Susanne nodded. “He is nice. But he lives in his own world with high-flying dreams that never work out. He’d start a business, then grow bored with the everyday details and jump onto the next brilliant idea. By the time my parents divorced, they were up to their necks in debt—which he stuck my mother with. She had to work like a maniac to save her own company. Nearly ruined her health over it.”

Anja paused for a second before continuing on, leading them around a bend in the winding path. “I’m sorry. Is she okay now?”

The question and the compassion in Anja’s tone touched her. “Yes. She’s fine. But she had to cut off contact with my father to not be dragged back into his mess.”

“Is that what you did too?” Anja asked quietly. “Cut off contact with him and his side of the family?”

“No. I…” Susanne bit her lip. That wasn’t what she had done…was it? “I’m still in touch with him.” Well, she called him on his birthday and on Christmas, just as she talked to Uncle Norbert and the rest of that part of the family a couple of times a year. She had always put it down to work and the physical distance, but she had to admit that she kept in touch with her mother’s side of the family much more.

Anja let her chew on that in silence for a while, as if sensing that Susanne needed some time to think.

“Nobby isn’t like that, you know?” she said when the path became steeper. “I mean, he might be a bit of a dreamer, and he’s not a great businessman by any means, but he’s the most constant, loyal person I know. He’s worked at Paper Love for nearly fifty years. He’s not chasing after new dreams every other week.”

“I know.” Susanne struggled to breathe evenly, and it wasn’t just because of the hike up the hill. She was stunned at how much she had told Anja. She couldn’t remember ever telling anyone this much about her family history.

Before she could decide if she should say anything else, the path took one last turn, and they reached a square. Benches were set around several massive, old trees and close to the edge of the square, which offered a breathtaking view over the city and the surrounding area.

Susanne walked up to the waist-high railing. The cathedral and the Old Town lay below them, and behind them, a mountain range stretched out in the distance. “Wow.”

Anja stepped next to her. “That’s the Vosges.”

“So that’s France already?” Susanne pointed at the horizon.