lunch is the worst thing that could ever happen. Your father will still be looking around for it anyway!”

Eva nodded. “And he still thinks I’m going to play the perfect housewife for his benefit. Maybe I’ll surprise him with a pork roast and braised potatoes as a welcome-home gift. But then after that?”

“Then he’ll just have to eat sausages.” Kati smirked.

Eva took a gulp of her cappuccino and said quietly, “Then he’ll know immediately what to expect.”

“Come on, Eva. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself. If I go to the trouble of cooking a traditional Bavarian feast, I’ll be sure to make extra and bring it over, OK?” Kati sat down on the corner bench with a cappuccino in her hand. “We’ll coordinate things like that.”

Eva felt relieved, because she knew her father had no idea just how limited her cooking skills really were.

“What time is your videoconference?” Kati asked.

“At three. Where can I hook up my computer?”

“In Sophie’s room.” Kati stood up and pulled some food out of the fridge. “While you’re setting up your mobile office, I’ll cook for the hungry mob. The girls are coming straight home after school. You’re welcome to stay and eat with us.”

“I would love that.” Other than a piece of bread, Eva hadn’t eaten anything for breakfast, and after the video meeting, she wanted to watch Leonie’s soccer practice. That didn’t leave much time to prepare herself something to eat.

Eva pulled her Mac out of her briefcase and went into her niece’s bedroom. The walls were covered with posters of bands whose names she’d never heard of. Children’s books and DVDs filled the shelves. Wherever she sat, it would be clear she was dialing in from a child’s room.
Ich bin nicht faul, ich bin nur im Energiesparmodus
(I’m not lazy, I’m just in sleep mode) was written in big red letters on the wall.

It was still the best background for the meeting. Maybe they wouldn’t be able to read it if she was sitting at an angle. Or maybe she was worried for no reason since her colleagues didn’t understand German to begin with.

Eva logged onto the Internet and a few minutes later, she was ready. It was less than an hour until her first meeting. Would she get the specifications for the new contract? She hoped so, because she’d be able to prove to her boss that he could count on her.

When she entered the kitchen again, Leonie and Sophie rushed in, tossing schoolbags onto the hallway floor and murmuring brief hellos as they scooted past her on the way to their rooms.

“Well, those are some nice greetings,” Kati muttered, stirring a pot. “You should make sure Sophie doesn’t mess up your computer setup.”

Eva hurried after her niece, knocked lightly on the door, then stuck her head inside. “Hey, sweetheart. Sorry I had to take over your room, but it’s only for today, OK?”

Sophie pushed some hair behind her ear and pouted. Strands of pink decorated her dark hair, and Eva grinned.
Just fifteen and so adult
. “Your new hairstyle looks great on you,” she said, attempting to make a bit of good-natured small talk. “And what’s new otherwise? Been up to anything fun since the last time I saw you?”

“Nothing special,” she answered and pushed her way past Eva, heading for the kitchen. Eva followed. “Mama, why am I always the one who gets screwed? Why can’t she use Leonie’s room?”

Eva took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. She understood Sophie’s viewpoint. She wouldn’t have liked it if someone, even her own aunt, took over her room without her consent.

“No, she can’t do that,” Kati answered. “Leonie’s room is next to Rafael’s, and he has to take a nap right now.”

Sophie leaned on the table with her arms crossed. “She could work here!”

“As if there’s any peace and quiet in the kitchen. Please stop making such a fuss. You’re going to survive.” Kati set a pot on the table. “And now, please set the table. Lunch is ready.”

“It’s always me!” she sulked.

Eva stepped toward her. “If you tell me where I can find everything, I’ll set the table.”

Kati turned around. “Oh no you won’t.” She glared at her daughter. “You can set the table now or you can forget about going to the movies tonight.”

Sophie’s face darkened. As a form of protest, she noisily got the plates and glasses from the cabinets.

“Will you get Leonie?” Kati asked Eva.

Eva went to Leonie’s room and knocked on the door lightly. “Hi, it’s me. Time for lunch.” She heard a noise and took that as permission to enter the room. Leonie turned off her computer screen, but Eva had seen her niece chatting with somebody. Did she have a boyfriend? Maybe she’d learn more after soccer practice.

After lunch, Eva leaned back in her chair, keeping an eye on the clock. She still had some time before the meeting. She’d eaten way too much, but the goulash with spaetzle tasted delicious, especially since it had been so long since she’d had it. “Do you cook like this every day?”

“No, those were just leftovers from the other weekend. If there’s enough left, I freeze it, and then the next meal is instantly on the table.” Kati winked. “I often make enough to feed an army, but then Chris will call and say he can’t come home because of work, or the girls will think they’ve gained an ounce and will only eat salad, and I’ll be left with a ton of leftovers.”

Leonie grimaced. “As if I never eat anything!”

“It depends on whether you have a game or not.” Kati put another forkful of salad into her mouth.

“May I be excused? I have to do homework in the living room because my room has been taken over.” Sophie pushed her chair back without waiting for an answer.

Eva was uncomfortable with her niece’s whining, but Sophie would calm down again once she had her room back.

“Coffee?” Kati asked.

After glancing at her watch, Eva nodded. “I’ll clear off the table for it.”

“OK. It’s actually Sophie’s job, but because she’s freaking out over her room . . .” Kati shrugged. “It’s the hormones. What can you do?”

“Just wait until you’re in menopause,” a voice echoed from across the living room.

“Sophie! Maybe you haven’t noticed, but I just gave birth to your baby brother. Menopause is a long way off for me.”

“Great!” Sophie shouted back. “Hopefully I will have moved out long before then!”

Agitated by the shouting, Rafael started to cry. He had been sitting in his high chair quietly, refusing to eat the green vegetable purée Kati tried to spoon him. Kati lifted him out of his chair and paced the kitchen. “He’s probably got a tummy ache—that’s why he won’t eat.” She spoke softly as she rubbed his belly.

Eva cleared off the table and made coffee. As she set the cups down, she sniffed the air. “Wow, what are you feeding this little guy? His farts stink to high heaven!” She opened the kitchen window. “I thought baby farts didn’t stink.”

“He’s going through a phase because I stopped breast-feeding him recently. His stomach will settle down again soon.”

Eva looked at the time. “Meeting time. Wish me luck.” She grabbed her cup of coffee and marched into Sophie’s room. After a short pause, she came back into the kitchen and sat down again. “I forgot the time difference. The meeting’s in an hour.”

Kati laughed and shook her head. “What else can possibly happen to you?”

“At least they’re an hour behind, or I would have already missed the first meeting.” Eva sipped her coffee.

“That probably wouldn’t have been very well received.” Kati put Rafael on Eva’s lap. “Hold him for a minute while I get some stuff from the basement.”

Eva rubbed Rafael’s tummy as she’d seen Kati do. “Well, you little fart machine, we’re getting used to each other now.”

When Kati returned with an armful of food, Eva had just slid a spoonful of greenish mush between his lips. Eva wiped his smeared mouth.

“How did you do that?” Kati asked, a look of astonishment on her face as she set a head of cauliflower and a bag of potatoes on the kitchen table.

“I think his diaper is full, making room for more food,” Eva speculated. “At least that’s what it smells like.” She slid another spoonful into his mouth with half of it ending up on his face.

“Then keep feeding him while I grab a fresh diaper. You’ll watch, right?”

“No, thank you. The little guy stinks too much. I’ll pass.”

“Coward!”

“I don’t want to go to my videoconference meeting feeling green around the gills because I’m suffering from gas poisoning.” Eva shoved another spoonful into his mouth, but her nephew was becoming reluctant again. “I think he’s tired.”

“Give me the little stinker.” Kati took Rafael from her lap and disappeared into the bathroom. Eva searched for stains on her light beige blouse and wiped her fingers on a napkin before she washed her hands in the sink. A stain on her clothes would have been embarrassing. Her boss would probably doubt her ability to do her work if he knew she was holding a meeting from some teenager’s room and had food stains on her clothes.

She felt restless and poured herself another cup of coffee. Sitting around and waiting wasn’t good for her nerves. She’d always been like that. She poured a bit of cool water into the hot coffee so that she could sip it immediately and wandered up and down the kitchen.

“Nervous?” She heard her sister-in-law’s voice behind her.

Eva nodded. “Give me back the little one, then I’ll at least have something to do.”

Kati looked at the clock. “You have another ten minutes. Once you’re in the middle of your meeting, you’ll be in your element again.”

“I hope so.” Eva held her nephew in her arms, and he smiled at her. “When he smiles like this and doesn’t stink to high heaven, I can understand why so many women go crazy over babies.”

“Haven’t you ever thought about having one yourself?” Kati put the potatoes in the sink and scrubbed them.

Eva thought about it, then shook her head. “Not now, especially since Sascha and I broke up.”

“What? Since when? I had no idea.”

Eva shrugged and stroked Rafael’s little head. “He didn’t want to move to London. So we broke up.” Eva told her the whole story.

“Well, that’s going to be an adjustment.” Kati started to peel the potatoes. “I couldn’t live without Chris.”

“You see, that’s the difference. I’ve never met someone who made me feel that way. And what would I do with a baby? I need to find my own place in life first somehow.” Eva glanced at the clock. “OK, it’s time.” As she started to put Rafael back in his high chair, he burped and a yellow-green liquid spewed onto her hair and slowly ran down onto the collar of her blouse. “Shit!”

“What happened?” Kati spun around. “Oh, what a shame. Come here, we’ll clean you up.” Kati pulled out a washcloth, put some dish soap on it, and wiped the slime out of her hair. Then she dabbed the blouse. “That’s not coming out right now. But if you cover the stain with your hair, they won’t notice it.”

Eva stared at the clock. “That will have to do, I guess. We don’t have time to find something else to wear.” Eva trudged into Sophie’s room, brushed her hair over the stain, trying to put the grossness of it out of her mind, and got into position in front of her open Mac.

“Wow, excellent. You’re right on time, Eva. How are your parents?” Matthew asked. She was glad the video camera captured the entire conference room, but its position made her feel as though she were sitting on her boss’s lap, which made her even more nervous.

“They’re doing well, under the circumstances.” Eva straightened her spine as she sat on Sophie’s bed. “Should we start?”

The same team from the previous meeting was in the conference room. Adam took the floor. “We have a potential new client, Bailey’s Chocolate, who is interested in a large-scale marketing campaign for its confectionery products. They’re thinking big, a total redesign with new, unconventional packaging. Mr. Bailey would like advice about the best way to proceed. He’s mainly interested in your input, Eva, per our recommendations. But we are not the only agency he’s mentioned, and he expects the preliminary layouts in a week. Can we count on you?”