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SYLVIE
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
“Hyvää päivää!” theman at the baggage claim holding a sign with “Wilder Widows” on it in bold, black letters said when we approached him.
“Whoa. Now that’s a lumberjack,” I whispered to Marge as we approached the giant, burly man with the strawberry blonde shaggy hair matching his beard.
“They breed ‘em big here, I guess,” Marge answered.
“Damn,” Alice whispered. “You could climb that lumberjack like a tree.”
“Hiya java!” Marge called back using words that sounded nothing like how he’d greeted us.
Alice gave her the side eye. “Can it with trying to speak Finnish, Marge. We just got you over those bizarre Scottish phrases.”
“Ah, yer bum’s oot the windae!” she taunted.
“You can’t say that anymore. We’re not in Scotland.”
Marge just responded with an arched eyebrow and a mischievous smile.
“Welcome, I’m Olavi,” the man said when we reached him. “I speak English.”
Though his accent was strong, he was very understandable.
“Oh, wonderful!” I answered. “None of us speak Finnish, so great to know we can talk to you in English.”
“Welcome to Finland. We are excited to have you here.”
“We’re excited to be here.” I reached out and shook his hand.
Marge pushed in and gave him a big shake as well. “Pleasure to meet you. Hey, Olavi. How do I say, ‘Your bum’s out the window’ in Finnish?”
After a brief curious tip of his head, he answered, “Peräsi on ulos ikkunasta.”
Marge spun to Alice, planting her hands on her hips as she butchered the words. “Peraso yulon ignasias. There. Not talking Scottish.”
Alice looked to her then Olavi. “I apologize for my friend if she says anything inappropriate to you while butchering your language. Please ignore her.”
Olavi smiled and chuckled.
“I nailed it.” Marge shrugged. “You’re just jealous I can speak all these languages so well.”
“Oh, yes. That’s exactly it.” Alice rolled her eyes.
Olavi looked at Marge again, and his brow furrowed as his gaze drifted over her face.
She noticed the confusion in his eyes. “Kangaroo. Surfboard. Doris,” she said as she pointed to all her injuries. “It’s a long story, but I’m happy to tell you if you’d like.”
“I would like.” He laughed. “I would definitely like.”
“I’ll tell you all about my battle wounds on the ride.”
“Look! It’s snowy out there!” Doris rushed to the large window at the airport and pressed her face to it. “So pretty!”
“Well, it’s winter in Finland,” Alice answered. “Sylvie is hellbent on turning us into popsicles apparently.”
