Until.
Mary left the table, then returned carrying dessert. Tim asked Anna how she was finding the German class. Anna said, “It’s fine, it’s good, it’s helpful, I’m learning.”
Mary took her seat. “Anna is Roland’s A-plus number one student, Bruno. Everyone listens when she talks. Some everyones more than others, wink, wink.” Mary looked at Anna and winked on her own cue. It grated Anna how Mary spoke aloud the words “wink, wink.”
“What’s this?” Bruno asked.
“Have you not told him, Anna?”
Anna shook her head and said to Mary that she didn’t know what Mary was talking about. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mary.” Anna employed a steady, breezy voice.
“Don’t be so modest.” Mary spoke to Bruno in the manner of an aside. “Anna has an admirer.”
No, Mary, Anna thought.
“Ah, is that right?” Bruno asked. His voice glinted briefly of suspicion. Anna was the only one who noticed it. “So who is it then that admires my Anna?”
His Anna. Anna told him that she still didn’t know what Mary meant.
Mary tee-heed in a way that, given other circumstances, might have been considered dainty. In the moment, Anna found it hollow and babyish. “His name is Archie and it’s adorable how he follows her, sits next to her in class. He even waits for her and walks her to the tram every day after school.”
“The tram?” Bruno had a question in his voice. Trams don’t run to Dietlikon. There would be no reason for Anna to take a daily tram.
Anna interjected. “Train. She means train.”
“Oh anyway. The man is smitten, Bruno. If I were you, I’d watch out!” Mary wasn’t being garrulous. She was playing.
No, Mary. No, no, no, no. But it was too late.
Mary continued. “Oh, and ha, ha, he’s good-looking as well, isn’t he, Anna?”
Anna’s heartbeat splintered and in that instant of an instant, Anna panicked and was terrified that the entire evening was a setup intended to out her as a liar, a cheat, a whore.
Anna reddened. Tim interceded on her behalf. “Mary, you’re embarrassing our guest.”
Mary punctuated her joshing with an earnest smile. Bruno’s own smile was blithe. Anna didn’t trust it. “So,” Mary asked. “Who’s ready for a piece of cake?” The children (Alexis included) chimed in unison a ravenous “Me!” and the adults mm-hmmm-ed. Mary sliced into an iced lemon pound cake and served a thick piece to each of them.
“Merci vielmal,” Bruno thanked her, and everyone began to eat. “Mmm,” Bruno savored. “Sehr gut!”
And so the evening unfolded, the laughter continued, and the banter went on. Bruno gave more banking advice and in thankful return, Tim invited Bruno and the boys to a ZSC Lions game. Bruno waved his hand—Tim needn’t do that—but in the end he accepted the invitation with grace. Mary poured coffee and the children were dismissed and asked once again to play upstairs. By anyone’s measure the dinner party ended as successfully as it had begun.
But Anna had seen it when it happened. How the air between her and Bruno had tightened when Mary spoke aloud the words “smitten,” “good-looking,” “admirer,” “tram.”
I will pay for this, Anna thought.
When it was time for the Benzes to leave, hands were shaken and unspecified plans made for a “next time.”
“See you at the game next week,” Tim called to Bruno and the boys.
“See you in class on Monday,” Mary sang out to Anna.
Max waved to Charles, who waved back. Victor and Alexis parted without ceremony, and the Benzes traveled home. The boys nodded off during the drive.
The air was strangled. Anna attempted conversation. “That was nice, wasn’t it?”
Bruno grunted. “Who’s Archie?”
Anna spoke carefully. “Oh. No one. A man in our class. He’s fond of me I guess. Mary says, anyway. I hadn’t noticed.”
“I see.”
It was a shorter ride returning than going, and soon the Benzes were home. It was nearly ten when Bruno turned onto Rosenweg, swerved sharply into the driveway, and snapped off the engine. “Wacht auf,” he barked over his shoulder as he got out of the car. The boys were sleepy and they dragged their feet. Bruno shut the car door firmly. Anna noted with small relief it wasn’t a slam.
Anna called after him as he unlocked the house: “We forgot Polly.” Bruno motioned the boys inside and pointed them up the stairs, to bed. Anna closed the car door and chased him up the front steps.
“Bruno?”