Page 9 of Meet Me Under the Northern Lights
GUNNAR’S HOME, THE OUTSKIRTS OF REYKJAVIK
‘Take care,’ Gunnar said. ‘Swing out your other leg first.’
He couldn’t believe this. Almost half past six in the evening and they were just getting home from the hospital with Hildur sporting a boot brace.
Thankfully her damaged ankle was only a buckle break, but it still meant reduced mobility for weeks and, because of her age, it might take longer to heal.
‘It makes you look like a hockey goalkeeper,’ Magnús commented. He was already out of the vehicle, carrying his school bag, his sports kit and the oversized woollen handbag Hildur always seemed to have to have with her constantly.
‘Do you think?’ Hildur said, wiggling the injured leg.
‘Stop moving it unnecessarily, Hildur!’ Gunnar exclaimed. ‘How is it meant to heal if you do not help? Take my arm.’
‘Stop this fussing. I was able to walk from the hospital bed to the car. Why do you not think I can walk to our own front door?’ Hildur grabbed the side of the car, looking ready to haul herself out.
‘Because, only a few hours ago, you came out of our front door and fell down the steps,’ Gunnar reminded her.
‘Because of the ice. Not because I am old and incapable.’
‘And the ice is still here so, until it warms up, I will be helping you to and from the house.’
‘Gunnar, I?—’
‘And there will be no discussion about it,’ he interrupted boldly.
‘It sounds the same as my homework,’ Magnús said, sighing.
It took more grumbling and resistance to get Hildur from the car and inside but, finally, she was resting in her favourite chair with the footrest up and her bad leg elevated as they had been instructed at the hospital.
‘I will make you a coffee,’ Magnús announced, bounding from Hildur’s side to the kitchen worktop.
‘I will make the coffee,’ Gunnar said. ‘You, Magnús, will do your homework.’
‘Right now?’ the boy moaned. ‘I wanted to practice hockey.’
‘Magnús, there is no light and do you not see how the conditions can easily hurt people if we do not take care?’
‘Gunnar,’ Hildur said, tutting. ‘Do not mollycoddle the boy on my account. What is life if we are all wrapped up in padded protection suits unable to do the things we want to do?’
‘I agree with Hildur,’ Magnús said, nodding, his blond hair flopping over his forehead.
‘No one is going outside in the dark right now!’
He hadn’t meant to raise his voice quite to that level, but no one seemed to be listening to him.
And it seemed they both wanted to take part in pursuits that were set to cause them injury or add to his already full life schedule or both.
He went to say something else, but was interrupted by the ringing of his mobile phone.
He took it from his pocket and answered.
‘ Halló .’
‘Gunnar, it is Erik.’
His boss. This was not good news. Immediately he was on edge and then, just as quickly also distracted by Magnús getting cups down to make coffee.
‘Is everything OK?’ he asked Erik.
‘I need you to work tonight,’ came the reply.
‘What?’
‘I know it is short notice. But Bjorn’s wife has gone into labour.’
Gunnar sighed. ‘Is there no one else?’
‘Is there no one else, what? To be with Bjorn’s wife while she has their baby?’
‘No!’ Gunnar said, immediately. ‘Not that. I meant no one else that you can ask to do… whatever it is you are asking me to do.’ He didn’t even know what it was yet. The evening trip to the Blue Lagoon? No, that would have departed already.
‘Gunnar, everyone else is out on trips. If you had stayed with the south coast tour, you would have been out too, but you are not. And that is why I am asking you.’
It was a fair point. He watched Magnús drop a mug onto the countertop and the boy looked to him then held the mug aloft to prove it was unharmed.
‘I need you to crew the Northern Lights boat tour.’
‘What? Tonight?’ Gunnar looked at his watch. The tour set off at 9p.m. from the harbour and it was now creeping closer to seven. He had to make food for the family and he had really wanted to go through Magnús’s maths with him…
‘Yes, tonight! I said this already! And, Gunnar, this is not a request. If I do not have the required number of crew then the boat cannot go out for safety reasons. And I have a full boat because the night is clear and for the next three or four nights it is expected to be cloudy and you know what that means.’
Gunnar did know what that meant. If the visibility was poor there was little to no chance of seeing the Northern Lights and the boat trips were cancelled.
‘Erik, Hildur has broken her ankle.’
‘What?’
‘No, Gunnar! You do not use me as an excuse for anything! Give that phone to me!’ Hildur shouted, wriggling around in her chair and looking like she was about to leap from it.
‘Stay where you are!’ Gunnar shouted.
‘Are you shouting at me?’ Erik asked from the phone.
Hildur was one shimmy away from getting out of her chair and Gunnar raced across the room to stop her. ‘I said stay there!’
‘Gunnar! I will remind you that I am your superior and?—’
‘Erik, I am not talking to you, OK?’
There was a crash from the kitchen. He didn’t need to look to know Magnús had dropped and broken the mug.
‘Gunnar, I need you at the harbour by eight and, I do not want to do this, but if you are not there on time, I will have to give you an official warning.’
He swallowed, a little shocked. But there wasn’t time to dwell, he had to respond.
‘I will be there,’ Gunnar said, his hand on Hildur’s arm, gently holding her in place in the chair.
He needed every job he could get. What other choice did he have?