Chapter 18
Blue hydrangeas bloomed against the picket fence at Lyng?r’s only grocery store.
Ella checked over the list of things to buy for her second dinner with Leif.
Come to think of it, it was their first dinner, but second date.
She counted last night as a date because they had kissed—and would have probably taken it further if Erik hadn’t interrupted them.
Erik, with his cold eyes and dark expression, had ignored her and didn’t seem to want to talk to her at all.
But maybe Leif could convince him to meet her to discuss her mom.
It occurred to her that it might even be easier if Leif joined them.
It would be one more chance for her to see Leif before she returned to Boulder.
Her mind, in its anxiety, leaped forward to life in Boulder.
If she didn’t sell the cottage soon, she’d lose Little Bird.
But she definitely wanted to spend as much time with Leif as possible before leaving.
Leif was stable and had a steady job and a tight-knit family of his own choosing.
She’d always wanted a close family and circle of friends, and she wondered if she’d ever find that for herself in Boulder.
Would she ever find a guy like Leif, who was able to express himself through his art while being so grounded?
Inside the grocery store, Bactus greeted her with a meow before strolling to a sunny spot on the floorboards where he commenced licking his paws.
“Hey, Ella! How’s it going?” Mia called out, setting a large sheet cake on the checkout counter.
“Good, thanks,” Ella said, smiling at her. “Any word from your cousin?”
“Yes, she said two families are extremely interested in seeing Ringpynten. She’s trying to nail down a viewing date that works for both.”
“I can’t thank you enough for all your generosity and kindness. And along those same lines . . . I need to use your phone again,” Ella said and made a face. They laughed.
“Is it nice to be on vacation, or do you miss Boulder?” Mia asked. “Is it a fun place to live?”
“Well, I wouldn’t exactly call this a vacation!
But once I get the house sold, maybe I can relax .
. . it just feels like there’s so much to do right now.
But Boulder—yeah, it’s fun to catch shows and indie bands.
And I love seeing avant-garde films—there’s a cool theater where I can do that.
Let’s see . . . there’s good food and weekend markets and great places to go hiking and camping.
The leaves are beautiful in the fall. But lately I’ve been too busy to enjoy any of those things .
. .” She trailed off as her mind turned back to her to-do list, then she sighed.
“I need to call Petal about some business issues. It’s five in the morning there, but she’s an early bird and probably awake.
Please don’t forget to give me the bill for the charges. ”
“No problem. You know where the phone is.”
Ella called Petal from Mia’s office. The answering machine clicked on.
Ella rolled her eyes and then launched into a detailed message.
Every day, she thought of new details that had to be addressed.
She finished by saying that she’d call Petal again at 4:00 p.m., Norway time.
Ella was determined to succeed, and she felt a pang of regret, wishing that Mormor were there to witness it.
Back at the register, Ella said, “Thanks. I left Petal a message; we’re supposed to talk again at four. Now tell me about this dessert you’re making!”
“It’s bl?tkake, a traditional Norwegian cream cake.
” Mia ripped open a candy bag with her teeth, pulled out a fistful of red gumdrops, and pushed them into the frosting, which looked like smooth sugar-cookie dough.
“The topping is marzipan, and there are two layers of vanilla cake filled with homemade raspberry jam and whipped cream. It’s a traditional birthday cake. ”
“It’s beautiful! Whose birthday?”
“Inger’s.” Mia reached beneath the counter and retrieved a tray covered with pink marzipan hearts. “We’re having a bonfire tomorrow night and Inger’s invited everyone.” She slid a marzipan heart from the tray and laid it on top of the cake.
“Do you think she’d mind if I showed up?
” As soon as she said the words, Ella wanted to snatch them back.
In her eagerness to learn more about her mother, as well as find the right place to leave Hilda’s ashes, she’d gotten way ahead of herself.
Inviting herself to Inger’s bonfire was just stupid, after the way Inger had been so cold and standoffish with her.
“Um, well . . . I don’t know,” Mia said. “Let me check with her.” She shuffled her feet in a nervous little dance and shoved red gummies in her mouth.
“Hello!” came Inger’s voice from the door. She stepped behind the counter and sidled up to Mia. Sliding her tinted sunglasses to the tip of her nose, she gave Ella the once-over with her wolfy eyes. “What’s up, Hippie Chick?”
“Ah, not much. I need to buy vegetables for salad,” Ella said in a friendly voice.
“Mia doesn’t sell lettuce.” Inger plucked a red gumdrop from Mia’s hand and held it over the cake but then tossed the candy on the counter instead. “There better be enough room on the cake for my name, plus the words Happy Birthday written in pink.”
“Happy birthday!” Ella replied brightly.
Ignoring that, Inger frowned at Mia. “I told you I wanted pink gumdrops, not red ones, you nerd.”
Mia said, with more than a trace of annoyance, “Jeez, how much are you paying me to make this fantastic cake?”
“Never mind,” said Inger. “Thank you.”
Trying to change the subject to something more advantageous for her, Ella said, “There’s a cuckoo bird at Ringpynten.
I sketched it and I’m thinking about embroidering it on a skirt.
” She slid a notebook from her satchel, tore out the sketch of the bird, and handed it to Inger.
“Happy early birthday. Hope you have a great celebration.”
Now invite me, Ella thought, offering her best smile.
“A cuckoo bird on a skirt? You really are something else.” Inger laughed, but she gave the sketch a slight nod of appreciation before folding it into a small square and putting it into the pocket of her cardigan. “Mia, did you remember to get the candles and the lemons?”
“Shoot! I forgot.” Mia chewed on her thumb.
“How could you forget? I don’t have time to go to Tvedestrand! I have to work.”
“Where’s Tvedestrand?” Ella asked, thinking she could buy her lettuce there.
Plus, maybe she could check out the real estate company and drop off her film to be developed.
She wasn’t totally confident she could row there—it depended how far it was—but she’d been studying the book Leif had given her and would tie a secure knot this time and eventually show them all that she could handle it just fine.
“You can take the ferry there. It’s a thirty-minute ride, roughly.” Mia traced her finger down the ferry schedule taped to the wall near the register. “You’re in luck—it arrives in five minutes. You can catch the two thirty back here. Tvedestrand is fun. We like to drink beer on the wharf there.”
Inger spoke up. “I really need those candles and lemons, but the store closes at three, and everyone I know but you”—she gestured at Ella—“has to work.”
Mia and Inger started talking to each other, Mia with a frown and Inger looking smug, both speaking so quickly in Norwegian that Ella couldn’t understand them, and this made her feel even more like the outsider.
“Well, see you later,” Ella said. “I don’t want to miss the ferry.” If Inger had been nicer, or invited her to the bonfire, she would’ve offered to buy the candles and lemons. Inger could do her own shopping. She headed out.
“Wait! Ella!” Inger called out in English from the door. “Why don’t you come to my birthday celebration? It’s on Speken Island. Six p.m.”
“And?” Ella blurted without thinking. She couldn’t help it, but she wasn’t going to offer to help for nothing. Inger had to ask her.
Inger’s eyes narrowed a little, but then she smiled in a way that suggested she respected Ella’s question. “Will you buy the candles and lemons and bring them to the bonfire tomorrow night?”
Inger must have been desperate. Not wanting to seem too eager, Ella slowly buttoned her coat, like she was debating the answer. But the invitation secretly thrilled her. She could meet people who might be able to help her, plus she could hang out some more with Leif.
Mia motioned toward the dock. “You better hurry, the ferry is here!”
Back on the water . . . would it ever end? Ella patted her satchel and realized with alarm that she’d left her life vest at the cottage. She hadn’t planned on boating this afternoon.
“Don’t worry,” Mia called out, reading her mind. “The captain has life preservers on board.”
“Hurry!” Inger flapped her hands at Ella, then cupped them around her mouth. “Pink candles and six lemons! Go to the Super Megamart—it closes at three!”
“Yup, I’ll bring everything to the party. I’m sure Leif will give me a ride—I’ll ask him at dinner tonight,” Ella said over her shoulder. She resisted the urge to turn and see Inger’s expression. Her startled squeak told her all she needed to know.