Chapter 48
A Three-Cookie Day


“…and continue to count on your discretion.”

“He said that? And they were together when he called?” Bekka’s eyes grew huge with amazement.

“Oh yes, Bekka, but they didn’t fool us for a second. We knew there was something between them the minute he reached for her hands, BOTH of them. Now when has he ever done that?”

“Then he says something about how pleased he was to meet her, in that sexy Isabel voice, you know the one,” added Angie, “and he kept holding her hand.”

The girls sighed collectively.

“I didn’t even know she was a fan,” mumbled Gabi.

“She sounds like much more than a fan to me,” Bekka concluded.

“You’re right about that. He was dropping hints all over the place and she couldn’t get away fast enough to meet him. Just who did they think they were kidding?” Angie and Gabi clinked wine glasses as they congratulated themselves on their sleuthing.

The girls heard the key in the lock and grinning Annie Joy wearing a decidedly dreamy expression floated in through the open door. The looks of happiness, curiosity, and admiration that greeted her quickly turned to squeals of laughter. “It’s official. I’m an Uber,” she beamed as she pulled off her beret, tossed it high into the air and collapsed in a giddy heap on the sofa.

Then everyone was talking at once. “Why didn’t you tell us? We knew you weren’t strangers. OK Annie Joy what’s the story?” They were a human litter of curious puppies, squirming, teasing, squealing, vying for attention, begging, as Annie Joy doled out her carefully weighed treats of information. Somewhere along the way they even remembered to introduce her to Bekka.

**********

Annie Joy was in Urs’ arms reliving their kiss when Rod Stewart rudely interrupted. She flung back the covers and ran for her purse. Why has she zipped the damn thing up she wondered as she yanked it open and shook the contents onto the bed. She grabbed her phone and flipped it open, “Hi HL,” she said breathlessly and wondered if he could hear her heart pounding.

“Hi Petit Papillion, I thought I’d call to be sure I had the right number,” he paused, “and to say goodnight.”

She smiled with happiness at the silly excuse about the right number. Had he forgotten she’d put her number into his phone? It was the real reason that followed that had gone straight to her heart.

“I’m so glad you did. You know you don’t need an excuse to call.”

“I know. It’s just that this is still so new. I want it to…”

“Urs, you’re over-thinking again. Let’s just be.”

He sighed, “You’re right. Uh, I’ll call you in the morning after I make our lunch reservation. Goodnight and sweet dreams.”

“I was just starting a dream when you called.”

“A nice one I hope.”

“The best, HL. You were in it. Goodnight.”

Annie Joy placed her phone within easy reach on the nightstand and hugged her pillow to her as she jumped back into her dream.

Urs on the other hand opted for a different yet equally satisfying kind of hug. The corners of his mouth turned up in an apologetic smile as he punched in the speed dial. Perhaps it would be best not to tell Mami she was now #2.

**********

Skål! Annie Joy clinked glasses with Urs and took a sip of her iced punsch, a fitting ending to their traditional smörgåsbord. She smiled. The girls had been right. The old world opulence of the Grand Hotel overlooking the harbor was the perfect setting to enjoy this special meal, one she would always remember. And the pickled herring had been out of this world.

He had promised himself he wouldn’t call her before 10:00. Her phone rang at 9:30. To her query as to dress code he’d replied dressy. ‘Killer heels?’ ‘Ja, please.’ She could hear his voice smiling.

When he came for her in a taxi Angie and Gabi discreetly disappeared. He held her coat as she put her arms in the sleeves. Just as he was about to pull it up over her shoulders she heard his sharp intake of breath, “I wondered if you’d done it.”

She imagined his fingers touching, tracing over her tattoo as she felt his warm breath on her back, closer, closer, then it was gone. He quickly pulled her coat up and held her shoulders as he bent down and whispered in her ear, “Soon, liebe, soon,” and the butterflies echoed his promise.

So now the handsome couple, he in a superbly cut suit and she wearing a striking scarf tied over one shoulder, sat in relaxed contentment over their coffee.

Annie Joy reached across the table for Urs’ hand. “Thank you Urs.”

“For what?”

Her eyes swept around the room. “For this beautiful place, the wonderful food, being with you, for making this a three-cookie day.”

Urs looked confused. “I didn’t see any cookies up there,” he said as he turned toward the long buffet table.

“No, Urs. A three-cookie day just means it’s one of the best days I can remember, a perfect day.

“I think I was about 7 or 8. Rafe and I had only been with Great Minnie a few months when I came home from school one day in a terrible mood. I was never going back. Everything that could go wrong had---forgotten homework, a skinned knee, and in trouble for something, I can’t remember what. She just sat there real calm and listened while I ranted and raved.”

“Come suppertime we sit down and she sets all these plates in front of me. Meat on one, my least favorite vegetables on another, and a plate with three cookies. I can still hear her talking.”

Annie Joy, everyday life gives you a plate of experiences. Some days your plate has nothin’ but vegetables—twenty-four hours of turnips, asparagus, and Brussels sprouts because you need some strength. You may not like ‘em and they may be hard to swallow but it’s for your own good, you hear? Then there are some days where your plate has three cookies on it. Most days, however have a bit of it all.

“But today Urs, well it is definitely a three-cookie day!” she beamed.

Urs eyes went soft. “For me too, Annie Joy,” he said quietly and as he gently raised her hand and kissed her knuckles Annie Joy had her first honest to goodness sinkin’ spell. At least she hoped that’s what it was. She had eaten more than her fair share of pickled herring.




True to his word, Urs showed Annie Joy the Winter Garden before they caught a taxi back to her apartment so she could change. Since it was only a short walk to his hotel, he let the cab go and came upstairs to wait for her.

“I see the parents aren’t home,” he quipped when they walked in and Angie and Gabi weren’t there.

“Be nice,” Annie Joy giggled as she shut the door.

“Sorry, but you have to admit it would be weird; me sitting on the sofa like a teenager making small talk while I wait for my girl to get ready,” he reasoned as he looked around the room.

Annie Joy walked over to him and said in a whiney voice, “Oh so I’m your girl am I? And here I thought I was a woman.” Her attempt at pouting had them both sputtering with laughter.

“OK I’ll be your girl then. Back in a minute,” she promised brightly and leaned up to land what she thought was a perfect touch and go kiss on his mouth. Only she must have been off a little on her approach because the touch and go became touch and stay. She was no longer a light aircraft but a massive jumbo jet sinking deeper and deeper into the most deliciously soft landing strip. And then with a groan and a sigh she was free.

The stood staring at each other as their pulses slowed. Her arms slipped from around his neck. He pointed her toward the hall and sent her off, “Now go get changed.”

“And wear lots of layers, woman” he called after her. Preferably tamper resistant, he thought wryly as he glanced down at his long fingers. Gott help me. I am becoming a randy teenager-- again.

He stood staring out at the buildings in the distance, mentally rehearsing the places he would take her on their tour of Old Town and tried not to think of her in the next room. He almost succeeded.

It took less than ten minutes to walk to Urs’ place. Annie Joy waited for him in the safety of the downstairs lounge while he changed.

Then for the next two hours Urs played tour guide.

“You’ve seen the Royal Palace so we’ll skip that one.”

“This is my favorite church, Storkyrkan. Wait till you see St. George and the Dragon. It’s lifesize. Just amazing.”











“Oh look Urs! There’s another smaller St. George and the Dragon, outside that building.”

“I knew you’d be surprised at that one. This is Köpmantorget, another of my favorites. What do you think?”





“It’s a charming little square, HL, but I think I’d like it even better if the temperature was above freezing.”

“Here, snuggle up a bit. There, how’s that?. Hey, what are you doing to my scarf? Oh your nose is cold. I didn’t mean snuggle your nose down my neck you silly woman! Turn the corner up here onto Österlånggatan. We’ll get something warm to drink…OK something to eat too, little boa constrictor. Then there’s this great antique store I want to show you.”

“Are you nice and warm now? We’re almost done. Only two more stops, well one ackshully since we’ll just pass by the Tyska Kyrkan, that’s the German church of Stockholm. Wait till you see this next place. It’ll blow your mind. Just up here, now look to your left. See that street of steps? That’s Mårten Trotzigs Gränd, the narrowest street in Gamla Stan, only 90 cm. wide.




**********

Urs and Annie Joy made it as far as the guests’ upstairs lounge. The movies could wait for another night they decided as they gratefully sank their tired bodies onto one of the several sofas near the blazing fireplace. She sat curled up next to him like a cat warming herself by the fire as they sipped their brandy slowly and allowed its relaxing warmth to seep into their bones.

He drew her into the circle of his arm and gently played with her hair as they talked or not, content simply to be. She smiled. If she lay her head just so she could hear his heartbeat, strong and steady.

Urs turned his head to look down at her. “What was your favorite song on the CD?”

Her fingers fiddled with the silky fringe on her scarf. “Some…” she cleared her throat and began again. “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” A gentle smile lit her face as she looked up at him. “I only listened to it once though,” she admitted. She sat up and turned to face him as she continued. “It made me feel too sad to hear you singing about what if’s. I thought ours were all gone.”

“And what about now?” he asked as much with his eyes as his words.

She framed his face with the lightest of touches and slowly kissed his mouth. He was sure no kiss had ever tasted sweeter or been more honest.

She released his face and curled back into his embrace with a sigh. “And now it’s my favorite song of all.”