Page 54 of Be Less Panda

No 18 was a narrow four-storey 19th-century building. ‘It looks like someone’s house,’ Nancy said.

Dieter looked uncomfortable. ‘I am a member of a small Danish Lutheran sect. We do not have a big church in Paris. We use the living room here for our ceremonies.’

‘I thought you were German?’

‘I am, but my mother was Danish. She wanted me to follow her religion, so she took me to her church every Sunday.’

‘Will she be here today?’

‘Sadly not, my family home was bombed during the war. I am an orphan.’

‘Like Hans. I’m so sorry.’

‘You have no need to apologise.’

Another taxi pulled up, this time carrying Ingrid and Christa.

Hans was looking uneasy now. Nancy reached out to hold his hand to help him relax, but it seemed to have the opposite effect. ‘Do you wish it was you and Christa who were getting married?’ she asked him.

He looked surprised. ‘No, of course not.’

‘If you’re sure.’

‘I’m very sure,’ he said. ‘Let go inside.’

He led her up the stairs to the front door. His hand felt hot in hers. Something was bugging him.

Nancy glanced across at him. Beads of sweat were forming on his brow. ‘You don’t look well. Is there anything I can do to help?’

‘It’s nothing, I’ll be fine in a moment.’ He kept holding her hand, though.

A man in a long black cassock was waiting to greet them all. He motioned toward the door into what would’ve been a living room overlooking the courtyard at the back of the house. Ten chairs were laid out in two rows of five, facing an altar that looked like a dining table covered in a plain green cloth.

‘Is anyone else joining us?’ Nancy whispered to Hans.

‘No, this is everyone. Apart from the um … priest and his assistant.’

‘It’s very plain, isn’t it?’ Nancy said, looking around the room.

‘I think the church is, how do you say … It does not like to show off its wealth.’

‘I would say “it’s not ostentatious”.’

Hans didn’t try to use the new word like he usually did.

‘Are you feeling worse?’ Nancy asked

‘I am just nervous on Dieter’s behalf.’

Nancy looked at Dieter, who was standing next to Ingrid in front of the priest. Dieter didn’t look worried at all now Ingrid was here. In fact, he looked delighted. He couldn’t keep his eyes off Ingrid, who seemed equally besotted with him.

‘I don’t think you need to worry about Dieter. He’s doing what we should all do: taking the opportunity to be happy now without worrying too much about the future. If it doesn’t work out, what has he lost? At least he’ll have some good memories to look back on.’

‘You’re very wise.’ Hans squeezed her hand.

‘You’re the first person to ever say that to me,’ she whispered in his ear.

The ceremony started. Nancy had no idea what was happening. Everything sounded like it was in German, which was odd for a Danish religion, but as both the bride and groom were German, perhaps that was normal. She was going to ask Olivia about it, but with such a small congregation, it would be too noticeable. She’d consult her afterwards.

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