The Zul Enigma (55 page)

‘I suppose this 70s
stuff’s all right for old fogies like you,’ Rebecca laughed. Then she leaned
forward. ‘But I can see the DJ setting up, so let’s have one more dance and
take the wine back to the room.’

Carlos held out his hand
and led her to the dance floor. He slid his arms around her and she snuggled
her head into the hollow of his shoulder at which moment Grace walked past,
smiling, and gave them a shy little wave.

***

Carlos and Rebecca walked up the path to Erika’s house and rang the doorbell.
She lived to the northwest of the old city of Vienna in the up-market 19th
district close to the American School where her boys went. She’d fallen in love
with the area when she first looked at the school and had been lucky to find a
house nearby that she could just afford.

Ashby, her oldest son,
opened the door and led them straight through the house and out onto the
postage stamp of a back patio.

‘Hiya Carlos!’ Drew
called. Wearing shorts and a T-shirt, he was bent over the barbecue trying to
light it. ‘Stick the wine in the cooler box and grab a beer. Hi Rebecca. What
do you want to drink?’

‘Just juice for now, but
I’ll get it. Where’s Erika?’

‘Right here,’ Erika said
appearing at the patio door. ‘My God! Look at you both. You’re so brown. Did
you have a good holiday?’ Rebecca looked at Carlos out of the corner of her eye
and they shared a smile. ‘It was lovely,’ she said.

‘You want juice? It’s in
the fridge,’ and Erika led Rebecca into the kitchen.

‘You know this is a very
pretty house.’

‘It is. But it’s really
too small. With the two boys I could do with a bigger garden.’ Erika opened the
fridge and took out a carton of orange juice. ‘In fact, Drew wants us to get a
place together – if we make it through E-Day.’

‘Really?’ Rebecca said,
raising her eyebrows.

Erika nodded and smiled.
‘It surprised me too. Him suggesting moving in after all the years he’s lived
on his own. But he’s says it’s what he wants, and it’s certainly what I’d
like.’ She dropped a couple of cubes of ice in the glass. ‘But tell me about
your holiday. It must have been so romantic. I’ve never been to Bali.’

Rebecca let out a long
sigh. ‘I go into a daze just thinking about it… it was divine. The best holiday
I’ve ever had. Since we got back, it all seems like a dream.’

‘And how’s it going with
Carlos?’

‘Okay.’ Rebecca looked
at her feet. ‘But we’ve been through a rocky patch.’

‘Why?’

‘We got on really well
when we were away – in fact it was perfect. He’s so romantic. I… well… he
made me feel like a princess. And we’re best friends too, you know? We didn’t
stop talking the whole holiday.’

‘And the rest?’ Erika
asked raising an eyebrow.

Rebecca smiled over her
glass of juice. ‘He’s very passionate. It’s the best.’

‘So what went wrong? Was
he angry when you told him you didn’t want to live in the old apartment any
more?’

‘No. He didn’t want to
go back there either. Elena’s presence was everywhere, you know what I mean?’
and Erika nodded. ‘He was glad to book into the hotel.’

‘Have you found a new
place yet?’

‘We saw somewhere
yesterday. Not nearly as flash as the penthouse, but I like it better. And it’s
unfurnished, so we can do it up and make it really homey. We can move in any
time we want. It’s got three bedrooms. And…’ Rebecca paused and lowered her
voice, ‘… and there’s something else,’ at which point Ashby followed by Josh
came thundering down the stairs and into the kitchen.

‘Boys, I’ve got a job
for you,’ Erika said. ‘Take these steaks out to Drew and help him cook them.
Come on, scram.' She turned back to Rebecca. 'Now what were you saying?’

‘It’s still very early
days, but I’m pregnant.’

‘Oh, my God!’ Erika
covered her mouth with one hand. ‘I don’t believe it. Did you plan it?’

‘No! It’s a complete
shock.’

‘Does Carlos know?’

Rebecca shot Erika a
look. ‘My name isn’t Elena.

‘Ouch!’ Erika said, ‘So…
how did it happen?’

‘For goodness sake…’

‘Chill, Rebecca, I mean,
didn’t you take precautions?’

Rebecca swallowed.
‘Sorry. I don’t mean to be snappy. Must be the hormones.’ She took a sip of her
juice. ‘I told you Carlos sprung the trip on me as a surprise? Well I was so
excited when he showed me the tickets – you know – not just because
he was taking me on holiday – it was the fact he’d finally made a move
– I couldn’t believe it. And I only had a few hours to get ready. I was
in such a state I couldn’t even pack properly. So it wasn’t until we got to the
villa – and Erika – it was so beautiful – it had an outdoor
garden bathroom with a lily pond and a statue and an outdoor shower and this
massive big bath. We couldn’t wait for the manager to finish giving us the tour
and leave,’ Erika nodded, ‘and the moment he did we started to kiss and… you
know… one thing led to another… and then it struck me. It was just awful. I
froze. Carlos didn’t know what was going on. I sat up and burst into tears and
said “we can’t do this”. And he looked at me – his eyes were so soft and
brown and he looked so hurt – and he said he was sorry and that he’d been
stupid to think I’d be interested in someone his age. So I grabbed his hands
and told him it had nothing to do with that. It was because I wasn’t on the
pill any more and I was scared of getting pregnant. Then a look of utter relief
crossed his face and he smiled and pulled me down on top of him and said in his
gorgeous sexy Spanish accent, “If it’s okay with you
señorina, qué será será
”,
and… well… that was that.’

‘He didn’t bring any
condoms?’

‘Erika… he’s Catholic.’

Erika shut her eyes and
shook her head.

‘Thing is I’ve taken
risks before and nothing’s ever happened. And being on that beautiful, tranquil
island in all those luxurious surroundings with all the Balinese people who are
so calm and smiley and easy going – well that laid back feeling kind of
rubs off.’

‘Shit! Rebecca!’

‘I know. I feel so
stupid now. I just never believed it would happen to me.’

‘That’s what they all
say. So what are you going to do?’

‘Of course, Carlos would
never
consider an abortion. And I didn’t dare broach the subject of
adoption. It would kill him. He thinks this is the greatest thing that’s ever
happened.’

‘Could you have an
“accident”?’

‘Come off it, Erika, I
couldn’t do that. And look at it from his side, he already lost one baby when
Elena was murdered. And…’

‘And what?’

‘Did Drew ever tell you
about the baby hologram? Zul’s proof to Carlos he was genuine?’

‘Sure. After Zul
appeared on TV, he told me everything.’

Rebecca nodded. ‘Well…
now Carlos doesn’t think that hologram was his baby with Elena at all. He
thinks it was ours.’

‘Oh, my God!’

‘Erika. I have to go
through with it. If I don’t, it will destroy him. And I love him way too much
to do that.’

‘But what about you?
What’s best for you? You’ve got to think of yourself too.’

‘It will do me more harm
if I hurt him. I couldn’t live with being that cruel to the person I love most
in the world. I’ve weighed up every option and there’s only one answer. I’m
going through with it.’

‘But…’

‘It’s okay. I’m getting
used to the idea. And really the only negative thing is it’s happened sooner
rather than later. It was a shock. But I would have wanted a baby with him
eventually. I know that. I just expected we’d have more time together first.’

‘Then we must look at
the positive. After all, children are a miracle… a blessing. I would never,
never be without my two boys.’

‘And Carlos is
delighted,’ Rebecca laughed. ‘He’s like a dog with two tails.’

Erika suddenly looked
very serious. ‘What about E-Day?’

‘I know. It’s madness to
bring a child into the world when we don’t even know what kind of world it’s
going to be. Of course, we’ve talked about it. But he believes so completely in
Zul and that whatever’s going to happen will be for the best. It doesn’t seem
to bother him at all. He says I need to learn to live in the moment and take
each day as it comes.’

 
‘I’ve known Carlos a long time. And I’ve
always had a soft spot for him. And honestly? I never thought Elena was right
for him. I always wanted to see him with someone… I don’t know… someone kinder,
more caring I guess, someone less self-centred,’ Erika smiled, ‘someone, in
fact, exactly like you.’

‘That’s such a sweet
thing to say.’

‘Well,’ she continued,
‘you certainly didn’t waste any time. And you’re both glowing… I knew it wasn’t
just the tan. I wish you well and honestly, I couldn’t be happier for you,’ and
she walked round the counter and gave Rebecca a hug.

‘Have you told your
parents?’

‘We’re calling them
tonight.’

She slid her hands down
Rebecca’s arms, grabbed her hands and gave them a little shake. ‘Now help me
throw some salad together before Drew finishes cooking those steaks.’

Meanwhile the men were talking in the garden.

‘How’s the job?’ Carlos
asked, opening another beer. ‘You’ve been there what – a couple of months
now,
sí
?’

‘Yeah. It’s good. So
different from NASA, but that’s okay. And Joe leaves me pretty much to myself
now I know the ropes. In fact, I’ve hardly seen him the past few weeks. He’s
always in Tel Aviv or DC these days.’

‘And Erika works for
RUAG right? Your JV partner? That’s a coincidence.’

‘Nah! Not really. Joseph
got her the job. The office is near the boys’ school and she lucked out finding
this place.’

‘Not very convenient for
you.’

‘Tell me about it! Both
my flat and my office are on the other side of town – between your place
and UNO City. Joe had his reasons for setting up over there: when he started JV
negotiations. It was convenient for meetings at the different government
offices and for the airport, seeing he was flying in and out all the time. But
now everything’s signed, sealed and delivered, I need to be nearer RUAG. I plan
to start looking for office space over this way soon.’

Carlos took a sip of his
beer. ‘That makes sense.’

‘And I plan to give up
the flat. As soon as I get my hands on that money from my aunt, Erika and I
want to buy a house.’

‘I don’t believe it.’

‘Believe it mate. She’s
a good bird. I couldn’t do any better. And we’ve known each other long enough.
Whoah… thanks Ash. Look at those steaks,’ Drew said to Carlos. ‘Think there’s
enough!’

He forked them onto the
hot plate and they began to sizzle.

‘How about you? How was
the holiday?’

‘Fantastic. Taking
Rebecca to Bali was the best thing I’ve ever done.’

‘After all the shit
you’ve been through, you deserve it Carlos.’

‘We’ve got some news too.
She’s pregnant.’

‘That was quick.’

Carlos smiled. ‘It’s
okay. A shock at first, especially for Beccy. But she’s getting used to the
idea.’

‘Well you’re not getting
any younger. But what about E-Day?’

‘Of course, we talked
about that… and there’s nothing we can do but live each day as it comes.’

CHAPTER 16

Carlos picked up the phone. ‘Greg. Hey,’ he said.

‘Good morning, Carlos.
How are you?’

‘I’m good. You?’

‘I’m well, but we need
to talk. I’ve been flooded with calls over the weekend. The popular view has
made an abrupt turn around. In spite of reports about findings supporting Zul’s
theory of evolution, the closer we’re getting to E-Day, the more people are
doubting the evolutionary leap is going to happen.’

‘I’m seeing that too.’

‘In some ways it’s a
relief not so many people are worrying about it. But all the same, we need a
contingency plan. I’m sorry to ask you at the last minute like this, and I
understand if you feel you can’t oblige – after all, you’re one of the
biggest believers and I know you’ll want to be with your family – but I’m
looking for volunteers to man the desks E-Day weekend. Just in case we end up
with a major panic on our hands if things do pan out like Zul predicts.’

Carlos ran a hand
through his hair.

‘Carlos?’

‘
Sí
… I’m still here.
Okay, Greg. I’ll do it. But I want you to get me and Beccy to Madrid and London
first. I want to see my family at least for one day and I know Beccy will want
to see hers.’

‘Carlos… you must know
all the flights are booked out.’

‘You’re head of the UN.
Arrange something.’

***

‘Darling, you’re late.’ Rebecca walked into the hall when she heard the front
door opening and gave Carlos a kiss.