Page 78 of Entwined in Norway

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In some ways, Erik felt like he’d gone back in time, being cared for by his mom again, but his shoulder felt a little better every day and it wasn’t long before he ditched the sling.

He’d told his mother all about Ida and how much fun it had been hanging out with her.

‘Honey, however you feel about this girl, two weeks is not enough time to get to know a person.’

‘I know, that’s what I thought,’ he said patiently. ‘But she’s not like other girls, Mom. She’s beautiful and really scrappy. She called me out a couple of times, and that might be when I fell the hardest.’

‘Well, I guess that’s a good sign. I never could understand why you dated those fangirls.’

He wasn’t going to enlighten his mother as to why.

‘Aside from Ida, I love Norway. Maybe it’s because of our family connection, but I felt like I belonged there. I worked on rebuilding a wooden cabin with Mats, who owns the island, and it felt like that’s where I’m meant to be.’

‘With or without Ida?’

‘Yes. Honestly, I think it’s where I need to be.’

‘It means the world to me that you’ve found that again. But you have to do this for the right reasons. For yourself first, Erik. It can’t be because of Ida. Watching you come back from that accident is the hardest thing I’ve ever done, and I am beyond relieved to see that you’re happy again. Kind of,’ she added, laughing. ‘But if you go to Norway because of her and it doesn’t work out, I worry that it’ll be even worse next time you have to find a whole new life for yourself.’

Her eyes filled with tears, and she reached for his hands, clasping them in hers.

‘I know, Mom.’ He wasn’t worried for himself, but he was worried for her. ‘I promise, whatever happens, I won’t go all in with Ida until I get my life on track. She needs that too.’

She hugged him. ‘Okay. That’s all I ask.’

‘Can you talk to Dad for me? Ida’s not like the other girls I’ve dated. She’s the one for me.’

His mom rolled her eyes. ‘Your dad wants you to be happy, the same way I do.’

‘He wants me to be like him. To stay here, settle down and be a joiner. It’s what he’s always wanted.’

There wasn’t anything she could say. They both knew it was the truth.

And so he came to a decision over those few days. An all-or-nothing decision that could backfire spectacularly, and if that happened, he might come out of it worse off than he was now, but at least he’d have tried.

That afternoon, he had a call from Mats.

‘Hey, Erik. It’s Mats Larsen.’

‘Mats, it’s good to hear from you.’

‘Look, I know you said you don’t want anything from this old agreement about the timber forest, but it doesn’t sit well with me to leave it like this. I’ve spoken to a lawyer, and you’re right, this letter stands up. It’s binding because the land has remained in my family since it was made. I want to talk to you about making an arrangement between our families that will be true to the spirit of the agreement our ancestors made.’

Erik was intrigued. He listened to Mats’ idea of profit-sharing on any timber felled and milled from the forest, an agreement that would give the Larsen family the right to choose which timber was felled in return for a more generous share of the profit for the Olsen family. The Olsen family could take timber for their own purposes in the same way that Mats had for using on the farmhouse, but they wouldn’t have any right to choose where in the forest that came from. Erik could see that it protected Lysgården while at the same time being fair to his family.

But now he had a plan of his own that didn’t involve sitting in Canada taking his share of the money from the odd tree that was felled in Norway.

‘That’s a fair deal, and I’m sure we’d be happy to give you control over which trees are felled. But I also have another proposal to add into the mix.’

Erik explained his idea to Mats.

‘I’m very happy to agree to that, Erik. Do you need to speak to Ida before you make the final decision?’

‘I think it’s important that I decide this without Ida. I’ve finally realised what I want to do for the rest of my life, and I love your sister, but she can’t be the reason I do it or not.’

‘I totally understand.’ Erik could hear the smile in Mats’ voice. ‘Want me to let her know you’re coming back?’