It was not until the last of the plates had been cleared away, and Frau Bodek had taken her boys home, and the professors had retired upstairs that Annika and her friends sat down to talk. Ellie brewed another pot of coffee as Annika, Pauline and Stefan congregated around the table.
Pauline went first and explained in detail about the countryside. "It is so open," she said, "But in a good way. It is a beautiful kind of open, not at all scary." She told them about Marcus and his farm. She told them about the old man and his bookshop which he was going to hand over to her when he passed away for he had no relatives. She told them she was happy.
Then it was Stefan's turn. "You wouldn't believe the things we learn," he said, he voice full of admiration and awe, "The technology they have, it's amazing. I think I could do it, you know. I think I could become a proper engineer." The girls told him of course he could, they had always known it. He spoke about a girl he had met, a smart and pretty girl whom he expected to marry someday. It was clear to Annika that his affection for this girl was true, but she noted the oddly wistful way Stefan looked at Pauline.
Just as Stefan finished speaking, the kitchen door creaked open slowly.
"Zed!"
It was Zed. He was still in his smart work uniform and he looked out of breath, as if he had been running. He looked apologetically at Ellie and said, "Sorry I missed the meal. I had to work a little extra; I couldn't avoid it."
But Ellie had no time for apologies. She was already sitting him down with some coffee and warming up the leftover stew on the stove.
The truth was not that Zed had been unable to avoid working a little extra. He had chosen to do it. Although at first he had been excited to hear Annika would be coming home, this morning he had woken feeling oddly nervous. He had intended to court her as was appropriate before asking her hand in marriage. But what if she had changed? Not become nasty or snobbish, of course, Annika wouldn't do that. But she had been away for so long. What if she had fallen in love with a man at the school? What if she had announced by now that some Englishman was waiting for her in London and she would be going away as soon as possible?
He had not looked at her right away, had not dared to in case all of his worries were true but now he had no choice. He looked...and he saw. She had not changed at all. She was as he remembered her with her golden hair and her pretty face. The way she looked at him so expectantly, as if she had been waiting for him, chased his doubts away. Even if there was some Englishman, he would fight for her hand. He would not let her get away so easily.
"Annika, I am glad you are home," he said.