[Do I need to stick with you the entire day?]
Ever since my little brother Thorfinn came into the world, I can't help but wonder if he might eventually take my spot in the family. For nine years, I've experienced what it's like to be an only child. The attention and affection my parents shower on me is immense, and sometimes, it feels like I might never escape that level of care.
That's when Thorfinn entered my life. You know how it is with younger brothers—they can be really annoying. It feels like there's not a single day that goes by without him somehow ruining my mood with his selfish antics.
Because of him, my parents pay much less attention to me now. Still, I can't deny that their love for me remains full. But I can sense it. There's this weight that feels like it's resting on my shoulders.
A few years down the line, once I hit my teenage years, I started to understand what it meant to be an older sibling. It was a gradual realization, and I think my parents played a significant role in shaping that sense of responsibility in me.
They have a unique approach that helps me see things from their perspective. My father, who is typically quite serious, can surprisingly be relaxed when he takes the time to teach me different things. I owe a lot to him because, thanks to his guidance, I genuinely enjoy what I do.
So, you know, there's a lot that goes into taking care of sheep, like drawing water from the river, cutting firewood, and so much more. I can still vividly recall when my father invited me to join him on the whale hunt for the first time.
What about my mother?
She surprised me because I discovered there were still so many things I didn't know about her. She consistently displayed her gentle nature, and her smile had a way of warming anyone's heart.
She had a serious side, too, and I swear, when her eyebrows began to furrow, she looked even scarier than my father. There was an ironic twist to the situation.
For as long as I can remember, my mother has always had a frail body. Whenever I asked about it, the response was always the same. She was just tired and would be okay after some rest. Yet, deep down, I couldn't shake the feeling that she was putting on a brave face for my sake.
As a result, she spent a lot of time at home. Just like my father, she shared a wealth of knowledge with me, teaching me everything from knitting and sewing to the ins and outs of taking care of the house. One of my favorite moments spent with her was when she took the time to teach me how to cook.
Right now, I can genuinely feel happiness. The warmth from the fireplace seems to flow into my heart, especially when I see my mother smile.
Watching her laugh at my silly mistake helps me forget my worries. In the end, we'll wrap things up with her giving my cooking a try.
Today, she took a bit more time to think things over than she usually does. But when I caught sight of the thumbs-up, she flashed my way. I could feel my smile gradually spreading across my face.
"Hmm, it looks like you're still making that same mistake of adding too much salt. But, your vegetable and meat cuts are just fantastic. That's the point that saves you."
Once my mother had taken a good look at everything, she rolled up her sleeves and got to work cleaning up the mess I had created. I didn't want to burden her with too much work, so I planned to lend a hand. Just then, though, I heard someone calling me from outside the house.
"Good morning!..."
"Is anyone awake? ..."
"Sis Ylva..."
My mother and I exchanged a glance, and at that moment, it felt like we both understood exactly what was happening. She let out a light laugh in response while I silently wished that person would just take his leave.
"That boy showed up again today. Why don't you go check him? I'll take care of this myself."
At that moment, I realized there was nothing left for me to do, so I made my way to the front door. When I got there, I saw Viktor standing by himself, a smile spread across his face.
"How many times do I have to tell you, you're just not old enough yet?" I said, hoping he'd take the hint and give up soon, but it looked like that wasn't going to happen anytime soon.
"I'm not backing down just because you told me to. I believe I'm old enough to make my own choices."
Despite his attempts to project a sense of seriousness, in the end he is just a kid. No matter how hard he tried, I was resolute and wouldn't budge an inch.
It's been nearly a week since he started showing up at my house each day, searching for me. If that were the case, it wouldn't be unusual since he frequently drops by to hang out. However, recently, he's been asking for something different.
I have to say, for a kid, he's shown a remarkable amount of patience waiting for two whole years. If it had been Thorfinn, you can bet he would have been complaining about it the very next day.
The issue is that, even though two years have passed, he is still a five-year-old. It doesn't feel like anything has changed at all. As an adult, I know I should take responsibility for what I say, but honestly, this just isn't the right moment for that.
"What are you doing?" I asked, a bit puzzled, as I noticed Viktor trying to peek behind me.
"I'd like to meet Auntie Helga."
"What do you want to tell her? Listen, my mind is made up, no matter what," I said, my voice rising slightly as I noticed Viktor's surprised expression. He eventually looked down, disappointment etched on his face.
I never intended to give him any false hope. I think I just spoke too soon, and because of that, he ended up waiting way longer than I ever wanted him to.
I didn't want to discourage him, so I came up with another idea to shift his attention to something different. I hope he can just let it go for today.
If he shows up again tomorrow, I'll just let my future self figure out another approach.
"Being sad doesn't serve any purpose. You better come with me today, I happen to need a helping hand."
Viktor just gazed at me with those sorrowful eyes, and all I could do was let out a deep sigh. I didn't want to stick around too long, so I said my goodbyes to my mother, who was busy in the kitchen. Just then, Thorfinn had just woken up.
"Where are you going ?" Thorfinn asked with a yawn, his hands lazily rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"I'm just going to tackle my usual tasks, what else would I be up to, you sleepyhead," I just went with whatever popped into my mind, figuring he'd probably forget it all eventually. I intentionally left out his friend's name, just so you know.
Once I bundled up in my super thick jacket, I stepped outside, and for a brief moment, my body shivered as if it were trying to acclimate to the chilly air around me.
"Do I need to stick with you the entire day?"
I could sense the irritation in his voice, so to make our time together more productive, I replied to him as I walked along.
"I figured it might lift your spirits a bit. Are you sure you're okay going home like this?"
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps trailing behind me abruptly stopped. When I turned around to see what was happening, I found Viktor standing there, his expression growing increasingly gloomy. Fortunately, we arrived at our destination, which allowed me to shift my attention to other things for the moment.
"If your family ever thinks about raising sheep in the future, the things you learn from me will definitely come in handy."
Once I got a cozy fire going in the barn to chase away the chill, I began sharing all sorts of things I had learned over the years. It's all about breaking up the straw so it doesn't clump together, making it easier for the sheep to digest.
After that, I showed him the ropes of milking an adult ewe. I also had a sheep in labor, so I asked him to lend a hand with that as well.
"I want to go home," Viktor sighed, clearly defeated. I couldn't help but chuckle a little at his disheveled look. His hands were smeared with some gross, sticky substance, making the whole situation even more amusing.
"You've been doing great up to this point. Let's take a moment to clean ourselves up first, and then we can say our job is done."
I didn't want to admit that I still needed to get water from the river, but it looked like he figured it out when he saw me with the water-carrying yoke.
As we made our way toward the river, which was just a stone's throw from the barn, Viktor, strolling ahead of me, turned around and casually asked, " By the way, where's that place you promised to take me? Is that place that dangerous?"
"Exactly. That's why we need to be careful," I replied, keeping it laid back to stay in sync with him.
"Is this place just another village?"
Even though his eyes were glued to his hands as they fiddled with the sticky slime, I could sense just how keen he was to hear the answer I was about to provide.
"There's actually a village not too far from here, but you'll need a boat to reach it. You know, I-"
"Then it's no wonder that our journey will be dangerous," he said, cutting me off, and somehow, his excitement only seemed to grow.
"Just hear me out for a second. It's true that if we want to head to that village you're thinking of, we're going to have to put in some serious effort, and yeah, there's a chance we could run into some trouble. But that's not the place I promised I'd take you to."
Normally, when people learn about how risky a location can be, they often think twice or might even decide to scrap their plans altogether. Especially with a child-like Viktor, you can almost see the color drain from their face right before those feelings seep into their nightmares.
So, when I caught him suddenly glancing my way with that excited look in his eyes, I lost my words. He was definitely different from the other kids. Even Thorfinn wouldn't go this far with his quirks.
Still, he wasn't nearly as bothersome as my little brother. In fact, I genuinely enjoyed the moments spent teasing him.
"He's just so adorable," I said softly, a smile creeping back onto my face.