NOVEL

The Next Thing in Life

The Love We Had, Chapter 35

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35

I was standing outside his door. I felt my heart beat.

“Can I come in?” I said.

“Of course!”

“Excuse me,” I said. “Excuse me for coming here, at your door.”

He had looked a little surprised when he opened the door. He had opened the door very quickly after I rang, so fast that he surprised me. He smiled.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “Sorry I’m coming here so late. Excuse me for coming here to your door this way.”

“Oh no, it’s all right,” he said. “It’s okay. — And you, are you doing well?”

«Yes, thank you. Yes, I’m well, but -.”

I stopped. I stood there and just looked at him, and he looked at me.

“I have — uh, I just had to go out,” I said.

“Oh? Has anything happened?”

“Not so much, no. Just that -, yes — I just had to get away nonsense.”

“Oh! Well? Yes, surely it’s going well then?”

“Yes, actually, things are going very well right now. So good that I can stay with you for a while!”

“Yes. Are you sure? Are you okay?”

“Yes, yes. Yes. It’s going well.”

“Well, then. I’m alone for a few days.”

I actually knew very well that he would be alone for a few days, because he had talked about it the last time we met. He had explained that she used to be away four or five days now, longer than before.

He looked at me intently. Maybe he did not, but it felt like that. I thought more about the one he was looking at. I probably did not look very attractive, because I had gone far, I had gone hot, especially the last stage up the stairs to Flatland.

“Please, come inside,” he said.

I followed him into the living room.

“Sit down. Find yourself at ease,” he said, going out into the kitchen.

“Do you want tea?” he asked.

“Yes please,” I said.

I could hear him putting water on the kettle.

“And something to eat maybe,” he said.

«Yes, that’s fine. It’s fine, thank you.»

He came in the doorway and smiled at me.

“You,” he said, “very nice, this. It was very nice of you to come.”

“Yes, glad you say so,” I said.

“Yes, I have been thinking of you. I have thought so much of you, Eira.”

He came around the table and sat down on the couch next to me. We sat face to face, close to each other. I took his hands and held them. I leaned against him and felt the weight of his body against mine. He mumbled a few words, I think it was “Yes, yes then, my girl.”

I felt his arms around me. He hugged me lightly to him. It was just so good to be there.

The story that the novel tells takes place in a small industrial town at the end of a fjord in western Norway. The story being told and the characters are fictional.

The photos included in the chapters are taken on location in Odda and in the Odda Smelter (Odda Smelteverk, 1906–2003), the carbide factory that is part of the story.

The Love We Had

Part 1 The Longest Night -chapters 1–3, told by Lars. Part 2 The Light Inside -chapters 4–17, told by Aslak. Part 3 Save Our Secret Love -chapters 18 — XX, told by Eira.

For quick access to all chapters, go here.

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Øivind H. Solheim writes fiction, essays and articles aiming to help others understanding life, other humans and themselves. He has published five novels, two non-fiction books and a poetry book.

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