Thirty
Saturday 10th October
I woke up in a tangle of arms and hairy legs. Just when I’d thought this bed couldn’t get any better, it had. Henrik’s heart was beating next to mine and our naked bodies were wrapped around each other. The hunter’s moon had gone above and beyond in granting my wish and I was exhausted. We were so entwined, my brain couldn’t work out what was where, and I didn’t want to ruin it by moving to find out. Although I’d have to at some point. The boat was due at 11a.m.
There was a knock on the door. My very last breakfast basket.
‘Frokostfor two!’ Jonas called through the letterbox. ‘You in there, Henny? Not working today?’
‘Gå bort,’ he shouted.Go away.
‘Just kidding,’ Jonas replied. ‘I’ve brought you over some pants and something else I thought you might need. Wink, wink. You’re welcome.’ His footsteps disappeared off down the path and Henrik rolled his eyes.
‘Morning,’ he said, cuddling me in.
I wriggled in delight as he stroked my back, then kissed my shoulder. ‘Is it morning already?’
‘I’m afraid so. The end is nigh.’ He leapt out of bed and grabbed a towel. ‘Stay right there. I don’t want to break the spell.’
I hid under the blankets and closed my eyes. I didn’t want it to be morning. I wanted to light all the candles again and pretend it was still last night. Pretend we still had time.
Henrik reappeared with a smoking-hot mug and put it on the table next to me. ‘Coffee, splash of milk, half a sugar?’
‘Perfect.’ He’d remembered how I liked it from my very first day.
‘I’m doing us breakfast in bed. I want to spoil you while I can.’
I don’t think a man had ever made me breakfast, in or out of bed. Apart from my dad. I’d shopped, cooked and cleaned for me and Mark, in between working, so it felt strange to lie around waiting for a man to wait on me.
‘Here we go…’ Henrik said, bringing in a tray with more coffee, blueberry muffins and croissants. He’d chopped up strawberries, apples and grapes, with a dollop of coconut yoghurt.
‘This is incredible service. Five stars. I’ll mention you in my Tripadvisor review. What’s your name again?’
‘Henrik. With a k.’
‘Got it.’
‘Jonas wasn’t being quite the bellend I’d thought earlier. I got you something and he must have spotted it in my room.’
‘Anothersomething? I’ve already had my Polaroid.’
‘Everyone had one of those. This is something special for you.’ He went back into the kitchen. ‘Close your eyes and hold out your hands,’ he called.
And I did. He rustled back in, and I could smell Christmas as he put a small pot in my hand.
‘You can open them, now.’
It took a second for my eyes to adjust. It was a little plant. A seedling.
‘Oh wow! I love it!’ I said, trying to work out what it was. ‘Is it a… radish?’
He smiled. ‘No, but you can have one of those as well if you like. This is a cutting from Willow. I thought you might like to grow your own hugging tree at home.’
‘Really?’ I was touched. ‘Are all these kindnesses a traditional Norwegian thing?’
Henrik shook his head. ‘They’re a me-and-you thing.’
‘Well, they’re incredibly thoughtful. Thank you.’ I kissed him on the cheek. ‘Although it might take a while to get this little dude up to Willow’s size.’
