The novel ‘A Woman between Two Men’, with an Albanian-American Theme, is authored by Carrie Hooper and Skifter Këllici
After they had left the hospital and said good-bye to Ralph and Wilma, Charlie invited Mary to spend the night at his apartment. They had just entered the lobby when suddenly, Charlie said somberly and mockingly, “You hadn’t told me about the unexpected good time you had with that jerk, Kreshnik, in Del Mar Beach.”
“That happened two months ago before we decided to get engaged,” said Mary, trying to sound as relaxed as possible.
“Honestly, how could you defend that drunkard after what you told Ralph? Even your cousin, Wilma, defended him. You two wore Ralph down to the point that tomorrow morning, he will let Kreshnik go instead of letting him rot in jail for a couple of days like he deserves.”
“Why do these things bother you so much, Charlie? I told you, after he fought that robber on the beach, I thanked him. Then we went to a club where we had a drink and talked. That’s all.”
Mary thought it appropriate not to go into any more details about their meeting. She had already told Wilma about it.
“And now, after all this time,” said Mary, “That innocent young man confronted me at the restaurant, and what happened happened.”
“But at first you told us Kreshnik was coming on to you, and who knows what else, although he knew you were engaged!” Charlie blurted out, indignant. “Then at the hospital, you did a one-eighty.”
“Please understand, Dear, I was upset. That’s why I said what I said. Perhaps you are jealous?”
“How could I be jealous of that rascal?”
“You’re right. Tomorrow, someone may stop me and say, `I love you, Mary!` even if he knows I am engaged.”
“That would be awful!”
“You’re right, but it would be worse if I were to be swayed by those words. But why are you concerned about poor, unfortunate Kreshnik?”
Mary smiled and put her hands on Charlie’s trembling shoulders. Although she did not feel like doing anything after all that had happened, Mary whispered, “Come, Darling. Let’s make love.”
She took Charlie’s hand, and they headed for the bedroom.
“Not tonight,” Charlie said coldly. He just kissed her lightly on the cheek.
Mary awoke at about nine A.M. That happened sometimes when she felt stressed. Although she had been exhausted, she had not fallen asleep until late. She heard Charlie’s gentle breathing as he slept and recalled everything that had happened in those few terrifying moments the previous evening. She saw Kreshnik brutally beaten by the police, his bloody face, and that worried look he gave her when they took him away as a criminal and put him in the police car. She shivered. O God, what a sight!
She could have prevented the incident. If she had just explained that she had run into this stranger by chance; if she had just kept her composure; if only she had not screamed and not accused him, nothing more would have happened. Kreshnik would have left and would not have dared to confront her again. She would have forgotten him, and he would have forgotten her.
Mary felt delirious when she got up. Charlie had gotten up earlier and had been careful not to wake her. He had gone in the bathroom and the kitchen. Then, without saying a word, he had gone to work. But before he had left, he had written a note and had left it on the dresser. It read: “Darling, I hope you slept well. Forget what happened with that disgusting scoundrel, Kreshnik. He’s a terrifying bully, and he hurt you deeply. In any case, don’t go to work if you don’t feel well. Call me, and I’ll come home as soon as I can even though I’m buried up to my neck in work on this important study which I told you about. A big kiss. Charlie.”
After she read his note, Mary called him immediately. He was overjoyed when she told him she had slept like a log, which wasn’t true, and that she was going to work. She said that on her way to the hospital, she would stop by the institute, but he insisted he would come to the hospital to get her, and, if she wished, they could go to a nightclub.
A few minutes later, Mary’s cell phone rang. It was Wilma who, like Charlie, asked her if she was feeling all right. Mary told Wilma the truth that she had had a difficult night and had gotten up late. Now, more than anything, she needed to talk to her.
“I didn’t sleep well, either,” said Wilma. “Last night, when you confirmed that that guy, Kreshnik, or Nik, who risked his life for your necklace, was the one whom Ralph had ordered the police to throw out of the cafe and the one whom the police beat so badly, I don’t know how I kept it together.”
“I noticed that.”
“I don’t understand you, Dear. At first, you scolded him.”
“I explained why to Charlie last night. Silly me, I don’t know what got into me.”
Mary told Wilma what happened after she left.
“When Ralph got home this morning, he told me he let Kreshnik go last night,” Wilma said.
Mary felt as if she had been freed from a nightmare which had gnawed at her the previous night.
“He did the right thing,” she said.
“You believe Kreshnik when he says the woman he was talking to at the club was his boss’s lover?” asked Wilma.
“I don’t think he would have planned to meet two different women.”
“I agree.”
“Now I think he was telling the truth. But I could be wrong. He wanted to tell me what was on his mind. Maybe it didn’t have anything to do with love. He drank to pass the time. Maybe he had too much to drink. He tends to do that. Just then, that girl came into the club. She must really be his boss’s lover. She seduced him because, let’s face it, Kreshnik, even though he doesn’t look good, is handsome.”
“He’s even more handsome than you told me,” Wilma interrupted, “even though his thick beard makes him look tough.”
A sharp pain stabbed Mary’s heart.
“Kreshnik wanted to avoid the girl because he had a date,” Mary continued. “I don’t think he told her with whom. Otherwise, she would only have had to look toward the door, and she would have seen me standing there. Now, as I examine the situation with a clear head, I understand it better. The girl did not leave Kreshnik alone. When she wanted to kiss him, he jumped up quickly, remembered we had a date, and saw me. I left in shock. He followed me. I told you the rest.”
Wilma remained silent. Mary’s assessment of the situation seemed logical. (Continues)
Click here for Part-1, Part-2, Part-3, Part-4, Part-5, Part-6, Part-7, Part-8, Part-9, Part-10, Part-11, Part-12, Part-13,
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About the Authors
Carrie Hooper was born and raised in Elmira, New York. She has been blind since birth. She received a B.A. in vocal performance from Mansfield University, Mansfield, Pennsylvania. She went on to receive an M.A. in German and an M.A. in vocal performance from the State University of New York at Buffalo. After completing her studies, she spent a year at the Royal University College of Music in Stockholm, Sweden as a Fulbright scholar. Carrie currently lives in Elmira, New York. She taught German, Italian, and Romanian at Elmira College. She has a passion for foreign languages and in addition to the languages mentioned above, she is also proficient in Swedish, Spanish, and Albanian. Music also plays an important role in Carrie’s life. She teaches voice and piano lessons, gives vocal concerts, plays the piano and organ at a church, and sings in a community chorus. Carrie not only loves music and languages, but also enjoys poetry. She has published three books: “Piktura në fjalë” (“Word Paintings”), a bilingual collection of poetry (Albanian-English), “My Life in My Words”, and “Away from Home.” She has also translated texts from Albanian and Romanian to English.
Skifter Këllici was born in Tirana, Albania and received a diploma in history and literature from the University of Tirana. He worked as a journalist, scholar, and sportscaster on radio and television. He is the author of several novels and nonfiction books, including the children’s books, “Memories of the Old Neighborhood” and “In the Footsteps” as well as the historical novels, “Assassination in Paris”, “The Murderer with the White Hands”, and “September Disaster.” He wrote the screenplay for “In the Footsteps” which won a special prize at the International Children’s Film Festival in Giffoni, Italy in 1979. He has lived in Boston, Massachusetts since 1999.
[The book ‘Disastrous September is being reproduced in episodes with the consent of the author]
