Bente sighed. “It’s just that we’re so different. He lives in a house. He dreams of a family and wants children, probably enough for a seven-person soccer team. And me ... I don’t want that life. I don’t even know if I want kids. That guy has everything, and he can have anybody he wants.” It was a relief to put her troublesome feelings of inadequacy into words.
“But he wants you,” Hanna said firmly. She took a bite of her pizza.
“It’s not that simple.”
“He does. I saw the way he looked at you,” Agneta said with a smile.
“I understand what you’re saying,” Hanna went on, after swallowing her pizza. “Feeling insecure about the other person’s feelings and your own means it’s easier to keep everyone at arm’s length. I’m the same way. But is it worth it—keeping everyone at a distance? Shouldn’t we both take more risks? When we’re lying on our deathbeds someday, will we regret the fact that we took a chance?”
Bente smiled. “Probably not.”
They carried on eating while Hanna talked enthusiastically about her company’s platform launch. Bente’s phone buzzed with an email from the editor onKrissie.
She excused herself in the middle of Hanna’s monologue on the synergy effects of the new operating system, and opened the message. Could she possibly come on the show tomorrow? Friday—the show with the highest viewer ratings. WatchingKrissiethat day had become a regular ritual for many people: partly a way to mark the end of the workweek, partly a way to wind down on a Friday night.
Bente was smart enough to realize that another guest had probably canceled, since they were asking her to appear at such short notice. She didn’t actually care that she wasn’t their first choice—she wanted to doit. She could be their millionth choice and she would still say yes on any evening they cared to invite her.
“I’m going to be onKrissietomorrow,” she informed her mother and sister.
“How exciting,” Agneta said.
Then it struck Bente. Didrik would be there too. He had told her last night that he was the guest for Krissie’s Friday profile this week. The Friday profile guest was always different, but he or she stayed for the whole show—being interviewed, helping the Friday episode’s cook prepare food, chatting about book recommendations, tasting wines.
She would see Didrik tomorrow. They would be on-screen together. They might see each other behind the scenes during the ad breaks.
Shit, she wasn’t ready for this. Still, they had to talk to each other sooner or later. They were going to Bordeaux soon, and then would come the next stage of the show’s filming. Their quarrel couldn’t be left unresolved.
“So when are you sleeping in your apartment for the first time?” Agneta asked.
Bente smiled. “I need to unpack my stuff and organize things first, so maybe at the beginning of next week.”
Agneta nodded as her eyes filled with tears. “I can’t believe you’re leaving us.”
“Mom, we’ll still see each other.” Bente went and sat beside her and gave her a hug, feeling tears rise to her own eyes.
“I know, but it’s been so lovely living with both my girls again. It’s as if we got back those three years we lost.”
A sob escaped before Bente could stop it. Hanna, who was sitting on the other side of their mother, joined in the hug.
“We’ll miss you,” she said, squeezing Bente’s shoulder.
“And I’ll miss both of you.”
“We know, sweetheart.” Agneta stroked Bente’s cheek.
“I’ve really needed this time with you. But now I think I have to move forward.”
“Speaking of moving forward ...” Agneta swallowed hard as if to pull herself together. She looked at Hanna. “Don’t you think you should tell her now?”
“Okay.” Hanna smiled, rubbed her hands together, and looked at her sister.
“What’s going on? What are you two up to?”
“I’ve made an investment.”
“Great.” Bente took a sip of her cola, put down the glass, and waited for her sister to go on.
“I’ve bought the wine bar. Rendezvous.”
