‘Kirstin was not the right person for you. And you knew that really, if you are honest. You knew how she would react to finding out about Magnús and, in the end, that is the reason you told her.’
Gunnar felt a squirming in his gut that said Hildur had seen right to the heart of the matter, as always.
‘You were not ready with Kirstin. Kirstin was not the right person. The situation is not the same.’
‘But Chloe will leave.’
‘And you have known that from the very start,’ Hildur reminded him. ‘You knew that she was only visiting. Yet still you made time and opportunity to pursue something with her. Why?’ She took a brief breath before carrying on. ‘You do not need to answer that because I know the reason why. Because she is the right person. Because you are ready now, to unlock the door and step boldly out from behind it. No more peeking.’
He sighed. ‘But she is still leaving.’
‘Yes,’ Hildur said. ‘And you must let her go. No matter how hard that feels. Because if Chloe is the right person then she will come back. I have faith in her like I have faith in you.’
‘But look at me, Hildur and look at the life I have. Chloe could find someone with more time to give her, not someone who spends hours on a coach every day and has a surrogate son to manage.’
‘Ah, yes,’ Hildur said. ‘This is very true. And while we are on the subject of not being enough, why not wonder if she might be happier with someone who looks like Pedro Pascal?’
‘OK, that was uncalled for.’
‘People do not fall in love with a face,’ Hildur told him. ‘People fall in love with a feeling. That special something someone sparks in you when you are around them. That is what you have with Chloe. I believe that is what she feels with you.’
He so wanted to believe it. He wanted to hold the thought tight and imagine how much stronger it could grow given more time.
‘And remember the blue whale?’ Hildur said. ‘You know what that signifies in mythology?’
‘Wisdom,’ Gunnar replied. ‘But also solitude. I thought it was showing me how to get ready to continue to be alone.’
Hildur shook her head. ‘No. In mythology a whale signifies “harmony”, “courage” and “abundance”. All good things.’
‘I guess it depends what book you read,’ Gunnar said with a shrug.
‘But there is another thing a whale can signify,’ Hildur continued.
‘What?’
‘Family,’ Hildur said. ‘Motherhood in particular.’
‘What are you trying to say?’ Gunnar asked her.
‘I am not trying to say anything,’ Hildur said. ‘I do not have to. The spirits are doing all the talking. Loud and clear.’
65
THE NEXT DAY
Reykjavik Airport
‘You have the cookies Hildur made you?’ Magnús asked Chloe.
‘Of course.’
‘And the scarf she knitted?’
Chloe parted her coat so he could see that it was around her neck. It was terrible. There were dropped stitches and the colours were lime green and orange, but Chloe knew it had been made in double quick time for her as a parting gift. A parting gift. She didn’t like that. She was going to make sure the parting was for as short a time as possible. She had holiday she could take and, yes, Michelle was about to give birth but they had to be able to work things out if she was going to be a partner in the business…
‘Magnús, stop with all the questions, Chloe has a plane to catch.’
Gunnar, the voice of reason. The strong, solid, sexy man she had fallen for so quick and yet so intrinsically deeply. She looked at him now, taking him all in from his winter boots to the very tips of his beautiful hair.
