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“—have to take her.”
“She didn’t do it!”
Her mother flew to her, slapped a hand over her mouth, and spoke to her in Swedish. “Stop! Not another word!” With her hand still smothering Ulla’s mouth, she said to Linnea in English, “Grab some clothes. You have to go. It’ll be okay. You’re not in trouble, sweetie.”
Ulla dug her fingernails into her mother’s hand. Ronja yelped in pain and retracted it. “Where!” Ulla cried. Flashbacks buried deep in Ulla’s mind were unearthed: fists on her mother’s face, blue and red lights. I’m Kellee, I’m a social worker. I’m going to take care of you.
“They’re taking her from her parents, aren’t they!” Ulla gasped.
Her mother’s face crumbled. As did her apology, “Ja, min lilla älskling.”
“But she can stay with us! Mamma, we can take—”
“That’s not how it works. I’m so sorry,” her mother cried.
Linnea curled into a ball, a tiny wail escaping her.
Ronja sighed to the heavens and rose to her feet. She left the room and Linnea’s cries multiplied.
Ulla apologized to Linnea. Apologized for stabbing Skinny-man with the scissors, for not screaming for help first. Because her instinct was not to ask for help. But to fight.
A knock sounded again. This time it was a police officer. His dark eyes were kind. The corners drooped like teardrops. He reminded her of Shorty. And she wished that somehow Linnea could live with her godparents. The ones she hadn’t seen nor heard from in years but whose phone number she repeated when she missed them terribly.
He took off his hat and knelt next to the girls. “Lin, I’m gonna take you someplace safe.” Linnea’s tears slowed once she looked at him with recognition.
“Hi, Oscar,” she said. Ulla knew the Larssons were no strangers to the Mora Police Department, nor the Kanabec County Social Services Department.
Oscar gave her a sad smile. “I’ll give you however much time you need to say goodbye to Ulla and get your things. Does that sound okay?”
She nodded. He stood and quickly left the room with Ulla’s mother. Linnea smudged her cheeks with the heel of her hand and numbly moved about as if underwater, gathering clothes, a hairbrush, and shoes. She held them and stood in the middle of the room with her eyes cast unfocused on the floor speckled with moonlight. She took a step.
A hurricane rose in Ulla’s chest. Losing faith in her mother was one thing, but losing Linnea, too? All on the same day! What would happen to her? Who would speak for her? Who would protect her?
Beskyddaren.
“Wait!” Ulla went to her bottom dresser drawer. The horse was probably nothing but a cheap trinket, maybe some flea market find. Another lie. Even so, Ulla still believed in his magic.
She placed the figurine into Linnea’s hand. “Take him, hide him.”
Linnea shook her head, dark strands of hair stuck to her wet cheeks. “No, he’s too special.”
“I know. That’s why I want you to have him. It’ll remind you of us. He’ll bring us back together.”
Linnea dropped her belongings and wrapped her arms around Ulla in a way she never had before, a desperate hug that unveiled all the things words couldn’t. “I love you, Ulla, I love you so much.”
Ulla shifted their embrace to kiss Linnea’s cheek, but her friend turned her face and met the kiss with her lips.
They kissed again. And again. The kiss went straight into Ulla’s blood, filled her with pumping energy, and sent her stomach and heart spinning. Their lips parted, but their eyes remained on one another. “We’ll go together?” Linnea said, gathering her things.
Side by side, they walked out.
Oscar gave Linnea a gentle shoulder squeeze and led her to the squad car.
Ulla watched Linnea climb into the back of it. Oscar closed the door. Linnea stretched a hand against the backseat window, concealing Beskyddaren over her heart with the other. The car disappeared down the street.
Ronja reached for Ulla, whose body was wracked with cries. “She’ll come back soon, älskling. Shhh.” Ulla turned into the comforting mold of her curves, breathing in her familiar scent, like being covered by a warm blanket, believing this to be just another one of her mother’s lies.
Part IV
