pt-4

About ten days later I returned home in the middle of the morning, having forgotten a document behind, Clara was not there. As I was leaving, the phone rang. I decided to ignore it, then on a whim I answered, "Hello, John speaking."

"Good morning, is that Mr Mitchell?" A lady's voice.

"Yes."

"Is Mrs Mitchell available?"

"No, she's not here at the moment. Can I help you?"

"This is Nicole from the doctor's rooms. Please hold for Dr Maxwell."

I heard a click, then some canned music, then a female voice, "Good morning Mr Mitchell, this is Grace Maxwell."

"Good morning Doctor, how can I help you?"

"I promised your wife that I would phone the results of the blood tests to her as soon as I received them. I'm pleased to say that Baby Mitchell is normal. Of course, at your wife's age I would recommend an amnio when the time comes, but as things stand now all the tests are normal."

Baby Mitchell? Baby Mitchell?

"Umm..." I cleared my throat, "Um, how far gone do you say she is, Doctor?" Silence on the phone. "Um, I'm trying to work out when the first scan will be. My work schedule..."

I could hear the relief in her voice, "Oh! I would say five weeks. First scan in the next two weeks or so."

"Thank you Doctor."

"Right, tell your wife to phone if she has any questions."

"Will do. Goodbye now." I stood staring at the phone. Five weeks. Our trip to Kenton. I tried to remember whether Clara had enjoyed any 'conjugal benefits' at that time; well, penetration and ejaculation involving me. Not during the holiday. Not for a month at least before that. Not for the three weeks after that.

They say that when one of a married couple is having an affair, the other is the last to find out. Not seeing the obvious. All the signs were there and I had not put it together! It was a bit like accidently touching the electric fence.

I picked up the phone and dialed Michael's number. He answered, "Hello Gorgeous!"

"It's me, Dad. How are you?"

"John! What a surprise! How are you?"

"Very well, thank you. Very well," I realized I really meant it!

"To what do I owe this call?"

"I phone to congratulate you on becoming a father. Again! Great news!"

EPILOGUE.

The following five months were traumatic to say the least. My parents flew up to Johannesburg the day after my phone call; I had not told Clarissa that I knew about the pregnancy, or that I had spoken to my father. Nor had I told her of their plans to be with us as soon as they could organize flights to Johannesburg. After the shock of their arrival had subsided we all sat down and did some serious talking. And I mean serious!

Clara and I agreed to an unopposed divorce with no maintenance or any financial implications. Nellie and Michael, in turn, agreed to an unopposed divorce with Michael agreeing to support her for the rest of her life.

During the time of the discussions and the subsequent legal visits, Nellie and I shared the spare bedroom while Michael and Clara made the most of the king sized bed in the master bedroom.

Five months later, after both divorces had been decreed in the High Court, Clara and Michael were married in a small ceremony, the party made up of just the four of us. Clara was deliriously happy, Michael proud as a peacock of his beautiful young wife.

Nellie was tearful; I believe she had lost the most. I was relieved beyond belief and really happy that I could enjoy my mother to my heart's content; in private that is.

Nellie and I had some serious discussions of our own; we agreed to disagree on a permanent relationship. Our passports and identity documents both carried a common surname so we were able to present ourselves as man and wife without having to say as much. The nature of our disagreement was the disparity in our ages. She said, "When you're forty, I'll be sixty five. Sixty five! You'll be in your prime with this old hag hanging on your arm; what will your work colleagues think? Your friends? When you're fifty I'll be seventy five. No, that's an impossible situation. For now it's fun, and exciting. Later..."

I shushed her with a kiss. "What are you suggesting?"

"That you keep an open mind, so that you don't exclude other women from your thoughts; keep your options open." There were tears streaming down her cheeks.

We, the four of us, agreed that both couples would move to Cape Town, find homes near each other. I would start my own architectural practice with my father's help; Clara could join us later with her landscaping skills.

Michael and Nellie returned to Kenton to put their home on the market and to pack up while Clara and I started the same proceedings in Johannesburg. Now that our personal situations had been sorted out Clara and I seemed to get on better, like old friends, even friends with benefits...

But that is Another Story!