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.The message had surprised him at first.It was more personal than anything he had received from her, at least since their falling-out.Something bothered him, though.He couldn’t put his finger on it, but the language Anna had used seemed unfamiliar.Jonas shook his head.The phone rang.Jonas put the card down and got up.“Just the person I was thinking about,” Jonas said when he heard Anna’s voice.“Well, I hope good thoughts,” Anna said.“Of course, only the best.You should know that by now,” Jonas said jokingly.“I just wanted to let you know that Karla will be a little late.She missed her regular train.She said she almost forgot that it was the day of her art lesson.Unbelievable, that’s the first time ever.She’s been very absentminded lately.Anyway, sorry about that.”“No problem,” Jonas said.“We changed the schedule, so it’s possible.” Since Karla was too busy in school during the week, they had decided to have her art lessons on the weekend.“Or perhaps she’s in love,” he added with a chuckle.“I don’t know, she didn’t say anything, but she hasn’t exactly been communicative lately.”“Well, Anna, she’s growing up.She’s getting into the teen years when confiding in her friends is a lot more interesting than talking to her elders.I remember that time very well with my kids.”“Well, let’s hope that’s what it is.”“Anyway, thanks for the invitation to the reading,” Jonas continued, “and for the kind words on the announcement.I’d love to come.”There was a pause.“What words?”“You know, the personal note.”“Personal note?”“Didn’t you write something on the announcement?”Another pause.“Not that I remember.No, I’m sure I didn’t.In fact, Karla asked me to write something, but I told her that all the information was on there but to let you know that I hoped you could make it.Jonas, what are you talking about?”Jonas’s mind felt like a beehive of thoughts whirring around.He swallowed.“Anna, we may have a problem.I don’t know how to tell you this, but that’s what is on the invitation.” Jonas read the short note to her.There was silence at the other end.“I.I don’t understand,” Anna finally said.“Well, I’m beginning to understand; at least I think I have some idea.” He told Anna about the conversations he had had with Karla, about her hope that they would become really close.He was starting to think that perhaps Karla wanted to help them along a little, so to speak.“But.Karla would never do something like this; at least I don’t think so.Oh Jonas, I don’t know what to think anymore.”Another pause.“Wait a minute, that means.what about the note on your invitation to the opening?” Anna’s voice sounded as if from far away.“There was a note on that, too?” Jonas asked.“Yes, wait.oh, I don’t have it anymore.That’s another strange thing.It suddenly disappeared.But it said.eh, that you missed me and really wanted me to come to the opening.I was a little surprised, and yes, there was a spelling error.I thought that perhaps you had been in a hurry.”“What spelling error?”“You wrote vernissage with one s.or whoever wrote it.”In spite of the serious implications, Jonas almost had to laugh.“I certainly would know how to spell that word, I’ve written it often enough.Didn’t you get suspicious?”“A little, but I thought you might have been preoccupied or in hurry or something.I just never would’ve thought.Jonas.” Anna’s voice sounded angry now.“Jonas, if that’s true, that’s incredible, unacceptable.I mean—”“Well, let’s try to stay calm.If Karla was the culprit, she was totally misguided but she didn’t mean any harm.The girl wants a family and—”“That’s no excuse.” Anna’s voice was shaking.“I agree and she needs to know that this is wrong, but why don’t we wait until we have a chance to talk to her? Listen, Anna, she just got here.I’ll try to talk to her and I’ll let you know, okay?”“Okay, but—”“Anna, I’ll talk to you soon.” Jonas hung up and took a few deep breaths.He hated having to deal with this.He went to the door and opened it.The beautiful young girl looked at him with her large dark eyes.“Hi Jonas.”He motioned Karla to come in, but didn’t say anything.He picked up the invitation to the reading, held it in front of her eyes, and pointed at the personal note.“Do you know anything about this?”Karla faltered, her face darkened, and her eyes filled with tears.She swallowed and nodded.Jonas walked into the living room and slapped the card on the table.He had hoped for a different answer but at least she wasn’t lying about it.“What in heaven’s name were you thinking? You falsified someone’s handwriting and signature? This is criminal behavior.”“I’m sorry, I knew it was wrong all along, but Maja.” Karla stopped short.She didn’t want to rat on her friend.“Ah, so it wasn’t just you?” That explains some of it.“It’s my fault,” Karla said.“We thought.I thought that perhaps you two would make up and.I didn’t mean any harm.I’m sorry.”“Karla, I don’t know what to say.I told you not to worry about Anna and me.Don’t you see? What you did is manipulating people’s feelings and that’s just wrong.Think about it.I am.what if a man was in love with a woman but that woman did not return his feelings? And then someone writes a note like this and gives the man false hope, then when he finds out that it wasn’t true, he’d be very hurt.This is cruel.”Karla nodded [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]