Chapter 14

That night I woke up many times. It had been many years since I'd slept next to someone, and even though I had missed it bitterly my body wasn't used to it any more. I didn't mind waking up, every time I did I kissed his neck, sighed happily and drifted back to sleep.

            My phone woke me up at 9.30. I'd tucked it under my pillow, knowing my sister was going to call in the morning.

"Hey, hang on a minute," I said in hushed tones into the phone as I tried to free myself from James grasp and scramble out of the bed. James stirred and half-opened his eyes. "Go back to sleep," I whispered at him and planted a quick kiss on his warm, sleepy lips before I hurried out of the room. "Hi, hello, sorry," I said when I'd closed the bedroom door behind me. Just having left the warmth of the bed and James' body I felt cold, and curled up in the recliner with the fleece blanket.

"Why are you whispering?" She asked.

"Long story. Happy new years! Did the kids enjoy the fireworks?"

"Happy new years! Yeah they did, they quickly forgot how tired they were when the rockets started going off."

"That's good. Listen, I need to talk to you. A mate of mine showed up last night. From England."

"Last night? When? Hang on, did you say from England?"

"Yeah, he came here from London. Remember that piano book and Tom Waits records I got for Christmas? They were from him."

"But.." Elin began, trying to decide which question to ask first in order to make sense of the situation. "Did you know he was coming?"

"Um, no.." I said, unable to hold back a smile when I thought of last night. "He wanted to surprise me, so he showed up here at midnight. We... missed each other."

"He must be more than just a friend to you, then?"

"Yeah.. Well he is now, anyway. We've been thinking about each other for months, at least I have, we've just been... Daft."

"So he came all the way from London to see you? Aw, that's so... Why didn't romantic things like that ever happen to me?" She sighed. "I got together with my husband while on the piss in a wedding." I could hear the kids being noisy in the background.

"Are you all going to be incredibly offended and shun me from the family if I go back to London with him today?"

"Today? Can you even get a flight out today?"

"Yeah, we can..." I said vaguely, not wanting to admit that I'd already booked it.

"Of course we won't be mad," she said in an understanding tone, and I felt myself breathe a sigh of relief. "You've spent over a week with us already, I know it's driving you up the wall living on top of us like this, I'm surprised you've lasted this long. I totally get that it's much more tempting to spend time alone with him, come on, I remember what it was like just getting a boyfriend."

"Exactly..! This just.. happened so suddenly and it's new to me, we just need some time. Think you could tell the others about this? Please don't make me stand in front of all of them and tell them."

"Oh man, you owe me a big favour if I do this for you," she warned. Just as I was about to answer she started talking again."Yeah, I'll tell them. When are you leaving? Are you dropping by before you go? I want to meet him! Oh, what's his name?" Suddenly I realised that James was famous and on the telly, not just in England but in Norway as well. I'd watched Top Gear with my brother many times, and would definitely know who he was, I hadn't even considered that. I realised I needed to do some more explaining.

"Flight leaves at 3, thought we'd leave here by noon, he has to return a rental car and I don't know how the traffic will be in to the airport, lots of people are travelling today. But yeah, I thought we'd stop by quickly, say hi."

"And his name?"

"James. James May. Eric might know who he is, actually..."

"He would? How?" She sounded nonplussed.

"He's been on the telly a bit... On this car show we've watched. You know the three blokes?"

"So he's famous?" It sounded so ridiculous, because "fame" automatically conjured up associations of paparazzi, huge estates, a jet-set life with high glam-factor, and that just wasn't James.

"I guess... A bit. He's so down to earth, though, I never think about it really." To my surprise she broke out laughing.

"This might be the weirdest conversation I've ever had with you," she chuckled. "I may have seen that show, not sure. I'll try to remember his name, check with Eric if it rings a bell. Come over before you leave, all right? I have to meet him now!"

"Okay, we will. And tell the others, yeah? Is dad staying there until lunch?"

"Nah, he said he was going to nip home for a while, change clothes and stuff, he's leaving soon."

"Tell him before he comes here, please?"

"Bloody hell, you're demanding this morning!" She huffed, but I could hear she was just teasing me. "Yeah yeah, I'll tell daddy your boyfriend came over and spent the night. In his house!"

"Thanks awfully," I sighed, but had to smile. We said goodbye and hung up. I padded back to the bedroom and opened the door quietly. James was asleep again, and I decided to let him. Trying not to be noisy I rummaged through my open suitcase for some clean clothes and went for a shower. Just as I had gotten out of the shower I heard the front door open and heavy footsteps stamping in, that had to be dad coming home. I froze with terror when I also heard James' voice in the hallway, calling my name. Panicking I wrapped a huge towel around me and hurriedly unlocked the door. James was in the bedroom doorway, wearing only a T-shirt and boxers. Dad was by the front door, looking dishevelled in a rumpled suit that he'd worn the previous night, his tie poking out of his pocket. He was staring at the strange man coming out of his daughter's bedroom. This doesn't happen to real people, this only happens in films, doesn't it? The silence was awkward and enormous, expanding with every passing nanosecond. I could tell James wanted to dive back into the bedroom and shut the door, but he couldn't now, not when he'd so clearly been seen.

"Hi dad!" I said, way too loudly, desperately trying to sound normal. "This is James." I had to speak Norwegian, knowing my dad felt like he couldn't speak a word of English, even though he could if he just dared to. "James.. meet my dad." I said and gave him a sympathetic shrug. Amazingly, dad shook James' hand and even attempted an English "hello", which James returned.

"Dad, go.. do something," I told him. He looked relieved at being dismissed from the situation and headed for the living room. "I'll put some clothes on, be there in a second," I told James and he retreated into my bedroom. Hastily I got into my cotton tights and a long knit sweater in the bathroom. James was back under the covers when I came in, tapping away at his phone.

"Well, that was the most embarrassing moment in my adult life," James said matter-of-factly.

"Why didn't you stay in the bedroom?!" I asked, unable to hide a giggle. I laid down on top of James, on top of the duvet.

"I heard someone in the house, I'd just woken up - I thought it was you!" He cringed as he thought of what had just happened.

"I'm sorry, I knew he was coming home soon but I thought I'd manage a quick shower before he did. I let you sleep, thought you needed it."

"I can't believe I just shook hands with your dad in just my pants..." he moaned, hiding his face in his hands.

"You did have a t-shirt on," I said in an effort to comfort him. He removed his hands and looked at me, half offended, obviously thinking that wasn't much consolation. I tried to give him a sympathetic look of understanding. Then I broke out laughing, and so did he, and we collapsed in a laughing fit.

"He didn't seem very upset to find a half-naked strange man in his house with his daughter," James mused. "Is he used to that?"

"What are you insinuating, sir!" I gasped, pretending to be shocked and jabbed his chest with a sharp finger, then I laughed. "Nah, he knew someone would be here with me. I talked to Elin earlier, told her everything, and asked if she could tell him."

"What did she say?"

"She wants to meet you, she's dying of curiosity. They all are, I bet you anything that's why dad came home so quickly, too."
"Oh, great." He rolled his eyes.

"How much are you regretting coming here right now?"

"Not one bit," he said seriously, and pulled me in for a long kiss. "But it'll be nice to just be the two of us."

"Bathroom is free, if you want a shower or something. I have to start packing." We shared a final kiss before we got out of bed and James disappeared into the bathroom. My dad was in the kitchen, he'd busied himself by lighting a fire in the oven again, as it was still bitterly cold outside. And he'd made coffee. I poured myself a cup and sat down by the kitchen table.

"I'll be out of your hair in a minute, I'm just having this and then I'll get changed and go back to your brother," he mumble and raised his own coffee cup. He seemed as flustered as James had been.

"It's all right dad, you don't have to hurry out of here because of us."

"I promised Elin I'd help with lunch," he said ominously.

"You better hurry, then," I smirked. "I'm sorry that I'm suddenly leaving, but..."

"Oh, don't worry about it," he waved, put his coffee cup in the sink and ruffled my wet hair fatherly. And just like that, everything was ok. He didn't seem disappointed, or angry, just seemed mildly amused, and understanding. He shuffled out of the kitchen an into his own bedroom, and emerged a few minutes later, having changed. "I better get back. I'll see you and your.. um, James was it? before you leave, yeah?"

"Yeah, we'll drop by on our way to the airport."

After dad had left I started packing up my things. My suitcase was huge, as I'd have to pack winter clothing as well as nice clothes for parties, and I hadn't known how long I'd be in Norway. When James had finished his shower we had a late breakfast in the kitchen and by that time it was already half past eleven and we had to get going. We packed everything in the little rental Polo, and I offered to drive as I knew where we were going.

"Are you ready for this?" I asked with a raised eyebrow as I parked the car in front of my brothers' garage door.

"Yes. No. Yes. I mean, I don't understand Norwegian so I won't know what they say about me. And not everyone understands English so there's a limit to how many people I can offend."

"Just know that my sister has a degree in English."

"You are not being helpful." He looked at me unhappily. I leaned over and gave him a reassuring kiss.

"It'll be fine. We'll be in and out in fifteen minutes. Promise." I didn't bother to knock, he was my brother after all and I knew I was expected. Eric's house was fairly new, and had a big kitchen, living room and dining room all in one space. Dad, Elin and Marianne was busy in the kitchen. Ken, the brother in law, was miraculously sleeping on the couch, undisturbed by the racket. My oldest niece Amalie and nephew Nikolai, both seven, were watching cartoons on the telly. On the floor was my four year old niece Jenny and baby nephew Max, being entertained by my brother. Everyone turned their attention to us as we entered. All the adults greeted James politely, shaking hands. I giggled at my somewhat star-struck brother, who didn't know how to act at all. He was just as shy about his English as our dad, and I could tell he had tonnes of things he would have wanted to tell James. I took pity on him and reminded James that this was my brother that I'd told him about, who restored old cars. As I told James of the cars he had in the garage I could tell that Eric perked up a little, swelling with pride. My sister peered interestedly at James, hiding her curiosity badly. Deciding it was about time we left I picked up my baby nephew Max and called the other kids over. 

"Come over here, I have to tell you guys something. Listen, I don't know if anyone has told you but auntie is leaving today." They looked quizzically at me, looking disappointed.

"Where?" Jenny asked defiantly, already sulking.

"I'm going back to London, where I go to school now. I'll be back before you know it." The two older children shrugged, seemingly happy with the reason I had given and I received quick farewell hugs. They didn't have time for their aunt, cartoons were so much more interesting. Jenny was still staring up at me with big, sad eyes. Max had one hand tangled in my hair, staring down at his older cousin confusedly, wondering why she was sad. "Sweetheart, I'm sorry," I apologised and squatted down, placing Max on my knee. "It's no fun having to leave you guys. But we'll talk on the computer like we have before, right? With video and everything." Somewhat comforted by this, Jenny shifted her focus to James who was standing behind me, silently watching the situation.

"Is he going with you?" She asked innocently.

"Yes, he is. That's James, he lives in London too," I smiled and looked at him. James, noticing how I'd mentioned his name and how Jenny was peering curiously at him, he squatted down next to me and smiled at her. Jenny retreated towards me, putting her arms around my neck and hid her face against my shirt for a second. Torn between shyness and curiosity she peered at him with one eye, still clinging on to me. "James is really nice, you know," I told her confidentially. "And he's funny. And he has really silly hair." At this she giggled and straightened up to look some more at him, loosening her grip on me somewhat. Then she leaned into me conspiratorially and hissed in my ear in a very carrying whisper that everyone heard. "Auntie, is he... your boyfriend?" She looked at me secretively, eyes glittering. To her, the concept of having a boyfriend was equally embarrassing and exciting.

"Yes, he is, but don't tell anyone! It'll be our secret, okay?" I said in her ear in the same carrying whisper. I had trouble keeping a straight face when she looked at me and tried to wink with one eye but failed and just blinked hard with both eyes. She was convinced that no one but her had heard our little secret, and everyone tried to hide their smirks and laughs. She straightened up a bit, looking grave, taking upon herself the task of keeping my secret very seriously. "I have to go now, sweetie, okay?"

"Okay auntie," she said and collapsed into me for a hug. To my surprise she even tottered over to James and gave him a quick, embarrassed hug before retreating to her mother. I gave baby Max another kiss and a hug, and did the rounds, saying goodbye to everyone. A few minutes later we were back in the car, buckling in.

"That wasn't so bad?" I said encouragingly. "A bit of stupid gawking but other than that?"

"No, it wasn't completely horrible," he conceded. "But what was it little Jenny whispered to you?" He asked, looking as curious as she had.

"She asked if you were my boyfriend." I said as I swung out onto the road and we started the 90 minute drive to the airport. I was so ready to go back, to get out of this intense cold and back to London. Back home. "And I said yes, but that it had to be our secret. Oh, and I told her you have silly hair." James laughed and put his hand on my knee. We drove most of the way in comfortable silence, just listening to the radio. His hand remained on my knee and I held it every now and then.