praising me because they were so—’
Erica cut her off mid-flow. ‘The kids haven’t been there for weeks, so I don’t think the day-care centre is the culprit.’
‘If you say so,’ replied Kristina, looking hurt. ‘But at least you know my opinion. After all, who is it you call whenever the children are sick and the two of you have to work? I’m the one who always has to step in.’ She tossed her head, picked up the laundry basket, and left the room.
Erica slowly counted to ten. There was no denying that Kristina often helped out, but they certainly paid a high price for it.
Josef’s parents were both over forty when his mother received the highly unexpected news that she was pregnant. Having long since accepted the fact that they’d never have any children, they had arranged their lives accordingly, devoting all their time to the small tailor’s shop in Fjällbacka. Josef’s arrival changed everything. Although they felt great joy at the prospect of a son and heir, they also felt a great weight because of the responsibility of passing on their heritage, through him.
Josef lovingly studied the photograph of them, which he kept in a solid silver frame on his desk. Behind that photo stood framed pictures of Rebecka and the children. He’d always been the centre of his parents’ lives, and they would always be at the centre of his. That was something his family had to accept.
‘Dinner will be ready soon,’ said Rebecka as she cautiously entered his study.
‘I’m not hungry. You go ahead and eat,’ he said without glancing up. He had much more important things to do than eat.
‘Can’t you join us? Now that the children are home to visit?’
Josef looked at her in surprise. She usually never insisted on anything. Annoyance surged within him, but then he took a deep breath. She was right. These days the children seldom came home.
‘Okay, I’ll be right with you,’ he said with a sigh, closing his notebook. It was filled with ideas about how to shape the project, and he always carried it with him in case inspiration struck.
‘Thank you,’ said Rebecka. Then she turned on her heel and left.
Josef followed. In the dining room the table had already been set, and he noticed that she had used the good china. She had a slight tendency to be ostentatious, and it seemed to him absurd to go to such lengths just for the children, but he made no comment.
‘Hi, Pappa,’ said Judith, kissing his cheek.
Daniel stood up and came over to give his father a hug. For a moment Josef’s heart filled with pride, and he wished that his own father could have seen his grandchildren grow up.
‘Let’s sit down before the food gets cold,’ he said, taking his seat at the head of the table.
Rebecka had made Judith’s favourite dish: roast chicken with mashed potatoes. Josef suddenly realized how hungry he was, and it occurred to him that he’d forgotten to have lunch. After murmuring grace, Rebecka served the food, and they began eating in silence. After assuaging the worst of his hunger, Josef put down his knife and fork.
‘How’s it going with your studies?’
Daniel nodded. ‘I got top marks on all the exams during the summer course. Now it’s a matter of landing a good trainee position in the autumn.’
‘And I love my summer job,’ Judith interjected. Her eyes were bright with enthusiasm. ‘You should see how brave the kids are, Mamma. They have to endure all those difficult operations and radiation treatments and everything else imaginable, but they never complain and they never give up. They’re incredible.’
Josef took a deep breath. The success of his children did nothing to quell the uneasiness that was his constant companion. He knew that there was always a little more they could give, that they could reach a little higher. They had so much to live up to, so much to avenge, and it was his duty to ensure that they did all they could.
‘What about your research? Do you still have
Erica cut her off mid-flow. ‘The kids haven’t been there for weeks, so I don’t think the day-care centre is the culprit.’
‘If you say so,’ replied Kristina, looking hurt. ‘But at least you know my opinion. After all, who is it you call whenever the children are sick and the two of you have to work? I’m the one who always has to step in.’ She tossed her head, picked up the laundry basket, and left the room.
Erica slowly counted to ten. There was no denying that Kristina often helped out, but they certainly paid a high price for it.
Josef’s parents were both over forty when his mother received the highly unexpected news that she was pregnant. Having long since accepted the fact that they’d never have any children, they had arranged their lives accordingly, devoting all their time to the small tailor’s shop in Fjällbacka. Josef’s arrival changed everything. Although they felt great joy at the prospect of a son and heir, they also felt a great weight because of the responsibility of passing on their heritage, through him.
Josef lovingly studied the photograph of them, which he kept in a solid silver frame on his desk. Behind that photo stood framed pictures of Rebecka and the children. He’d always been the centre of his parents’ lives, and they would always be at the centre of his. That was something his family had to accept.
‘Dinner will be ready soon,’ said Rebecka as she cautiously entered his study.
‘I’m not hungry. You go ahead and eat,’ he said without glancing up. He had much more important things to do than eat.
‘Can’t you join us? Now that the children are home to visit?’
Josef looked at her in surprise. She usually never insisted on anything. Annoyance surged within him, but then he took a deep breath. She was right. These days the children seldom came home.
‘Okay, I’ll be right with you,’ he said with a sigh, closing his notebook. It was filled with ideas about how to shape the project, and he always carried it with him in case inspiration struck.
‘Thank you,’ said Rebecka. Then she turned on her heel and left.
Josef followed. In the dining room the table had already been set, and he noticed that she had used the good china. She had a slight tendency to be ostentatious, and it seemed to him absurd to go to such lengths just for the children, but he made no comment.
‘Hi, Pappa,’ said Judith, kissing his cheek.
Daniel stood up and came over to give his father a hug. For a moment Josef’s heart filled with pride, and he wished that his own father could have seen his grandchildren grow up.
‘Let’s sit down before the food gets cold,’ he said, taking his seat at the head of the table.
Rebecka had made Judith’s favourite dish: roast chicken with mashed potatoes. Josef suddenly realized how hungry he was, and it occurred to him that he’d forgotten to have lunch. After murmuring grace, Rebecka served the food, and they began eating in silence. After assuaging the worst of his hunger, Josef put down his knife and fork.
‘How’s it going with your studies?’
Daniel nodded. ‘I got top marks on all the exams during the summer course. Now it’s a matter of landing a good trainee position in the autumn.’
‘And I love my summer job,’ Judith interjected. Her eyes were bright with enthusiasm. ‘You should see how brave the kids are, Mamma. They have to endure all those difficult operations and radiation treatments and everything else imaginable, but they never complain and they never give up. They’re incredible.’
Josef took a deep breath. The success of his children did nothing to quell the uneasiness that was his constant companion. He knew that there was always a little more they could give, that they could reach a little higher. They had so much to live up to, so much to avenge, and it was his duty to ensure that they did all they could.
‘What about your research? Do you still have
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