Good evening, Sorena.” Still wearing fishy work clothes, Olaf Lagerlof strode into Axel’s antiseptic hospital room. “Thought I’d stop by on my way home and see how you’re doing. Maybe talk you into coming along for supper.”
Sorena appreciated the many kindnesses the Lagerlofs had extended to her and Shimon over the past week while she’d waited, hoped, and prayed for Axel to awaken. She rose from the bedside chair. “Thank you. But he’s had some eye movement recently. I don’t want to leave him yet.”
“He’s come to?” Olaf glanced at Axel, who lay as still as the day they’d brought him to Helsingborg’s only hospital.
“No, his eyes were closed. But the nurse said the movement was a good sign.”
“I see.” Though he appeared unconvinced, Olaf’s demeanor brightened. “I do have some good news for you. I received a radio message from the Herring Hound a few hours ago. Your mother got the money you sent. Captain Perrson said they were faring well.”
“Oh, thank you. That is such a relief.”
“I’ll tell you who else would be relieved. Shimon—if you’d come to the house with me. You didn’t leave here at all yesterday. Greta enrolled the boy in school with Hildy this morning, hoping to get his mind on something besides you and …” He nodded toward Axel.
Sorena gave a defeated sigh. “I suppose that’s best. Dr. Heidenstam isn’t handing out any promises. But Axel must wake up. He has to. There’s so much I need to say to him.”
“Maybe. But what you need is to get out of this room. Breathe some fresh air. Have a good, home-cooked meal. Even if he should come around while you’re gone, he’ll still be here when you get back. Think of your own health. If he wakes up—”
“You mean when …”
“When he wakes up, you don’t want to be sick in bed yourself.” The big man grasped her shoulders. “Take a look at those dark circles under your eyes. If it was me lying there and you were my wife, I’d want you to get your rest.”
Her face warmed at the intimate reference, and she smiled. “I will, Olaf. I promise. Tell Shimon I’ll be there before bedtime to say good night.”
“We’ll hold you to that,” he said with a mock frown. “Greta will keep a plate of food in the oven for you.”
Greta. Olaf. Axel couldn’t wrap his mind around those names. If only he could get his eyes to open.
“An hour more. Two at the most,” came the familiar voice. “Tell Shimon I’ll be home soon.”
“Will do. See you then.”
Footsteps faded away. The man Olaf had left. But the woman was still here. He could hear her moving closer, hear her breathing.
She’d mentioned another name. Shimon … a Jewish name.
Shimon! Clarity returned. Axel’s lashes sprang open, and he lurched up. “Shimon!” Pain exploded in his head. He fell back to his pillow and closed his eyes.
“Axel?”
Slowly raising his eyelids, he focused on the flame-haired woman leaning over him.
“You’re awake! Thank God.” Tears flooded her wide-set green eyes. She took his hand. “You’re awake.”
He recognized her. Sorena. She didn’t appear to be injured, but what about Shimon? “Is the boy all right?” The words came out hoarse.
Tears rolled unchecked down her pale cheeks as she nodded. “Yes. Shimon is fine. Terribly worried about you, but otherwise …” She took a shuddering breath. “Just fine.”
Axel raised his free hand to check the source of his head pain. “How long have I been out?”
“Eight days. You were shot. One bullet grazed your skull; another went through your leg.” She swiped at her flooded eyes. “I’m so relieved. We didn’t know if you’d ever … I’ll get the nurse.” She squeezed his hand and gifted him with a heart-stealing smile. “I’ll only be a moment.”
Pausing at the door, she looked back. Fresh tears streamed past the radiance of her smile. “You’re with us again.” Filling her lungs, she disappeared into the corridor.
Axel gazed after the redhead. She sure was emotional about his regaining consciousness. Had she somehow come to care for him while he was asleep and unable to talk back? He marveled as he explored the thick bandage along the left side of his head. Sorena.
He preferred to think she’d started to care before he’d been shot. He’d sensed her softening during that long night in the raft. Even before that, he’d begun to see her with—he hated to admit it—a tenderness. But then after sharing a life-threatening experience, being thrown together night and day, all pretense had been stripped away. They’d come to know each other in a short span of time.
Now that he thought back, there wasn’t anything about her he hadn’t grown to love. Not even her mouth. She’d seen right through his most devastating smile, just like Grams always had … and he dearly loved that old gal for it. Grams knew him for the spoiled, reckless guy he was and loved him anyway. From the look on Sorena’s face, she did, too. Possibly.
As his head cleared more fully, other disturbing memories surfaced. Grams. Erik and Annelise. He had to get to a telephone. Find out if they’d made it safely across the sound.
A large-boned woman in crisp white marched in ahead of Sorena. “Splendid, Mr. Bruhn. You’ve decided to rejoin the world of the living.” She came brusquely to his bedside and shoved a thermometer into his mouth, then caught his wrist to take his pulse.
Mr. Bruhn? Puzzled at the address, Axel refrained from speaking around the glass tube. Sorena must have had a good reason for giving the attendant that name.
“Good. Good.” The nurse released his wrist. After checking his bandage and fussing with his blanket, she removed the thermometer and read it. “Better. It’s coming down. I’ll fetch your doctor. He’ll want to examine you now.” With an efficient smile, she left, leaving him alone with Sorena.
For the first time, he noticed the dark circles beneath her eyes. She couldn’t have slept much in days. She had to care!
She pulled a chair close and sat. “You’re probably wondering why Nurse Almquist called you by my last name, Bruhn. I don’t know yours. Everything happened so fast,” she said with a slight smile, “we never really introduced ourselves.”
“Ah.” Axel’s mouth began to curl. “I’m Axel Christiansen, at your service, milady.”
“Another thing,” she added, pinkening, her lashes lowering. “I’ve let them think I’m your wife. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have allowed me to stay here through the night.”
Axel blinked in surprise. “You’ve been here day and night for over a week?”
She shrugged. “I did go to check on Shimon every day to bolster his spirits. He’s been so worried about you. The doctor wouldn’t let him visit while you were unconscious. But now that you’re awake, there shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Yeah, I’d like to see the little guy myself. He really grows on you, doesn’t he?”
Sorena met his gaze again. “He does. The people we’re staying with, the Lagerlofs, have offered to keep him till the end of the war. They’re nice people with a daughter a year younger than he is. But I’m not ready to let him go.” Her exquisite features softened. “And he keeps reminding me you two have plans.”
“I did promise we’d go after his parents once the Allies march into Germany. I know it’s far-fetched, but I’d like to keep my word if there’s any way possible.”
“Then you agree,” she breathed on a sigh. “We won’t leave Shimon with the Lagerlofs.”
She was discussing the boy’s fate as if he were their child. Fascinating! Axel decided to test the waters even further. “Then for the time being, we’ll just keep him with us at my great-aunt’s manor house in Lund. It’s big enough to billet a regiment.”
“We’ll live with you? At a manor house?” Her sea-green eyes reflected a mixture of emotions.
He knew if he wasn’t careful, he’d scare her off. “Don’t worry. It’s old and drafty with separate wings. We might not see each other for days on end. And since the economy was so bad before the war, it’s desperately short of servants. You won’t be living in any more luxury than before.”
“I didn’t say—”
“You didn’t have to. Those beautiful, expressive eyes said it for you.”
Her cheeks grew rosy, and she turned away.
This woman would never be able to lie to him.
“What’s keeping the doctor?” She checked the wall clock. “He said he wouldn’t leave for home until six.”
As if by command, a dignified, gray-haired gentleman appeared at the door, a stethoscope draped about his neck.
Axel watched Sorena quietly withdraw and turn her back to them while the physician poked and probed him for what seemed a quarter hour.
“No signs of paralysis or loss of eyesight or hearing,” the man commented as he worked. After he recorded his findings on the chart at the foot of Axel’s bed, he turned to Sorena. “Mrs. Bruhn?”
She turned back to face them. “Yes?”
“I’ll release your husband to your care in a day or two, once the swelling on the brain is gone and he no longer has a headache. Of course, he’ll be on crutches for a few weeks, but his leg is healing nicely. There seems to be no permanent damage.”
“Oh, thank you. That’s great news.” The sincerity of her words warmed her expressive eyes … and his heart.
“I would imagine. Just one more thing, madam. I suggest you have a serious talk with your man about taking such risks. You could’ve both been killed—and the boy as well.” Finishing in a stern tone, he started for the door.
“But it wasn’t …” Sorena gave up as he hurried away. She turned to Axel. “I don’t know what to say. Dr. Heidenstam shouldn’t blame you. It was me. Me. You almost died because I forced you to go.”
“No.” Axel caught her hand. “I wanted to make the crossing. It was taking you and Shimon I objected to. I couldn’t bear the thought of anything happening to you. Or him.”
“And nothing did.” Her lower lip quivered. “You took the bullets for all of us.” Her eyes glistened with renewed moisture.
“Hey.” He squeezed her hand. “Didn’t you just hear the doctor? I’ll be good as new in a couple of weeks.”
The statement didn’t seem to help. “Why must you act so noble?” she practically wailed. “Offering me a place to stay—and after all the mean things I said to you …” Her words lost power as she drew a ragged breath.
She looked absolutely stricken. Axel couldn’t abide having her feel so down. Not his spunky Sorena. He raised up on his elbow, ignoring the pounding in his head, and quirked a grin. “You know, I’m really starting to like this, you all contrite and apologizing. I’ll have to get shot more often.”
That did the trick. Her jaw dropped, and she started sputtering, but no sound came out.
Axel’s grin broadened. He’d rendered his mouthy redhead speechless … at least for the moment.
With bewilderment written across her freckles, she tugged free of his grip and back-stepped toward the door. “I promised Shimon I’d go get him the instant you woke up. I’ll have him here in a little while.”
“I’ll be waiting,” he called after her.
When Axel lay back on the pillow, he noticed a buzzer and pushed it. He needed to learn of his family’s fate.
Shortly, he was being wheeled along the gray linoleum floor to the front desk, where a phone awaited his use. Once the local operator transferred his call to Lund, he heard ringing on the other end and imagined the sound echoing off the ancient stone walls of the manor.
On the eighth ring, his chest tightened with concern. Someone should have answered by now.
“Hejsan?” came his sister’s voice in Swedish.
Thank You, God. He released his breath and responded in their customary Danish. “Annelise. You’re there. For a minute I thought …”
“Axel? Axel!” Her shout pierced his eardrum. “Grams! Erik! Come quick. Axel’s alive! Where are you?” she asked only slightly calmer. “Why haven’t you called before? We’ve been sick with worry.”
“It’s okay, sis. I’ve been taking a little nap, but the doctor says I’ll be just fine.”
“Doctor! Where are you?”
“At the hospital in Helsingborg.”
“Hospital? In Helsingborg?”
“The phone, give it to me,” Grams demanded in her gruff voice. “Axel?”
“I’m fine, Grams,” he avowed. “I’m supposed to be released in a day or two.”
“You are sure? I need to see for myself. We’ll take Hannah’s Rolls and be there in … How far away is that?”
“About sixty kilometers. But I’d rather you wait, Grams. I’ll be out in a couple of days, and you can come get me then. No sense wasting precious petrol. Oh, by the way, I’ve invited a couple of people to come stay with us.”
“Axel, Axel,” she said in exasperation. “You always manage to find someone, don’t you? Who is it this time? Jews passing through or airmen or sailors you found out in the sound?”
“Actually, I’m hoping these two won’t be just passing through. I want them to stay.”
“Oh? Why is that?”
He could just picture the arch in those silver brows. “You’ll understand when you meet her. I mean them.”
“Her? Did I hear right?” Annelise obviously had been listening along with Grams. “Don’t tell me your bachelor days are finally coming to an end, brother of mine!”
Axel had to think about that one. But not for long. “If I have my way about it.”
“I can’t believe it!” she exclaimed. “The Axel has fallen!”
The second Sorena pointed out Axel’s hospital room, Shimon forgot her instructions regarding being quiet. He bolted for it, his leather soles slapping loudly on the linoleum, the water-stained rag doll he’d insisted on bringing dangling haphazardly from his hand.
Reaching the doorway, she saw the surprising sight of Axel sitting in a wheelchair, his head still bandaged and his leg propped. He’d already engulfed Shimon in a bear hug and was grinning so broadly his azure eyes crinkled.
So did her heart. She could see he truly loved the boy.
“I knew you’d wake up,” Shimon declared, not quite releasing his hero’s neck as he remained beside the wheelchair. “Me and Sorena been praying and praying.” He eased away slightly, focusing a direct look at Axel. “Besides, me and you still have a job to do, saving Mama and Papa. And God knows that. That’s why He didn’t let you die.”
Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies. Awe filled Sorena as she pondered the familiar scripture verse. For Shimon to have such faith in the face of so much evil bolstered her own.
Axel must have been affected, too. He shot a glance to her, then took Shimon’s slim cheeks in his hands and kissed the top of his curly head. “You bet. Just as soon as the Allies come.”
Reluctant to intrude on their man-to-man moment, Sorena didn’t venture forward. Watching the two of them together was so touching, she could’ve cried. But she’d already done too much of that this evening.
“And look!” Shimon shoved the moldy, smelly doll in Axel’s face. “I still have this. We didn’t lose it, no matter what.”
“I’m real proud of you.” Axel took the weathered toy and looked up at Sorena. “Both of you.”
“But Sorena already took some of the money out and sent it to her mother.”
She cringed. She’d wanted to divulge that news a bit later.
“Good,” Axel said. “That’s what it’s for, to help refugees. And that’s us.”
“Yes, sir,” Shimon agreed. “For sure. But not for long.” He flicked a glance at her. “Sorena says when you get out of here, we’re gonna go live in a great big house with your family. With plenty of food—like at Knud’s house. You and me and Sorena.”
Axel looked over the child’s head and met her gaze. “That’s right. Until the Nazis are run out of our country and we can go back home. You, me, and Sorena—if she’s willing to put up with us, of course.”
“Sure she is,” he announced. “She’s been taking care of you and praying for you, just like Mama does Papa. And she won’t leave you now just when you’re better, ’cause my mama would never leave my papa.” He turned to her. “Right?”
The child was making too many assumptions. What must Axel think? She felt the blood drain from her face.
“I think we’re rushing the lady, Shimon,” Axel said gently. He flashed her one of his most charming grins. “She’s already promised to come with us to Lund. That’s enough for now. Once she’s all settled in and feeling at home, we’ll show her what a fine couple of chaps we really are.”
Axel sported his bandages like badges of honor, and his hopeful grin was almost comical. So was Shimon’s gap-toothed giggle. Sorena couldn’t help smiling herself. “It doesn’t look to me like you’re waiting.”
Still grinning, Axel reached back for the metal water pitcher on his bedside table and handed it to Shimon. “Be my buddy and go have the nurse fill this for me?”
Obviously proud to do his hero’s bidding, Shimon scampered off.
“Come closer, Sorena,” Axel coaxed, his tone husky. “We don’t have much time, and there are some things I really need to tell you.”
When she stepped to the side of his chair, he took her hand, and before she realized what he was doing, he put it to his cheek.
The gesture made her heart skip like a schoolgirl’s.
“I know we got off to a rough start. And I know it’s sudden, but this experience has changed me forever. It’s as if I’ve spent my whole life standing outside myself looking in. I never took anything seriously … until now. The way I feel about you I’m taking very seriously. You’re the first woman I’ve ever met who’s seen me at my worst. And by jingle, you’re still here.”
Hesitating only a second, Sorena knelt down beside him. “I think we’ve both seen each other at our worst. But don’t forget, I’ve seen you at your best, too.”
He leaned nearer. “And did you like what you saw?”
She could barely speak. “I … yes.”
His gaze gentled. “Did you know I love every one of your freckles?” he asked softly, his breath feathering her face, he was so close. “Especially this one.” His lips brushed her cheek.
Sorena’s pulse missed a beat.
“And this one.” He kissed her nose. Releasing her hand, he cupped the back of her head, and his mouth claimed hers.
Unbelievably, her playboy was kissing her. And it was fine. Perfect. Even exhilarating. With awakening love, she slipped her arms around his neck and returned his kiss. After endless months of grinding sorrow, joy was filling her again. To the brim, and overflowing …
From somewhere in the distant swirl, she heard a child’s thin voice. “Wait here, nurse, ’til they’re done kissing. Kisses make everything better, you know.”
Sorena couldn’t argue with that.