Chapter Twenty
By the time Mats had yanked open the door, Inger was striding along the downstairs hall calling loudly, ‘Astrid? Alvin? Mamma’s here. Isn’t this a lovely surprise? I’ve driven forthree days, just to see you.’
There was the barest moment’s silence before two small bodies shot into the hall from the kitchen, squealing, ‘Mamma!’
Mats halted, watching Astrid fly up the hall, her eyes full of love and joy. Alvin was only a second behind, expression urgent as he raced towards Inger, who dropped to her knees to receive her babies. Two pairs of arms curled fiercely around her neck while their high-pitched voices filled the air, with happy Swedish.
‘We’ve got new ponies!’
‘Walter and Liam, Filip and Emil are here. And Ronja.’
We’re havingfikaon Sunday for advent.’
‘Are you here for Christmas?’
Inger, to Mats’ silent fury, answered the last questionfirst. ‘Of course, I’m here for Christmas. Someone’s bringing in my cases, then you can help me unpack.’
Astrid yelled, ‘Yay!’ and capered on the spot, blonde hair jiggling.
Mats would have liked to shake Inger. By promising the children her presence over the festivities, she’d left him powerless. Other members of his family began emerging from the kitchen and lounge. Grete and Erik’s wide-eyed gazes darted between Mats and Inger. Jonas gaped at Mats with a distinctWhat the hell?in his eyes. Maja said, ‘This is a surprise,’ but without noticeable pleasure. Nils, Maja’s quiet husband, stared at Inger with raised eyebrows. Ebba, Jonas’s pretty wife, gazed at Inger unsmilingly.
Walter stuck his head into the hall, called back to whoever remained in the kitchen, ‘It’s only Auntie Inger,’ and vanished again.
Inger rose and stared around defiantly, apparently not deeming it necessary to offer,Sorry to drop myself on you,orI hope this is OK,despite her clear lack of welcome from anyone but her children. Astrid began to look worried at the silence, and Alvin bewildered.
Gathering his wits, Mats said calmly, ‘Well, at least Mamma can have dinner with us before she and I have a talk. Why don’t you take her to set another place at the table, Astrid?’
Inger didn’t endear herself when, though she let Astrid tug her along, as she reached the doorway she exclaimed, ‘Ugh. Are we eating in thekitchen?’
Mats had to lean against the wall while his blood stopped roaring in his ears. He didn’t think he’d ever been so furious, not even when Inger had first told him that she was having an affair with Andreas and wanted out of their marriage.
‘This is a shock,’ said Grete grimly.
Erik’s opinion was blunter. ‘It’s bullshit.’ He jutted his jaw.
Maja took Mats’ hand. ‘You look winded. She’s just turned up without warning?’
Mats swallowed, nodding. ‘She borrowed a car and drove all the way from Monte Carlo.’ Even to his own ears his voice sounded shaky, as if he’d just been given terrible news. Well, yes. Inger being here was definitely not good news for him.
Jonas muttered, ‘Bitch.’
Although Mats knew he should follow Inger to witness what else she might be telling the children, he was desperate to find Ezz. Her shock and resentment at Inger speaking to her like a dogsbody hung before his eyes. He hoped she didn’t think he’d known that Inger was about to descend on them.
‘I need a minute.’ He turned on his heel and hurried to the door to the lobby. When he yanked it open, however, he was confronted by Inger’s car keys along with her suitcases, and saw the light was out in Ezz’s office. Might he catch her in the car park? He debated, but then realised it was unlikely. As a stopgap measure, he texted her.I had no idea Inger was on her way. Apologies for her appalling behaviour.He didn’t say ‘for treating you like staff’ as that would only resurrect the discussion about Ezz being staff and him being family. ‘Us and them’ discussions rarely resulted in a smoothing of tensions.
He snapped the door shut on the suitcases and strode to the kitchen, where his family was congregating for an early dinner. His adrenaline level was so high that he had to jam his hands into his pockets to hide their shaking. He found Grete and Erik carrying dishes to the table. Gwenand Caitriona had vanished, so presumably his parents had requested privacy. Baby Ronja banged her spoon on her highchair and Maja spoke to her softly while Nils settled Liam, while calling, ‘Don’t stand on your chair, please, Walter.’
The only adult smiling was Inger, stroking first Astrid’s head and then Alvin’s while she chatted gaily with Emil and Filip about what they’d done for Lucia Day at school last Friday, pausing to listen as Astrid chimed in. ‘We didn’t have Lucia this year, because they don’t have it in Scotland.’ If there was an Oscar for playing the doting mother, Inger would be presented with the golden statuette without delay.
As the showdown Mats planned would have to wait, he sat at the table. He took little food, as unless Gwen had a crystal ball, she wouldn’t have catered for him or Inger. The roast chicken and potatoes tasted like ashes in his mouth anyway. He’d meant to eat with Ezz, Thea and Dev this evening. Ezz hadn’t replied to his message. He wasn’t surprised.
Dinner seemed endless. Afterwards, Inger promised Alvin and Astrid, ‘You can stay up tonight, as we haven’t seen each other for so long.’ The children didn’t even look at Mats for agreement but towed their mother upstairs to see their room and the playroom, with Filip, Emil, Walter and Liam pouring after them while baby Ronja crawled after a brightly coloured ball on the floor at Nils’ feet.
The kitchen rang with silence until Erik rumbled, ‘This is difficult.’
Mats was still too angry to speak calmly. ‘She’s cornered me! How can I tell the kids that she can’t stay for Christmas, now?’
‘You can’t.’ Grete shook her head, while Maja, Nils, Jonas and Ebba murmured in agreement.
