Paige and Henrik came back up and the four of them resumed their conversation. At this point they were focused on some straight logistics. Henrik and Paige pitched their idea of just two vehicles so they could have pilot/co-pilot in each. Surprisingly to both of them, Sabine and Andrea were for it, especially after they explained having some of the others bring the two cars left behind up when they came north later.
The next couple of hours were filled with talk of when, how much and in which vehicle to pack things. Paige and Henrik explained about their ideas for building the house when they got there. They were afraid Sabine and Andrea would feel left out, that they didn’t want to live with them anymore. Once again they were pleasantly surprised. Sabine and Andrea were all smiles and such, as long as the two houses were not very far apart. They still wanted to be close but understood needing space, especially since they figured Paige and Henrik would need room for any kids they decided to have.
Sabine was reassuring on this as well. “Don’t worry guys. I will do plenty of studying up on childbirth. You don’t have to worry about anything on that front. I’ll have it handled. You and your kids will be in good hands. Even though it’s been awhile, I’ve delivered quite a few and only drop them sometimes, but only on days that end in ‘y’”.
Andrea shot Sabine a glare. Paige and Henrik both turned a little red.
“We haven’t talked about kids yet. We figure whether we have any is in God’s hands.” Paige said as she patted Henrik’s arm.
Henrik just smiled a little. He was thinking about a cradle he could build. He shook his head a little as he reminded himself to not get the cart before the horse or was he. Paige wasn’t pregnant yet, but what made her faint? Was she trying something? Ever since the attack, once she was up to it, Paige’s libido has been in overdrive!
They needed to get north, build their house, Sabine and Andrea’s house and then worry about that step. Not that he intended to stop practicing the prequel as much as she wanted. Henrik blushed a little more just thinking about it.
It was almost as if Paige could read his mind as she figured to shift the topic. “So, with all the prep work we need to do, and with us talking a month at the outside since Sabine arranged with the landlord for the other guys to come live here after we leave, I think we need to start moving in some help.”
Sabine, Andrea and Henrik all looked at Paige. This was new to Henrik. He figured Paige came up with this from looking at the pile of work they needed to do and the short time to do it. Andrea and Sabine were wondering who Paige was thinking. Sabine was the first to ask.
“So who are you figuring we need?”
“Petra and ideally the Jensons but I don’t know if Jennifer is ready to move out here away from Sofia yet. Petra at least though. She is a good, creative fabricator in her own right and can help me build the trailer and prep the vehicles, and I can help her get started on the other ones they will use to come north.”
Paige took a breath and looked at the other faces around the table. Andrea was smirking, Henrik was nodding, and Sabine was unreadable. She didn’t know why, she kept explaining, hoping to get enough out to have all three of them convinced before anyone objected.
“We have the three extra bedrooms upstairs. That would make one for Jonas, one for Jennifer, and one for Petra. They wouldn’t have to move twice, they would be in place for Silas, Amber, Ivar and Sofia to move into the house as we leave so it’s seamless. And with what we were talking earlier, they would be here to take over the jeep and R32 as we go as well.” Paige felt the last part of it come out in a rush.
By the end of Paige’s explanation, Henrik was still nodding his agreeance and so was Andrea. “What do you think, Sabine?”
Sabine took a moment to answer. “I think it will work. Petra is a good kid. We just need to remember she is young and impressionable. We might think it’s best for her and us, but we need to find out what she thinks, without strong-arming her or pressuring her in any way. She would probably do anything we ask of her, no matter how outrageous, just because we ask her to.” Under the table, Sabine squeezed Andrea’s hand as if to convey she knew first hand it was not an ‘if’.
She paused and took a drink before continuing. “I don’t know if the Jensons are ready, so I say start with Petra and then pitch it to Jonas. Petra here will help Jennifer feel more comfortable once they move over. My opinion though is Jonas and Jennifer probably won’t want to move until Ivar and Sofia move over.”
The discussion and planning carried them until dinner. After dinner, the four of them sat around on the couches, just relaxing and watching some silly movie. After the movie, Paige and Andrea both excused themselves and headed to their respective bedrooms. Sabine and Henrik stayed in the living room for a little while, each lost in their thoughts.
“We haven’t talked about kids.” Henrik broke the silence.
“You will be a great dad.” Sabine’s voice was soft and had lost a lot of its normal sharpness he was used to. Henrik looked over at her. Her long black hair hung in loose curls around her face. Her face had a sad expression on it he didn’t understand.
“What’s wrong Sabine?”
“Paige is lucky to have you. I wish I had met someone like you all those years ago.”
Her words shocked Henrik. He really didn’t know what to say. Sabine had so many layers and was so secretive about so much. After the night he proposed to Paige, and her warning, he wasn’t sure if she even liked him. Then again, he didn’t necessarily get a good impression of her when Andrea first brought her home. Here she was, the friggen Ice Queen herself saying she wished she had met someone like him?
“I don’t understand?”
“True, honest, wholesome, caring, protective.” Sabine took a big deep breath, finished the last skim of her drink and stood up.
She turned to face him. “I guess it’s like a friend of mine used to say. ‘Life is like a box of chocolates; cause you never know when you’re gonna get ****ed!’” She bent down and kissed him on the forehead. “You love her, she loves you. Never let go of that. It’s rare and special.”
She straightened up and walked to the stairs up to the kitchen level. "You better get downstairs, I bet your lady is expecting you"