Chapter 29: The House with Green Roofs

Chapter 29: The House with Green Roofs

Finally we arrived in Akureyri. Ethan's property is a typical Icelandic house, a traditional structure that looks like something out of an old tale. It has exterior walls covered with dark, almost black wood, reinforced to withstand snowstorms, and a peat roof where green grass grows, blending in with the hillside. Inside, the floors are made of thick pine planks and the rooms retain rustic stone fireplaces. When you entered, you could tell immediately that it had been abandoned for a couple of years; A thin layer of dust covered the furniture covered with white sheets and the air felt enclosed, cold, waiting for someone to rekindle the life inside.

Despite the ten-hour journey, neither of them felt the slightest fatigue from the journey. We were too enthusiastic, injected with a new adrenaline.

Ethan began to walk down the hallway with a brisk step, opening the windows wide to let in the fresh Icelandic air and the soft sound of the nearby fjord. I, dragging my old habits, those that made me feel that I should ask permission to breathe at Anthony's house, looked at him and timidly asked his permission to start cleaning the kitchen.

Ethan stopped in his tracks. He turned to me, walked slowly, and shortened the distance between the two. He held out his large hand and, with a softness that made my skin crawl, placed his fingers just under my chin, forcing me to lift my head to look directly into his blue eyes.

"This is your home too, Astrid," he said, his voice deep, firm, and full of absolute loyalty. You can have whatever you want in here. You don't have to ask me for permission for anything, ever again.

The impact of his words broke down the last barrier I had left. Carried away by an impulse of pure happiness, gratitude, and an enthusiasm that overflowed my chest, I threw myself into his arms. I put my arm around his neck and whispered a "thank you" that came from my heart. Ethan returned the hug immediately, sticking to his woody chest firmly, giving me that real support that was no longer a fantasy. When we slowly parted, he bowed tenderly and kissed my forehead, a mute seal of respect and care.

He looked at me with a light smile, rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, and asked:

"Let's put our home in order?"