Page 83 of Entwined in Norway

‘Not that I was listening in, but the winter does have its good points,’ Mats said. ‘We can go skiing at the cabin.’

‘Erik can’t ski anymore,’ Ida said. She wasn’t a huge fan of skiing. She did it if she had to but it was far more energetic than she liked. Most of the time she took the trips to the cabin as a chance to relax, do lots of reading, and cook huge meals for the family. Her trip with Erik had been the exception to that, but a hike and a bike ride were about as energetic as she was willing to be.

‘I might have a go at cross-country,’ Erik said. ‘I did some research after Thea suggested it, and it’s much kinder to your body with less chance of injury than downhill or snowboarding.’

‘Lotta only started last winter so you guys can get some lessons in when we go to Voss,’ said Mats.

‘I can show you how to ski,’ Emil offered.

‘When are we going to Voss?’ Ida said.

‘We always go to Voss after the first snow of the season,’ Mats said, as if it was set in stone every year rather than something that hadn’t happened for at least the past five years.

‘You think after five years we’re all going to drop everything and go to the cabin together like we did when we were kids?’

Mats scoffed. ‘We did it well beyond that. Don’t pretend you wouldn’t love it.’

‘I would love to see that place in the snow,’ said Erik. ‘I want to take up the offer of that ski lesson, Emil.’

Emil looked as pleased as anything. ‘Is Erik in our family now?’ Emil asked no one in particular.

Ida looked at Erik and grinned. ‘Yes. He is.’

‘Will you teach me to snowboard?’

‘We’ll see what your Pappa says,’ Mats said, tactfully.

After they’d eaten, the four of them walked back to the hotel, and Heidi, delighted to see Emil, found some dessert for them. They sat out on the veranda with ramekins of vanilla cream topped with berries and caramelised nuts. Emil hadn’t been keen on that, but Heidi offered a bowl of ice cream as an alternative, which he was thrilled with.

‘I wish we could sleep here,’ he said to Ida.

‘Uncle Mats will take you to our house because it’s school in the morning. Maybe at the weekend you and Pappa could camp over here?’ Ida felt bad for roping Fredrik into a camping trip, but he’d probably enjoy it as much as Emil.

‘Okay, we’ll head off,’ Mats said when they’d all finished. ‘Are you okay to pick up the day shift again tomorrow?’

‘Yes. And I’ll pick you up from school tomorrow,’ said Ida.

‘Will you come too, Erik?’

‘Sure, buddy.’

Ida grinned at him. It was the best feeling in the world that he was happy to be involved with her family as much as she was.

‘Bye!’ Emil said, waving as he and Mats headed through the woods toward the jetty.

‘That kid is great.’

‘I think you’re going to be his favourite uncle.’

‘I hope so. That’s the worst thing about being an only child. I don’t have any of that stuff.’

‘It’s good that you feel like that,’ Ida laughed. ‘Emil’s going to be staying over a lot. And maybe Thea too until she finds somewhere to live.’

‘I am totally up for all of that,’ he said. And Ida knew he meant it.

‘Is it too early to go to bed?’

‘I have something I want to do first,’ Erik said. He stood up and took her hand. ‘Come on.’