“Oh, hi, honey, I didn’t hear you at all.” He set down his knife and wiped his hands off on the apron as he came over. He hugged her for a long time and then took hold of her chin. “Hey, I know I haven’t been in the best mood lately. I’ve just been so tired.” He kissed her in between the words. “But I feel like the energy is coming back. The extra daylight helps, I think. And sex!”

Svend pushed himself against her. She smiled and pulled free of his embrace.

“Wow, what a welcome! Let me just grab a glass of wine.” Anette walked over to the cupboard and got out a glass. “It smells amazing. What are we having?”

“Sweetbreads and tenderloin. The first of the spring asparagus and one big hunk of naked man.” He pulled up his apron and let her see what he had to contribute.

“Ha-ha, you’re really in fine form today. Do I have time for a quick shower before we eat?”

“If you hurry!”

Svend turned back around to the stove, and Anette hastened to the bathroom and stripped off her clothes. She turned on the shower and let cool water flow over her. Not cold, just cool enough that it felt like a slap. Finally, Svend was looking at her with love again, finally the desire was back. Why then did she have the feeling that it was too late?

As she stepped out of the shower and started drying herself off, her phone buzzed on the edge of the sink. It was a text message from Mads Teigen.

Thinking of you!

She deleted the message and tossed her phone onto the windowsill, wrapped the towel around herself and checked her reflection while efficiently smothering every single butterfly she felt fluttering in her stomach. Then she hurried back to the kitchen and to Svend, who switched off the stove when he saw her.

Anette received his kisses with her eyes closed and the image of Mads on her retinas.

SARA SAIDANI LIKED Esther de Laurenti. She liked the way she came in and hung up her wool coat, as if she were at home, and the way she hugged Sara warmly and matter-of-factly, even though they had actually met only a couple of times.

“Are the girls asleep? Amina and Meriem, right?”

Sara nodded, genuinely touched that Esther remembered their names. She knew how fond Jeppe was of the elderly woman, and she understood why. Esther was sweet. The thought of Jeppe, however, wasn’t, and Sara pushed it out of her mind and showed her guest into the living room.

“Would you like some tea?”

“Thank you, that sounds lovely.”