Never Trust a Callboy by Birgit Kluger Read Free Book Online

will always be there for me.
    My guilty conscience is suddenly joined by some discomforting thoughts. A giant black wall lies between him and me. I cannot expect Ron to spend the rest of his life with me without telling him what happened during his absence. Tonight, when he comes home from work, I will tell him what happened on Monday. Then we can sort it out, together.
    "What if I took the afternoon off and we celebrate our reconciliation again together at home?" Ron whispers in my ear. At the same time his hand, which was previously resting on my back, moves further down. Underlining what he really means by celebrating.
    I answer 'Good idea', as one pleasant shiver after another passes through my body. All of a sudden I want to leave the restaurant as quickly as possible.
    ––––––––
    "W hy did you change the locks?" Ron murmurs in my ear. As promised, we have celebrated our reconciliation. With a satisfied sigh, I snuggle up to him. Ron spoiled me like he hasn’t in a long time. It's so good to be in his arms. I would like to never leave the bed. Then I wouldn’t need to face reality, I wouldn’t need to confess to him what I've done...
    "Honey? I asked you something!" Quiet impatience resonates in Ron's voice. He kisses me. Hmmmm... Perhaps his impatience has another reason than I first assumed. But then Ron breaks off the kiss. Moving away from me a little as if he wanted to create a distance between us. Then he sees the look in my eyes.
    "I'd love to, but I have to get back to work." With a smile, he gives me a kiss on the cheek. "Tonight we continue."
    "Promise?" I sling my arms around his neck and pull him to me.
    "Yes, I promise. First tell me, what’s with the locks? Then I have to go."
    With a sigh, I try to organize my thoughts and force them into some logical order.
    "On Monday morning, the police came by. An anonymous caller had alerted them that an intruder had entered our house."
    “An intruder?” Ron looks at me, suddenly angry. "Why didn’t you tell me immediately?"
    "It was a false alarm," I try to calm him down. "But I was worried... I thought it would be better to change the locks."
    I close my eyes. Shame washes over me like a giant wave. I wanted to tell Ron the truth. Really I did! But I can’t bring myself to do it. The fear of losing his love is too great. Too great is the misgiving that he could withdraw from me if I’m in trouble, just as my father did.
    "Still, you should have told me." Ron pulls me to him, hugging me, as if he would never let me go. "Honey, I would have come back immediately. Even if it was a false alarm. You must have been so scared."
    Ron is so concerned and compassionate. I have to tell him what happened. I can no longer maintain this lie.
    "There's something else that I..." The ringing of the phone interrupts me. I’m almost relieved as I answer the call.
    "Tamara, you have to speak to your grandmother," the words ring out in place of a greeting from the caller. My mother. When she says "Grandmother" evil is brewing.
    "What's wrong?" I ask, although I'm pretty sure that I would rather not know what triggered the dispute between the two of them this time. The relationship between her and Nana is about as relaxed as our relationship to each other. No wonder, then, that they are regularly at loggerheads. This time there seems to be some serious background, because my mother doesn’t respond to my question, but instead breaks into a tirade:
    "I don't know what this woman is thinking. It is incredible. She flies into a rage like a madman! She’s probably been watching too many of these gossip shows on the TV, and now she thinks she must have a toy boy. She’s behaving so..."
    "Mother," I interrupt her flow. "What are you talking about?"
    "What am I talking about? You have to ask that? Your grandmother has a lover. A young lover! The man is not even half her age! Oh, what am I saying. He’s younger than you!"
    For a moment I’m speechless. Nana was