Chapter 30 #2
‘I was just opening the wine.’ Thea carried four wine glasses in one hand, their stems between her fingers, and a bottle of wine in the other, and set them all down on the coffee table. She’d already lit the fire.
‘Which room are we in?’ Erik asked.
‘You guys are in the boys’ room with Fredrik and Emil,’ said Thea. ‘I thought we ought to let Mats and Lotta have the double.’
‘I’ll take the bags through while you catch up with your sisters,’ Erik said.
Ida felt herself relax the moment she sat on the sofa and picked up her glass of wine.
‘Perhaps we should have had a girls’ weekend?’
‘And miss the chance to meet Erik? He’s the only reason I came,’ said Ingrid.
Thea laughed. ‘That’s probably not even a joke.’
‘It’s alright for you, you’ve already met him,’ said Ingrid. ‘Unless I traipse back from Oslo, I’m never going to meet him. No one ever comes to visit me.’
Thea and Ida voiced their objections at the same time.
‘That’s not true! I was going to come and stay, and you said I could, but that you wouldn’t be there!’
‘Fredrik has dinner with you every time he comes to Oslo. That’s on behalf of all of us.’
‘Lame. Both of you. Lame excuses.’ Ingrid said.
She had such a sunny disposition; Ida wondered how she appeared to be so unscathed by the last few years.
Like Thea, she seemed to have been happier taking the path of avoidance, and Ida didn’t think she was capable of putting on a front like she and Thea could.
‘I told you Ida was different,’ Thea said to Ingrid.
‘I’m not different,’ Ida said, not sure what she’d done to make Thea think that.
‘You are so different,’ Ingrid said. ‘And I knew you would be as soon as you called me about what to wear. I just had a feeling.’
‘That didn’t mean anything. I just panicked.’
‘Oh, shush,’ Thea said. ‘You two are made for each other. Anyone can see that. He’s made you happy, Ida. That’s all.’
‘We didn’t want you to stay in Mamma and Pappa’s house by yourself, Ida,’ said Ingrid, saying their names as if she did it all the time with no problem, when Ida found it difficult even now. ‘I’m happy you have your new place, your new job and your new man.’
Ida couldn’t help but be touched by her sisters being so pleased for her. There was no point in trying to say they were wrong, because they weren’t. Everything with Erik still felt special, and she hoped it always would.
He came out of the bedroom and sat on the sofa next to Ida, putting his arm lazily around her shoulders. Ingrid and Thea exchanged a look.
‘That’s enough!’ Ida said. ‘Stop looking at me like that.’ But she couldn’t help laughing.
‘What are they doing?’ Erik asked.
‘I can’t explain it, but they know.’
‘It’s a sibling thing?’
‘Yes. See? Erik’s an only child. He’s not used to dealing with this kind of thing. It’s not fair on him.’
‘I have no idea what’s going on right now, but I love it anyway,’ Erik said.
‘And that’s why you’re going to fit into our family perfectly,’ said Thea.
By the time Mats, Lotta, Fredrik and Emil arrived, the wine was gone, and Ida was excited about the rest of the weekend.
‘Erik!’ Emil threw himself at Erik.
‘Hey buddy. Good to see you. How was school?’
Emil launched into a detailed explanation of something he’d done that day that Ida had trouble following because he was far too excited to speak comprehensible English and was throwing Norwegian words in as well, so she knew Erik would have no idea.
But he listened as if he understood every word, and Ida’s heart melted.
Fredrik and Emil had been over to California to see Kristi, Fredrik’s wife and Emil’s mother.
Apparently, the visit had been more successful than previous ones because Kristi had been on good form.
She’d welcomed Emil and been around for the whole time they were there.
But Fredrik said Emil hadn’t really opened up to her this time, as if he understood for the first time that it was her decision not to be with them, rather than something she couldn’t help.
Ida was glad that Emil seemed to have bounced back after being quite withdrawn when they’d first got back from America. Her brother did an amazing job of being a single parent, but she knew it must take a toll on him having to navigate his own relationship with Kristi for the sake of his son.
‘Hei,’ she said, hugging him.
‘Hei, Ida. I think I’ve been replaced.’
‘You deserve a relaxing weekend. Let us all, well, mainly Erik, help out.’
‘Don’t worry about me. It’s not your job.’
‘Yes, it is. Don’t argue with me. Get yourself a glass of wine.’
Erik was pulling his coat on. ‘I’m taking Emil out to teach him the basics of boarding. Is that okay?’
‘Sure,’ Fredrik said, looking amused. ‘Who is more excited about this?’ he murmured to Ida.
‘I know,’ she said. ‘Hei, Lotta!’ Ida had missed her brother’s partner since she’d moved out of the family home.
They had just bought a dreamy house on the opposite side of Bergen to hers in Sandviken, so she and Mats had been busy moving.
The house in Loddefjord was gradually being abandoned, with the worst job yet to come: clearing it out ready to sell.
But being away from there made the prospect of having to do that far easier than when she’d still lived there.
A lot of things seemed more possible now.
The five siblings and Lotta sat in the lounge catching up with each other while Thea periodically got up to stir something in the kitchen or put something into the oven.
‘Do we need to send out a search party? I’m going to dish up soon.’
‘I’ll go,’ said Fredrik.
‘No, let me,’ said Ida. ‘I want to see what they’re up to.’
Fredrik sat back on the sofa and picked up his wine glass. ‘Takk.’
Ida pulled her boots and coat on and went outside.
It wasn’t quite dark, so she easily spotted Emil and Erik on a snowy bank between their cabin and the neighbouring one.
She stood and watched for a moment as Erik stood, knees bent and arms out, before jumping and turning a hundred and eighty degrees, facing the other way, keeping the exact stance.
Then he watched as Emil attempted to copy him.
She couldn’t hear what Erik said, but she could hear the tone of his voice praising Emil, and she could see the small boy’s face light up at Erik’s words.
They high-fived each other, and Ida thought it was a good moment to make herself known.
‘Hey you guys! Dinner’s ready!’
Emil raced ahead of Erik into the cabin while Ida waited for Erik to stroll over to her. He had a lazy smile on his face.
‘Man, I enjoyed that.’
‘I can’t believe he enjoyed it for all that time.’
‘He’s super keen.’
‘Thank you. I love seeing you with him.’
‘No thanks necessary, Auntie Ida. He’s a great kid.’
Erik took Ida in his arms and kissed her.
‘I’d better take my chance while I can,’ he said. ‘Can’t do this in front of your family.’
‘Of course we can.’
‘Right. I can just hear Emil saying whatever the equivalent of “ewww” is in Norwegian.’
Ida laughed. ‘Only because you want him to think you’re a cool guy who doesn’t kiss stupid girls.’
‘Oh, you’re not a stupid girl,’ he said, lowering his voice and moving his lips towards hers again. ‘You’re my girl.’
Ida felt her knees go weak. How did he do that with his voice? ‘You can’t be sexy this weekend or it’s going to drive me insane.’
‘I can’t turn off my sexy. It’s there all the time. Nothin’ I can do. And you’re looking pretty sexy yourself in your winter gear.’
Ingrid had sent Ida a package of outdoor wear from a high-end brand as soon as they’d all decided to go to Voss.
She knew it was the kind of thing Ida wouldn’t have thought of, and right now, Ida was grateful to her sister.
Otherwise she’d be standing in front of Erik in the same clothes she’d worn to Voss for years, whereas she was feeling good in thick thermal leggings and a thigh-length, fitted down coat with a soft sweatshirt underneath.
She smiled and kissed him again. ‘So, are you ready for a Larsen family dinner?’
‘Never looked forward to anything more.’ And he meant it. She could tell by the look in his eyes. ‘But as soon as we get back to your house…’
‘We’re never leaving again.’
‘That sounds good to me.’
They walked back to the cabin, the cacophony of voices growing ever louder as they approached.
‘I love you. For wanting all of this as well as me.’
‘I want it because of you. Never forget you’re everything to me, Ida. Those guys,’ he nodded towards the cabin, ‘are everything to you. I get that it’s a package deal. Hell, I want the package deal.’
If her heart wasn’t already his, it was now.
‘I love you, Ida Larsen. Can’t wait to start on our own package.’ He looked down at her and smiled as they walked arm-in-arm back to the cabin. Back to the beautiful chaos of her family.