A few days later the doctors give me and the baby the green light to go home...WITH the condition I take it easy for the next few weeks and if it looks at all like Kristian is having ANY issues he is to be brought back immediately. Bard of course promised them he wouldn't let me lift a finger unless it dealt with the baby, and I promised I would be over vigilant when it came to Kristian.
Our days settled into a companionable routine. The brothers and Calle took care of the farm and me, and I coddled the baby, who never left my sight. It was funny seeing the boys play ranch hand and...Vegard wasn't lying, my dog seemed to really take a shine to Calle. When she wasn't by my side, she was trailing along with him. Bard was still nervous around her and gave her a wide berth. Calle liked to take advantage of that. It was kind of comical.
Bard did spend a decent amount of time with the baby and he seemed real relaxed and natural around him. He was a great dad. It was with me he was upright and reserved. Not much was spoken between us unless it dealt with the baby or the farm. So you can imagine my surprise when one night after Calle and Vegard went to bed, Bard joined me in the living room as I was finishing up nursing Kristian.
"Have I told you how beautiful you look when you nurse him? It's like all your worries go away and there's no one but you and him. I'm jealous" he says.
I look at him a little shocked at his comment. "Why would you be jealous? You spend a lot of time with the baby. You're great with him." I say as I finish up and place him in his crib.
"I'm jealous of the calm you have with him. You seem to be very tense when its just you and me". He says staring at me from the couch.
"I guess I don't know what to think or say when it's just us. Everything happened so quickly between us, and the last time we really spoke we kinda had an arguement. Now it's you three guys, me and Kristian. There really hasn't been N opportunity to be one to talk, I guess".
He stands up to walk over to me, but stops short of where the dog is laying near the crib, watching me and the baby.
"Haven't you realize by now that she's not going to hurt you!" I say as I see him eye her warily.
"She stares at me. It's unnerving."
"She just watches what's going on. She mostly plays off of me and my feelings." I say.
His head snaps up to look at me. "So I make you nervous?" He asks.
"Why would you say that?" I ask.
"Well, if she plays off of you, and she always seems to nervously watch me, I can only assume I make you nervous" he counters " why do I make you nervous?"
I let out a deep sigh, look away from him and say," I don't know what you expect from me. I know you are going to have to leave here soon as well. I'm not sure what to do next. I don't know what will happen with me and Kristian."
"Come with me" he say so quietly I barely hear him.
My head snaps around to look at him. He starts walking toward me.
"Come with me," be says again louder as he stands in front of me.
"What about my farm? My home?" I ask.
"We can sell it. We can move to an area outside of Oslo and build a new farm. Together." He suggests.
He takes my hands and looks me in the eyes. "Please, say yes. We can make a whole new life. Start over, you, me, Kristian. As a family."
"Is that what you really want? This isn't just because of Kristian, is it?" I ask him.
"Brigitte, I want you both. You're my wife. I love you. I almost lost it when I thought I was going to lose you again. So, please, come with me"
The pleading look in his eyes is the thing that finally shatters the wall around my heart. He looks at me and a silent tear rolls down my cheek.
"Yes, I'll go with you. We'll go with you" With that Bard grabs me and gives me the deepest most passionate kiss. One to seal the promise between us. After a while he pulls away, still holding me close, he looks me in the eye and asks...
"Are we taking the monster with us?"
I laugh and hug him close, whispering in his ear,"of course you fool. How else am I go an keep you in line."
