Entwined Read Online Free
wife behave in an irrational manner."
The baron remained silent for at least half a minute, then sighed. "She was four months pregnant with my first son, she was very beautiful, and being pregnant made her even more so. She took great care of herself, and seemed content. We both were. We were very much in love, exceptionally close, idyllically happy. One night I woke up, and she was not beside me. I went to look for her. I found her in the kitchen; there was food everywhere, she was stuffing her mouth. She must have been doing it for quite some time because there was vomit on the floor. Her face was rigid, she was like a stranger. It was awful."
Franks held up his hand. They could hear laughter from the next room. Helen stood up, as if to go into the reception area, but Franks waved her back to her seat.
"Maja is with her. She is very adept at relaxing patients. It seems she has succeeded!"
♦ ♦ ♦
Vebekka was telling Maja about her days as a model: the gossip and backbiting. She was very entertaining, and the more she relaxed the more animated she became. She stood up to demonstrate how she had first been taught to cat-walk. She arched her back, pushed her hips forward, and paraded up and down.
"You know how many models have back trouble? I mean can you imagine any sane person walking in this way?"
She swiveled on her heels, then glided to the sofa and sat down.
"The gowns were spectacular, and it was amusing to see which celebrity bought which design. Can you imagine the fun, seeing those superb creations on frumpy, rotund women!"
Maja was entertained, it was difficult not to be, but she also detected a strange wariness in Vebekka. Her eyes frequently strayed to the closed door, then she would fall silent, sometimes in mid-sentence, before quickly recovering and launching into a different story. Maja did not attempt to steer Vebekka into discussing how she felt, knowing it would either happen naturally or not at all. But as experienced as she was, she was still taken by surprise when Vebekka suddenly gripped her wrist.
"What are they doing in there? Why are they taking so long?"
Maja made no move to withdraw her hand.
"He's talking about me, isn't he? Of course, stupid question, stupid question…"
She released her hold.
"Dr. Franks needs to know so much about you," Maja said kindly.
"Why doesn't he ask me?"
"He will, but your husband will probably speak more freely without you there."
Vebekka nodded. "Yes, yes, that's true, poor Louis. I am all right now. This is a waste of time, you know…"
Maja looked at her watch. She got up and went toward a glass panel between the rooms. She was going to pull the blind up to see if one of the kitchen helpers was there to make some coffee, but, as her hand reached for the string, she froze.
" Don't …please don't. I don't want to see through the glass."
Maja turned to Vebekka. The baroness was hunched in her seat, staring straight ahead. Before Maja could say anything, the baron came in alone, gray with fatigue.
"I'm to take you home, darling."
Maja watched Vebekka closely, and saw the relief when she learned she would not have to see the doctor. She kissed Maja warmly as she left.
Dr. Franks walked into the reception area.
"Well, Maja, what do you think?"
"I think she is a very disturbed woman. She is very entertaining, very sharp and witty, but I think she is also…"
"Dangerous?" he inquired. Maja touched her wrist, remembering Vebekka's strong grip. She nodded. "Yes…very!"
Dr. Franks returned to his study, where Helen was still waiting. He shut the door, and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Maja agrees with you."
He poured Helen a glass of sherry.
"Tell me about the violence, have you witnessed it?"
"Yes, she becomes very disoriented, very angry, verbally and physically. She is quite frightening. Although she loses control, and claims to have no recall, I believe she has. She knows what she did to Sasha, but denies it."
Franks
The baron remained silent for at least half a minute, then sighed. "She was four months pregnant with my first son, she was very beautiful, and being pregnant made her even more so. She took great care of herself, and seemed content. We both were. We were very much in love, exceptionally close, idyllically happy. One night I woke up, and she was not beside me. I went to look for her. I found her in the kitchen; there was food everywhere, she was stuffing her mouth. She must have been doing it for quite some time because there was vomit on the floor. Her face was rigid, she was like a stranger. It was awful."
Franks held up his hand. They could hear laughter from the next room. Helen stood up, as if to go into the reception area, but Franks waved her back to her seat.
"Maja is with her. She is very adept at relaxing patients. It seems she has succeeded!"
♦ ♦ ♦
Vebekka was telling Maja about her days as a model: the gossip and backbiting. She was very entertaining, and the more she relaxed the more animated she became. She stood up to demonstrate how she had first been taught to cat-walk. She arched her back, pushed her hips forward, and paraded up and down.
"You know how many models have back trouble? I mean can you imagine any sane person walking in this way?"
She swiveled on her heels, then glided to the sofa and sat down.
"The gowns were spectacular, and it was amusing to see which celebrity bought which design. Can you imagine the fun, seeing those superb creations on frumpy, rotund women!"
Maja was entertained, it was difficult not to be, but she also detected a strange wariness in Vebekka. Her eyes frequently strayed to the closed door, then she would fall silent, sometimes in mid-sentence, before quickly recovering and launching into a different story. Maja did not attempt to steer Vebekka into discussing how she felt, knowing it would either happen naturally or not at all. But as experienced as she was, she was still taken by surprise when Vebekka suddenly gripped her wrist.
"What are they doing in there? Why are they taking so long?"
Maja made no move to withdraw her hand.
"He's talking about me, isn't he? Of course, stupid question, stupid question…"
She released her hold.
"Dr. Franks needs to know so much about you," Maja said kindly.
"Why doesn't he ask me?"
"He will, but your husband will probably speak more freely without you there."
Vebekka nodded. "Yes, yes, that's true, poor Louis. I am all right now. This is a waste of time, you know…"
Maja looked at her watch. She got up and went toward a glass panel between the rooms. She was going to pull the blind up to see if one of the kitchen helpers was there to make some coffee, but, as her hand reached for the string, she froze.
" Don't …please don't. I don't want to see through the glass."
Maja turned to Vebekka. The baroness was hunched in her seat, staring straight ahead. Before Maja could say anything, the baron came in alone, gray with fatigue.
"I'm to take you home, darling."
Maja watched Vebekka closely, and saw the relief when she learned she would not have to see the doctor. She kissed Maja warmly as she left.
Dr. Franks walked into the reception area.
"Well, Maja, what do you think?"
"I think she is a very disturbed woman. She is very entertaining, very sharp and witty, but I think she is also…"
"Dangerous?" he inquired. Maja touched her wrist, remembering Vebekka's strong grip. She nodded. "Yes…very!"
Dr. Franks returned to his study, where Helen was still waiting. He shut the door, and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Maja agrees with you."
He poured Helen a glass of sherry.
"Tell me about the violence, have you witnessed it?"
"Yes, she becomes very disoriented, very angry, verbally and physically. She is quite frightening. Although she loses control, and claims to have no recall, I believe she has. She knows what she did to Sasha, but denies it."
Franks
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