The nightmare
had been a bad one. Christina couldn't remember it, but a lingering
feeling of fear enveloped her. When she forced herself awake she
found herself halfway atop Ulf.
A familiar
sensation stirred in her. I've got to stop this, or we'll end up
in bed for real. She rolled off him and sat up in the darkness.
By her side Ulf was a sleeping shadow, and she could make out the
outlines of Yukio's and Ryu's futons closer to the windows. You
guys are the best. Not a word of complaint, and hardly any leering at
all. She sighed. You're teenagers! I couldn't possibly be
angry with you two if you tried to undress me with your eyes.
So dark. Too
early to rise. She curled up in a ball and nestled close to Ulf. This
time she left some of the covers between them.
When she awoke
for real the morning sun glared into the room, and she heard Yukio
and Ulf murmuring a silent conversation from the chairs by the
windows. They had drawn the curtain to the room to disturb her and
Ryu as little as possible.
She got up and
put on her yukata. It was the second night in a row she hadn't gone
back to her own room, and she didn't care any more. This was their
last morning here, and after breakfast they would all start the long
journey home. First by taxi to the station, then a local train to
Nagoya and this time they planned to jump on a Shinkansen despite the
cost.
Another three
days, and then summer break would come to an end.
When she slid
the door open she saw Ulf wave at her. She waved back, got into her
slippers and left the room. She bumped into a back.
“Who?
Grandpa?”
“Tina? This
isn't your room.”
Damn! Is he
going to be angry? Fifty, it didn't matter that she was fifty.
This was her grandfather, and for him she was only a small child.
Would probably always remain one.
“I just
popped in to wake them up,” she lied.
He looked at
her with a frown in her face. Disappointment replaced the frown and
all of a sudden she received a stinging slap that brought tears to
her face.
“I already
approved of him,” he said. “If you sleep with him or not is your
business, but don't lie to me.”
Christina
wiped away the tears and looked down. Now she remembered how he had
always hated lies, hated them with a passion. She felt ashamed and
elated at the same time. Ulf had passed. As far as her grandfather
was concerned Ulf was good.
“I'm sorry.
I love him so much and I was afraid.”
“That I
wouldn't approve?” She could hear a silent laughter bubble in his
voice. “Tina, you moron. You're fifty. It's your life,” and his
voice turned serious again, “but your lies hurt me. Especially if
you feel you must lie to me.”
“I'm sorry.”
No one else can make me feel this small. “I won't, again.”
“Good. Now
go get changed and help me prepare breakfast.”
She looked up
and on a sudden impulse she hugged him. “Grandpa!” He was from
another world in more than one sense. One where loving your children
meant giving them a good slap when you felt it was deserved. She
would never accept that, but he was still her grandfather.
“Yeah.”
She ran off to her room. Memories from a life long gone rose in her.
From when she had been a child messing around in a kitchen together
with her grandfather. She had loved those times.
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