– No, Fredrik's not that lucky so far. Sometimes I can't hold back my emotions. I try very hard, but I guess it's my nature!
We laughed good-naturedly. She was so sweet, my Misha. She was making jokes about herself. Marvellous.
"That's my nature," she said. What is my nature then? To be an evil bitch, ruining the lives of my own sister and mother? Oh, God. How does Misha tolerate my company? She's so beautiful, so innocent. An angel. I guess it's true that dirt is most noticeable when white shoes are shining clean next to them.
That's how we drove: me – dirt and lies, and Misha – beautiful snow-white sneakers. Riding along a beautiful clear lake, in the heart of a magical Swedish forest.
– Do you still drive the poor Mustang? – I changed the subject, for it was unbearable. For me.
– Yes. Fredrik loves it. He drives it. I have a motorbike.
– What? A motorbike? – I was pleasantly surprised. – Somehow I thought you'd have the Volvo Fredrik would have chosen for you!
– No, I didn't. This time his displeasure doesn't bother me. In everything else, of course, I'm always inferior to him. I know it's bad. But I love him so much. I don't know how to express it! But I'm not that naive girl anymore, and he has to accept that I have an opinion. I can feel that strength in me – the strength to say no," Misha said in a serious tone.
– That's right. No one should be in charge of your life but you, and I'm glad you're beginning to realise that. – Her words pleasantly surprised me. I was proud of her.
– But really, I don't feel like he's disadvantaging me. I just trust his judgement because he's lived so many years and I'm just starting to learn about life. But it won't last forever. I'll grow up and be independent in my judgement. In the meantime, I have one small victory – my motorbike.
– Exactly. You've got a lot more ahead of you, my darling. Just live and learn. What kind of motorbike?
– Bajaj Pulsar 2000.
– You'll show me, because I prefer cars.
– Of course I do. Where's your luggage?
– In Reykjavik,' I answered without going into details.
– I have a lot of clothes. Take whatever you want," Misha said with a smile.
– Oh, I know that. Thank you, sweetheart. It's like old times.
We used to swap clothes whenever we had the chance to be around each other. But, out of my entire wardrobe, Misha always took only modest clothes. If I had any. I knew that after another visit to Prague, she often brought Mariszka's clothes with her, as if she was too lazy to buy them for herself. Or Misha so trusted the "impeccable", as everyone said, taste of our saint. Boring, if you ask me.
– And what are you doing at the lake? – I asked.
– I got tired of living in Stockholm, so we came back here, – Misha informed me.
– For how long?
– A couple of months. I'm so glad you're here! But why and for how long?
– I'm tired, too. Mentally. Decided to spend time with my beloved sister. – I smiled quite a bit. And it was almost true. – How long? Three weeks.
– That short? – Misha grumbled unhappily.
– Yes, I'm sorry. But I have an exhibition, an opening.
– Oh yes! Mum told me! – cheerfully chirped her little sister.
– I'm sure she did," I grinned. – Are you coming to the opening?
– When?
– The tenth of October.
– Still asking? Of course! And Fredrik will come with me, even if he refuses!
– Oh, gods, poor Fredrik! – I laughed.
Misha suddenly turned off the road onto a narrow, gravel path that led somewhere in the forest.
– We'll be home soon! – Misha said cheerfully.
– Remind me again: Did Fredrik build your house himself? – I asked.
– Yes, and in just a fortnight. We also have a jetty and a boat. And a swing.
– How nice. And how wonderful to see you happy, my darling.
– Oh, thank you. And I hope you're happy too.
"You'll never know the truth, my dear! Otherwise, you'll suffer for me. You don't have to suffer. No one has to. It is only my burden," I thought bitterly.
– Yes, of course," I smiled a fake smile.
A couple of minutes later, the lake and the two-storey wooden house on its shore, painted matte red, peeked out from behind the trees. But I didn't ask why red and why they needed swings.
– Well, I must justly say that Fredrik has done his best! – I exclaimed sincerely, stunned by the skill of my former lover.
– Yes, he did his best! But I helped too. I mean, I painted the whole house! What do you think of the colour? It's beautiful, isn't it? – Misha said with pride in her voice at my exclamation.
– Oh, yeah. Just gorgeous! – I answered her.
Misha parked the car near the house. Fortunately, the sun was hidden behind thick white clouds, and I could not hide from its rays.
I got out of the car and took the moment to look at the house more closely.
The "little house" (in the young Haraldson family's terms) was actually a massive tall house made of large, rough-hewn planks, fitted together so tightly that the lines of distinction were barely visible. The large wide terrace on the first floor, with a low railing made of thin trunks of some kind of wood, looked very cosy. There were wooden chaise lounges with soft fake fur covers on them. Next to the terrace was a large veranda with sliding glass doors. On the ground floor there were four wide windows and between them a tall solid wooden door, to which a wide wooden staircase with six steps ascended. The staircase and door were securely sheltered by a wide triangular roof, from which a large lantern descended on a thin chain.
– I forgot to warn you: we don't have electricity," Misha said suddenly, approaching me. – To be more precise, we have only one working socket, but only for charging phones.
– Are you kidding? – I grinned. – My MacBook is going to die in four hours, and I need to write to Elle about how busy I am!
– Do you have internet access on your phone? – Misha asked. – I don't.
– Of course I have internet! I'm just addicted to it! How do you live here? Without electricity and internet? – I hummed, surprised more and more.
– I assure you, life without the internet is magical! We are free of it. And we don't need electricity: in the evening we light candles and a fireplace. And it's so cosy! I only need water for my flowers.
– Don't tell me you don't shower? I know you, you're so tidy, you can lie in the bath for hours! – I laughed.
– We have a whole lake for that! But we have a shower, of course! True, it's more like a hose with water, there behind the house, but there's a wooden cabin! – Misha replied to this with delight. She took me by the hand and led me to a low jetty, next to which a big red boat was tied up. – Look how beautiful it is! The water is so clear and clean that you can see the bottom. But it's actually quite deep.
– Yes, it's very beautiful," I agreed eagerly. – But, you know, I couldn't live like this. With no electricity, no internet and an outdoor shower! Even in the middle of this lonely paradise. You could get bored out of your mind here!
– Yes, it can be lonely sometimes… But that's what we have a house in the capital for. And when I get tired of Stockholm, we come back here again and again. – Misha smiled dreamily. – I have so many memories with this place! And it helped me to recover from my bad experience in Oxford.
– After a crisis, you mean? – I asked, and immediately saw my sister's eyes round with surprise. I stroked her shoulder encouragingly. – Yes, yes, Martin told me! But don't be angry with him because he made me swear not to tell you what I know. And so I did. – I smiled warmly. – But it hurts me that you kept it from me. Why, Misha?
She lowered her gaze to the ground.
– I was ashamed… And I didn't want you and Mariszka to know," she answered quietly.
– So Mariszka still doesn't know? – I clarified.
– No. Not unless Martin has told her.
I can't believe it! It's happened! I know something about Misha that our sister doesn't!
I was very pleased with that.
– Well, let's put it behind us. Now show me your house, missy! – I said cheerfully, to distract Misha from unpleasant memories. – What about the cleaning? Do you do it yourself? Or do you hire mortals?
– Yes, ourselves, but when we are in Stockholm, an elderly couple from the local village lives here. They clean, take care of the flowers and the boat," Misha said with renewed vigour.
– And someone voluntarily agrees to live here without electricity? – I teased.
She took me by the elbow, and we walked towards the house. There was fine gravel all around, and I was unhappy to think that I would scratch my expensive shoes.
– We pay them well. All the more reason for them to like it here! – Misha showed me her tongue. – All you want is comfort! Which one of us is the cleaner?
– Aren't you afraid to leave them in a house with a blood supply of their kin?
– We don't have any. We only hunt.
'Ah, right, I remember that stupid opinion of Fredrik's about using bottled blood!' – I thought sarcastically. – Poor little sister! He's got her so subjugated!".
– But it's not Fredrik's fault," Misha said suddenly, as if she understood my barely perceptible chuckle. – It's my decision. Because… I'm afraid that if I stop hunting and acting like a real vampire, I'll have… A split personality again. – She smiled bitterly.
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