‘That is what the bag is giving Hildur, Magnús,’ Gunnar reminded.
‘But… it is not… giving me coffee,’ Hildur said. ‘Gunnar, give the boy somekrónaand let him buy some from the machines.’
He got out his wallet and did as Hildur asked.
‘Much sugar in mine,’ Hildur said to Magnús before he headed for the door.
As the door closed and Magnús left the room, Gunnar knew the boy’s departure had very little to do with Hildur wanting coffee.
‘So,’ Hildur said. ‘Help me sit up so I can talk to you without… fear of choking.’
‘The doctor said you were not to move.’
‘The doctor is in charge… of my treatment,’ Hildur said. ‘He is not in charge of me. Either help or I will try myself.’
Hildur started to show signs that she was going to wriggle independently so Gunnar had no choice. He supported her, aided in moving pillows and getting her propped into a sitting position.
‘You are OK?’ Gunnar asked, seeing a flash of discomfort touch her face.
‘No,’ Hildur said, gritting her teeth. ‘I need to know that you are going to finish what I started with regard to the Lundgren family.’
Gunnar shook his head. ‘What would you like me to do? Cut off your ex-brother-in-law’s beard or kidnap his son?’
‘You do not agree with my methods,’ Hildur said. ‘Bernard knows me, Gunnar. Despite my needing to make a stand in a public way he was never in any real danger.’
‘You are lucky that is also what he said to the police. And, you are even luckier thatyouwere not killed!’
Hildur sighed. ‘You are wasting words again, Gunnar. All inconsequential. And everything I would repeat again, exactly the same, even if I had hindsight.’
‘Even you falling off the roof?’
‘Even that,’ Hildur assured him. ‘Because you know I believe that everything happens for a reason, even if you like to pretend otherwise.’
‘I do not know what you want me to say to that.’
‘I do not want you to say anything to that. I want you to say that you will make sure that Bernard follows through, that the Lundgrens drop the police complaint against Magnús. That there is fair treatment. That Brigitta and her friends are held accountable for their bullying of Magnús that led to this whole situation. That that precious, sad little boy goes back to a school he once felt nurtured at and feels safe again.’
Gunnar tried to swallow away a large knot of emotion that was suddenly in his throat like a granite boulder as he listened to Hildur and saw her feelings etched on her expression.
‘I will not be here forever, Gunnar.’
‘Stop that.’
‘No,’ Hildur said. ‘We always speak our truth in our home, no? I am old. That is the fact. But, today was not my day to die. Tomorrow? Who knows?’
‘Hildur!’
‘I am only saying that, while I am here I will do whatever it takes to support you and support your care of Magnús. And, sometimes, that support will involve something like what happened today and?—’
‘And, we agreed, that was crazy.’
‘Actually,’ Hildur said. ‘We did not agree it was crazy. And, I thought long and hard about it and made a compromise. My original plan was much worse.’
Gunnar rolled his eyes in defeat.
‘You need to stand up now, Gunnar,’ Hildur continued. ‘Sometimes you are too polite, too nice, too kind, too conforming.’
‘What?’
