The novel ‘A Woman between Two Men’, with an Albanian-American Theme, is authored by Carrie Hooper and Skifter Këllici

Chapter IV

Charlie Smith and Mary sat across from each other in a large cafe in downtown San Diego. Charlie’s glasses with their thin, silver frames and the look in his eyes gave him the appearance of a dreamer. There were few customers that June morning. Charlie and Mary sipped their coffee which had grown lukewarm. At first, Charlie did most of the talking. Then, silence fell. Mary’s face glowed faintly in the light of the sun that penetrated the heavy, pink curtains.

“I don’t know what more to say, Mary,” said Charlie, “because it seems I told you everything like last week when we came here. In short, I love you, and I want you to be my wife. I have known you for several months, and I think you’ve gotten to know me, too.”

Mary was quiet for a moment. Charlie waited for her answer. He did not take his eyes off of her.

Just then Kenneth came into the cafe. He looked around and smiled when he saw Charlie and Mary. At first, he wanted to go to their table, but then he just stood there.

“You’re right, Charlie,” said Mary, a little numb. “Ever since you proposed to me after you and Kenneth returned from your symposium in San Francisco, I’ve been thinking. You are well-mannered and cultured. You love me, and I am beginning to love you.” Although she tried to sound cheerful and eager, she lost some of her spark, and her last words sounded flat.

Charlie extended his hand impetuously to Mary, and she reached for his. Their grip was so strong that Charlie’s elbow hit the coffeepot which sat near the edge of the table. It fell to the floor with a deafening crash. The other customers turned and saw the broken coffeepot. A waitress, somewhat surprised, approached Charlie and Mary, unaware of what had happened.

Charlie felt a little embarrassed.

“Don’t worry,” he said. “The pot didn’t break because we quarreled. It broke because we just got engaged.”

The waitress’s eyes sparkled. The other customers also looked at Charlie and Mary.

“Maybe the sound of breaking glass means you should kiss,” said the waitress in good fun.

Mary and Charlie, a little taken aback, looked at each other.

“What are you waiting for?” the waitress insisted.

Without another moment’s hesitation, Charlie and Mary leaned their heads over the table, and their lips met. The other customers and waiters applauded. Then Kenneth walked over to Charlie and Mary and embraced them.

“I owe you dinner,” Charlie said to Kenneth.

Then turning to Mary, he added, “Do you know why, Darling? Because it was Kenneth who insisted I go out with you.”

Mary smiled.

“But not tonight,” said Kenneth. He looked at Charlie and said, “Tonight is your night.”

A few hours later, Charlie and Mary were immersed in ecstasy. They shuddered with excitement as they kissed, embraced, caressed each other, and moaned with pleasure. They found themselves in that small universe without any sky or sunlight, just vague, milky lamplight. They collided with its walls and tried to cover the ancient, sweet, and desirable sin of Adam and Eve that would be repeated until the end of time.

Suddenly Charlie, after a passionate scream, wanted to break free of Mary. But she closed her eyes, shook her head, tightened her arms around his back, and dug her long, sharp nails into his flesh so that he almost cried out in pain. He tried once more to break free of her, but he could not because Mary crossed her legs over his, thereby making him her prisoner.

“Wait, Dear, don’t come out of me so quickly,” Mary muttered, lost in thought, but holding Charlie tightly.

Suddenly Charlie, after a passionate scream, wanted to break free of Mary. But she closed her eyes, shook her head, tightened her arms around his back, and dug her long, sharp nails into his flesh so that he almost cried out in pain. He tried once more to break free of her, but she crossed her legs over his, thereby making him her prisoner.

Charlie sighed, relaxed, and groaned softly as if wanting to tell her he could not endure this imprisonment. Mary relaxed her arms and legs, and with a sigh of satisfaction, Charlie rolled onto his side. Mary turned toward him, extended her hands, as if asking his forgiveness, and caressed him.

“Darling,” she whispered, as if she were afraid someone might hear her. “When we make love, don’t just think of yourself. Give me pleasure, too.”

Charlie lifted his sleepy eyes and fumbled for his glasses which had become tangled in the sheets. He wanted to explain something to her, as if to excuse himself, but Mary’s cell phone rang. She wrinkled her lips with annoyance and did not pay any attention to it. But when the sound persisted, Mary picked it up from the dresser and heard Wilma’s voice. Unaware of the circumstances in which Mary found herself at that moment, she suggested the two couples meet the following evening at six for dinner at Crystal to celebrate Charlie’s and Mary’s engagement. After dinner, they would go dancing. Wilma chose that time because Ralph had to work the night shift at the police station.

Mary was still aroused. While she waited for Charlie to take her in his arms again, he said drowsily, “That’s fine. However, tomorrow I have to go to the institute to pull some results off the computer. So I may be late. What can I do?”

“Tomorrow is Sunday,” said Mary, surprised. “Can’t your work wait until Monday?”

“You’re right,” he said, “but I have to show my boss the results on Monday morning.” He was caught in a dilemma. But when he saw Mary’s darkened eyes, he added, “Okay. I’ll go to the institute first thing in the morning so I can finish my work.”

Mary just shook her head.

When she arrived at Crystal, she was surprised not to see Charlie, Ralph, and Wilma. She checked her watch and was even more surprised to find it was only ten to six. Therefore, she decided to wait in the entrance. It was the end of August, and a heavy rain had cooled the air. The sun had set, and the reddish sky had become turquoise. People walked by, and two policemen patrolled the area. Mary remembered Charlie’s last words to her on the phone that he had finished his work and would be there right at six. Then someone in back of her called her name. She turned around and was shocked to see a bearded young man who looked delirious. His thick hair covered his forehead, and his cloudy eyes sparkled. He extended his hands as if to ask forgiveness. His white pants and black sweater made him look somber.

Mary recognized him immediately. It was Kreshnik.

“You again,” she muttered. She gave him an angry look.

Mary had only thought about him a few times in the two months since their last encounter. Try as she might, she could not forget his worried face or the moments she had threatened to call the police if he didn’t leave her alone.

He looked worse. His bony face, prominent cheekbones, and thick beard gave him the appearance of a man down on his luck.

“Please, Mary, let me have a word with you. Then you’ll know the truth.”

“And you waited this long to talk to me?”

“I would have talked to you before,” he said as his face darkened. “I’ll tell you again, I’m not who you think I am. I hadn’t planned to meet that girl. She seduced me.”

“No wonder that attractive girl, your boss’s lover, seduced you. With that hair, that mustache, and those clothes, how could she not fall in love with you?”

Mary gave him a spiteful look and added, “Enough of your stories! Get out of here! Besides, my fiancee should be here any minute.”

“I know. I followed you just like I followed you to Del Mar Beach two months ago in order to see you. Fortunately, I managed to do that under unexpected circumstances.”

“Really? Why did you follow me like a shadow?”

Mary knitted her brow.

“Because I have loved you since we met at the hospital. Me, with a job not worth mentioning, whom you approached, promised to help, whom you agreed to meet again at that cafe. Therefore, I ask your forgiveness.”

“So that’s it!” Mary almost gasped. “You loved me platonically. You became my guardian angel, and you followed that criminal so you could get to know me. Then you set me up for that awful scene in the cafe. How nice of you!”

“It wasn’t like that, Mary. I need to explain something to you once and for all.”

Mary tried to avoid Kreshnik by going into the restaurant, but he followed her. She tried to stop him, to take him gently by the arm, but he lost his balance. In order not to fall, he unintentionally grabbed the straps of Mary’s bag which hung from her arm. She, too, lost her balance and fell. Kreshnik fell on top of her.

Just then, Ralph Kallagan’s car pulled into the parking lot. Ralph got out. He was dressed in his policeman’s uniform. Wilma followed after him. They had not gone far when Charlie arrived. After Ralph and Wilma greeted him, they headed for the restaurant. They were shocked when they saw Mary lying on the floor and a strange man lying almost on top of her. Ralph had an unpleasant feeling. So he, Wilma, and Charlie rushed over to them. They saw the stranger jump up and help Mary to her feet. But Mary pushed him away with disdain. When she saw Ralph coming toward her, looking fierce, she cried, “Ralph, please remove this no-account! He won’t leave me alone! He follows me and comes on to me even though he knows I’m engaged.”