Festive Fling with the Single Dad

by Annie Claydon

  ‘You’re killing me. You know that.’ He turned on his heel, walking over to Mette.

  ‘Ted says that I can make an ice sculpture. Would you like me to make one for you this afternoon, while Tante Flora takes you back to the castle to play?’

  ‘Yes, Papa!’ Mette obviously thought that was a good idea, too.

  ‘Okay. What would you like me to make, then?’

  Flora winced. Maybe it would have been better to give Mette some suggestions, rather than allow a child’s imagination to run rampant.

  ‘A reindeer. Mama took me to see the reindeer.’

  ‘A reindeer?’ Ted chuckled, removing his flat cap to scratch his head. ‘That’ll be interesting. What do you think, Aksel?’

  Aksel shrugged. ‘If she wants a reindeer, then... I can do a reindeer.’

  ‘Would you like me to bring Mette back here after I’ve finished work?’ Flora reckoned that Aksel might need a bit of extra time to work out how to sculpt four legs and a pair of antlers.

  ‘Um... Yes. That would be great, thank you.’

  ‘Right.’ Flora took Mette’s hand. ‘Shall we stay and watch Papa get started on your reindeer, Mette, and then we’ll go back to the castle.’

  Mette nodded, following Flora to a safe distance, while Ted gave Aksel the gloves and a pair of safety glasses. Running him through a few safety rules was probably unnecessary, but Ted was nothing if not thorough, and Aksel listened carefully. Then he turned towards the block of ice that Ted had indicated, standing back for a moment to contemplate his first move, before starting up the chainsaw.

  Mette tugged her hat down over her ears in response to the noise. ‘What’s Papa doing?’

  ‘He’s cutting some ice off the top. To make the reindeer’s back.’

  Aksel had clearly decided to start with the easy part, and was making an incision on one side of the block of ice that ran half way along its length. Then he made a similar incision from the top, freeing a large piece of ice, which he lifted down onto the ground. He switched off the chainsaw, engaging the safety mechanism, and beckoned to Flora and Mette.

  ‘See this big block he’s sawn off. It’s almost as big as you are.’ She kept hold of Mette’s hand, letting her feel the size of the block. ‘I can’t wait to see what it’ll be like when we get back.’

  ‘Neither can I,’ Ted interjected. He was clearly wondering how Aksel was going to sculpt a pair of antlers too.

  ‘You’re all killing me...’ Aksel muttered the words under his breath, but he was grinning broadly. He was clearly in his element.

  He bent down, kissing Mette goodbye and telling her to enjoy her afternoon. Flora took her hand and walked away, knowing that Aksel was watching them go. It wasn’t until she’d turned into one of the walkways between the stalls that she heard the chainsaw start up again.

  * * *

  Mette had told everyone about how her papa was using a chainsaw to make her a reindeer out of ice. When Flora arrived back at the children’s unit to pick her up, the nursery nurses and some of the children already had their hats and coats on.

  ‘Are we ready, then?’ Lyle was wearing a thick windcheater and was clearly intending to join the party. Flora hoped that they wouldn’t be disappointed.

  ‘Should we phone Ted first? To see if it’s finished?’ And possibly to make sure that the reindeer hadn’t collapsed and they’d be greeted by an amorphous pile of ice.

  Lyle chuckled. ‘Aksel called me earlier for some orthopaedic advice.’

  ‘He’s hurt himself?’ Flora hoped that Aksel hadn’t overdone things and damaged his shoulder.

  ‘No, it was more a matter of how thick the reindeer’s legs needed to be to support the weight of the body. Interesting equation. I called Ted just now, and he says that it’s all going rather well.’

  Lyle looked round as Cass entered the room, displaying the sixth sense of a lover who always knew when his partner was nearby.

  ‘I can’t wait to see it.’ Cass’s green eyes flashed with mischief. ‘There’s something very sexy about a man using power tools...’

  Yes, there was. And there was something almost overwhelmingly sexy about Aksel using power tools. Combine that with large blocks of ice, and it was enough to melt the most frozen heart.

  ‘You think so? I might have to have a go, then.’ Lyle raised an eyebrow and Cass laughed.

  They all trooped out of the main entrance to the clinic, Mette holding her hand. It was dark now and the lights of the carnival shone brightly ahead of them, people straggling along the path that led down from the castle.

  The first evening of the carnival was, as always, well attended. Charles Ross-Wylde was there, fulfilling his duties as Laird and host by greeting everyone and then melting quietly away to leave them to their fun. His sister Esme had brought a couple of the dogs from the canine therapy centre, and was clearly taking the opportunity to make sure that they weren’t distracted by the lights and sounds around them.

  Mette tugged at Flora’s hand, remembering which way they needed to walk to get to the ice sculpture. As they approached, Flora could see Ted adjusting the lights that were placed at the bottom of the sculpture to show it off to its best effect. And Aksel’s tall, unmistakeable silhouette standing back a little.

  He turned, seeming to sense that they were there, and walked towards them. Shooting Flora a smile, he addressed Mette.

  ‘Would you like to come and see your reindeer?’

  ‘Yes, Papa!’

  Flora watched as he led his daughter over to the reindeer, letting her stand close so that she could see the lights reflected in the ice. It was beautiful, standing tall and proud, a full set of antlers on its head. The lights glistened through the ice, making it seem almost alive.

  Over the noise of the carnival, Flora could hear Mette’s excited chatter. Lyle came to inspect the reindeer and Mette took his hand, pulling him closer to take a look. Aksel stood back, leaving his daughter with Lyle and Cass, and walked over to Flora.

  ‘That is downright amazing.’ Flora grinned up at him.

  ‘I had a bit of help. One of the antlers snapped off, and Ted and I had to re-attach it. And Dr Sinclair’s anatomical knowledge was invaluable.’

  ‘Yes, I heard about that. I’m a little more interested in your anatomy.’ Flora frowned. She could have phrased that a little better. Somehow, a perfectly innocent enquiry about his shoulder seemed to have turned into a barely disguised chat-up line.

  ‘My shoulder’s fine. If that’s what you mean.’ The slight quirk of his lips showed that Aksel was quite prepared to call her bluff, and Flora decided to ignore the invitation.

  ‘I’m glad you haven’t undone the work I did on it.’

  ‘It might be a bit stiff in the morning...’

  Flora returned his smile. ‘If it is, I’ll be officially reporting you to Lyle for some more orthopaedic advice.’ A repetition of last night was probably to be avoided.

  ‘You make that sound like a threat.’

  ‘Don’t worry. It is.’

  CHAPTER NINE

  AKSEL WOKE UP the following morning feeling more refreshed from sleep than he had in a long time. It was a bright, clear day, and although his shoulder was a little sore, it was nothing that a hot shower and some stretching exercises wouldn’t banish. He was ready for the day, and the day seemed that much better for the possibility that it might bring another chance to see Flora.

  He wasn’t disappointed. When he arrived at the clinic, after a morning’s work at the therapy centre, he found that Mette was absorbed in a learning game with one of the children’s therapy assistants. He kissed his daughter and told her that he wouldn’t interrupt, and then wandered aimlessly down to one of the patient sitting rooms.

  He saw Flora sitting in one of the wing-backed chairs by the great fireplace, which had been made bright and welcoming with a
n arrangement of Christmas greenery. He recognised the sandy-haired man in the chair opposite. One of the children’s play leaders had told him that this was Andy Wallace and that he didn’t much like to be touched, in a broad hint that Aksel should steer Mette clear of him.

  Flora was leaning towards Andy, and the two seemed to be deep in conversation. Aksel turned to walk away, but then Flora looked up and beckoned him over.

  Andy didn’t offer to shake hands when Flora introduced the two men but nodded quietly in Aksel’s direction, clearly taking his time to sum him up.

  ‘We’re just having tea. Would you like to join us?’ Flora smiled at him.

  There was no just about it. Flora had been talking quietly to Andy, no doubt discussing the next step of what looked like a long road back to full health. Andy’s leg was supported by a surgical brace and his eyes seemed haunted. But if Flora thought that it was okay for him to join them, then he trusted her.

  ‘Thank you. Can I get you a refill?’ He gestured to the two empty cups on the small table between them.

  ‘Not for me, thanks. Andy?’

  Andy proffered his cup, and Aksel carried it over to the side table where coffee and tea were laid out. He put a fresh herbal teabag into Andy’s cup and reached for a coffee capsule for himself. Flora leaned forward, saying a few words to Andy, and he nodded. All the same, when Aksel operated the coffee machine, Andy jumped slightly at the noise.

  ‘Where’s Mette?’ Flora turned to him as he sat down.

  ‘She’s...got something going with the play assistants. Apparently I’m surplus to requirements at the moment.’ Aksel made a joke of it, but it stung more than he cared to admit.

  Flora nodded, smiling at Andy. ‘Aksel’s not used to that.’

  Andy let out a short, barked laugh. ‘I can identify with surplus to requirements.’ He nodded down at his leg, clearly frustrated by his own lack of mobility.

  ‘It’s nothing...’ The comparison was embarrassing; Andy clearly had life-changing injuries.

  ‘Don’t let Flora hear you say that. She has a keen nose for nothing.’ Andy gave a wry smile, and Flora grinned back at him.

  ‘Nothing’s a code word around here. Meaning something.’ Flora’s observation sounded like a quiet joke, and Aksel wondered if it was aimed at him or Andy. Probably both of them.

  ‘In that case, it’s something. And I’m handling it.’ Aksel’s smiling retort made both Andy and Flora laugh. He was beginning to like Andy, and Aksel pulled out his phone, flipping to the picture he’d taken yesterday and handing the phone to Andy.

  ‘Oh, she’s a bonny wee lass. What’s that she’s standing next to?’

  Flora smiled. ‘Ted Mackie has an ice-sculpting stall at the carnival. With chainsaws. Aksel made the mistake of telling Mette that he’d sculpt whatever she wanted for her, and he ended up having to do a reindeer.’

  Andy chuckled. ‘You made a decent job of it. Why is your daughter here?’

  ‘She was in a car accident, and she’s lost most of her sight. Anything that’s more than a few feet away from her is just a blur.’

  ‘You’ve done the best thing for her, bringing her to the clinic. They’ll help her make the most of what she has.’ Andy’s reaction was like a breath of fresh air. Someone who knew the nature of suffering but didn’t dwell on it, and who preferred to look at what could be done for Mette, and not express horror at what couldn’t be changed.

  ‘Thanks. That’s good to hear.’

  Flora had leaned back in her chair, seemingly in no hurry to go anywhere. The talk drifted into quiet, getting-to-know-you mode. Andy had been in the army and had travelled a lot, and the two men swapped stories about places they’d both visited. Andy’s story about patching up a broken-down SUV from the only materials to hand struck a chord with Aksel, and the two men laughed over it. And Aksel’s story about the mystery of the missing coffee supplies made Andy chuckle.

  Finally, Flora looked at her watch. ‘I hate to break this up, but it’s time for your physio now, Andy.’ She was clearly pleased with the way things had gone. And Aksel had enjoyed their talk. Andy had a well-developed sense of humour, and he’d led an interesting life.

  Andy rolled his eyes. ‘Another chance for you to torment me?’ He clearly thought a lot of Flora.

  ‘Yes, that’s right. I don’t get paid if I can’t find something to torment my patients with.’ Flora gave Andy a bright smile, helping him to his feet and pulling in front of him the walking frame that stood by the side of his chair.

  ‘I’d like to see the pictures of your expedition to the Andes.’ Andy turned to Aksel.

  ‘Sure. I’ll bring them in tomorrow. Is it okay for me to bring Mette with me?’ Aksel wondered if a child might be too much for Andy but he smiled.

  ‘I’d like that. As long as she doesn’t find me boring.’ Andy glanced down at his leg. Aksel shook his head, sure that if anyone could see past Andy’s injuries then his daughter could.

  Flora broke in briskly. ‘If you send me the pictures, I can print them out for you. Perhaps Mette will be able to see them better that way?’

  ‘Thanks. I think she will.’

  The two men nodded goodbye, and Flora followed as Andy walked slowly towards the doorway. She turned, giving Aksel a grin.

  ‘If you’re at a loose end, you can always go and sculpt something else. I’m very partial to unicorns, and now you have this down to a fine art it should be child’s play...’

  ‘Don’t listen to her, man.’ Andy called out the words. ‘She’s far too bossy.’

  Bossy and beautiful. Soft and sweet and yet surprisingly strong. Intelligent, warm... The list just went on. Aksel had given up trying to complete it, because there was always more to say about Flora.

  He called out an acknowledgement to Andy, wondering if Flora had lip-read the words that had formed silently on his lips. Or maybe she’d tapped into the connection between them and she just knew, because she shot him a look of amused surprise.

  You want a unicorn...? If that was what Flora wanted, then that’s what she’d get.

  * * *

  The ice unicorn stood next to the reindeer, and Ted Mackie had told Aksel that it had attracted both attention and admiration. He hadn’t told Flora about it, even though she was the one person that it was intended to please. She was sure enough to hear about it, and he hoped she’d know it was her unicorn.

  He’d arranged a schedule with Lyle for when he should bring Mette home. Both of them agreed that Mette was settling in well, and Aksel was anxious that she wouldn’t miss any of the activities that the clinic ran for its patients.

  ‘Are you sure you’re happy with this? It’s a little less than we originally envisaged.’ Lyle gave him a searching look, and Aksel realised that his own attitude had changed since they’d last spoken about this. The question was less of a tug of war and more a meeting of minds now.

  ‘I’m very happy with it. My relationship with Mette has been much better since she’s been here. I have you to thank for that. She’s gained a lot of confidence.’ Aksel had wondered if he should say that Flora had given him the confidence to see that.

  Lyle had nodded, smiling. ‘I’m glad you feel that way. I think that your daily visits are very important for Mette, she knows that you’re always there for her.’

  He’d gone to the children’s unit to see Mette and she’d greeted him with a hug and a kiss. When he’d asked her if she’d like to spend the day with him tomorrow, she’d tugged at the play assistant’s arm excitedly, telling her that she was going to explore a new place with her papa.

  Then he’d texted Flora, asking her if she was free. There had been no mention of unicorns, which had been a little disappointing, but her ‘Yes’ had made up for that.

  * * *

  Aksel arrived at the clinic just as the children were finishing their breakfast. He packed some t
hings into his day-pack, although in truth nothing was needed. But Mette liked the idea of packing for a journey.

  His shoulder had improved a great deal. The massage had done wonders and he suspected that Flora’s wake-up call had something to do with it as well. He lifted Mette up onto his shoulders, perched on top of his day-pack, and felt his stride lengthen as they started the two-mile walk home, the rhythm of his steps quieting his heart. Aksel began to tell Mette the story of his trip up to a remote village in the Andes.

  ‘Were there crocodiles, Papa?’

  Not that he’d noticed. But, then, Mette’s idea of a crocodile was her smiling stuffed toy. ‘Yes, there were crocodiles. We gave them some chocolate so they wouldn’t eat us.’

  ‘And penguins?’

  ‘Yes. We had to go fishing and catch them some tea, so they’d tell us the right way to the village.’ If he was going to enter into the realms of fantasy, then he may as well just go for it.

  ‘Did your feet hurt?’

  ‘A little bit. I had a big blister on my toe.’ He’d made a rookie mistake on the way back down, allowing water to get inside one of his boots, and frostbite had taken hold.

  ‘Did it get better, Papa?’

  ‘Yes, it got better. And when we reached the village, at the top of the high snowy mountain, the people there welcomed us and gave us food and comfortable beds, with warm quilts like yours.’

  Mette whooped with joy, and the achievement seemed greater than the walk up to the isolated village, in terrible weather conditions, had been.

  They had warm drinks together when they arrived back at the cottage, and Mette insisted on keeping her hat on, since she too was an explorer. Then there was a knock at the door, and Flora burst into the cottage, bringing the same sunlight with her that she took everywhere.

  ‘I like the new look.’ She grinned up at him and Aksel’s hand shot awkwardly to the small plait that ran from his right temple and was caught into the elastic band that held the rest of his hair back.

  ‘Mette’s rag doll has plaits...’ He shrugged as if it was nothing. When Mette had demanded that she be allowed to plait his hair this morning, it had felt like another step towards intimacy with his daughter, and he hadn’t had the heart to unravel the uneven braid.