‘As I said, I haven’t talked to her in years.’

‘Because of her delusions.’

‘Partly, but there are other reasons.’

‘I see.’

‘I don’t see you being super close with your childhood friends.’

He had cut open a packet of sour cream and threw the tab in the bin.

‘In Kiruna County I have, let’s see, zero childhood friends.’

‘How convenient.’

‘You’ve distanced yourself. On account of the trolls.’

‘Because I knew you would make fun of her.’

‘So it’s my fault?’

‘The two of you are not compatible.’

‘You sound very sure of yourself. Almost like you’ve made your mind up we’re not compatible.’

‘It’s like me and your sister. Cat and dog.’

‘Millan tries. But you don’t. You’ve made your mind up it’s not working.’

‘I know you would make fun of her.’

‘Can’t we invite her over then? So I can prove you wrong.’

‘Because you want to meet her or because you want to prove you’re right and I’m wrong?’

‘Because I want to meet her, obviously.’

‘You’re such a liar!’

She laughed so hard she splashed wine on her shirt – a white cotton shirt she was fond of – which made her pull an angry face.

‘Call her.’

‘She doesn’t have a phone.’

‘Then go out there,’ he said and held out the salt packet to her.

She pulled off her shirt, poured salt on the stains and threw the shirt in the hamper.

‘I told Gudrun I would,’ she said as she dug through the pile of clean laundry. ‘But I really don’t feel like it.’

‘What are you afraid of?’

‘What am I afraid of?’ she said and pulled the shirt over her head. ‘I obviously want to preserve her.’

Håkan opened his mouth but didn’t have time to get a word out.

‘The way she was! If it’s true that she’s completely broken. You get that, don’t you?’

‘Can I talk now?’

‘No, you can’t,’ she said and topped up her glass.

‘You’re being really selfish. You know that, right?’

‘You’re selfish.’

‘If she goes off the deep end properly, you’ll never be able to forgive yourself. You are going to want to be able to tell yourself you tried. That you at least did everything you could.’

‘You know what junkies are like, you can’t save them, they have to save themselves.’

‘You can do enough to be able to tell yourself you tried. Go out there. Invite her over for dinner. Let her meet Kiruna. And I’ll meet her too.’

At this point, the little girl entered the kitchen. She looked at them wide-eyed.

‘Kiruna Sillfors is wondering why you’re shouting,’ he said.

‘I’m shouting because I’m starving.’