“It sounds like someone is here. I’ll point the flashlight straight forwards and turn it on, and then we might catch them in the act.”
Emelie’s fear disappeared when she felt Andreas so close to her, and she felt his breath on her neck. He smelled like mint. And then he talked about in the act…Goodness…She came to her senses as he squeezed her hand again.
“All right?”
She nodded and squeezed back, even though she would prefer to just stand here, having him close to her. She heard him lift the flashlight and then he turned on the light and the room was bathed in light. Someone shrieked and Andreas and Emelie too started yelling. When her eyes had adjusted to the bright light, Emelie squinted at the room in front of her. A figure escaped from the shadows.
“Birgitta?
A couple of meters in front of them was her neighbour with eyes as big as saucers, looking like a deer in headlights. In her arms was a cardboard box and her blue cardigan was covered in dust. The short hair that used to be neatly combed against her head was messy and there was a cobweb stuck to one side of it. She was wearing a headtorch which blinked once and went out.
“What are you doing in my cellar? And what is it that you’re holding? How did you get in?”
Birgitta stared into the floor.
“I have a key,” she said quietly.
“What? You have a key for Astrid’s house? I meanEmelie’shouse?” Andreas asked her.
Birgitta nodded.
“I’m sorry. Forgive me, I didn’t mean to frighten anyone, but I really need that piece of paper that we discussed, Emelie, and I was thinking it might be down here and that I would be able to find it…”
Her voice disappeared. Emelie felt shaken and relieved at the same time. Relieved that it wasn’t a ghost after all and shaken about the fact that had it was her neighbour that seemed so proper and sound. She looked around and noticed the bottles that were standing on a bench along the wall. She rubbed her forehead, looking from Birgitta to the bottles and over to Andreas.
“Well, okay. We can carry these bottles upstairs now and then I’ll make some coffee. I need to calm down a little. Then maybe you can tell us what it is that is so intriguing in my cellar that you had to break in,” Emelie said, looking harshly at Birgitta.
Birgitta nodded and put the box away. Emelie grabbed four dirty bottles from the bench and started walking back up the stairs. The two others followed her upstairs.
When they had cleared the kitchen table and put the mulled wine ingredients on the floor and in the larder and the bottles on the counter, Emelie served them coffee in the Christmas cups that were still left in the cupboard. Birgitta sat down on the edge of one of the farm chairs and kept her hands clasped in her lap. When Emelie poured the coffee, she quietly thanked her, poured a spoonful of sugar into her cup and grabbed the drink with both hands as if she wanted to warm herself, even though the kitchen was nice and toasty. Andreas had his coffee standing up.
“I need to get over to the nursery, and I suppose the two of you have some things to discuss,” he said, smiling at Emelie who nodded.
“Thanks for all your help.”
“I can fix the cellar light tonight,” he said.
“That sounds nice, we’ll be home,” she said, smiling.
As the door closed behind him, she turned towards Birgitta. She could barely recognise the boisterous and determined old lady that had come into her kitchen like she owned the place the same day they moved in. She looked so small and fragile where she was sitting.
“Birgitta, what were you doing in my cellar?”
Birgitta sighed, twisting her hands.
“Oh, this is so embarrassing, but I will tell you.”
“Yes, I don’t think you have much of a choice,” Emelie said, rather crossly.
Birgitta took a deep breath and nodded. Then she turned towards the window facing her own house and pointed.
“You know our porch?”
Emelie nodded.
“We built it three years ago and we are so happy with it. Isn’t it lovely?
Emelie crossed both arms over her chest and waited for Birgitta to continue. But she seemed to expect an answer.
