The Forgiving Heart (The Heart of Minnesota Book 1) (15 page)

“Really,” the woman leaned forward confidentially thought they were the only two in the hall, “it is ju
st a way to be lazy. It means we can get up late and not have to make a dinner besides.”

Karlijna gathered her toiletries and her clothes for the day and made her way into the bathroom.  She hadn’t really noticed it the night before, but it was a lovely r
oom. Decorated in shades of brown and blue, it would have been masculine but for the flower patterned paper. Tan rugs dotted the tile floor and gave the room a cozy feeling.

Karlijna filled the tu
b with hot water from the tap. Testing the temperature with a toe, she decided it was good. However, when she lowered her body, she realized it was too warm. After adding a little cold water, she tried again.  Perfect.

Karlijna laid her head back against
the wall and closed her eyes. She couldn’t remember if her last bath had felt this good. She ran her fingers slowly through the tub, causing soft waves to splash over her legs.

Looking down at her body, Karlijna allowed herself to honest
ly analyze what it had become. Her legs were quite long, and, since she had lost so much weight, they put her in mind of a chicken. Though seventeen, the young girl had not developed much in the way of feminine curves. That could also be attributed to war rations and then her diet in the camp. Thanks to Ingrid’s cooking, Karlijna had put on some weight since her release in April, but there was little to spare on her figure.

With a sigh, K
arlijna closed her eyes again. She was determined not to dwell on her shape or lack thereof. Worrying over it was not going to change the truth.

Karlijna’s mother, Edmee, had been t
all, but with generous curves. Her father teased his wife that it was one of the things he had liked so well about her. Their children knew Florent Bergstrom was in love with his kind and gentle wife for reasons that went far beyond the physical, but Karlijna also realized there was some truth in his statement. 

Good men may not choose a ma
te only for her beauty, but no man wanted a homely wife.  Movie stars and fashion models all had full, curvy bodies. Of course, she consoled herself, some men preferred a willowy figure – and that was the best thing Karlijna’s could be labeled. 

Unexpectedly, Karlijna found herself wondering whi
ch physique Michael preferred. Sitting up straight in the tub, she shook her head violently to dispel the thought. She had never had thoughts like that before and didn’t appreciate them now.

Karlijna lay back in the tub again and turned her mind toward other things.  She found, though, that she couldn’t get her mind far from Michael so
she decided it was time to end the bathing session.  She climbed out and got dressed.

Karlijna didn't realize she was hungry until she descended the stairs and smelled breakfast – or brunch, rather – cooking.

“The smell in here is goot,” she complimented Sigrid as she entered.  “How may I help?”

Sig pointed to a cup
board, “You can set the table. It will just be the three of us.  Louisa – that’s Will’s sister – called to say she can’t get the girls home today.”

Karlijna opened the cupboard and removed a stack of plates, “Is the farm far from here?”

Sig didn’t turn from the pancakes she was flipping, “Just over by Zumbrota, but she says she wouldn’t make it to the end of the driveway.”

“How long will they be snowed in?”

Sig began cracking eggs into a bowl, “The forks are in the drawer to the left of the sink. Her husband, John, will clear out the drive with a tractor later on today. They should be home by tomorrow noon.”

Ingrid was speaking in Swedish.  Karlijna appreciated the woman was trying to make her comfortable, but knew others would not have the same option.

“I think,” Karlijna spoke in English, “it would be goodness to speak in English. I will need much corrections to get better.”

Sig turned briefly to smile
at her, “That is wise of you. I will speak to you in English.”

Karlijna found the glasses on her own and poured juice for each person, “I think Michael did not  told me how old are your girls.”

“Ellie is about your age. She just turned seventeen,” Sig poured the eggs into the hot pan, “Sara is going to be nineteen in a couple months.”

“Are they pleased to go to a farm?”

“Ellie isn’t that interested in farm life. Too busy with school activities and friends, but Sara heads out there as often as she can.”

T
he woman chuckled, “I suppose she wouldn’t be that interested in going either if she weren’t trying to keep her mind busy.”

Karlijna tipped her head to the side, her expression asking a question.

Sig scraped the eggs into a bowl and handed the dish to her young guest, “Sara is engaged to be married to a young man, Harry. She needs to be always doing something so she won’t worry.”

“He is to var?”

“Yes,” Sig walked to a door, opened it, and called down the stairs, “William, the food is hot.”

“Sit down, Karlijna,” she pointed to a chair while she retrieved a large stack of pancakes from the warming oven.

“This smells good,” William commented as he came washed his hands in the kitchen sink.

The three got further acquainted
as they finished off more of the pancakes than Karlijna would have imagined possible. William went back down to the basement to work in his shop, and Karlijna offered to clean the kitchen.

“I can do this for you,” she insisted at Sig’s protest.  “If I do not understand where something goes,
I will leave it on the table. I vas not to vork before ve ate. Now it is your turn to be rest.”

Sig laughed, “Who could argue with that?”

There was not much to clean, and Karlijna soon found herself back in Michael's bedroom. The small bench at the foot of the bed seemed safer than the bed itself. She might be tempted to take a nap if she sat down there.

There were pictures of a little boy – Karlijna assumed it was Michael – sometimes alone, so
metimes with two little girls. Karlijna rose and plucked one off the shelf to get a closer look.

“That was taken down by the Mississippi,” Sig had entered the room and was standing nearby.

Karlijna didn't look up from the picture, “It makes me remember of a picture we had in our home of my brother and sister and me.”

Sig lay a hand on Karlijna's shoulder, “Does it bother you to l
ook at it? We can take out the pictures.”

Karlijna forced herself to look at Sig, “No,” she shook her head, “It is goo
d to remember the good things. Then maybe I will forget the bad.”

“Do you have any pictures of them?”

“No,” Karlijna admitted past the tears that threatened, “I had one, but it was lost to me on the boat from Poland.”

Sig slid her arm around the girl's shoulder, “If you want to talk about the good or bad, I'll listen.  If you don't,” she shrugged a little, “that is okay too.”

Karlijna leaned toward the woman and rested her head on Sig's shoulder. Michael was right. Sig was just what she needed.

Karlijna didn't stand still long.

“I will like to know vhat it is I can do for you.”

The chuckle that arose from Sig's throat brought a smile to Karlijna's lips.

“Oh, no you don't,” the older woman shook her finger playfully at the girl, “Ingrid wrote to me that you never sit still, and she was not going to know what to do once you left. You are not going to make a lazy woman out of me.”

Karlijna laughed, “I ne
ver did see Ingrid sit. She is the voman of busy.”

Sig nodded, “I can imagine she was, but I still want
you to take some time to rest. It sounds as though you've had very little of it.”

Karlijna wondered what she was going to do to rest.

Sig must have read her mind, “You could lie down and take a nap. You haven't gotten used to the time change between Sweden and here.”

A nap did sound good to Karlijna, but she had not done such a thing since she was a small child.

Sig pushed her toward the bed, “Go ahead. Then, if you want to, you can write a couple letters letting your friends know you have arrived safely.”

That sounded
like a good idea to Karlijna.

“I will write some letters,” Karlijna declared.

Sig sighed as though she realized that was as much resting as the girl would probably do.

“I'll go get some paper and envelopes for you.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

By the time the woman returned from her own room down the hall, Karlijna was asleep on the bed.

Sig left the writing materials on the small desk and closed the door softly.

Karlijna didn't wake up until the middle of the night.  She went into the bathroom, got changed into her nightclothes, and climbed back into bed.

The next morning, Karlijna was up before the sun. She dressed and was wondering what to do when she realized Sigrid had left  paper for writing.

Dear Ingrid and
Leif ,

I
have traveled now to Scotland and America and am arrived safely in Red Wing, Minnesota.  The trip was not difficult, but I had some confusion when I arrived in Connecticut. I thought they were going to send me to the wrong place, but a kind military man told me Chicago was on the way to Minnesota. 

The trains here are much better than the ones I experienced in Germany
and Poland, and I am grateful for that. There were windows and chairs to sit in. I never took any train while in Sweden.  What are they like?

America is very large.
We traveled for such a long time. I studied it in geography, of course, but reading about it and experiencing it are two different things.

I will never forget your kindnes
s to me while I was in Sweden. Without you, I do not know how I would have lived.

             
God bless you.

Karlijna knew it to be very expensive to send mail, so she decided to trust Ingrid
to distribute letters to a variety of recipients. 

My dear friends, Regina and Rachel,

I am now in America.  I do not know how Michael made it happen, but we had to see many people on the way.  At one point we stood before a man who spoke very quickly and then asked me if I was sure this was what I wanted.  I coul
d not understand all his words. They were English, but they didn't sound like Michael's words. Michael said that was because the man was from Scotland.

I flew in an airplane.
I was not too frightened except when we were landing. I had fallen asleep and thought for sure we were crashing. I probably looked funny to those around me when I sat up straight and looked around – eyes wide open.

I hope your sewi
ng business is still thriving. I am so grateful for my coat because it seems even colder here than in Sweden. I don't know why I thought it would be warmer.

Michael's parents are very kin
d, and I am hoping to find a job today. You will not be surprised to know I am praying for such a thing and also for you.

             
The next letter she wrote was to Michael. She assumed it would be a while before he got it since she was sending it along with the other two letters.  He had told her he would be unable to return to Sweden for at least a month.

Dear Michael,

You see I am writing to you in English so I can improve.  I found a small dictionary on your shelf to keep from spelling words wrong, but I cannot say I will get the order of them right.

Already I love your parents.
They are good people like I knew they must be to have a kind son.  The family of your mother is so good as well. I will try to make them think it is a grace to have me. I will not cause you to be ashamed of sending me here.

I did have no trouble on the way.  You will think it is funny, though, because one of your military people put me in
a room and said I was a wife. I could not explain to him I was not a wife because he was always helping somebody else. I decided it did not matter and would be not kind to correct him.

I am
to sleep in your room for now. I like to look at the pictures on the wall of you and your sisters.  I am thinking the one of you holding the little ball is my best. You looked most pleased, but you had a dirty face and your mother surely had to mend your shirt in many places.             

I pray for your safety as many times as I think of you.  Please be
knowing God is your Protector.

Your grateful friend,

Karlijna

              Karlijna was considering if she had time to write a letter to Kaaren and Torkel when a knock sounded on the door.

“Karlijna?” Sig called softly, “are you up?”

Karlijna opened the door, “I have been writing letters,” she waved a hand toward the desk. “I am just finished.”

Sig smiled, “I will be happy to show you how to mail them if you like.”

Karlijna was grateful the woman was willing to teach her how to do it instead of just doing it for her. She knew it would be a necessary part of her life if she was ever to become independent. 

“Thank you so much,” Karlijna retrieved the letters and handed the envelope to Sig, “I think I will have to learn to put an address on it first.”

Sig looked down, “You have only one to send?”

Karlijna shook her head, “I did not vant to spend more on postage so I ask Ingrid to give them to my friends and to Michael.”

Sig nodded, “Very good idea. If you don't mind, I will add my own letters before we send it.”

“Shall I make breakfast while you write?” Karlijna asked as they went downstairs.

Sig laughed, “I could very easily get spoiled by having you here. Why don't we work on it together?”

They made the meal and ate it together, but Karlijna absolutely insisted on cleaning the kitchen after so Sig could write her letters.

Karlijna was just finishing the job when the back door opened. In walked two very feminine versions of Michael. They stopped and looked at her wide-eyed.

The shorter one recovered first, “Where’s mom?”

Her voice did not sound friendly. Karlijna wondered if these two knew she was coming. She searched for words, but couldn’t form the proper order in her mind.

“Oh, you’re Karlijna,
” the other one came alive and rushed into the room, tearing her coat off as she entered, “Sara and I forgot that you were going to be here already.  We were visiting with our aunt.  Did you get in late last night?  How many days did it take you to get from Sweden?”

The girl didn’t wait for answers
but kept talking as she threw her outer clothing onto a chair. She picked up her suitcase with one hand and pulled at Karlijna’s arm with her other, leading the girl upstairs to her bedroom.

“Did you fly or take a boat?
I’ve never been on either one, but I did ride the train a couple of times. My dad has a brother who lives in Thief River and we go up there. . .”

The girl would have kept going, but her mother entered, “Elsbeth Kay Gunderson,” Sig’s voice betrayed her amusement, “you’re going to drive Karlijna crazy with your chatter.”

“Mama,” the girl hurried to the woman and threw her arms around her and then buried her face in that woman’s hair, “Mmmm,” she commented, “you smell good.”

“What do you expect?  You s
pent the last couple days with cows and pigs,” Sig laughed and turned to her other daughter who had come up the stairs behind the pair, “Hello, Sweetheart,” she gave Sara a hug, “did you enjoy yourself?”

“Yes,” the girl smiled at her mother, transforming her from simply pretty to radiantly beautiful.

“Where is Louisa?” Sig looked down the staircase as if that woman might be, at that moment, ascending.

Ellie flipped the latches on her case and began removing articles of clothing, “She wanted to drop some eggs off at Grandma’s house. She said she wouldn’t be long.”

Karlijna had been standing off to the side of the room during this exchange. She realized Michael’s family was just as she expected them to be. The dynamics seemed similar to those of Leif’s family. It was a comforting thought that, though she may be a stranger, she could feel at home nonetheless.

“Oh, girls,” Sig remembered Karlijna’s presence, “you met Karlijna.  Good.”

“We haven’t really, Mom,” Sara extended her hand to the young girl, “I’m Sara.”

Karlijna shook the proffered hand, but recognized the tone and brief grip as a message that Sara didn’t really care to be further acquainted.

“It is nice to meet you, Sara.”

Ellie giggled, “You have a beautiful accent, Karlijna,” she turned to her sister, “I expected her to sound like Mom, but the accents are a little different, aren’t they?”

Sara barely glanced up from her unpacking, “That’s because Mom is from Sweden. Karlijna’s accent is German.”

The last word was spat out so forcefully, Karlijna took a step backwards.

“Sara,” Sig spoke softly, but with an underlying steel none of the girls missed.

Sara pulled her lips into a tight smile and grimaced at Karlijna, “Sorry.”

Sig was wise enough not to press the issue for the moment but decided she would take it up with her oldest daughter when the time allowed.  Later, she would regret she hadn’t remembered to make that time.

A commotion downstairs brought the occupants of the bedroom to attention.

“Hello?” a voice called up the stairs.

“Oh, Louisa,” Sig stepped from the room and answer
ed back, “We’ll be right down. Come on girls. I want Karlijna to meet your aunt.”

Karlijna followed on the heels of Sig while the girls, telling their mother they would be down once the unpacking was complete, remained upstairs.

Karlijna had been expecting Will’s sister to be near Sig’s age, so she was surprised to see a young lady, not much older than Sara. She had a mass of dark brown hair – not curly but thrown together in a hairstyle so haphazard that Karlijna wondered if she had done it that way on purpose or if the wind was especially bad. She had eyes to match her hair and her smiling mouth told Karlijna they would be friends if given half a chance.

“Louisa,” Sig led the way into the kitchen,” this is Karlijna.  Karlijna, this is Will’s much, much,” she turned and made a comical face at the other two,
“younger sister, Louisa Porter.”

Karlijna smiled at the woman.

“Do I hear, Lou?” Will emerged again from the basement.

“Are you building something down in your shop, Willy?” his sister stepped up on tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss.

Her brother shook his head and smiled slyly, “I can’t divulge that information.”

“Come now,” the younger sibling wheedled, “I won’t tell. Who’s it for?”

Sig laughed, but didn’t enter the conversation.

Will shook his head and sat down at the table, reaching for the plate of cookies his wife had just set on the table, “That’s what you said the time I made a toy box for Ellie.”

Louisa sat down across the table from him and frowned at him, “That was more than ten years ago.”

“And when I made the cabinet for Sig?”

“That was still five years ago,” she shook her head.  “Are you going to hold that against me forever?”

Will folded his arms across his chest, “That’s what you said last November, so I told you I was making a chair for Sara for Christmas.”

“Yes,” Louisa agreed with a solemn nod,” she was quite surprised when you gave her a hope chest instead.”

Will laughed at that, “She wouldn’t have been surprised if she had not been told by someone she was getting a chair.”

Louisa took a cookie and ate it quietly, seeming thoughtful, but not offended.

Sig sat down beside her sister-in-law, “Have a seat, Karlijna,” she looked up to see Ellie coming into the room, “Where’s Sara?”

Ellie took the seat next to the one Karlijna had just claimed, “She said she was going to write a letter to Harry before she came down.”

“These cookies have a good taste,” Karlijna spoke after she cleared her mouth.

Ellie snatched one up and bit into it, “They are made with honey and applesauce. We can’t have sugar, you know.”

             
Karlijna gave her a look of confusion.

             
Ellie saw it and went on to explain, “With the war, sugar is rationed. Each family can only get so much.”

             
Karlijna nodded. She had not heard the word rationed before, but she understood. It had been that way in Belgium too.

             
“You speak very good English, Karlijna,” Louisa snapped out of her reverie.  “Did you learn it in Germany or after you went to Sweden?”

             
Karlijna didn’t bother to tell them that all she learned in Germany was of man’s depravity. A lesson she continued when she arrived in Poland.

             
“I began English lessons when I was six, the same time as I started my other schooling.”

             
Ellie’s eyes widened, “Will you be in my class at school?” she turned to her father, “I never thought of it, but she could, couldn’t she?”

             
Will, who was the high school principal, smiled at his daughter indulgently, “We’ll have to see.  Karlijna will need to test first and then we will see where to place her.”