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‘Yes, that’s right. I don’t get paid if I can’t find something to torment my patients with.’ Flora gave Andy a bright smile, helping him to his feet and pulling in front of him the walking frame that stood by the side of his chair.
‘I’d like to see the pictures of your expedition to the Andes.’ Andy turned to Aksel.
‘Sure. I’ll bring them in tomorrow. Is it okay for me to bring Mette with me?’ Aksel wondered if a child might be too much for Andy but he smiled.
‘I’d like that. As long as she doesn’t find me boring.’ Andy glanced down at his leg. Aksel shook his head, sure that if anyone could see past Andy’s injuries then his daughter could.
Flora broke in briskly. ‘If you send me the pictures, I can print them out for you. Perhaps Mette will be able to see them better that way?’
‘Thanks. I think she will.’
The two men nodded goodbye, and Flora followed as Andy walked slowly towards the doorway. She turned, giving Aksel a grin.
‘If you’re at a loose end, you can always go and sculpt something else. I’m very partial to unicorns, and now you have this down to a fine art it should be child’s play...’
‘Don’t listen to her, man.’ Andy called out the words. ‘She’s far too bossy.’
Bossy and beautiful. Soft and sweet and yet surprisingly strong. Intelligent, warm... The list just went on. Aksel had given up trying to complete it, because there was always more to say about Flora.
He called out an acknowledgement to Andy, wondering if Flora had lip-read the words that had formed silently on his lips. Or maybe she’d tapped into the connection between them and she just knew, because she shot him a look of amused surprise.
You want a unicorn...? If that was what Flora wanted, then that’s what she’d get.
* * *
The ice unicorn stood next to the reindeer, and Ted Mackie had told Aksel that it had attracted both attention and admiration. He hadn’t told Flora about it, even though she was the one person that it was intended to please. She was sure enough to hear about it, and he hoped she’d know it was her unicorn.
He’d arranged a schedule with Lyle for when he should bring Mette home. Both of them agreed that Mette was settling in well, and Aksel was anxious that she wouldn’t miss any of the activities that the clinic ran for its patients.
‘Are you sure you’re happy with this? It’s a little less than we originally envisaged.’ Lyle gave him a searching look, and Aksel realised that his own attitude had changed since they’d last spoken about this. The question was less of a tug of war and more a meeting of minds now.
‘I’m very happy with it. My relationship with Mette has been much better since she’s been here. I have you to thank for that. She’s gained a lot of confidence.’ Aksel had wondered if he should say that Flora had given him the confidence to see that.
Lyle had nodded, smiling. ‘I’m glad you feel that way. I think that your daily visits are very important for Mette, she knows that you’re always there for her.’
He’d gone to the children’s unit to see Mette and she’d greeted him with a hug and a kiss. When he’d asked her if she’d like to spend the day with him tomorrow, she’d tugged at the play assistant’s arm excitedly, telling her that she was going to explore a new place with her papa.
Then he’d texted Flora, asking her if she was free. There had been no mention of unicorns, which had been a little disappointing, but her ‘Yes’ had made up for that.
* * *
Aksel arrived at the clinic just as the children were finishing their breakfast. He packed some t
hings into his day-pack, although in truth nothing was needed. But Mette liked the idea of packing for a journey.
His shoulder had improved a great deal. The massage had done wonders and he suspected that Flora’s wake-up call had something to do with it as well. He lifted Mette up onto his shoulders, perched on top of his day-pack, and felt his stride lengthen as they started the two-mile walk home, the rhythm of his steps quieting his heart. Aksel began to tell Mette the story of his trip up to a remote village in the Andes.
‘Were there crocodiles, Papa?’
Not that he’d noticed. But, then, Mette’s idea of a crocodile was her smiling stuffed toy. ‘Yes, there were crocodiles. We gave them some chocolate so they wouldn’t eat us.’
‘And penguins?’
‘Yes. We had to go fishing and catch them some tea, so they’d tell us the right way to the village.’ If he was going to enter into the realms of fantasy, then he may as well just go for it.
‘Did your feet hurt?’
‘A little bit. I had a big blister on my toe.’ He’d made a rookie mistake on the way back down, allowing water to get inside one of his boots, and frostbite had taken hold.
