Page 45 of Forever Ink

“I need more glögg.” I shot Doc a wry smile, knowing damn well he wasn’t the lothario he said he was.

Before I could move away from the table, Mouse was handing me a large earthenware mug, steam wafting from the top of it and carrying the delightful smell of glögg. This drink was going to become the smell of Christmas to me now. Touching my lips to the mug, I darted my tongue out to taste the sweet spicy drink.

* * *

The fire popped and crackled. I stretched my socked feet towards the heat and leaned back on the cushion, looking over at Simon who was sprawled out on one of the sofas. Everyone else was lounging about the sitting room on chairs except Mouse and Alice, who’d joined me on the floor.

My head was fuzzy, but in a good way. “Glögg is good,” I murmured bringing my cup up to salute Magnus.

“Glögg is mine,” Mouse sang, rolling over to face me. His cheeks were as red as mine felt.

“Glögg is yummy and that’s fine,” I sang back, collapsing against Mouse, which sent us both off into giggles.

“I think the two of you have hit your limit. This stuff is stronger than you think.” Magnus reached down to pluck the mug from my hand.

“Nooo, I love the glögg.” I tried to sit up and snatch the mug back, but Mouse had rolled over onto my arm.

Grandad laughed from his spot in the large armchair by the fire. “I think some fresh air might do ’em some good. They keep this up they’re going to wake up sorrier than old man Killip’s sow after she got into the cider apples.”

“Mouse’s turn to take the porridge out for the Nisse anyway. I did it last year, and the year before, I seem to remember,” Daddy muttered from his spot on the sofa, not even bothering to open his eyes.

“What’s a Nisse?”

“It’s a pain in the arse and a make-believe thing Dad insists we do every bloody year,” Mouse mumbled into my shoulder.

“Fjøsnisse” Magnus said, causing me to giggle. It sounded like a lot of confusing sounds put together, but also a sneeze.

“Bless you.”

“It’s the name for a barn elf, you muppet. Though you’re right, sounds like something you sneeze out,” Mouse said, trying to sit up.

“The porridge is in the bowl on the stove. Take it out to the barn. I’ll have some hot chocolate waiting for you.” Oh, Magnus knew how to sweeten a deal.

We rose, both slightly unsteady on our feet. Now I was standing upright, I could see the wisdom in Magnus cutting us off from the glögg supply.

“Real size marshmallows, not those poxy mini things.” Mouse muttered at his Dad as he dragged me through to the mud room. I shot Daddy a grin and he chuckled. I loved when he laughed. Stopping, I let go of Mouse’s hand, running over to Daddy and planting a wet kiss on his lips.

“Back soon, unless the barn elf kidnaps me.”

Mouse was pulling on his wellington’s when I got to the mudroom—or trying to. He’d somehow gotten one on halfway, but the wrong way round, “Umm I may be drunk, but I don’t think they go on that way.”

Mouse stuck his tongue out at me and pointed to my wellington boots. “Says the man who has teddy bears all over his.”

I stuck my finger up at him and slipped my wellingtons over my thick socks. I seemed to be having as much trouble as Mouse did, but we finally got our boots on and shrugged into thick coats. I wrapped my new Christmas scarf around my neck and pulled my bear beanie down over my ears. Mouse gave a loud snort. “We’re just going to the barn, not the Arctic.”

I lifted my chin. “Doesn’t matter. This man doesn’t freeze his nuts off for anyone.”

There was a fresh dusting of snow already accumulating across the yard and the Christmas lights that Simon and Mouse had put up sparkled, giving the courtyard almost a fairy–tale feel.

“When I was little, I kept sneaking out here to try and see the Nisse,” Mouse whispered as if he didn’t want anyone to overhear him.

“Really?”

“Yeah. Dad used to tell all these fairy tales from back home, had me believing the two big boulders on the top of that hill were trolls.” Mouse pointed off towards the large hill that Simon had shown me when we first arrived.

I squinted up at the boulders. The way the moonlight was hitting them, they did look like crouching trolls. “Mouse, they aren’t really trolls are they?”

In the dim light of the Christmas lights, I could see Mouse’s eyes go wide as he looked up at the boulders. “You know what? Let’s not stick around to find out. We’ll feed the Nisse, then back inside.” His words were a little slurred, and I wasn’t sure if it was me or him who was swaying.

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