Read Online The Gallows Bird by Camilla Läckberg - Free Book Online
Authors: Camilla Läckberg
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joking.
‘Okay, okay,’ said Anna. ‘I won’t say another word. No, there’s one more thing – did you arrange for the music yet?’
‘No, no, and no again is probably the answer to all your questions, unfortunately,’ Erica sighed. ‘I haven’t . . . got around to it.’
Anna turned serious at once. ‘You haven’t got around to it because you’ve been taking care of three kids. Forgive me, Erica, it can’t have been that easy for you these past months. I wish I –’ she broke off and Erica saw tears welling up in her sister’s eyes.
‘Hush now, it’s okay. Adrian and Emma have been angels, and they’re at kindergarten all day, so it hasn’t been all that much of a burden. But they’ve missed their mamma.’
Anna gave her a sad smile. Dan was playing with Maja and trying to stay out of the conversation. This was between Erica and Anna.
‘Oh my God, kindergarten!’ Erica jumped out of her chair and looked at the big clock on the wall. ‘I’m super late. I’ve got to collect them. Ewa will be beside herself if I don’t hurry.’
‘I’ll go fetch them today,’ said Anna, getting up. ‘Give me the car keys.’
‘Are you sure?
‘Yes, I’m sure. You’ve been collecting them every single day, so today it’s my turn.’
‘They’ll be overjoyed,’ said Erica, sitting back down at the table.
‘Yes, they will,’ said Anna with a smile, taking the car keys from the worktop. In the hall she turned round.
‘Dan . . . thank you. I needed this. It was great to have a chance to talk it out.’
‘Hey, no problem. I enjoyed it. We could take a walk tomorrow too if the weather holds. I’m working till quarter to three, so what do you say to an hour’s walk before you have to fetch the kids?’
‘Sounds great. But now I have to hurry, or Ewa will be furious, or whatever it was you said.’ One last smile and she vanished out of the front door.
Erica turned to Dan. ‘What the hell did you do on that walk, anyway? Smoke hash together?’
Dan laughed. ‘No, nothing like that. Anna just needed someone to talk to, and it was as if a cork popped out of her somehow. When she finally started to talk, she was impossible to stop.’
‘I’ve been trying to talk to her for months,’ Erica said. She couldn’t help feeling a bit hurt.
‘You know how it is with you two, Erica,’ said Dan calmly. ‘You have a lot of old baggage between you. Maybe it’s not so easy for Anna to talk to you. You’re too close to each other, in both good and bad ways. But when we were out walking she told me she’s incredibly grateful that you and Patrik were so willing to help, and above all that you’ve been so fantastic with the kids.’
‘She said that?’ Erica could hear how starved for appreciation she sounded. She was so used to taking care of Anna, and she did it gladly, but no matter how selfish it might sound, she wanted Anna to acknowledge the help received.
‘That’s what she said,’ Dan said, putting his hand on hers. It felt familiar and nice.
‘But all that about the wedding sounded a bit worrisome,’ Dan went on. ‘Do you think you can manage to take care of everything in six weeks? Just say the word if you want my help.’ He made funny faces at Maja, who whooped with laughter.
‘What would you do to help?’ Erica snorted, pouring more coffee. ‘Pick out a bridal gown for me, or what?’
Dan laughed. ‘Oh yeah, that would be a big success. No, but I could provide some beds at my house for your guests, for instance. If you need it. I have plenty of room.’ He turned serious, and Erica knew exactly what was preying on his mind.
‘You know, it’ll all work out. It’ll get better.’
‘You think so?’ he said morosely, taking a sip of coffee. ‘God only knows. I miss them so damn much. Sometimes it feels like I’m going to fall to pieces.’
‘Is it the kids, or Pernilla and the kids, that you miss?’
‘I don’t know. Both, I suppose, although I’ve accepted
‘Okay, okay,’ said Anna. ‘I won’t say another word. No, there’s one more thing – did you arrange for the music yet?’
‘No, no, and no again is probably the answer to all your questions, unfortunately,’ Erica sighed. ‘I haven’t . . . got around to it.’
Anna turned serious at once. ‘You haven’t got around to it because you’ve been taking care of three kids. Forgive me, Erica, it can’t have been that easy for you these past months. I wish I –’ she broke off and Erica saw tears welling up in her sister’s eyes.
‘Hush now, it’s okay. Adrian and Emma have been angels, and they’re at kindergarten all day, so it hasn’t been all that much of a burden. But they’ve missed their mamma.’
Anna gave her a sad smile. Dan was playing with Maja and trying to stay out of the conversation. This was between Erica and Anna.
‘Oh my God, kindergarten!’ Erica jumped out of her chair and looked at the big clock on the wall. ‘I’m super late. I’ve got to collect them. Ewa will be beside herself if I don’t hurry.’
‘I’ll go fetch them today,’ said Anna, getting up. ‘Give me the car keys.’
‘Are you sure?
‘Yes, I’m sure. You’ve been collecting them every single day, so today it’s my turn.’
‘They’ll be overjoyed,’ said Erica, sitting back down at the table.
‘Yes, they will,’ said Anna with a smile, taking the car keys from the worktop. In the hall she turned round.
‘Dan . . . thank you. I needed this. It was great to have a chance to talk it out.’
‘Hey, no problem. I enjoyed it. We could take a walk tomorrow too if the weather holds. I’m working till quarter to three, so what do you say to an hour’s walk before you have to fetch the kids?’
‘Sounds great. But now I have to hurry, or Ewa will be furious, or whatever it was you said.’ One last smile and she vanished out of the front door.
Erica turned to Dan. ‘What the hell did you do on that walk, anyway? Smoke hash together?’
Dan laughed. ‘No, nothing like that. Anna just needed someone to talk to, and it was as if a cork popped out of her somehow. When she finally started to talk, she was impossible to stop.’
‘I’ve been trying to talk to her for months,’ Erica said. She couldn’t help feeling a bit hurt.
‘You know how it is with you two, Erica,’ said Dan calmly. ‘You have a lot of old baggage between you. Maybe it’s not so easy for Anna to talk to you. You’re too close to each other, in both good and bad ways. But when we were out walking she told me she’s incredibly grateful that you and Patrik were so willing to help, and above all that you’ve been so fantastic with the kids.’
‘She said that?’ Erica could hear how starved for appreciation she sounded. She was so used to taking care of Anna, and she did it gladly, but no matter how selfish it might sound, she wanted Anna to acknowledge the help received.
‘That’s what she said,’ Dan said, putting his hand on hers. It felt familiar and nice.
‘But all that about the wedding sounded a bit worrisome,’ Dan went on. ‘Do you think you can manage to take care of everything in six weeks? Just say the word if you want my help.’ He made funny faces at Maja, who whooped with laughter.
‘What would you do to help?’ Erica snorted, pouring more coffee. ‘Pick out a bridal gown for me, or what?’
Dan laughed. ‘Oh yeah, that would be a big success. No, but I could provide some beds at my house for your guests, for instance. If you need it. I have plenty of room.’ He turned serious, and Erica knew exactly what was preying on his mind.
‘You know, it’ll all work out. It’ll get better.’
‘You think so?’ he said morosely, taking a sip of coffee. ‘God only knows. I miss them so damn much. Sometimes it feels like I’m going to fall to pieces.’
‘Is it the kids, or Pernilla and the kids, that you miss?’
‘I don’t know. Both, I suppose, although I’ve accepted
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