‘I’ve so many layers on, I can barely walk. I just hope I don’t need the toilet.’ Frankie shuffled along next to her father. ‘And after that huge supper we just ate, everything’s tighter than it should be anyway.’
‘I know what you mean.’ He chuckled. ‘I’m not even sure if I’ll be able to find a way out of the layers.’
They’d had a quiet supper at the hotel together, after an enjoyable day of sightseeing with Freya, while Jonas had spent the day with his mother. They’d eaten their fill of pork and ground beef meatballs and brown gravy served with herby carrots and boiled potatoes, then enjoyed kanelbulle for dessert; the sweet buttery cinnamon buns were fast becoming a favourite of Frankie’s. They’d washed the food down with gløgg – the Norwegian mulled wine spiced with cloves and cinnamon and served with almonds and raisins. Norwegian food and drink was certainly satisfying and comforting, and something that Frankie could get used to.
Now, they were on their way to the harbour where they would meet Freya and Jonas. It was dark and very cold and the snowy ground was slippery underfoot, but Frankie was glowing. The good news she’d had about the boutique and the work space her mother had shown her above the gallery had all given her such a lift. She still hadn’t come to any conclusions yet but at least she had options, for what felt like the first time in her life.
It was a bit scary, a bit daunting, a bit… exciting.
The streets of Oslo no longer seemed as strange. She was able to place familiar landmarks now and she enjoyed the sense of familiarity, as if she belonged there.
‘It’s a lovely city, isn’t it?’
‘Beautiful.’ Her dad smiled at her and she noted, as they passed under a street light, and not for the first time recently, how much healthier he looked. For so many years, he’d seemed grey and serious, more serious than a man should ever be. But now… his skin glowed in the cold air, his eyes sparkled and he had a spring to his step that she couldn’t recall ever seeing before.
‘Dad, are you happy?’
He stopped suddenly and she had to turn back to face him.
‘Happy?’
‘Yes.’
‘I…’
‘I ask because when I was growing up, you never really seemed happy. You smiled occasionally and you never wallowed in despair – because you always kept so busy – but you never seemed happy.’
He met her gaze.
‘Yes, Frankie, I am happy. It’s a strange feeling, I’ll give you that, but I’m getting used to it. I can’t deny that I’m scared… having lost my… happiness once, I’m terrified of losing it again, but I am trying to be brave and to go with the flow.’
‘I’m so glad. I love seeing you like this.’
‘And I love seeing you like this!’ He laughed then hugged her. ‘Now come on or we’ll miss the fireworks.’
They hurried along, breathing deeply of the icy air and trying not to slip. The snow had stopped late afternoon but was crisp and crunchy underfoot. Frankie suspected that her father was as undecided as she was about what to do next, but she also believed that that was OK. Sometimes, not knowing exactly what tomorrow had in store could be a good thing.
When they reached the harbour, she spotted Jonas through the mass of people; it was as if her eyes would seek him out in any crowd, anywhere. She waved to catch his attention, then led her dad towards him. It was New Year’s Eve, she was in Oslo, her future looked exciting, and she had her mother back.
‘Jonas!’ Frankie waved at him again and he smiled as they reached him.
‘At last. We wondered where you’d got to.’
Freya hugged Frankie then Hugo. ‘We did. It’s so busy here we were worried we wouldn’t find you.’
‘Let’s try to find a quieter spot where we can stand together.’ Jonas held out his hand and Frankie took it as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Behind her came her parents and they shuffled through the crowds until Jonas found them a space closer to the rail that overlooked the water.
‘It’s so cold.’ Frankie was shaking in spite of her layers.
‘It takes a bit of getting used to.’ Jonas nodded. ‘Come here. It’s going to be a while and you’ll just get colder.’
Frankie stepped closer and Jonas turned her around so she stood right in front of him then wrapped his arms around her. ‘Body heat is the best thing for staying warm,’ he whispered in her ear and his breath tickled her skin.
She nodded, unable to reply because words had deserted her.
Next to them, Frankie’s parents stood arm in arm, both stamping to keep warm. A hush fell over the harbour as the onlookers waited in anticipation. The air seemed to crackle with excitement as one year was left behind and a new one was about to begin. And what a year it had been. Frankie’s life had changed in many ways and all the changes were for the better.
Then the countdown to midnight began…
As the year turned, everyone cheered and shouts of ‘Happy new year’ in many different languages echoed around the harbour. Frankie turned in Jonas’s arms and accepted his hug and kiss then she turned to do the same to her parents and froze.
Hugo and Freya were lost in each other, their arms wrapped around each other as they kissed. It was surreal and wonderful, strange yet right. They had found each other again and were kissing as if the world around them had ceased to exist.
‘Look!’ Jonas nudged her.
She followed his finger and there, in the rich inky ebony of the Norwegian sky, fireworks burst in hues of gold, green and red. People around them oohed and aahed, and Frankie tried to keep her eyes focused on the fireworks, but she couldn’t help glancing back at her parents.
‘You OK?’ Jonas whispered.
‘Yes.’ She giggled. ‘A bit surprised to see them kissing but also very happy about it.’
‘It’s a good way to start the year.’ He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her tight. He had said it was to keep her warm but Frankie hoped there was more to it than that. Much more.
Once the fireworks had finished, the air was hazy with smoke and heavy with the scents of sulphur and gunpowder with a hint of brine from the water underneath it all. Freya and Hugo seemed to emerge from their trance and they rejoined Frankie and Jonas.
‘Happy new year!’ Freya said before hugging them both.
‘Yes, happy new year!’ Hugo’s eyes were bright and his cheeks flushed, in spite of the freezing conditions, and as he hugged Frankie, he whispered, ‘Sorry about that.’
She leant back and met his eyes. ‘Don’t be sorry, Dad. It’s wonderful.’
‘I guess I couldn’t wait any longer and lucky for me your mother seemed to feel the same.’
‘What shall we do now?’ Freya asked. ‘Do you all want to come back to mine?’
‘I promised Mum I’d head home to have a drink with her.’ Jonas shrugged. ‘Would you like to come with me, Frankie?’
‘Oh!’ She swallowed her surprise. ‘Really?’
‘She’d love to meet you.’
‘She would?’
He nodded.
‘I’ll go back to your mother’s then.’ Hugo smiled bashfully. ‘See you in the morning for breakfast?’
‘Brunch more like, Dad.’ Frankie smiled.
‘Come on then.’ Jonas took her hand and led her out of the crowds and away from the harbour. He was surefooted in the snow as only someone accustomed to these conditions could be. They walked briskly along dark streets and past revellers, the majority of whom, Jonas told her, would be heading home to spend time with family and friends as was Norwegian tradition.
When they stopped in front of a modest-looking apartment block, Jonas stopped and took her hands.
‘Before we go inside… there’s something I need to tell you.’
Jonas took a deep breath. He’d been nervous about asking Frankie to come back with him but he hadn’t wanted the night to end at the harbour either. When Freya and Hugo had started kissing, he’d known they’d need time alone and the idea of sending Frankie back to her hotel alone on New Year’s Eve was more than he could bear. So he’d swallowed his doubt and brought her back to his mum’s apartment. Even though he knew now that Frankie had a good heart, he was also very aware of how different their backgrounds were.
‘Frankie… my home isn’t very… grand.’
‘What?’ She smiled, clearly thinking he was teasing her.
‘I grew up here and it’s quite simple. Homely but a lot smaller than yours.’
‘It looks very nice.’ She peered up at the building. ‘With those lovely big windows, the rooms can’t be that small.’
‘The apartments are one- and two-bedroom and they are quite small. And simple. Not at all like your London home. You’ll probably be surprised.’
‘Jonas… do you think I care about that? You’re taking me to meet your mum. I’m sure your home is lovely.’
‘Don’t say I didn’t warn you.’
He pushed open the communal front door then led her towards the staircase. The lift didn’t always work and it was often faster to take the stairs anyway.
By the time they reached the fourth floor, Frankie was red-faced and puffing.
‘Sorry. I’m not unfit but it’s all these clothes I’m wearing.’
‘Of course!’ He laughed. ‘You can remove some layers once we get inside.’
They reached his mother’s apartment and he pushed his key into the lock.
‘Here you go.’ He swung the door inwards and stood back. As Frankie entered, he knew that this would go one of two ways. Either she’d be horrified at how he lived and realize that she wanted the grandeur of her life back home, or… well, he’d have to wait and see.
‘Mama?’ Jonas called as they walked through the hallway and into the one room that served as lounge and kitchen.
‘Coming,’ his mother replied from her bedroom.
There was a scratching of claws on wood and Jonas paused, aware of what was coming.
Luna.
She bounded into the hallway and Jonas opened his arms then laughed as she jumped up at him, licking his face and neck as if he’d been gone for months and not just hours. When she was done welcoming him, she turned to Frankie.
‘Luna, be gentle.’
The dog approached Frankie slowly and Jonas watched as Frankie’s expression changed.
‘It’s OK, Frankie; she won’t hurt you. She recognizes you.’
Frankie nodded then knelt down and held out her hand. Luna sniffed it, gave it a lick then moved closer and licked Frankie’s face. Her big tail wagged furiously, and when she turned back to Jonas, her mouth was open as if in a wide smile.
‘She likes you. You just had the Thorsen greeting.’
‘Thank goodness for that. I’d imagine she can be quite intimidating if she doesn’t take to someone.’
‘Let me take your coat, hat, gloves and whatever else you need to remove, then we can go and sit down.’
Frankie handed him a pile of clothing and he took it to his small room to put on the bed. When he’d stripped off his own warm clothing, he went back through the door to find his mother kissing Frankie’s cheeks.
‘Happy new year, Frankie. It’s good to meet you.’
‘Same here, Mrs Thorsen.’
‘Call me Aslaug, please.’
‘You have a lovely home, Aslaug.’
‘Thank you.’
Frankie sat on the two-seater sofa next to Jonas and accepted a mug of coffee from his mother. Aslaug Thorsen was a lot like her son: tall, blonde and blue-eyed. She had his calm manner and easy smile, and Frankie felt instantly comfortable with her. Luna lay on the floor in front of Jonas, her big paws under her chin, and though her eyes were closed, her tail wagged every so often, as if she was listening to the conversation.
They chatted about Aslaug’s job as a receptionist for a law firm then about Frankie’s change of career. Aslaug admitted that she’d seen some of Jonas’s photographs of Frankie’s designs – he’d been keen to show her, apparently – and that she thought they were lovely. Frankie opened up about some of her new ideas and asked if Aslaug would be happy modelling some of them, which the older woman said she’d be delighted to do. It was a very different exchange to the ones she’d had with Rolo’s mother, who she’d felt looked down on her and disapproved of her in many ways. Rolo’s mother had never been openly rude or dismissive but Frankie had always sensed that her fiancé’s mother wasn’t her biggest fan.
After an hour of chatting, Aslaug yawned. ‘I’d better go to bed. I’m all done in and I’m going to see a friend of mine out of town tomorrow.’
‘Are you still taking Luna?’ Jonas asked.
‘I have to.’ Aslaug smiled. ‘She loves my friend and her children, so she’ll have a fabulous time in their big garden.’ She turned to Frankie. ‘She’s normally glued to Jonas’s side but she does like to accompany me on day trips. Goodnight, Frankie. Goodnight, my boy.’ Aslaug kissed Jonas’s cheek then went to her room.
‘Your mum is lovely.’ Frankie smiled. She’d enjoyed meeting Aslaug and feeling as though she could be herself; she didn’t feel any need to act on ceremony as she’d done with Rolo’s mother and the rest of his family. Aslaug hadn’t seemed to judge Frankie at all and it was refreshing.
‘We Norwegians don’t impose ourselves upon others and neither do we judge them. It’s a good thing about living in Norway. Family is very important, as are friends, but no one will force their company on you or their opinions.’
‘That sounds very different from my upbringing.’
He nodded. ‘You would like it here.’
‘Luna’s very relaxed, isn’t she? Considering that there have been fireworks tonight.’
‘Things like that don’t bother her. Give her ten minutes though and she’ll be asking for her pre-bedtime walk. Obviously, it’s a bit later tonight because I’ve been out. I took her before I left but she’ll need to go again before bed.’
‘How did you come to adopt her?’
‘I was out on a shoot almost two years ago, taking photos for a tourist website. Luna was the runt of a litter born to a female from a dog-sledding team. She was so small and yet so determined to try to get to the food before the other puppies. Even so, she was being pushed out by the two bigger male pups at feeding time and the breeder didn’t think she’d make it through the winter. I asked if I could have her.’
‘He just gave her to you?’
‘I took some photographs for his section of the website and he gave me Luna as payment.’
‘She’s a lucky girl… to be rescued by you.’
Jonas stroked Luna’s head and she peered up at him, her bright blue eyes full of trust and loyalty. ‘I’m the lucky one. She’s a good companion.’
‘It’s clear that she loves you.’
‘I’m loveable.’ He winked. ‘So my mum tells me.’
Frankie giggled. She couldn’t disagree with Aslaug.
‘I suppose I should get going.’ She stood up. ‘I don’t want to make any noise and keep your mum awake.’
‘I’ll walk you back to the hotel.’
‘There’s no need.’
‘I’m not letting you walk back at this time, and there will be stragglers wandering the streets looking for another party to go to. Besides which, I need to walk Luna.’
He went and got their coats, hats and other warm paraphernalia then they dressed quickly, until Frankie felt like an Egyptian mummy again.
They walked through the dark streets to Frankie’s hotel in silence. They were clearly both tired so the silence was fine for Jonas. He was just happy to be with Frankie and to see how she’d reacted to his home, Luna and to his mum.
Of course, she could have been hiding her shock at the apartment’s size and simplicity, but if so she had done it well and he was grateful for how well she’d got on with his mother. Aslaug was a quiet and serious woman who worked hard and lived a modest life, but she was also kind and caring and had done her best to give him a good upbringing.
Outside Frankie’s hotel, they stopped and she smiled up at him.
‘I had a great time tonight.’
‘Me too. Thank you for…’
‘For what?’
‘For not judging.’
‘Judging what?’
‘My home.’
‘What? Why would I judge your home, Jonas?’ She frowned causing a tiny line to mar her pretty features.
‘It’s nothing like yours.’
She shook her head.
‘Jonas, I don’t care about that.’
‘You don’t?’
‘Your home is warm, cosy and clean. Your mother is sweet, kind and funny and she clearly loves you deeply. I’d have loved to grow up in a home like that, because that’s what it is. Sometimes where I live didn’t feel like a home at all… that’s why I used to sleep in my cupboard, remember?’
‘That image makes me so sad for you. But I was nervous about what you’d think. It’s where I grew up and I am proud of it but you come from such wealth, your house is enormous and we’re very different.’ Luna leant against his legs, letting him know she was sensitive to his mood so he patted her head to reassure her that he was OK.
‘We are, Jonas, but I think we’re also very similar.’
‘You do?’
She nodded, her green eyes wide as they roamed over his face.
‘Jonas, I did grow up surrounded by money and privilege. I had whatever material things I could desire but you know what? All I ever wanted was to have my mother back and I’d have sacrificed everything else in a moment just to see her walk through the door. I’d have lived in a caravan or a shed if I could have grown up with her in my life.’
A tear trickled down her cheek and he automatically removed his glove and wiped it away.
‘You really mean that?’
‘Of course I do.’
He pulled off his other glove then cupped her face.
‘Frankie, I could never give you everything that you’ve had throughout your life. I don’t have much money and I still live with my mother.’
‘I still live with my father and grandmother.’
He laughed. ‘You have a bit more room than we do, but it suited me because I still wanted to travel and to be free of the constraints of my own place and, of course, it meant that I could help Mum out with the rent. I watched her struggle while I was growing up and I couldn’t bear to see her struggling again.’
‘Of course not.’
‘Since I’ve been selling more photographs at the gallery, though, I’ve been able to help make her more secure.’
‘Glad to hear it. Jonas… I’m freezing.’ She was trembling with the cold. ‘I need to go inside.’
‘Of course you do. Sorry… I’ll let you go.’
‘Would you come with me?’
‘To the bar? I think it’ll be closed now.’
‘No, to my room.’
He gazed at her then pulled her closer and stroked the soft skin of her cheeks, ran his thumbs over her pretty lips then leant forwards and kissed them gently.
‘Are you sure this is what you want?’
‘I don’t want you to go. I want to be with you tonight.’
‘How can I say no to that? But I have Luna.’ He looked down at the dog and she tilted her head to one side and let out a small whine.
‘I’m sure I saw a sign saying that they allow dogs inside. If not, we can sneak her in.’
‘I suppose it will be quiet now that it’s so late… or rather early.’
‘Come on, let’s go find out.’
He kissed her again then she took his hand and they entered the hotel together.
Frankie hadn’t judged him, his mother or his home. She was exactly as she seemed. Kind, sweet and friendly. Beautiful and desirable. And she wanted him too.
A new year had just begun and Jonas had a good feeling that it would be the best year yet…