5 hours ago
Elyse sat there, Anna’s arm around her shoulder as she looked at the house she grew up in and the park she played in as a child. There was pain there, but it was becoming the dull pain of a healing wound. She knew in that moment that coming here had been a good idea. This trip had been necessary.
Anna had gone quiet, allowing Elyse to do things on her own terms. It was what Elyse needed in that moment. The sun was beginning to get low when Elyse decided to stand, and offered a hand to Anna. ”Come on,” Elyse said, a small smile starting to form on her face.
Elyse led Anna back through the town, feeling incredibly light now. She didn’t head back to their hotel or hail a cab. She led Anna instead to the piers over looking Øresund. The smell of saltwater permeated the air here and Elyse took a deep breath of the cold air. A city on the water, it played host to many fishermen, both Danish and Swedish who fished in the waters.
Elyse led her to a pub, a favorite of the fishermen and locals alike. Elyse could think of no other place to take Anna before they headed back to the hotel for the rest of the night. They shook out their coats as they entered. The bartender gave them a quick smile and then returned his attention to the group of fishermen ordering drinks. They had to be some fishing crew, and besides Elyse and Anna, were the only patrons in the pub. When they spoke, Elyse smiled.
”They speaking Danish?” Anna asked as they took a seat in a booth.
”Swedish, actually,” she said. ”Im not really fluent, but Danish and Swedish are close enough that I can make out most of it.”
Anna leaned forward with a grin. ”Well! Translate! What are they saying that is making you smile?”
Elyse returned her grin. ”You’ll find out soon enough,” Elyse said as the bartender approached their table with two glasses of beer.
”The Captain is buying a round for the bar. For Christmas,” he said, placing the glasses in front of them.
”Tak,” Elyse said, using the Danish word for thank you. Anna and Elyse looked over at the sailors and raised their glasses in thanks. It was returned by the fishermen and they all took a drink.
Elyse placed her glass on the table. ”Thank you for coming with me, Anna,” Elyse said, her voice quiet.
”You’re very welcome, Elyse. I’m…” her voice trailed off as one of the men began to sing.
” Stilla natt, heliga natt!
Allt är frid. Stjärnan blid”
They didn’t need to know Swedish to understand the words being sung. The melody of the timeless carol Silent Night was enough to give it away. The rest of the crew began to join in. With a smile, Elyse joined in a little later, singing in her native Danish. Anna joined in last, in English. A few of the fishermen looked to them as they began to sing with smiles. Not all of the patrons in the bar were skilled or even passable singers, but that didn’t matter. It was a beautiful moment. For Elyse, it was perfect.
When the song ended, they all took another drink of their beers, loud shouts of “Merry Christmas” was heard in multiple languages. Elyse sighed and looked up at Anna, feeling incredibly happy in that moment. ”Merry Christmas, Anna.”
”Merry Christmas, Elyse,” Anna said. They clinked their glasses together and raised their glasses once more to the fishermen before taking a deep drink. This was the closure Elyse had needed.
Anna had gone quiet, allowing Elyse to do things on her own terms. It was what Elyse needed in that moment. The sun was beginning to get low when Elyse decided to stand, and offered a hand to Anna. ”Come on,” Elyse said, a small smile starting to form on her face.
Elyse led Anna back through the town, feeling incredibly light now. She didn’t head back to their hotel or hail a cab. She led Anna instead to the piers over looking Øresund. The smell of saltwater permeated the air here and Elyse took a deep breath of the cold air. A city on the water, it played host to many fishermen, both Danish and Swedish who fished in the waters.
Elyse led her to a pub, a favorite of the fishermen and locals alike. Elyse could think of no other place to take Anna before they headed back to the hotel for the rest of the night. They shook out their coats as they entered. The bartender gave them a quick smile and then returned his attention to the group of fishermen ordering drinks. They had to be some fishing crew, and besides Elyse and Anna, were the only patrons in the pub. When they spoke, Elyse smiled.
”They speaking Danish?” Anna asked as they took a seat in a booth.
”Swedish, actually,” she said. ”Im not really fluent, but Danish and Swedish are close enough that I can make out most of it.”
Anna leaned forward with a grin. ”Well! Translate! What are they saying that is making you smile?”
Elyse returned her grin. ”You’ll find out soon enough,” Elyse said as the bartender approached their table with two glasses of beer.
”The Captain is buying a round for the bar. For Christmas,” he said, placing the glasses in front of them.
”Tak,” Elyse said, using the Danish word for thank you. Anna and Elyse looked over at the sailors and raised their glasses in thanks. It was returned by the fishermen and they all took a drink.
Elyse placed her glass on the table. ”Thank you for coming with me, Anna,” Elyse said, her voice quiet.
”You’re very welcome, Elyse. I’m…” her voice trailed off as one of the men began to sing.
” Stilla natt, heliga natt!
Allt är frid. Stjärnan blid”
They didn’t need to know Swedish to understand the words being sung. The melody of the timeless carol Silent Night was enough to give it away. The rest of the crew began to join in. With a smile, Elyse joined in a little later, singing in her native Danish. Anna joined in last, in English. A few of the fishermen looked to them as they began to sing with smiles. Not all of the patrons in the bar were skilled or even passable singers, but that didn’t matter. It was a beautiful moment. For Elyse, it was perfect.
When the song ended, they all took another drink of their beers, loud shouts of “Merry Christmas” was heard in multiple languages. Elyse sighed and looked up at Anna, feeling incredibly happy in that moment. ”Merry Christmas, Anna.”
”Merry Christmas, Elyse,” Anna said. They clinked their glasses together and raised their glasses once more to the fishermen before taking a deep drink. This was the closure Elyse had needed.