‘Me neither.’
‘So we’re together now, officially,’ he said.
Iris could hear the smile in his voice. She was feeling the same way.
‘Iris and Siggi. Gudrun’s going to love it.’
‘So what now? Do you want to stay?’
‘Desperately.’
‘I am not sure I can celebrate our new start in the way I would like to.’
‘There’s no rush,’ Iris said. All that mattered was that they were together. Everything else could wait.
28
IRIS WOKE LONG before Siggi the next morning. He was sleeping closest to the door, and she didn’t want to disturb him by climbing over the top of him, so she lay, alternately watching him sleep and dozing herself.
It was only when they came to move from the sofa last night that Iris realised how fragile Siggi was. It took him a while to stand up and get to the bedroom, then when she had to help him pull his top off because he couldn’t lift his arm properly, she saw the extent of the bruising all down his right-hand side. No wonder he’d slept for hours.
She was propped up on one elbow, looking at Siggi and wondering if she should start thinking about getting up, when the doorbell rang. Having no choice, she clambered over Siggi as carefully as she could out into the kitchen, then pulled on her thermal top and leggings and ran for the door.
‘Oh! Iris!’ Gudrun was wide-eyed and very quickly thrilled to see Iris answer the door. ‘We came to check on Siggi.’
‘Come in,’ she said, holding the door open while they knocked the snow off their boots and came inside. ‘It’s so pretty out there.’
‘Huh,’ Gudrun said in disgust. ‘It is almost April. It should not be snowing.’
Olafur stepped inside and handed her a large paper bag. ‘We brought brunch.’
‘Let me wake Siggi,’ said Iris.
‘How is he?’ Gudrun asked in a low voice.
‘Battered and bruised, but pretty upbeat, considering.’
‘And he is staying off his ankle?’ Olafur asked.
‘Yes, he’s being really careful,’ Iris said. ‘Although he did suggest going to the shop yesterday.’
‘Ha! That is exactly what I was expecting,’ said Olafur. ‘He needs to be sensible. We are not young men anymore.’
Gudrun looked at Iris and rolled her eyes. ‘Come on then, let’s make some coffee.’ She marched into the kitchen before Iris could suggest that maybe Siggi might want to get up without an audience, but he was sat on the edge of the bed, trying to pull a top on, his modesty covered with the sheet.
‘Oh my god, sorry Siggi, I forgot about this tiny bedroom in the kitchen,’ Gudrun said, making no moves to leave.
‘It’s fine,’ he said wearily.
Iris helped him dress while Gudrun made coffee for them all. ‘I’m sorry,’ she whispered.
He smiled and dropped a kiss on her head when she bent down to pull his sweatpants over his boot. She thought her heart might explode.
‘Need a hand?’ Olafur said, appearing in the doorway.
‘Takk,’Siggi said, as Olafur helped him up and gave him a hand to the bathroom.
‘Tell me everything,’ Gudrun said as soon as they were out of earshot. ‘You stayed last night?’
