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“I’ve been with my parents,” Viktor said. “My mother had a theory about Addie’s illness that I wanted to share with you. When I turned the corner, I found her trudging down the middle of the driveway. She stopped when she saw my headlights. I ran and got her.” His voice wavered. He took his hat off and held it limply against his thighs. “She said she was a cat, wanting a place to die by herself.”
“No,” Mama whispered.
Viktor wiped under his eyes. “But I told her my mother knew a girl like her back in Norway. She couldn’t eat anything with flour in it either. I reminded her that the soup she’d eaten yesterday was fine, and she was only sick after the bread. I asked her to give it a try with another bowl of soup.”
“And she agreed?” Mama asked.
“She did, yes.” Viktor nodded. “We both felt angels around us. They led me to her. She said they whispered for her to go home but that she didn’t want to be a burden any longer.” A sob escaped from Viktor’s massive chest. “But then when I reached her, Addie said her grandmother must have sent them.”
“My mother?” Mama asked.
“That’s right,” Viktor said.
Papa wiped his eyes before grabbing Viktor in an embrace. “Thank you, young man.”
“You’re welcome,” Viktor said.
“It seems you have a habit of saving my daughters,” Papa said.
“It’s my pleasure, sir.”
Papa let him go and turned toward me. “Will you two go down and find something to go with the soup? Maybe a slice of ham? She needs real food.”
“Yes, yes.” I didn’t stop to think any more about it, but charged out of the room and down to the kitchen. It wasn’t until I reached the bottom of the stairs that I realized Viktor was right behind me.
My sisters had a pot of the potato soup on the stove. Both stared into it, as if willing the liquid to warm.
“Fiona, Papa wants us to bring ham too,” I said.
The girls jumped at the sound of my voice. So absorbed in their task, they must not have heard us.
“Will she eat ham?” Delphia asked. “I want her to eat it.” She stomped her foot. “I’m so very mad at her.”
“She will,” I said. “Viktor convinced her that it was the bread making her sick.”
Fiona’s eyes widened. “Do you really think it’s true?”
Viktor told them what he’d already told me, twice now, although added a new piece of information. “Mother said it was rumored to be a Scandinavian trait.”
“Mama said some of her people were from Denmark,” I said.
Delphia took a running leap into Viktor’s arms. “Thank you for saving my sister.”
He held her tight against his chest. “Any time, little one.”
“This is the second sister of mine you’ve saved,” Fiona said to him. “Thank you.”
“I’d do anything in my power for any one of the beautiful Barnes sisters.” Viktor smiled over Addie’s head at me. “It appears to be my life’s work thus far.”
“Yes, it does,” I said, returning his smile.
“What about an apple too?” Fiona asked.
“Let’s put them on the tray,” I said.
“I’ll do it,” Delphia said. “I know exactly where the ham is in the icebox.”
Viktor set Delphia down so she could do her part. I collected a tray from the pantry and put a napkin, fork, and spoon in one corner. Soon, we had a warm bowl of soup, a cold slice of ham, and one large apple for our Addie.
Addie was awake by the time we returned. She smiled weakly at the sight of all of us coming in with a tray. Viktor set it on the coffee table where we’d all shared tea so many times. Tea consisting of many items made from flour, I thought. All the while poisoning Addie without our knowing. If we were right, I reminded myself.
Papa brought an additional pillow to prop behind Addie’s back. Mama picked up the warm bowl of soup and scooped up a spoonful. “Here you are, darling. Try a bite, please.”
Addie opened her mouth obediently and Mama fed her, reminding me of a baby bird Flynn and I had once rescued. This was repeated a dozen times before Addie lay back against the pillows. “I might have a little ham.”
“Yes, wonderful.” Mama cut a corner and stuck the prongs of a fork into and brought it to Addie’s mouth.
Addie closed her eyes. “It’s so good, this ham.”
“You should all go to bed,” Mama said. “Papa and I will stay with Addie.”
“I’m sorry I fell asleep,” I said. “This is all my fault.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Papa said. “We’re all exhausted. You’re not to blame.”
“Anyway, all’s well that ends well,” Mama said. “Thanks to our Viktor.”
He bowed his head at Mama. “Glad to be of service.”
“I’ll walk you out,” I said. I had a plan to show Viktor just how much I appreciated him.
Addie’s illness had made everything clearer. Family and friends were the most important thing. Bigger than my ego and pride. Pushing Viktor away served no purpose. It did not ensure that I would live a purposeful life. Not at all. In fact, it might be the opposite. Denying love was in direct opposition to adventure. Couldn’t love be the biggest of them all? One that required courage and tenacity and generosity. All the qualities that summed up Viktor.
