She touched her godmother’s hand, while Johannes hung back a little, a look of blatant longing on his face. Mina beckoned him over.
‘Talk to her. I’m sure whatever we say will register in her subconscious.’ That’s what they always said on the television.
He swallowed as if too self-conscious, so she took pity on him and started.
‘Hey Amelie, it’s Mina. You gave us quite a scare but the doctors say you’re going to be fine. And don’t worry about anything at the chalet. I’ll sort everything out. Johannes and Franzi and Giselle and Dave are all helping. And I promise I’ll look after the chalet as if it was my own home and all your guests were staying with me. You don’t need to worry about anything.’
Johannes stepped forward and Mina patted his arm, she could see his throat working as he tried to find the words.
‘No, you mustn’t worry about anything. We’re all here to help you. I… we love you. Just get better and come back to us.’
Her breath caught in her throat at seeing the usually-so-forthright man lost for words, and the emotion came flooding back. She’d been trying so hard to be pragmatic; seeing Johannes’s pain was more than she could bear herself.
Leaving him with Amelie, she stumbled out in the corridor, the heavy lump in her chest almost suffocating her. Luke leaned against the wall, his arms folded, looking detached and closed-off, as if this was the last place in the world he wanted to be. When he saw her his face softened and he dropped the aloof stance and held out his arms. She went straight into his embrace and buried her face in his warm neck, determined not to cry but just to lean into the comfort he was offering. His arms enfolded her hugging her to him, both hands clasped against her back.
‘I’ve got you,’ he murmured into her hair. ‘It’s OK.’
She sucked in several determined breaths; she wasn’t going to cry. It wouldn’t help. Instead she clung to Luke, relishing the feel of his body, warm and strong, stalwart and steady. Instinctively she knew she could rely on him. He was hers. In that moment, the truth of it imprinted itself onto her brain. He was hers.
Neither of them said a word for a few minutes. Eventually she peeled her head away and looked up at him. He bent his head to lay a soft kiss on her lips. She pushed up on her toes to deepen the contact, needing that human connection, needing Luke’s unspoken calm. He responded briefly before pulling back and lifting a hand to stroke her face.
‘Thank you,’ she whispered, stretching up and kissing the corner of his mouth. ‘For being here.’
She was overwhelmed by the feeling that bloomed, warm and heartfelt in her chest. It had been hopeless from the moment she’d met him. Remembering what Johannes had said, she knew she shouldn’t waste any more time. As much as she’d tried to deny it, she couldn’t now. She was in love with Luke. She looked up at him with tremulous smile, everything she felt shining out of her eyes. ‘Luke?’
‘And finally,’ he said, stroking a tender thumb over her mouth. ‘She gets it.’
‘You?’ She couldn’t bring herself the ask the question in full, she was still getting used to the idea that she was totally, head-over-heels, lightning-bolt, in love with him.
‘Always. From the very first day I met you. I told you, it was serendipity. Love at pointy elbows.’ Despite everything she managed a shaky laugh.
‘I’m never going to live those elbows down, am I?’
He shook his head, the familiar lopsided smile lighting up his face.
By the time they left the hospital it was just after seven and growing dark. The journey back to Reckingen was completed in silence, and just as they drove through Fiesch a few snowflakes tumbled out of the sky. Mina stared at them, a kaleidoscope of icy white against the pitch-black sky. Every now and then Luke would look back from the passenger seat, almost as if she checking she was still there, and send her a quiet smile.
At one point Johannes tutted and muttered something to himself in German. Luke laughed and turned around to Mina. ‘He’s complaining about us distracting him. That was German for “get a room”.’
‘I’m not doing anything,’ she replied demurely, raising her eyebrows at him in the rear-view mirror.
‘You don’t need to do anything,’ Luke said, his eyes radiating gentle sincerity and intimacy.
She tucked the comment away in that little warm glow radiating quiet joy inside her. As always when with him, all her senses were attuned to Luke frequency, and in the dark of the car it seemed to have intensified.
Ten minutes on, when Mina looked up at the dark night sky, it had filled quickly with whirling flakes, spinning down like autumn leaves toyed with by a gale. She was surprised by the speed at which it was settling. The road ahead, lit up by the headlights, had a cotton wool-bobbled surface in no time at all. Johannes slowed his driving, and although they moved at a steady pace, the last bit of the journey took a good ten minutes longer than usual.
When at last they pulled up outside the chalet, defeat overwhelmed Mina. Returning without Amelie felt wrong and she tramped up the steps, bashing the snow with irritable kicks from her boots as she went. Inside she shook off the flakes clinging to her hair, left her things in the boot room and opened the door into the reception. Subdued voices murmured in the dining room beyond the lounge and she crossed the room to find a few people still seated at the dining table, including Dave, Frank, and Claudia. Their heads all turned in quick succession.
Mina dredged up a smile, although she felt totally drained. Until now she hadn’t realised how taut and tense she’d been in the hospital. They all jumped, firing questions over each other. She held up a hand to silence them. ‘She’s fine. Amelie’s had a small heart attack, but she’s in the right place.’ She explained about tomorrow’s operation and the planned stent and then turned to Dave.
‘How was dinner? Did you manage?’
‘It was fine… thanks to Franzi who was able to come and help, but I know where the cutlery and tableware is kept now.’ He grinned. ‘Claudia helped lay the tables and Frank opened the wine.’
‘Bless them.’ She pulled a small grimace. ‘I hope they didn’t mind. They are paying guests.’
‘They’re also good friends of Amelie’s. They don’t mind at all.’ Dave shot her a sympathetic glance. ‘I can help again tomorrow.’
