cursed day.
The snow that had fallen furtively on Christmas Eve didn’t linger beyond the morning of Christmas Day. The next three days brought warmer temperatures, unusually mild ones for the time of the year.
Activities in the factory over the holidays were scaled back to an absolute minimum. After all, who was likely to buy concrete at this time of the year? It was a time to spend with loved ones, even if they outstayed their welcome as Tobias and Gerhardt were doing, at least according to Cordula.
‘I know you can’t send them packing yet, but how about we get away, at least for the day? Just the three of us on a festive shopping spree in our capital city. You know we’ve earned it.’
Hannover, Lower Saxony’s capital, was little over one hour’s drive away but they rarely ventured there. After all, it wasn’t a particularly exciting town and all their shopping needs could be met within a third of the distance, in Holzminden. A family trip to Hannover had seemed like a good idea at the time. A visit to some toy shops for Markus — not that he didn’t have enough new toys already, but never mind, let’s spoil him while he is still without siblings, a bit of fashion for Cordula — her pregnancy garments from five years ago were now passé, a nice restaurant, maybe a movie…
Obviously Tobias would want to go too when he found out. Obviously Cordula would object and obviously Albert would have to break the news to his brother.
On the morning of that day, Thursday December 28, when Albert walked into the kitchen, he found Tobias making coffee. Markus was sneaking an Elisen gingerbread into his mouth and hoping his father wouldn’t tell him off for eating biscuits before breakfast. It was five minutes past eight, but the battery of the kitchen clock had run flat. Nobody noticed.
‘And how are you on this wonderful morning? The weather is fair but the man on the radio says to hang tight, there may be a cold front on the way from the icy north. The coffee is percolating, the eggs are boiled hard but the yolk is runny and the bread rolls I picked up fresh this morning,’ Tobi said, his high spirits almost infectious.
‘About today, Tobi,’ Albert said and kissed Markus on the forehead.
‘Ah, don’t worry about today, brother. I have it all mapped out. We’re going to give poor, hard-working Cordula the day off. Then we, the three musketeers of the Hüschebr ink, go out to have a manly adventure. We drop off the old man, Gramps, at home on the Ith and go take a hike to the old red caves. Remember, Bert, how we used to play there as kids? We might find bone shrapnel or arrowheads there, from the cannibals of old,’ he said in a playfully menacing voice for the benefit of his nephew.
‘What is ‘cannibals’?’ Markus said.
Albert shook his head at Tobi, meaning ‘don’t tell him’.
‘You know what Neanderthals are, don’t you?’
Markus nodded. ‘Cavemen that look like Lars’ grandfather.’ Lars was Markus’ best friend.
Tobi sensed something bad was coming before Albert started to speak.
‘I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news but we have made different plans for today. The caves are still going to be there tomorrow or the day after that,’ Albert said.
‘Yeah? So what are we doing instead?’ Tobi said, though he knew better.
‘Yeah, Dad, where are we going?’ Markus said.
Albert lifted his son into his arms and turned away from his brother.
‘How about Mum and me are taking you to Hannover in the car, how about that?’
‘You mean without Uncle Tobi?’ Markus said, and Albert nodded.
‘Ah. Hannover, Germany’s number one city when it comes to ‘boring’,’ Tobi said.
‘Why isn’t Uncle Tobi coming?’ Markus said.
‘You heard him. He thinks Hannover is boring,’ Albert said to Markus. ‘There’re some toy shops you’ve never seen and we’re going to take you to McDonald’s or Wiener Wald, whichever you prefer, and then to the cinema or a puppet play.’
‘What’s Mad Donald or Wiener Wald?’ Markus said.
‘I’ll be right back,’ Tobias said.
Albert knew he was going to try and convince Cordula to change their plans for the day. He also knew that it would be in vain. His wife’s heart was set.
‘Don’t piss her off,’ Albert said, knowing that most likely Cordula’s mood would be affected the whole day.
Tobi gave him a look that showed how hurt he was by the fact that he was excluded from today’s plans. Albert knew he could do nothing about it. Wasn’t it high time that his brother started his own family? Of course, Dad needed looking after, more so by the day, and he wouldn’t hear of moving into an old-persons’ home. Tobi couldn’t be expected to spend all his time caring for the old man. He was understandably jealous when he was explicitly unwanted by Cordula who also had the right to want to spend a day alone with her husband and child. Something had to give, but Albert didn’t know what that something was.
Anticipating a shouting match between his wife and his brother, Albert busied himself and his son with the setting of the breakfast table in the salon.
*
Tobias reached the upstairs floor and saw that the door to Cordula’s and Albert’s bedroom was wide open. He had never done this before, not with her, but just couldn’t resist the temptation. The timing seemed right. She wasn’t looking in his direction – it was now or never.
When he entered the bedroom Cordula stood in front of a big, oval shaped mirror and applied makeup to her face. Tobias shifted his weight, his centre of gravity, by mere inches. His head moved forward. The changes were minute, all but imperceptible to a casual onlooker. If asked, Tobi himself couldn’t explain how he did it, but it worked every time. It always had. His voice became a tiny nudge deeper, his words came out a little less clipped, and the smile, Albert’s killer smile, hushed over his features. His impersonation of his twin brother was perfect to every beholder, even to their father.
Would Cordula fall for it?
He approached her from behind, making sure to stay in her blind spot for now. He’d have to be pitch-perfect, otherwise she’d turn around.
‘Cordula, my sweet,’ he said, just like he’d heard Albert say thousands of times.
It was working. She didn’t turn, just glanced around the dimly lit room, saw his silhouette disappear behind her back and anticipated his firm, dry lips on her neck.
‘Not now, Berti. I’m nearly done,’ she said.
‘How about a change of plans for today? We can always go to Hannover tomorrow, and you could do with some rest,’ Tobi said, about to put his hand on her shoulders, breathing her freshly applied perfume.
This was much easier than he had anticipated.
How far should he go with it? This was madness, but it was intoxicating. He smiled Albert’s killer smile. Even if she turned around now and saw him she surely wouldn’t be able to tell that he wasn’t her beloved husband at all. As long as she didn’t look at his clothes.
A movement behind him. Tobi already knew who it was.
Albert had followed him and watched the whole scene. He had been quiet until now, but he wouldn’t allow Tobi to lay his hands on his wife, not on his behalf.
Tobi ducked away quietly and let his brother step in, defeated in his immediate objective, but surprisingly jubilant all the same.
‘Don’t start again, you.’ Cordula turned at last and hesitated when she saw her husband further away than she had sensed. ‘You’re just feeling sorry for Tobi,’ she said while Tobi hurried down the stairs.
‘Shush, not so loud. He might hear you,’ Albert