As we settle at the breakfast table, Nari stares dreamily into the air above my head. ‘I think it’s romantic; enduring heartbreak so the woman you love can be free – like when Prince William ditched Kate because he didn’t want her to be attacked in the press for the rest of her life like his mum was.’
‘That’s not how I remember it,’ I say. ‘I thought she was known as Waity Katie, hanging around hoping for a proposal while he sowed his royal wild oats?’
I quickly realise Nari’s got her selective hearing switched on. She’s off again.
‘And see what happened to them? A few years later, hestillcouldn’t forget her, try as he might, and the next thing you know, they’re blinged up, sauntering down the aisle of St. Paul’s, and passing on male pattern baldness to new generations of Windsors.Aww, it’s charming really, when you think about it.’
I decide not to comment on this, but I cast Nari an unconvinced look, which she patently ignores. Pleased with herself, she accepts a coffee from one of the serving staff then wanders off to forage for chocolate croissants at the buffet. I’m still brooding.
After a while spent thinking, and with Nari commenting all the while on the delicious pastries, I say, ‘Stellan wouldn’t fully admit it, but he’s always been seeking his father’s approval. Between you and me, his dad sounds like an old stick in the mud, pressing Stellan to take over the family business, and Stellan thoughtmyparents were cut from the same cloth so, in his mind, he was saving me from the shame of blowing my degree and letting them down.’
‘Bit patriarchal, isn’t it? There are worse things in life than letting your dad down, especially if what your dad wants for you is to become some millionaire ski resort entrepreneur when you’d actually be happy with a bog standard career.’ She’s got some wind in her sails now. ‘In fact, all these resort blokes have a touch of the sexist twats about them, don’t you think?’
‘Not really,’ I say, but she’s not listening.
‘Come to think of it, Sylve. I don’t know why you’re not more indignant about Stellan. He says he left because you weretoo into him, at the expense of your studies and your friends and your family, but you could look at it from another point of view. You showed him genuine emotion, he freaked out and bolted. It’s him that’s got a commitment problem, not you with an over investment problem.’
All I can do is grimace. This thought had briefly occurred to me last night alone in the cabin as I went over and over it all, but when it boiled down to it, I knew I was to blame. However, there’s no time to tell Nari this, she’s really got the bit between her teeth now.
‘These Scandi men! Do you think Niilo did a runner last night because of Stephen’s flowers? He saw them and thought,but I’ve staked my claim to this woman, she’s mine, and got all territorial and possessive like I owe him my hand in marriage just because he shelled out for a dodgy burger and a few vodkas? Actually, that’s not true, we went Dutch, butstill!’
‘Did heseemangry or jealous?’
‘Not exactly, he was just a bit… sad-looking.’
I watch Nari as she takes a long glug of coffee and I can tell she’s not as outraged as she’s pretending to be. ‘Nari… are you all right?’ She sighs and shrugs, and I see the problem instantly. ‘You’re sad about it too, aren’t you?’
There are tears in her eyes when she answers. ‘You know, I felt so comfortable with him, I actually followed him into a scary-ass toy factory at night! I mean, that’s the stuff of bad horror movies right there, but I trusted him implicitly. I even fell asleep in his truck last night, and I’m sure I was drooling all over the place. And, did you know it was Niilo that sent the breakfast basket yesterday? Isn’t that so like him, so… real? And all the time I thought Stephen had sent it and got it so right. It didn’t even cross my mind that it might be from Niilo, and, stupidly, I told him that, in as many words. That’s when he left. He thinks I’m spoiled and ungrateful.’ After another deep breath and a long sigh – not like Nari at all – she says, ‘Oh well. You win some; you catastrophically fuck up some.’ And there she is, putting a brave face on it.
‘Tell me about Stellan,’ she says, waving away thoughts of Niilo. ‘At least spillsomeof the deets. What was it like – before he scarpered into the night, obviously?’
‘Thanks for the reminder,’ I say, grimly. ‘It was fine. We talked and we decorated the tree and it was good just getting to know him now we’re older.’
‘But you didn’t get lucky.’ Nari jabs at the crumbs on her plate with her finger, obviously disappointed I don’t have any gossip to report.
‘I doubt it would have happened last night anyway. You don’t know Stellan like I do, he always wanted to take things slow and just, you know, make it special when it did happen.’
Nari’s staring blankly at me. ‘But we’re leaving tomorrow morning. Are you even seeing him today?’
‘I don’t know,’ I admit, and my heart sinks. ‘He said he was working today, some special job he had to do. So, I’m guessing… no.’Ow, that hurts.
‘Well, listen, it’s Christmas morning, in case you’re forgetting, and we’ve got the whole day ahead of us. We can chill out, take a walk, sit by the fire, have a nap, read a book… maybe we’ll see the northern lights later.’ I can tell Nari’s trying her best to cheer me up, but her heart doesn’t seem to be in it either.
‘I hadn’t forgotten. In fact…’
Her face lights up as I pull the silver gift bag from under the restaurant table.
‘Aww, thanks, Sylvie. I got you something too.’ She reaches for what turns out to be a Christmas stocking. It’s stuffed with pots and tubes of expensive skincare brands, and there’s chocolates too and a couple of romantic novels with pretty, Christmassy covers. Nari always was an expert gift-buyer. She gives me a Christmas card too – a pink, glittery one with a ballerina on the front.
‘For a special little girl at Christmas time.’
She’s laughing as I read.
‘Open it up!’
Inside, the printed message continues, ‘Hoping Father Christmas gives you everything you wished for this year.’ She does this every time. For my thirtieth birthday I got a card with Minnie Mouse and a badge that said ‘3 today’ on it. I’m giving her my usual sardonic thanks when the gift certificate slips from the card onto my lap.
‘Luxury Pamper Treatments at Frozen Falls Spa? Oh, Nari, that’s amazing, thank you! Is this what we’re doing this morning?’ I deliver a big kiss right onto her cheek.
