Gunhild answered submissively. She had lost any form of self-respect long ago.
But sorry didn´t do it for Per. “Sorry? That´s it? That´s all you´ve got so say about lumbering me with that freak of nature? Sorry?” Per was almost shouting now.
Eric was distracted from his drawing and looked at them with uncomprehending but watchful eyes.
“Mama?” he asked warily.
Gunhild quickly turned to him and said soothingly, “It´s alright, angel boy, everything is alright. Daddy is just a little upset. But it will be alright.” And the moment she said it, she knew it was a mistake. She should have just grabbed Eric and gotten him out of Per´s sight. But sometimes she didn´t know anymore what was right and what was wrong.
Per exploded, grabbed her arm, swung her around and screamed in her face, “What did you say? Daddy? I´m not that little freak´s Daddy, I would never produce something like that. You fucked another man. That freak is no son of mine.”
“Per please”, she begged, „You know that´s not true, calm down.”
“You think you can tell me what to do, you slut? Nobody tells me what to do, especially not unfaithful slutty wives. I think you need to be taught a lesson.” And in the same instant he slapped her across the face. Eric started crying loudly.
Per strode over to him and dragged him out of his chair by his little arm. Eric wailed in terror and pain.
Gunhild was immediately by his side and tried to loosen Per´s grip on Eric´s arm. “Per”, she cried, “Please let him go, you´re hurting him.”
Per took Eric´s arms in one hand and with the other gave her a hard shove, so that Gunhild flew backward and landed on her back.
He spat out at her „I’m taking him where he belongs. From now on the bastard can stay in the stables with the other animals, where he belongs. And then we will have some order in this house again.” He began dragging Eric towards the door.
By that time Eric was screaming like a banshee and choking on his tears.
Gunhild struggled to her feet, lunged at Per and held him back by the back of his shirt.
“Please Per, please,” she cried, “he´s only a little boy. He doesn´t understand. He´s sick, he has a weak heart, you might kill him. He might have a heart attack.”
Per turned and tried to shake her off, “Well that would be the best thing for all of us, wouldn´t it? In fact you´ve just given me an idea. I´ll just scare the little bastard so much that he´ll drop dead on the spot.” And he continued to drag little Eric, who was howling at the top of his voice, by the arm towards the door.
Gunhild held on to his shirt and tried to drag him back. Per let go of Eric, turned, grabbed her by the front of her blouse and brutally shoved her backwards against the wall, one hand held tightly around her neck, while he prepared to deal a blow to her face with the other.
Eric was on the floor and curled into a fetal position, quietly whimpering. At that moment they heard a knock on the front door and shortly after they heard a voice calling out, “Hello? Anyone home?”
It was Frederik Hellström. Thank God, Gunhild thought. Frederik Hellström was also a drunk and a gambler, but he was no wife and child abuser. He would not approve if he happened to walk in on a scene of domestic violence. And for reasons that Gunhild couldn´t fathom, Per wanted Frederik´s approval.
Per let go of Gunhild and hissed, “Get yourself and that freak out of here. I don´t want him to see you like this, you pathetic bitch.”
Gunhild lost no time in following his orders. She grabbed Eric from the floor, carried him into her bedroom and locked the door. Then she sat on her bed and cradled Eric in her arms for a long time. And she knew clear as crystal that she had to go and leave Per as soon as possible. Right away. He harboured an irrational, vicious hate against Eric and he would never leave him alone. Maybe he would really kill him one day. She had to protect Eric and she could only do that if she left. Gunhild had packed a suitcase and then with Eric in tow had crept past the living room, where Per had been entertaining Frederik Hellström. And then she had driven herself and Eric right out of there and into a new life. And she had never looked back.
Chapter 12
Nadja Cederbrink had just returned from taking her son Tim to school that morning. Usually he cycled to school but that day they were going on an excursion and he had more stuff than usual to carry. She had just opened the door, when the phone rang. Nadja caught it on the third ring, “Hej, Nadja here.” “Guess who?” an unwelcome familiar voice said.
Nadja closed her eyes. No, she thought, it couldn´t be, he couldn´t have found out her number, it was a new one and unregistered.
“Did you think getting a new number would help?” the voice said again, “All I have to do is ask your parents, you stupid bitch. I´m good at making up stories.”
Of course, Nadja thought, her parents, she had forgotten to tell them not to hand out her number to anyone. Damn. But why did they think she had an unregistered number if they then went and handed it out to everyone who asked for it? But they were old and she couldn´t blame them.
“What do you want?” she asked stiffly.
“I want to see Tim.”
Nadja laughed hoarsely, “Forget it. Never, ever, ever.”
“Oh is that so? Never, ever? That long, huh? Well in that case I shall just have to give your husband a ring, won´t I? I have his number, too, you know. And I know where he works. Might pay him a visit. I have all the time in the world. Don´t think you´d like that though.”
Nadja froze. What to do? What to do? She couldn´t let him talk to Jan. Everything would brake apart. Her whole life, her marriage. Damn that man. She hated him with all her heart. Really hated him.
“Hello? You still there? I want an answer, I´m not going away until I get one. I want to see Tim and soon.” His voice was louder and aggressive now.
She thought quickly, “Alright, alright. You win. You can see him, but of course I will have to prepare him for such a meeting. You understand that, don´t you? He´s twelve now, not a baby. He needs to know certain things before he meets you and it will take time, you understand don´t you?”
“Yes,” he said calmer now, “I understand. Fine, but not too long, I´m not a patient man, you know. I´ll be in touch again, soon. Hejdo”. He hung up.
Nadja sat there for a while longer, holding the receiver in her hand. This had to stop. The man was ruining her whole life. She was constantly afraid that he was going to show up on her doorstep or contact Jan and tell him everything. She couldn´t even sleep anymore at night without taking pills. And now he wanted to see Tim.
You will never see my son, I will kill you first, she thought.
Chapter 13
Sören was standing at his office window, admiring the view of the Kalmar castle against the frosty morning sun. It was the middle of September now and days were noticeably getting cooler. He loved the castle, had always loved it. Its history stretched back over 800 years. During the 12th century a defense tower was erected to protect against pirates and other sea-faring enemies. A harbour was constructed and in the course of time a castle grew around the original tower. Nowadays the castle hosted various events, like concerts, dinners and banquets and fairs. And of course it was always possible to just simply visit and wander the rooms of the exhibition.
Kalmar had the makings of a big city, it was a bustling centre of commerce, and yet retained its old worldly charm and small town intimacy. An intimacy Sören had wanted to escape from when he was younger.
Kalmar was, as ever, surrounded by water. Few cities could boast of a natural beach