Chapter 4
Waking to the persistent chirp of my mobile, I switched off my alarm, rubbing the stiffness from my neck and blinked, “Happy Valentines!” blared an extremely loved up actor on the TV. I couldn’t help but sigh. I usually tried to skip over holidays like Valentines and the fact that it was growing near had my heart trying desperately to bury itself from pain. I hated it. I couldn’t stand the pretentious heart and chocolates, the fake flowers and insincere declarations. The whole day and its lead up were a nightmare. I sighed, clicking the remote to view the date.
February 10th.
Four days until doomsday , I thought. At least I had the stability of a job this year instead of hiding out in my dorm room with my friends all acting like love sick idiots. A deep sigh escaped me as I readied for work. I left the house with a coffee in one hand, a bag slung over my back, and a tired demeanour on my pale face.
A loud honking drew me from my thoughts. As I turned towards the bus stop, I noticed Sam‘s car at the curb. I walked over a frown dancing on my face as with every step closer to him my feet felt lighter, my heart felt fuller, and my every cell tingled.
Sam rolled down the window. “Morning Frigga, care for a lift?” I shrugged, but got in. The money I would save on bus fare meant I could afford a croissant at work and I did love the buttery confection. I smiled, belted in, and sipped my coffee.
“Thanks. Do you live around here, then?” I asked, catching a slight twitch of his lips as I took another sip, peering over the top of the flask at him. He paused for a moment, his lips twitching.
“Not far.” He drove smoothly, swerving through the traffic with the grace of a dove in flight. The aroma of bitter coffee beans mixed with the honeysuckle sweetness of my perfume filled his car and I caught him taking a deep long sniff before sighing. “So, how did you sleep?” I gave him a calculating glare as it bore into him before I decided to respond.
“Not so much.”
“Oh, any reason I can help with? A problem at work, maybe?”
“No, no, there’s no problem with the exhibit. Don’t worry, the initial sketches are coming along fine. I should even have them finished by the end of the week along with the swatches and recommended materials to help bring the piece alive.” I took another sip as he indicated left and drove down a long street, the peppered houses becoming thick centuries either side of the bussing road. Slurp ! The sudden noise had my cheeks reddening. He chuckled, the sound smooth and soothing like a well matured wine. I felt my blush grow and I quickly continued. “You know, this town is rather quaint. These little black and white houses look like dolls should live in them, not people.” He chuckled, but I couldn’t tell if it was still from my slurping or from my perception of the small town. I blushed a little deeper, his baritone chuckle sending goosebumps over my flesh.
“We call it a chocolate box town because of all the old houses and their wooden beams. It takes you back in time.” He grinned. “It’s the perfect place for a historian to wind up.”
“So you have a forever job, then?” I asked, looking aside my lashes to gauge his reaction.
“You could say that,” he chuckled, dimples forming in his high formed cheeks. I hadn't really noticed them before on account of his soul-stirring eyes as brown as mother earth’s richest soil.
I pulled up a plan of the room space. “Here on the floor, we will paint a rainbow signifying the bridge between realms, then I'll add in several false walls. These will make up the branches of the Yggdrasil (the Norse world tree). From there, I suggest information plaques with voice overs, a little to do or fun fact puzzle for children and a few artifacts in central glass cases so they can be viewed from every angle. We could start the people off in Midgard (the Norse human realm) and work all the way up to Asgard (the Norse realm of the gods). You can show off that beautiful replica of Thors’ hammer in the dwarf section because that is truly amazing. Maybe have a photo opportunity with a Thor actor? That’ll bring in a lot of customers. Then maybe to fulfil the sensory aspect of what you desire, we could have the canteen offer little cupcakes with Thor’s hammer icing on it and maybe mead for the adults if they wanted? I don’t know,” I shrugged. “It’s only an idea but…”
“I love it.” His eyes bugged. “It’s perfect. I can see what you’re doing and it sounds perfect. God’s Frigga, I am so excited for this.” He grabbed my hands, smiling radically wide and earning a blushing chuckle from me. “Frigga, you truly are a goddess.”
“Don’t let the gods hear you say that,” I chuckled, “besides, my parents wouldn’t agree.”
“I'm sure they would.” I laughed dryly at that.
“You don’t know my family.” If you did you wouldn’t think that , I thought. “You would be running away screaming for help if you were smart, they are like a bunch of vultures ready to pick at the carcasses of the next boardroom kill.”
“No, but from what you told me of them, I know they love you.” I rolled my eyes and sighed.
“I know they do. But you don’t understand they're so controlling. They want everything perfect, even me.” I catch my breath in a tearless sob.
“Because they love you and worry about you.”
“They're suffocating-”
“Because they want you to make the right decisions?”
“They frustrate me!” I screech and his composure relaxes as he chuckles.
“Because you love them, too. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t care about their opinion on anything.”
“Aahhhgg!” I threw my hands up in the air.
“You could be my goddess anytime, Frigga.” My face glowed with every cell vibrating and tinting in order to gain his full attention.
“You’re not hitting on me, are you?” I couldn’t help it, the question just slipped out. He was so much older and so much more experienced. Why would he be hitting on me? I denounced my parents’ wealth so he wouldn’t gain anything there and besides, I'd sworn off men since my ex-boyfriend and now somehow that decision seemed mere childish prattle.
“Be happy you still have them in your life . Cherish every moment no matter how well it goes.” He stared deeply into my eyes, I was drowning in their stormy depths.
“You should meet them some day then you will see what I mean. You must be more of a fool than I thought. My father will never allow you at his table, knowing your interest in me.”
“And why is that?”
“You’re…” I blushed.
“Older, wiser, more experienced?”
“All of them. Father won’t see you as a suitable partner,” I replied bluntly, only noting my slip when it was already out.
“Partner? I never professed to be such but now I know we share that as a mutual interest I shall have to find even ground with your father, won’t I?” A blush the size of the river Gjoll soaked my cheeks.
“I… uh… I,” he chuckled, offering one grained hand out to me as we exited. “Join me for dinner.” His offer was clear, but the fire of love burned in his eyes, and I was irresistibly drawn to it.
“No, no, I shouldn’t.”
“Please, call it a working dinner if you must, but do come.” I looked into his eyes. They felt like a blanket of warmth enveloping my very soul, but…
“I can’t, I…”
The scent of his cologne filled my brain like a fog of entrapment. As of then, in a mirage, my ex stood before me. My chest constricted. I gasped for air, my head spinning as I fainted.
“Frigga, Frigga?” A cool hand touched my forehead. “You have a fever. You’ve been working too hard.” I blink up into his kind eyes. I wished I could take that leap even though the age gap was something my parents would not agree with. The more time I spent around this man, the more comfortable and accepted I felt. It was strange yet marvellous and my heart fluttered every time we spoke. Goosebumps prickled my skin where he held me cradled to his chest. “Frigga?”
“Mmm.”
“Thank the gods. You fainted. I’m going to take you home then I’m calling the doctor.”
“I’ll be fine.” I mumbled as I listened to his heart thunder in his chest. I felt him seat me and place the belt across. Heard the click of it and the slam of the door. A soft hand squeezed mine as the engine roared to life, but I didn’t have the strength to squeeze it back.
“Frigga? Sweetheart? That’s it. I’m taking you to the walk-in clinic in the city. Just hold in there, okay.” I felt him check my pulse. Heard him call the clinic, explaining what had happened. But I had no energy to move. None to even keep my eyes open as I drifted in and out of sleep on a cloud of his musky scent, amid clips of sterile cleaners and snap shots of Sam and a nurse. Questions were asked I'm sure but my replies were mumbled. “Shh, shh, I got you.” A warm hand swept stray strands from my head settling my exhaustion as I fell into a deep dreamless sleep.