Rating: K+


Carolyn's Birthday

November 20, 1972

     It was a rather uncomfortable November morning when Carolyn awakened out of a wonderful dream . She felt herself on cloud nine. Her dream had been so real that she still could feel the warm of the Carribean sun on her skin and Daniel's arms around her waist.  Happily radiant over her whole face, Carolyn got up, put on her bathrobe and made her way downstairs to the kitchen to take her breakfast.
     She was greeted by Martha when she got in. "Good morning, Mrs. Muir. I can tell you had a beautiful sleep this night." noticing that Carolyn was humming a song.

     "Good morning, Martha. Oh yes, I did have a wonderful sleep, thanks. Where are the kids?"

     "They left for school. You just missed them by about 15 minutes. And what are your plans for this day, may I ask?"

     "Yes, you may. After my breakfast, I'll get dressed and then I'm working on my article which I didn't finished yesterday. After that, we shall see how the day will be going further. And you Martha, did you have anything important planned for this day?"

     "Me! By that weather outside, I think I'll be cleaning up the house a bit and then maybe go in to town for shopping and buy something for tonight's meal. Anything special you want, Mrs. Muir?"

     "No, Martha, there is nothing special I want for dinner.  Anything you cook will be fine." with that, the subject was closed and Carolyn had her breakfast.

     Later that morning, while working on her article, Carolyn's happiness was interrupted by a phone call.  She picked up the phone and answered. "Hallo!"

     "Hallo, Carolyn.  This is your cousin Hazel."

      Hazel had hardly said her name when Carolyn dropped the phone with fright. 'Oh no, not again.' Carolyn thought. 'Not the other twin. I had enough trouble with Harriet.' She remembered with horror the last meeting with Harriet. 'I don't need another one. I get the bad feeling she wants to come here and spy on me, too.' Then she took the phone again and answered Hazel. "Oh Hazel, nice to hear from you. But don't tell me you want to come and visit me, too? You see, I'm very busy and..."

     Carolyn couldn't continue because Hazel interrupted her. "Carolyn, it would be only for a week. You see, I haven't seen you since 5 years. But if you don't want me to come, I could get the feeling there is something you haven't told anyone in the family since your parents have paid you a visit."
 
     Carolyn gritted her teeth together and answered with a gnashing of teeth. "Okay, Hazel. When will you come?" inwardly cursing as she pronounced the words to Hazel.

     "I will be there this afternoon. You see I'm calling from a point about two hours away from Schooner Ville."

     "Oh!" was the command Carolyn gave to answer. "See you then. And by the way, the name of the town is Schooner Bay." and hang up. Now she was cursing aloud. "BLAST! BLAST! Why can't my family leaving me well enough alone? Why must they always spy on me? BLAST!" Her wonderful day was in the bucket with that.

    She had hardly said her last 'BLAST' when the Captain appeared in the room. "Something the matter, Carolyn? You look so angry. Why you are cursing? I can tell it must have something to do with that phone call you got. Who was on the phone?"

     "Oh Daniel, we're having trouble again."

     "What kind of trouble, my dear?"

     "Hazel, Harriet's twin sister!"

     "Hazel?   I don't understand."

     "I'll tell you, she wants to come this afternoon."

     Carolyn couldn't continue because Daniel interrupted her. "She wants 'WHAT'!" he yelled and his f ace darkened rapidly.    

     Carolyn could perfectly understand Daniel's anger because she felt the same now. The bond between the two was closer now since her parents had been there. And now Hazel was the one who intended to disturb the lovely family idyll. "You heard right, Daniel. Hazel is on her way. I couldn't stop her. If I had, she would get more curious about me and we would never having our privacy again. With a bit of luck and a great miracle she won't be staying too long with us."
 
    "Hmm! But should she stay longer then a week, I'll drop her over board personally. That's a promise."  The Captain didn't like it at all that Harriet's twin sister wanted to come.  The strange feeling seized him that Hazel intended to stay till Carolyn's birthday. And he couldn't allow that because he had a special surprise present for his beloved Carolyn. And with Hazel in the house, it would be impossible to give it to her.

     Carolyn had to smile at Daniel's last words which were said with a more serious manner. "Oh Daniel, I hope she doesn't want to stay till my birthday."  All her anticipation had vanished. She was sure Martha, her kids and Daniel had planned something special for her birthday.

,     "Don't worry, we'll find a way that she doesn't. I promise you, my dear, your birthday will be a great one without that nosy cousin." Taking Carolyn's right hand in his, he kissed her wrist. Now Carolyn felt a little better.
 
    Later that day, Mrs. Muir found Martha in the kitchen and told her the news.  "Mrs. Muir, I don't understand why your cousins always want to spy on you.  Do they have nothing better to do?  Perhaps one should set up both with suitable male twins so that neither Harriet nor her twin sister get the opportunity to come here without being invited." Martha said this so angrily that Carolyn had to laugh. "She wouldn't dare stay here till your birthday." Martha didn't like that thought either.

     "Oh, Martha!" in this moment a car stopped in front of Gull Cottage. Carolyn looked out the window. "Martha, now the trouble has arrived, Hazel! OH NO!"

     "What's the matter, Mrs. Muir?" Martha asked, a bit worried.

     "You should take a look yourself, Martha. I can tell by one look at her baggage that she wants to stay longer than a week."  

     "You are kidding, Mrs. Muir." and then Martha looked out the window by herself and saw Mrs. Muir was right.  "You are right. We should go outside and help her before she thinks...." Martha didn't finish.

     "I know what you mean, Martha. Let's help her!" and both women made their way outside.

     It was shortly after four p.m. when the kids got home from school.  Neither had any idea that cousin Hazel had invited herself. When they got in the front door, they were greeted by Martha who told them the news.

     "Why did she come here?" 12 year old Candy wanted angrily to know. "I thought after cousin Harriet was here, we wouldn't see anyone of the twins again. BLAST!"

     "Candy!" Martha was a bit shocked about Candy's use of words. But she could perfectly understand Candy's anger. In a time where Candy and the Captain had become more and more involved in a father/daughter relationship, Hazel didn't suit in the concept at all. Now when Hazel was here, Candy couldn't get as close to her new found father as she wanted. And Jonathan was always close to the Captain.  It hadn't escaped Martha that Mrs. Muir and Captain were in love with each other. So that nosy cousin didn't fit in the newly found family concept at all.
                ***********
     Hazel, now three days as Carolyn's house guest, was really getting on Carolyn's and her family's nerves. Every time Carolyn wanted to do a little writing, she was interrupted by that nosy cousin. Carolyn used all her strength to convince Hazel that she didn't feel lonesome.  But this statement of Carolyn's just confirmed Hazel's belief that her cousin was trying to conceal a great secret from her. Now she was firmly determined to find out what it was.  When she didn't get any clear answer from Carolyn, she wanted to have a chat with Candy. She wanted to ask the girl shortly after Candy and Jonathan got home from school today.

    In the meantime, Daniel was pacing the attic and thinking about a possible idea how to get that nosy cousin out of the house. And then to him came a splendid idea. 'That's it.' he thought. 'I only have to find an ancestor of those nosy twin sisters who had made a little false step which neither Hazel nor Harriet knew anything about. But wait, first I must find out to which branch of Carolyn's family the twin sisters were descended.' He couldn't ask Carolyn. He knew if she found out what he planned, she would possibly try to get him off from his plan and he couldn't take that risk. But he wanted to ask Candy about that subject. In this special case, he was sure the girl would give him the information he wanted because he had noticed that Candy was very annoyed with Hazel's presence.

     When Candy and Jonathan got home from school, they were already expected by Hazel. The two were hardly in the house when Hazel got cracking. "Candy, can we two have a woman to woman chat in the living room right now, please? There is something important I wanted to ask you and I don't want Jonathan as a witness. Okay?"

     "Okay, cousin Hazel, I'll talk with you alone." Candy was anything but enthusiastic about this suggestion because she knew exactly what Hazel wanted to know from her. The girl and the cousin walked into the living room and made themselves comfortable.

     After this removal, Jonathan ran as fast as he could up the stairs to tell his mother what was going on downstairs. The door to the master bedroom wasn't closed, so Jonathan rushed in.  He saw his mother and called, "Mom, you better come downstairs before something else happens."

     "Jonathan, what are you talking about? Why should I come downstairs with you? Don't tell me Hazel has you two intercepted in the hallway and Candy is now alone with her." Carolyn was very worried.  What could Hazel only want from her daughter? "I'm coming downstairs with you right away, Jonathan." She got up from her chair and left the room.  Halfway to the stairs, she almost ran into Daniel's arms when he appeared in front of her.  "Daniel!" she called.

     Daniel, immediately noticing that Carolyn was very upset, said, "Don't go below, my dear. Leave everything to me from now on. I promise that I wouldn't do anything to get you and your family in trouble."

     Carolyn looked in the deep blue eyes of Daniel and knew he was right. She was too excited to take hold of a clear thought. "You are right. And I know you wouldn't ever do anything to get me in new trouble. Please, stop Hazel!"

     "I'll do that! That's a promise!" and with that he was gone.

     With an extemely skillful gambit, the Captain prevented Hazel getting the opportunity to ask Candy adult questions. He used his hands and made Hazel very tired. She could hardly hold herself on her legs. Without knowing what just happened, she was lying in the bed of the spare room and had fallen asleep deeply and tightly.

     Candy, knowing what just had happened, began to laugh and said, "Thank you, Captain, if you hadn't come and rescued me, I didn't know what I would have said to that nosy cousin."

     "You're welcome, Candy. But before you go and have your dinner with the rest of the family, there is something I wanted to ask you."

     "Captain, you can ask me anything. What is it what you wanted to know from me?"  Happiness was radiating over her whole face.

     "It's about the twin sisters. Could you tell me if they are related to your grandpa or to your grandma?"

      "Why didn't you ask Mom, why me? Never mind." she said as it got clear to her what the Captain meant by the question. "Their relationship with us consists in that their father is the brother of our grandma. Hope that little information helps you in your plan to get cousin Hazel out of the house again. And don't deny it, Captain.  I knew you have one! Don't look so shocked, I'm finally no longer a little child. Agreed, Daddy?" she couldn't help but calling him that.

     "Agreed, Candy. You are growing up very fast. And I'm delighted to have you as my daughter." and then he vanished abruptly out of Candy's sight.

     "Men!" Candy called after him. "And don't worry I won't tell mom anything about our little conversation." and hurried out of the room in to the kitchen where she knew the dinner was waiting for her. 
               *************
     Very late that night, everything was quiet in the house when Daniel got back, holding a mysterious old paper in his hand. He was very devilishly grinning when he entered the spare room where he knew Hazel was sleeping very deeply.  He stepped beside the bed and suggested to Hazel a terrible dream about an ancestor of hers.

     Hazel started now to roll herself in the bed to and fro. In her dream, she met a deceased ancestor of hers who had done a false step while married. Hazel was now yelling in her dream when she became a witness to this false step.

     She was yelling so loudly that Carolyn awakened out of her deep slumber and thought, 'That's coming out of the direction of the spare room. Wonder what could be happening to Hazel?'  She was very sure that Daniel wasn't the cause for her yelling because she could feel the presence of him in her room.  She decided not to pay further attention to the noise and closed her eyes again.

     The next morning, Hazel awakened bathed in sweat. What kind of nightmare had that been!  She was sure that it had been a nightmare but she was mistaken. When she looked in the direction of the bedside table, her eyes caught sight of a paper. She knew it hadn't been there yesterday. Now she sat straight up in her bed and took the paper with trembling hands. When she opened it, she looked at a copy of an very old paper. She got a fright. It was a copy of a birth certificate. But no-one she knew about. Now she looked more closely and her nightmare was back. "Oh no! That's impossible! That can't be!"  Since she didn't know with hundred per cent safety whether Carolyn knew something about this document or not, Hazel hastily left her bed. Getting dressed in due hurry, she packed all the things together she had brought with her and left Gull Cottage very hastily without even saying 'Good Bye' to Carolyn.

     Apart from Daniel, nobody noticed the hasty leaving of Hazel. The Captain was quite content over this exit. He was very sure that the nosy twin sisters wouldn't be in touch with Carolyn again for a long time. Now Carolyn would have her best birthday. 
               ************
     November 28, 1972

    It was a wonderful day when Carolyn awakened out of a wonderful sleep. It was her birthday. She was happy now that cousin Hazel wasn't there anymore. And she never had questioned Daniel as to how he had managed to get Hazel out of the house. She didn't want to know it either.
 
    She had bought a new dress for her birthday. After she had refreshed herself in the bathroom, she got dressed and made her way downstairs. She was greeted by Martha and her kids when arriving in the kitchen. "Good morning." all three called at the same time. "And a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY."

     "Good morning, Martha, kids. That breakfast looks delicious, Martha. Thanks." and Carolyn sat down on her chair.      

     "Thanks, Mrs. Muir. I thought I'd make you a special breakfast. But wait with your compliments, Mrs. Muir, until you have seen my dinner."

     Martha had hardly spoken her sentence at end  when Daniel appeared at Carolyn's side. "Good morning, my dear, and a great HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you." taking Carolyn's right hand and kissing her wrist.

     Carolyn blushed at his touch and said. "Good morning, Captain. And thank you. Would you care to have breakfast with us?"
 
    "I'd be delighted." and he took the chair near Carolyn.

    "Mom, can't we stay at home on your birthday, please." the children pleaded.

     Before Carolyn could give an answer the Captain did. "Children, I don't allow any mutiny on board my ship. School is very important to you both and you shouldn't miss it, okay?"

     "Okay, Captain." both agreed and subject was closed.  
               *************
    After the kids had gotten home from school, all five had a wonderful dinner and now they were celebrating Carolyn's birthday. First she got Martha's present. "Oh Martha, that's a beautiful jumper you have made. And you made it for me, thanks."

     "Glad you like it, Mrs. Muir." Martha was happy that Mrs. Muir liked the jumper.

     "And here is our present, Mom." Candy handed Carolyn the wrapped packet

.     Carolyn took it and unwrapped and was taken aback.  "Oh children that's lovely. Just what I needed. Thank you." and hugged both. The children had made for her a wonderful great box with a lock, where Carolyn could keep her diaries.

     Daniel was standing behind Carolyn and waited for the moment when they both were alone in the room to give her his present.  It was very late when Martha suggested that the kids should be go to bed and she was tired too. So Martha and the kids said goodnight to Carolyn and the Captain and left the room.

     Now Daniel and Carolyn were alone. Daniel got in front her, took her hands and said. "Come, my dear Carolyn, now you'll get my present."

     Carolyn got to her feet and Daniel took her in his arms. "Close your eyes, my love and when you open them again you'll see your present."

     Trusting Daniel, Carolyn closed her eyes and when she opened them again, she found herself standing with her beloved Daniel on a big white beach of an island. She could feel the warmth of the sun on her skin.  "Oh Daniel, please tell me that I'm not dreaming."

     "You are not dreaming, Carolyn. Your greatest dream has come truth, you and I  alone together, on a wonderful Carribean island. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, my love. May all your dreams come true from now on."  He took her in his arms and kissed her with great passion and she returned the kiss with the same fire.

The End???
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