“We’re having a lemon cake that I made this morning before work for dessert, I’ll go down in the cellar and get it.”
She took her plate, put it in the sink and went down the cellar stairs, but soon returned again.
“Who’s been stealing my cake? Not that it is that big of a deal, but I wanted us all to try it together so we can grade it.”
Liv and Linnea solemnly swore that they hadn’t been down to the creepy ghost cellar to steal cake.
“Is it you then, mum?”
Linn gave her a disappointed look, and Emelie shook her head, no, she hadn’t been down to the cellar today.
“Could it be a mouse? Or that cellar ghost that I imagine hearing once in a while?” Emelie said.
Liv and Linnea shrieked.
“Do we have mice in the cellar?”
“And ghosts?”
“I’m never, ever going down there!”
“If it’s a mouse, it cuts cake with a knife,” Linn said, smirking, and showing them the cake.
It was true. The cut was nice and even, with no little marks from tiny mouse teeth. Linnea’s eyes grew wider.
“That’s what I’ve tried to tell you, thereareghosts down there.”
Emelie finished clearing the table.
“A ghost that eats cake, I don’t know… I was away for a couple of hours this afternoon taking a walk, and maybe someone came in then. It’s probably not a ghost, but perhaps a wandering specter?”
“Never mind, let’s try it, and as always I’m interested in your grades”, Linn said.
“And I want us to have a small family meeting” Emelie added.
When they had all given the cake five stars and Linn was happy, Emelie told them about her plan to stay on Sardinön for at least a year. Liv and Linnea started jumping with joy and Linnea jumped into her mother’s arms.
“Oh mum, you are the best, really, now I can start in Tore’s class with the nice, nice teacher! Mum, can I run over and tell him right now?”
Liv jumped up from her chair.
“I’ll come too; I want to tell Kajsa!”
“Who is Kajsa?”, Emelie asked, laughing.
“It’s Tore’s neighbour, and now she will be my classmate. And mum – she has a horse!”
Before Emelie had the time to ask any more questions, they were both halfway through the door. Clearly, Liv didn’t have any trouble making friends here either, Emelie thought, calling out to them:
“I want you home no later than nine!”
“Okay”, they answered in chorus.
Emelie looked at Linn.
“Can I take another piece of the cake, it was wonderful.”
“Of course.”
