Page 153 of Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt

‘No. I won’t burden her with it until I have to. And rest assured, I will have to. These are my great-grandchildren... my dear son’s grandchildren. I cannot ignore Martha and the situation which has presented itself.’

I understood Horst’s sentiment. It’s doubtless that I would have felt the same were I in his shoes. ‘What do you plan to do?’

Horst took a deep breath. ‘There is no chance of Felix accepting responsibility and doing the decent thing. I feel ashamed of his behaviour.’ His voice cracked a little. ‘And sowould his father.’ Horst cleared his throat and regathered his composure. ‘Apologies, Bo. Anyway, I have concluded that we must take Martha in after she gives birth. I am not convinced that the babies will be safe on their own. I owe it to my son, and to Karine, to make sure their bloodline is unharmed.’

Did this man’s kindness know no bounds? ‘That’s... very noble of you, Horst,’ I replied.

‘But... Bo. I am a ninety-three-year-old man. My days are severely numbered. Astrid is seventy-eight, and will live longer, but who knows. We have very little money, most of it gone on Felix’s education, and getting him out of the sticky situations in which he has found himself.’

‘Say no more, Horst. I will write a cheque...’

‘Thank you, but it is not your money I wish to ask you for.’

‘Then what is it, my friend?’ I heard Horst shifting down the line.

‘Your love. I know the joy that Maia has brought you over the last three years. There is a lightness in your voice, a song from deep within which I had not heard since our evenings playing music together in my cottage. With one child, I believe Astrid and I will just about manage. But with two, quite simply, we will not.’

My pulse had begun to quicken. ‘What are you asking, Horst?’

‘The little girl. Would you take the little girl?’

I sank back into the chair in shock. What was I supposed to say to such an enormous request? ‘I... Horst...’

He continued his plea. ‘I know it is more than any one man should ever ask of another. But in truth, I do not know what else to do, Bo. Martha is ill, and her daughter will not receive the love and care she deserves as long as her twin brother exists.’ Horst’s breath suddenly quickened, and he letout a sob. ‘There is no doubt in my mind that she will give the girl up for adoption. Astrid and I would gladly try to make up the shortfall, but we are aged and frail.’

We sat in an uncomfortable silence for a minute or so. ‘I don’t know what to say,’ I eventually managed.

‘No need to say anything now, Bo. Please take as much time as you require to give my proposal due consideration. I ask you because I know what a good man you are. Moreover, you are the only connection I have left to Pip and Karine. I know just how much they admired you, and how proud they would be if you would care for their grandchild.’ Horst sobbed again.

‘Those are very kind words, Horst.’ It was devastating to hear him so distressed.

‘For what it’s worth, we always regretted not giving Pip a sibling. I have no doubt it would make little Maia’s life even better if she had a little sister to play with.’

‘I will... certainly give it plenty of thought.’

‘Martha is due any day now. I will tell Astrid about everything once the children are born, and she will move into the cottage with us so that we may keep an eye on her.’ Horst gathered himself. ‘If... Astrid did not have to know about her granddaughter, that would be best. You know how kind she is. No doubt she would try to take on both, and I fear the consequences of that for all involved.’

I put the receiver down, poured myself a glass of Provençal rosé, and went to sit on the grass by the water’s edge. It was hard to take in the gravity of the request Horst had just made of me. My mind was flooded by images of Pip, Karine, Elle and me in Bergen, and the happiness which we experienced there. I remembered the way Elle had looked at little Felix, a yearning in her eyes to mirror the family unit which her best friend had built.

I had once sworn that I would do anything to repay the kindness of the Halvorsen family.

I looked up to the heavens. ‘Guide me, Pip. Tell me, Karine. Is this what you want?’

‘Pa, pa, pa, pa, pa!’ came a high-pitched squeal from behind me.

I looked over my shoulder to see Maia toddling towards me at speed, followed closely by a smiling Marina.

‘Hello, my darling daughter!’ I picked her up and held her in my arms. ‘Have you had a good day?’

‘Yes!’ replied Maia enthusiastically.

‘I can’t quite believe it, but she managed to read the first few lines ofMadelineto me,’ said Ma, putting a hand on my shoulder.

‘Goodness gracious me. Perhaps we have a little scholar on our hands, Marina!’

‘Indeed, we might.’

I looked down at my daughter, who sat clapping in my lap. ‘Maia?’