Chapter Fifteen: Stockholm:

We leave Portugal and go to Sweden. We are going into day two of winter break. That’s right, we are going to move forward a little bit. Oh, look. It’s Ingrid. Let’s see what she is doing at home.

Ingrid stood out on the porch with a cup of tea in her hand. She arrived back in Sweden yesterday. Her family was happy to see her. They kept asking her how life was in Japan. If she had a lover yet. When she was coming home. On top of that, they tried to feed her so much food. Now, she just wanted to rest.

Ingrid glanced behind her when she heard the door open. A little girl stood in a doorway in a bright pink robe.

“Oh,” Ingrid said. “You’re up early.” The child didn’t speak. She didn’t move either. Ingrid held out her hand.

“Come on if you are going to be out here,” she said. “Otherwise, close the door. You’re letting out the heat.” The little girl closed the door behind her and walked up to Ingrid’s side. The older cousin patted her on the head.

“Are we going to the Christmas market today?” the little girl asked. Ingrid smiled.

“We will have to see,” she said. She took another sip of her tea. There was snow outside. Really thick too.

“Heh,” Ingrid said. The little girl looked up at her.

“What?” she asked. The older girl shook her head.

“Oh, nothing,” she said. A little smile came across her face. Today should be much calmer now. She was home and settled now. Come to think of it…

“Hey,” Ingrid said. The little girl looked up at her.

“Uh-huh?” she asked. The older girl knelt down to her eye level.

 “Would you like for me to ask if we can go to the Christmas Market today?” she asked. Her cousin’s eyes widened.

“Yay!” she said. Ingrid broke into a huge smile. She stood up and took another drink of tea. The girl looked down into the cup. Should she get another one? Suddenly, the door opened behind them. Ingrid and the little girl turned around. A man in his fifties with a dark brown beard poked his head outside.

“Oh there you both are,” he said.

“Uncle Lars!” Ingrid said.

“Come inside,” he said. “Breakfast is ready.”

“Okay,” the little girl said. She quickly ran into the house. Uncle Lars turned back to the other girl.

“Are you coming in?” he asked.

“Just give me a minute, okay?” Ingrid said. She held up her mug as she spoke.

“You sure?” he asked. Ingrid nodded. Her uncle shrugged.

“Okay,” he said. Lars slipped back into the house. Ingrid waved at him. She looked down at the mug. There was still a little bit of tea left. You know what? She decided that she would get more tea later. Ingrid finished her drink and walked into the house.