‘He can’t manage by himself.’ As if that were the reason.
‘He would not let any of us help, so you must have something to offer that we do not,’ Gudrun said, laughing.
‘We’ve sorted everything out,’ Iris said, putting Gudrun out of her misery.
‘You’re together? I knew it! A near death experience was all it took.’
‘Gudrun!’
‘Sorry,’ she said, looking genuinely regretful. ‘I am sure it would have happened anyway.’
Iris gave her a hug. ‘It probably speeded things up.’
‘He is okay and you are together. That is all that matters.’
‘We’re in the lounge whenever the coffee is ready,’ called Olafur.
‘What’s in the bag?’ Iris asked.
‘Boring cinnamon buns,’ said Gudrun. ‘Olafur did not want to walk further than the bakery.’
‘Cinnamon buns are never boring, especially when there’s nothing else to eat.’
They carried the buns and coffee into the lounge and put everything on the coffee table. Siggi was sitting in the corner of the sofa with his leg on a tower of cushions and Olafur had squeezed into the remaining space in the other corner.
‘Gudrun says you are staying, Iris,’ Olafur said, passing a mug of coffee to Siggi. It was touching how he fell into the role of looking after his friend.
‘How could I resist when there’s an eruption on the doorstep?’
‘And the man of your dreams,’ said Gudrun.
Siggi spluttered over his mouthful of coffee and started laughing, as did Olafur. Gudrun and Iris looked on in amusement, waiting for them to gather themselves.
‘Þú ert draumamaðurinn hennar!’Olafur said, collapsing into laughter.
Siggi was trying to stifle his laugher, and was holding his ribs, saying, ‘Nei! Nei!’
‘Well, obviously he is not the man of her dreams in this state,’ Gudrun said indignantly.
‘Gudrun!’
‘Iris took the job before we were back together,’ said Siggi, still holding his side.
Back together, as if them being together before went without saying. Something everyone knew about. Something solid. But she loved him for letting it be known that the decision to stay was hers, not because of their relationship, even if that would be the reason now.
‘Congratulations, Iris,’ Olafur said, toasting her with his coffee mug. ‘Skál!’
‘Skál!’
‘We should go to the bar tonight and celebrate,’ Gudrun suggested.
Iris and Olafur looked at Siggi.
‘What?’ he said. ‘I can go to the bar.’
‘I don’t think tonight would be great.’ Iris was thinking about how Siggi looked about half an hour ago. He needed a bit of peace and quiet to heal, and thankfully, Olafur agreed.
‘Next week will do just as well,’ he said.
