Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 85888 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 429(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 286(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85888 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 429(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 286(@300wpm)
What mattered was that he’d chosen me. I should have known he would. However, shaking off thirty years of self-doubt took a little time.
“Not your fault,” said Lars. Again.
“I know, I know.”
“It’s time for us all to have a little talk.” Deborah, having sent off the last of the guests, stood between the two parties of contention. Henning stood beside her.
“We demand an apology,” said Vivian. “It’s the very least that we deserve.”
“That’s odd.” Deborah looked down her nose at her neighbor. “I was thinking the same thing. Only, I was hoping your son would come to his senses and realize how appalling his behavior has been tonight.”
“You’re taking that horrible girl’s side against ours?”
“Be careful what you say,” said Deborah. “You’re talking about a member of my family.”
Evil mom was aghast at this announcement. Her lips a perfect O of astonishment. “We’ve known each other for over twenty-five years. Our children grew up together. We’re close friends.”
“And I’ve excused and overlooked a lot in that time. But it ends now.” Deborah pushed back her shoulders. “Will you be apologizing to Susie or not?”
Before Aaron could answer, Vivian started talking for him. Which surprised approximately nobody. “Not. Most definitely not. He has done nothing to apologize for.”
“Then it’s time for you to leave.” And while Deborah’s voice was calm and measured, you could tell she meant every word.
“What?”
“Get out.”
“With pleasure,” sneered Vivian.
“This is just like a scene on a Turkish soap opera I saw once.” Tore sat with his arm slung around Cleo’s shoulders. If anything, he seemed pleased by the night’s events. Or at least, how they’d worked out. “Only she was waving her arms about as she said, ‘You’ll regret this! Mark my words!’ But in Turkish.”
“Sounds very dramatic,” said Cleo.
“Oh. It was.”
“I didn’t know you watched soap operas.”
Tore grinned. “I aim to constantly surprise and delight.”
Aaron slowly rose to his feet. “Lars, I...”
“Don’t you dare apologize,” interjected Vivian. Then she grabbed his arm and tried dragging him toward the door.
Lars shook his head.
Pain crossed Aaron’s face. “You could at least let me explain.”
“There is nothing you can say that I’d want to hear, man,” said Lars. “My mom told you to get out.”
Aaron hung his head in defeat. And I did not fist pump the sky. Yay for maturity.
“You don’t come near either of us again,” said Lars. “Understood?”
With a final nod, Aaron left, following his terror of a mother out the door. Phew. The silence in the dimly lit room was complete for a moment. All eyes on the door. But nothing else happened. They did not reappear. The night’s drama seemed to be done. Thank goodness.
“Well,” said Ella with a drawl. “That felt really awkward to me. Was that awkward for anyone else?”
“Stop trying to be the funny one in the family.” Tore frowned. “There’s only room for one and the title is already claimed.”
Ella stuck out her tongue at him.
“Children,” chided Henning. He passed out small glasses with a shot of clear liquid. When we all had one, he raised his glass in a toast. “To family. Skol.”
I smiled and took a sip. And promptly wanted to spit it out, but managed to choke it down. Then I whispered, “What was that?”
“Aquavit,” said Lars.
“It tastes like licorice.”
“Yeah.”
“Susie,” said Deborah, taking a seat nearby. “I owe you an apology. I didn’t welcome you as I should have. I will do better in the future.”
My smile felt lopsided. I didn’t know what to say.
“You guys should throw another party,” said Tore. “You deserve a do-over.”
“After what this one cost?” asked Henning, incredulous. “Absolutely not.”
“We could do it at home on the deck.”
“It’s an idea,” said Deborah with a shrug. “Though it would be a lot of work.”
Ella smiled. “We’ll all help.”
“Tore could do his baked salmon,” suggested Cleo.
Henning screwed up his face. “Have you tasted my youngest son’s cooking? No, thank you. I don’t even trust him with the grill. Tore’s gifts lie elsewhere.”
“You’re just jealous, old man,” said Tore. “I’m a legend in the kitchen and you know it. Back me up, honey.”
Cleo held up her hands with a grin. “I just don’t feel it’s right to come between you and your father.”
“When I first met you,” said Henning, “I thought, now there is a kind and compassionate woman. Too kind to tell you, Tore, how bad your cooking is.”
Tore and Henning bickered while Cleo watched on, amused. She too set aside her glass of aquavit, so I wasn’t the only one who hated anise. Ella and Deborah were busy chatting about something. All of the tension had left the room. Thank goodness for that.
Lars leaned closer. “You sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine.” I smiled. “Nothing you can’t fix at home with some kisses.”
He pressed one to my forehead. “You got it, Princess. Whatever you want.”
“I’ve been thinking. I’m going to burn the divorce certificate.”