Julia Frauental - The Smell of Spring. And other stories

– How can a woman of thirty be a child and “pure”? Or do you mean to say she’s a virgin? Rather, an old maid, a spinster! – I was already saying something completely indecent.

– I don’t know. I don’t think she’s a virgin, but purity has nothing to do with it. It is either there or not.

– Well, that’s enough! I am tired of this! I don’t want strangers in the house! Maybe I want to walk around the house naked?

– You do? – She looked at me with interest. – Why don’t we go naked around here together?

And Lisa began to unbutton my shirt.

God, what is she doing to me!

*

So, the three of us had to live together for a week.

During the day it was alright – everyone was busy with their own business. And in the mornings, Nina slipped silently through the bathroom and the kitchen in an unknown direction, leaving no traces. But in the evenings…

In the evenings, they sometimes had tea in the kitchen, chatted and laughed, then went for a walk around the neighborhood, then fiddled in the garden together.

They didn’t mind my presence, but they didn’t invite me to join them either. And I felt that they were better off without me.

I tried not to sulk and even to be friendly, but I was terribly jealous. I was afraid to fall asleep at night – I dreamed that Lisa would slowly slip out of bed and into the next bedroom.

And one day – it was already rather dark – not finding them in the house, I went out onto the veranda and saw that they were sitting in a hammock in the garden, wrapped in a blanket, and looking at the stars.

I almost howled at the moon. Which, by the way, hung right there – over the house, and it was full, of course, and so was I. «It is not a coincidence that all witches’ Sabbaths take place at the full moon! What is going on, eh?!» But, strangely enough, the longer I looked at their quiet swaying in the hammock, at the quiet garden, at the soft moonlight, the calmer my soul became. I felt if not reconciled, then pacified and overcome by humility.

*

I couldn’t imagine what would happen the next day! When I came out of my study after work, I saw Nina, sitting at the kitchen table, writing something. At the first glance, she seemed lost in thought, but there was something strange about her that caught my attention.

I suddenly realized that she was listening intently. Then I heard the sound of running water, splashing and muffled singing. It turned out it was coming from the open bathroom door.

I rushed there and froze on the threshold: Lisa was lying in a foaming bath with a book in her hand and purring a song.

– What are you doing, for heaven’s sake?! – I hissed at her in a terrible whisper.

– Can’t you see? – She began to rise from the foam, smiling seductively. – I am being born, like Aphrodite.

– Oh, Lord, Lisa, could you at least close the door?

– You know, it’s pretty stuffy in here.

– Ah, I see. – I had to leave, what could I do? I decided not to go far and sat down on the sofa in the living room, burying myself in an old magazine. From there I could see the corridor leading to the kitchen and the bathroom door.

– Nina, honey, could you bring me the towel, please! I forgot it in the kitchen on the radiator! – Lisa’s voice rang in my ears like a sudden shot.

I was about to jump up to bring her the towel myself, but Nina was already standing in the doorway with it. She handed the towel to Lisa, trying not to look at her, but I saw that she was about to faint and could hardly catch her breath. Then I heard clinking of cups from the kitchen – probably, she was pouring herself some water.

After a couple of minutes, Lisa came out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel.

I hid behind the door and watched – sank down to the bottom completely.

Lisa put a glass on the table and was pouring juice from a bottle into it with one hand, and with the other she was gently tickling Nina’s neck and the back of her head, at the same time trying to see what she was writing there, but Nina covered the sheet with her hand.

An orange stream of juice overflowed and spilled onto the table. They both screamed. Lisa began to wipe the puddle with the edge of her towel. And, of course, it immediately fell down from her chest to the waist – here she managed to grab it. Nina closed her eyes. And Lisa, as if nothing had happened, wrapped herself in the towel again, patted Nina on the back of the neck, took her glass and calmly walked in my direction.

I hurriedly retreated.

*

When we were already in bed, before putting out the lamp, I decided to talk to Lisa.

She was painting her nails – dark burgundy color of a bitten cherry. Then she blew lightly on the lacquered cherries at her fingertips and shook her hands – like branches in the wind – to dry them.

– You are playing with fire.

– Mm? She twirled the little bottle and turned to me.

– Please, tell Nina to move out. The sooner the better.

– Why?

– You are provoking her. You’re teasing her.

– ?

– Do you still remember what «projection» or «transfer» is?

– Well, when someone transfers, projects their feelings for their parents onto other people?

– Yes. Bosses, lovers, teachers, therapists… What is happening here now can really hinder or even ruin her whole therapy!

– In my opinion, on the contrary – it only contributes to her therapy, strengthens and accelerates all processes. – Lisa turned off her lamp and leaned back on the pillow, raising her hands above her head.

– I can’t believe it! Did you do all this on purpose?

– What? What is it?

– You were seducing her! You’re playing with the girl like a cat with a mouse! Can’t you see that she’s already… melting with desire?! She simply melts when you touch her, hug her, kiss her!

Lisa was dumbfounded by my onslaught, but she recovered quickly and launched a counterattack:

– Are you completely out of your mind? This is all a figment of your dirty imagination! There is nothing of the kind! What’s your problem? Why are you so paranoid? – She got up, went to the chest of drawers and stood there for a long time rummaging in the top drawer. Finally, she took out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. After lighting a cigarette, she sat down on the bed, throwing the thing that kills a horse beside her.

I also took a cigarette and lit it.

– Since when do we smoke? And in bed, too? – Liza put out her cigarette.

– Since you brought another woman into our bed!

– Nonsense. I didn’t bring anyone.

– But you want to!

– Henry! Stop this nightmare! – She wearily turned away and pulled the blanket over her head.

*

In the morning I went out onto the lawn. It wasn’t hot yet. Lisa was walking towards the house wearing a tracksuit and carrying a rug in her hand.

– Were you exercising?

– Yes. Yoga is a hundred times healthier outdoors.

– Yeah.

I almost envied her and even wondered if I should take up a sport too.

Nina was sitting by the pool in a meditative position. She hadn’t noticed me yet, and I was looking at her from afar for a while. A young attractive woman. Smart. I used to like her so much, but at the moment I was too angry with her and Lisa, for the fact that they put me in such an awkward position that I felt out of place both at home and in the office.

Hmm. They put me in this position. Did they really? This thought slowed me down.

What if all this is my perverted imagination? And did I project my feelings onto them? I felt uncomfortable with this turn. Perhaps it’s time for me to go to the supervisor myself. It seemed that I really got stuck up to my ears in my own process.