Chapter 30
They glanced at each other in fear then turned to the door and to their utter surprise, Ada stood smiling and clapping.
‘Ada!’ Milly stared, wide-eyed, her hand still entwined with Theo’s, unwilling to let him go. He manoeuvred himself behind her so he could see Ada too and wrapped his arms around Milly’s waist, just as he had at Tivoli Gardens. ‘What are you doing here?’
Ada walked in and embraced her friend and Theo at the same time. ‘When I knew you were coming over to declare your love in a whole movie-style-running-through-an-airport-type scene I had to be here in case this dummy said no again. If he had, I’d have had words.’
‘You know, you can be very scary sometimes,’ Theo said, grinning at Ada and then Milly.
‘I know, but it’s fine. I needn’t have worried because you clearly haven’t been a dummy.’
‘I was for a while,’ he replied, turning Milly around to face him. ‘But not anymore.’
He kissed her again and her legs almost buckled.
‘Urgh,’ Ada said, edging past them to sit at one of the tables. ‘When you’ve finished we need to chat about how this is all going to work now I’m back.’
Milly forced herself to leave Theo’s kisses. ‘You’re back?’
‘I’ll make some coffee,’ Theo said, stepping behind the machine.
Milly sat with her friend while Theo made them drinks.
People were beginning to walk along the street outside, deciding where they’d like to have breakfast. Even though this was the most important day of Milly’s life so far, the world still turned and there was work to do.
Theo put two cups on the counter, which Milly fetched, and then went back to preparing whatever he was making.
She could have felt disappointed. Someone else might, but she didn’t really like showy gestures, she thought with a smile.
Not unless she was the one making them. But she’d never felt more at home. More where she was supposed to be.
‘How long are you back for?’ she asked Ada.
‘Well, this is also why I needed to see you.’ She took Milly’s hands, holding them tightly. ‘Not for long. This is another short mental health break, but I’ve been offered a job in Africa that starts straight after this one.’
‘Africa? Wow!’
Ada giggled at Milly’s parroting. ‘Yes. It’s for like, six months, maybe more, photographing various safaris.
I’m going to see elephants, Milly! And lions and rhinos!
I love rhinos! Did you know they’re actually really dangerous because they can open their mouths like a hundred and eighty degrees and crush a watermelon in one go? ’
‘And you’re excited about that because … ?’ Milly asked, raising an eyebrow.
She giggled. ‘I’m even more excited than I was for the Arctic foxes.
Though they were super cute. But listen, knowing you were coming here and that you plan to move here got me thinking, why don’t you keep my room permanently and I can sleep on the sofa bed in the lounge whenever I’m back, because I really have no idea how often that’ll be.
While you’ve been doing some thinking, I have too, and while I love Copenhagen to be my base camp, my new career is really taking off, Milly, and I don’t want to let any of these opportunities pass me by!
I’m so, so happy! And …’ she blushed as she spoke ‘… to be honest, there’s this guy who’s also going on the safari shoot.
He’s the nicest, cutest guy I’ve ever met and I’m kind of hoping we might …
you know.’ She wiggled her shoulders and eyebrows at the same time.
‘Ada!’ Milly cried, secretly delighted.
‘What?! I can do my job and have a relationship at the same time.’
‘So you’re not planning on coming back here in between?’
‘Maybe for a day or two but I can’t not say this.
All the training, all the small jobs I’ve taken to build my portfolio are now paying off.
I don’t know where my life’s going to take me next and I am fully up for that adventure.
Yours is going to be here, forever, so it’s only right you take my room.
I can be your random house guest on the odd days I’m back. ’
Milly’s mind was a blur. She couldn’t believe so much had happened in the last few hours, let alone days.
It had been a whirlwind and while she’d enjoyed being swept up in it, a part of her looked forward to it settling down.
She wanted the calm she’d had before and when she and Theo started their new life together properly, not just falling into the routines they’d built, but making new ones, new memories; she planned to enjoy every small moment of it.
A couple stuck their head through the open doorway. ‘Excuse me, are you open?’ the husband asked with a heavy German accent.
‘Yes, we are, please come in!’ Theo said, cheerfully. ‘A fresh batch of kanelstang will be ready soon, straight from the oven.’
‘Great! Thank you!’
They took a seat at the furthest end of the boat, looking out over the canal.
Milly looked at Theo, who winked at her before going to the customers and taking their coffee order.
‘You look so happy,’ Ada said, sitting back and smiling at her friend. ‘I haven’t seen you smile like this in years. It’s taken over your whole body, and your eyes are shining. I’m so proud of you, Milly.’
‘I’m proud of you!’ she replied, reaching out for her friend’s hand. ‘I wouldn’t ever have been brave enough to do any of this if it wasn’t for you. You’ve always encouraged me and listened to me and … well, I think you’re the most amazing person I know.’
‘Aww, right back atcha, bestie! Does your mum know about all this?’ She gestured around the café.
‘She does. And she’s happy for me. I just have to call her regularly. But I think – I think it’s actually brought us closer together. Wanting to make this change made me be honest with myself and her. I think it’s been good for both of us.’
Theo slid two plates with cinnamon pastries fresh from the oven towards them. He was just about to move away when Milly caught his arm to stop him. She stood and kissed him again. He slid one hand around her waist and one into her hair, holding her close.
‘Urgh,’ Ada muttered teasingly.
‘I promise I won’t do that all the time,’ Milly replied as she parted, nodding towards the customers at the back of the boat.
Theo smiled, doing the same towards another couple who had come to the door too. ‘I won’t ever mind you kissing me in front of people or on our own.’
‘What about dinner and a show?’ she asked, surprise clear in her face.
‘I want the world to know how much I love you and if people don’t like it, they can eat somewhere else.’
‘Wow! That’s quite a change.’
‘I let you go once, and I won’t let you go ever again. And if Nikoletta wants to tell the world I’m madly in love with you, she can.’
He swept her up in his arms once more and Milly took all her hygge learning and applied it to this moment.
She concentrated on the feel of his mouth, his body pressed to hers and the happiness and joy flowing through her – in Lykke – the café that meant just that.
She was home and ready to start the life she wanted with the man she loved.
A man who loved her as fiercely in return.
She had no idea what the future held for them both, but she was certain they would make it through anything and everything. Together.