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When she met his gaze, the intensity made her breath catch in her throat.
“I’d want someone… someone I could trust. They’d have to love my girls too. Someone with integrity. And someone who’d hold me when I cry and not be awkward about it, because sometimes I just need to cry.”
Gherring left her alone with her melancholy reflections for several minutes before speaking. “Would you like to change the subject again?”
She released a big breath. “Absolutely! I’ll do better this time. Let’s see… where are we going for lunch?”
The scenery was increasingly beautiful as the journey progressed. Anne exclaimed at the quaint towns, waterfalls, and lakes peppered among the mountain slopes and valleys. At Lauterbrunnen, they boarded a cog train that took them to Kleine Scheidegg. From there, another cog train traversed up a steep incline for the last leg of their journey. Eighty percent of the fifty-minute ride was inside a tunnel carved deep in the solid mountain rock.
The train arrived at the Jungfraujoch, the highest train station in Europe. After enjoying the amazing views and hot food, they walked through a long tunnel carved in the glacier to reach a large hall with several chambers and small connecting passages. Everything was made of ice—the floor, ceiling, walls, and arches. Everywhere were magnificent ice figurines of birds and animals, so intricately carved they were almost life-like. The lights cascaded through the ice and reflected from the shiny surfaces. Some sculptures were enhanced with colored lights, as well.
Anne studied every carving, while Gherring studied Anne.
“Why aren’t you looking at the ice sculptures?” she asked. “Are you bored?”
“No. But it’s more fun to watch you. I’ve seen it all before, but now I can see it through your eyes.”
This was her chance to help him see the value of getting married and having a family. “That’s exactly what it’s like when you have kids. And you know, it’s not too late for that. You could still have a family.”
He lifted his head, gazing at the ice ceiling. “You and Gram are way too much alike.”
“Too bad it’s November,” Gherring said as they changed trains at Lauterbrunnen. “We could stop here and go see Trammel Falls, but they close at the end of October. In the summer, we could hike through Lauterbrunnen Valley. It’s about a three-hour hike and there’re seventy-two waterfalls. And if it was January, we could go stay in Wengen and go skiing—it’s such a beautiful place to ski. There’s this great little bakery you can stop at on your way back from a day of skiing.” He heaved a big breath. “I’ve got to bring you back.”
“Since everyone here thinks I’m in the CMA department, I guess I’d have an excuse. That is, if you ever had to come over here for business again.”
He frowned. “I could bring you here—”
Her phone trilled, interrupting his sentence. “Oh no, it’s Henri.” She took the call with trembling fingers, while Gherring moved to allow her some privacy. “Henri? Hi did you hear something?”
Anne could hear him trying to catch his breath. “They have to do a biopsy to confirm, but they say it is most likely cancer.” Henri was choking back tears.
“Oh no, Henri. I’m so sorry. She’s so young.” Her own tears were falling freely. “What… what does this mean? What will they do for her?”
“I do not know yet. They said… They said possible amputation.” Henri’s voice cracked. “And we would be upset about that, but they talked about better survival rates… and we can’t lose her! I can’t lose her!” He sobbed now, and Anne cried with him. “I… you will still pray?”
“Yes, of course I’ll pray for her.”
“The biopsy is tomorrow. They could schedule surgery before you come, or while you are here. I… My sister is calling me. I have to go. Please pray.”
Anne disconnected and sat staring at her phone with tears streaming down her face.
“Anne?” His voice was tender as he sat beside her. He opened his arms, and she fell against him, crying as he held her, gently rubbing her arm. He didn’t complain when his shirt was wet with her tears, but pulled her closer and tucked her head against his chest.
He didn’t ask her any questions, but when her tears began to diminish, the story of the little girl she’d never met spilled out from her broken heart. The sweet Anna-Laure who’d just gotten a pony for her seventh birthday. The uncle who loved her like a father. The terror of the word—cancer.
And still he held her. Silent. Listening. His presence somehow soothing her aching soul. She began to cry again, because it felt so good to be held. But she knew it was an empty promise. He held her because that was the kind of man he was. He would do the same for any woman in distress. It didn’t mean anything. For a moment, she imagined how it would be if he loved her. And then she cried for herself, for the woman who’d stood alone for fifteen years with no one to hold her.
Anne was still feeling glum when they departed the train at Interlaken, but she didn’t want to ruin the trip for Mr. Gherring. He seemed content to stroll the streets and go into the shops. Her mood began to brighten as she shopped for presents. She found an entire store devoted to music boxes, and chose two small ones for Emily and Charlotte. The decorative boxes fascinated her with exposed mechanisms that played intricate tunes and harmonies.
One store displayed alphorns, and the merchant let her blow on one. She was thrilled when she finally produced a semblance of a horn sound. Gherring snapped a picture of her face as she strained to play the cumbersome instrument. She found a shop devoted to Swiss Army knives, and purchased a small one for her father.
When the stores closed, Gherring took her to Restaurant Benacus, where he ordered a seven-course tasting meal for each of them. Despite her protests to the contrary, she managed to eat a significant portion of each sampling. She declared this to be the best food so far!
Back on the train, she struggled to stay awake for the hour-long trip back to Bern. But she finally succumbed to exhaustion, physical and emotional, and fell asleep leaning against the window. When she awoke, she was somehow oriented the other direction, with her head against Steven’s side. She sat up abruptly, apologizing under her breath.
“You’re not that heavy.” He stretched, a wince belying his words.
“Why are we leaving so early?” Anne grumbled as they boarded the jet at five a.m.
