I laugh at her silliness and give her a quick peck on her cheek. “Don’t you worry, I bet they aren’t too worried about an American tourist who speaks loudly.”
“That’s right, these animals are used to louder noises like screaming children visiting,” Terhi comments. “But now, my personal favorite part of the tour—would you like to pet a reindeer?”
Playfully, I cover my ears as I expect Vivian’s reaction to be over the top. And I’m not disappointed. She lets out a loud, happy giggle and dances on the spot.
“Yes, yes, yes,” she tells Terhi.
“Okay, take a moment to calm down so the animal won’t get any wrong vibes,” the owner advises. “But once you feel like you’re ready, here’s Aamukaste, who loves attention and getting back rubs. He’s like a dog in the body of a reindeer.”
Vivian waits a moment before she walks over to Terhi and Aamukaste, whose name translates to morning dew in English. With slow movements, she starts moving her hand, petting the animal with her bare hand. I fish my phone out of my jacket pocket and take photos of the moment.
“Hi, little one,” Vivian murmurs to the reindeer. “You’re super cute and soft.”
As we exit the barn a moment later, Vivian rumbles as she puts her mittens and beanie back on. “I almost forgot how freezing it’s outside.”
Terhi laughs. “It’ll get even colder during January and February, but then warmer again.”
“How do you do it?”
“Handle the cold?”
“Yeah.”
The owner of the farm shrugs. “Adequate clothing, preparation, and appreciation for the four seasons that we get to experience each year.”
We continue the tour, walking through the different pastures and learning about the reindeer’s habits and their importance to the local culture. Vivian continues to be amazed and I love seeing her like this.
As the tour draws to a close, Terhi turns to us and says, “Do you want to take a ride on a sleigh pulled by the reindeer?”
Vivian’s eyes light up at the prospect, and I can’t say no to her eager smile.
“We would love that,” I confirm.
We go to the building storing winter gear and get bundled up in red-black overalls that most tourist places have in Lapland. We also put on ski masks and other accessories to keep warm. Then once we’re ready, we help Terhi and her son, who has joined us, get the sleighs ready before climbing on one of them together. Vivian sits in front, and I get behind her, my legs and arms wrapping around her. Petteri leads the way, and our sleigh follows, Terhi’s being the last one.
The reindeer pull us through the snowy forest, and I can hear Vivian’s squeals of happiness as she takes it all in, just like I do. The only sounds are the jingle of the reindeer’s bells, Vivian’s laughter, and the occasional rustle of branches in the wind.
The freezing air bites at my face as we ride, but I don’t mind. The warmth of Vivian’s body as she leans back into me is enough to keep me cozy.
* * *
Our next stop is a popular Lappish restaurant where we’ll have dinner. Not wanting to ruin the big surprise, I’m more quiet than usual. And like other times, it doesn’t go unnoticed.
“What’s up?” Vivian asks as we finish our desserts. “You’re all quiet, and I can finally sense the broodiness you mentioned on the plane.”
That makes me chuckle, which brings a smile to her lips. “Nothing is wrong, Muru. I just—I’m bad at keeping secrets from you, and our day of fun activities isn’t over yet, so I decided not to talk to avoid spoilers.”
“And here I was thinking it was me.”
I take her hand in mine. “Never you.”
“Good. But are you saying that our day of adventure isn’t over yet?”
“Yeah, the next activity starts in an hour.”
Vivian laughs. “You really planned everything, huh?”
“I had some time to plan last night and wanted to cheer you up,” I admit. “After what happened yesterday, I wanted to do something nice, make everything better for you.”
