“Are you sure about that? He doesn’t even reply properly to my texts.”
“Absolutely sure. I’m telling you something and I expect you to treat the information confidentially. Jannis is in love with you, but he’s afraid of losing Danny if he gives in to his feelings for you.” Val is alarmingly well informed considering the two didn’t even communicate before the vacation.
“How do you know that?”
“I was worried, so I followed him for two days and then found him crying at the old bunker facilities.” If this statement is supposed to reassure me, then the plan has gone terribly wrong.
“Why are you calling? I can’t do anything from...”
“Come to the island.”
This must be a joke, I must have misheard them. “What?”
“Don’t pretend you didn’t hear me. Your train leaves Strasbourg for Nantes at 7:30 a.m. tomorrow, and from there a bus takes you to the island. You’ll be there late afternoon.”
V can’t be serious. Tomorrow? How am I supposed to manage that? “I have to take Flocke with me. My husky.”
“Muzzle and leash are required on the train. I’ll send you the ticket.”
“No, Valérie, please. I don’t know if I can make it.”
“Yes, you can. I believe in you. See you tomorrow at the bus stop. I’ll pick you up.” Then the call disconnects and I stare at my phone. A few minutes later, a train ticket arrives. Valérie was serious. Wow.
One night and an intense conversation with my parents later, my mother drives me to the train station in Strasbourg.
“Go get him, sweetie. Take care. I love you.” With these words, she hugs me tightly.
“I love you too, Mom. And thank you for everything.”
Since shortly after Paris, I’ve been debating whether it’s really a good idea to be sitting here on this TGV, or if this is the biggest mistake of my life. Valérie said Jannis is in love with me. What if that’s not true, what if he feels so pressured that he can’t open up to me anymore? The two of them don’t really like each other, what if Val only called to provoke Jannis? They wouldn’t do that, right?
My heart is pounding in my throat. My hopes are running wild, but I’m afraid to let them in. I know that Jannis cares about me, but I also understand what he’s afraid of. He has feelings for me, I can see it in his soft gaze every time he looks at me, in his slight, relaxed smile.
Subconsciously, I notice how the landscape beyond the windowpane is changing. Ever since I got on the bus in Nantes, I can see Jannis in front of me. His long blond curls, his amber eyes that always remind me of a cat, his pale skin.
Flocke is getting restless between my feet. “I know, sweetheart, you need to get some exercise.”
Huskies are not made for sitting or lying for hours.
Maybe I should have left her at home after all, but somehow that felt wrong. Flocke is part of us, too.
As if she can read my mind, she pushes her head between my legs and lays it in my lap. And while I scratch my dog behind her ears, the sea passes by next to us. I take a deep breath. “We’re almost there. Only ten minutes to go, if that.”
Even from a distance, I can see Valérie at the bus stop. Their tall, slender figure with thick, short curls and an undercut makes them absolutely unmistakable. Val has a presence that fills any room with their charisma in no time. Flocke rushes toward V, wagging her tail and jumping up.
“I can’t compete with that greeting. I could lick your face, but I’m not sure if you’re into that.”
Valérie snorts laughing. “I like you a lot, Dayyan Saleh. Seriously, I’m just glad you’re here. If you want to lick my face, go for it. But if you’d settle for a hug, that would be more my thing.”
I love their dry humor. I have no idea what Jannis’s problem is with Val. Contrary to their delicate appearance, the hug is firm and decisive.
“Come on, let’s go, the car is parked over there.”
We drive through a small town. Only now do I notice the small stone houses with their colorful shutters. It’s beautiful here, and I’m very excited about the campsite. “You’re registered at our pitch, that was easier.”
“Flocke too?”
“Yes, your dog too. Dogs must be kept on a leash at the campsite, but she can take her muzzle off.” We can manage that. Even though Flocke prefers to run free, that’s not possible in a completely new environment anyway.
