Sixty-Four

Ira runs after him. Effe gets up, breathing hard, her face torn with the depths of her pain.

"It's okay, my dear. Please, take it easy. I knew that brute was going to break your heart again," Ivy says tenderly. Effe moves to stand beside Steve, and she puts her hand in his and looks forlornly at her parents.

"He's done treating me like this, Mom," Effe says hoarsely. "I've accepted to lead the prosecution against him. It shouldn't be a long trial. As soon as the trial is over, I'm going to marry Steve."

"At last, my darling. You should've done it a long time ago," Ivy Kedem says, clasping her hands to her bosom. "I'm very happy. I'll be your support. I'm solidly behind you."

Ken Kedem steps forward. He looks suddenly old, and he looks at his daughter with a mixture of compassion and repressed dismay.

"First rule, my princess. A man is innocent until proven guilty. I love you, and I'll always support your decisions, but I think that in the midst of all this, with the pain in your heart, you're making some really rash decisions," he says calmly. "Are you seriously going to lead the prosecution against Chris? That's absolutely unethical, and I don't know why Judge Annor Ossom is allowing it. Can you really live with your conscience afterwards, knowing you sent your son's father to jail?"

"Leave her be, Ken!" Ivy says indignantly.

"He's a beast, Dad, a real beast!" Effe says coldly. "And yes, I'm going to send him to prison if it's the last thing I ever do!"

Ira has returned to the room, and she had heard what Effe just said. She walks forward and stands in front of her sister. She looks at Effe's intertwined hands with Steve, and she shakes her head, her eyes mean.

"I'm not surprised, Effe. Not surprised at all. It has always been like this, hasn't it? You've never really ever believed the man you married, and you've never ever trusted him!" she says coldly. "You keep making the same mistakes, believing others over the one person you claim you love. I think you should have your head examined. You are pretty messed up or under some crazy spell or curse or something very awful."

Effe takes a step towards her sister, and her wounded eyes are like daggers.

"You stay out of this, Rammy. You know what that beast did! You, of all people should know that I forgave him, and gave him a chance," she says icily, fiercely. "First it was Elaine, now Barbara, who will it be next? When will he stop? Maybe, next time it will be you, or even Mom! Don't you dare judge me, Rammy, because you know nothing of the pain I'm going through here!"

"Pain? Do you think you know pain? Believe me, you know nothing about pain!" Ira says angrily. "You should know, the first thing you should know, is that you have to trust your man, at all times. Tell me, dear sister, have you been to see Chris? Have you bothered to ask him what went wrong?"

Effe angrily reaches into her handbag, brings out the lie-detector printout and hurls it at Ira's face.

"I'm coming from the police station, and yes, I spoke to him. That's a printout of the lie-detector session I had with Barbara! Everything, EVERYTHING, she said is the truth! I asked Chris to deny it, so that I'll drop the case and represent him, but he just stood up and left because he's guilty!" Effe says painfully. "Why bother about Chris' lies? He is sick, Rammy! He's a damn pervert! And I'm not going to take any more of his bullshit! Just go to the hospital and see what he did to that poor girl!"

"What about what she did to him? That girl was all over him, throwing herself at him, sleeping with him!" Ira says angrily. "Do you know she spent the night with him some time ago making love?"

"Yes, yes, I do! Even when he came back and I'm all torn up with guilt and worrying over him, he was busy sleeping around with her and how many other girls? He had a relationship with Elaine before he met me. Do you know that?" Effe retorts angrily. "And yet, years later, when he wanted to make love to Elaine and she refused, what did he do? He raped her, and I witnessed it! He slept with Barbara and so he thought he could have her any day and anytime he wished, and when she said no, again what did he do? He raped her, Rammy! Don't you stand there and give me that sentimental crap about Chris Bawa!"

"You never listened to anything I told you the other time, did you?" Ira asks, shaking her head. "Let me repeat it, my dearest, dumb, Effe Kedem. Chris Bawa has no reason ever to rape any girl!"

"And why the hell not, Ira?" Effe asks fiercely.

"Because, dear sister, your husband can have any woman he wants!" Ira says levelly at Effe, her eyes fierce. "Any goddamn woman he chooses to have, Effe!"

Ken Kedem puts a hand on Ira's arm to draw her back.

"That's enough, you two! Break it up this instant!" Ken says, alarmed and getting scared by the minute. He has never seen his daughters so angry at each other!

Effe is staring at Ira.

She is stunned, and she can barely breathe. She feels cold all over, and goose bumps stand out on her hands as she looks at Ira with absolute shock. She tries to speak, but the words does not come out. She is so dazed by the truth that she begins to tremble. Finally, she speaks in a hoarse whisper.

"My dear Lord, Rammy! You love him, don't you?"

There is absolute silence in the room as Ira tries to speak, but instead tears of anguish well up in her eyes and spill slowly down her cheeks. Her lips tremble, and she raises a trembling hand to her cheeks and brushes her tears away unsuccessfully.

"We're twins, Ef. I've never envied you for anything, and I've always wished you well. The only thing I have ever wanted, and envied you for, is Chris," Ira cries, heartbroken. "I know it is sick, and I know it is bad, incestuous even, and so I've fought it, and hidden it. But yes, today I plead with you, as a twin sister only can, by the special bond we share, that don't do this to Chris, please. You may have a choice with Steve, but yes, I love Chris."

"Ira!" Ivy screams, stunned. "Are you mad?"

"Wow," Steve whispers, shaking his head, apparently disgusted.

Ken Kedem does not speak.

Effe raises trembling fingers to her lips, and she takes an unsteady step forward. She looks deeply into Ira's eyes, and when she speaks her voice trembles.

"Have you slept with Chris, Rammy?" Effe asks painfully.

Ira does not bat an eye. She returns her sister's look.

"No. Chris did not want to," Ira replies softly. "He loved and respected you too much to stoop that low."

"Rammy!" Effe whispers as tears come to her eyes. "You tried to seduce Chris? My husband?"

"Yes, dear sister, and not only once," Ira replies softly as tears trickle down her cheeks.

Effe's hand flies out, and she slaps Ira across her right cheek. The sound is nasty, causing her parents to scream with shock. The slap makes Ira take a step back, her head spinning. Steve grabs Effe and holds her tight. Effe's hand is outlined plainly on Ira's tender skin now.

"Get out of my sight, Ira!" Effe cries passionately. "Get out of my sight before I kill you! GET OUT! GET OUTTTT!"

Ira picks up her bag and slings it across her shoulder. Her tears are flowing hotly now.

"My God, Ira! How could you? That's disgusting!" Ivy says disdainfully.

"No, baby, darling, no!" Ken says, shaking his head sadly.

Ira raises her head and looks at them.

"I'm not sorry about my love for Chris. I don't think Effe loves him," she says calmly. "I'll tell you all this, if Effe manages to get him locked up in prison, I'm going to be with him. Do you hear me, Effe? If you marry Steve, I'll take Chris!"

Effe tries to get at her sister again. She is screaming and her hands are out, but Steve holds her tightly. Without another word, Ira leaves the house.