Page 104 of River
From under my shirt, I fished out the leather chain with the silver hammer that so many of us in Scandinavia wore as a token of our ancestors. “I don’t have an ark, but I do have a hammer for when I want to start building it.”
“Is that Thor’s hammer?” Nathan asked and leaned closer.
“Yes. Mjölnir.”
Nathan and the others made funny remarks, asking me if I could enlarge it and throw it as a weapon.
“I think it’s so cool that you’re with a real Viking,” Liv exclaimed and seemed a bit tipsy.
I was amused by their interest in my ancestors and the Norse mythology since I didn’t think of myself as a Viking.
“We are a peaceful people now,” I pointed out. “Strong and proud but very peaceful.”
“So are we Irish,” Damian said. “Our country has a bloody history, but now we’ve settled on drinkin’ with our neighbors instead of swattin’ them on their heads.”
“Cheers to that,” Charles exclaimed.
We all held up our glasses and cheered before drinking.
“Do ye have a big family back in Norway?” Damian, who had Lumi on his lap, asked.
“No, I’m a single child. I have my mother, stepfather, and two cousins.”
“Then how do you feel about River having such a big family?” Lumi asked. “It must be a bit overwhelming if you’re not used to big celebrations.”
I didn’t tell them it was a dream come true to me. Shrugging my shoulders to downplay it, I smiled. “It takes a lot to overwhelm me. I’m grateful that you’ve all been so welcoming. That means a lot.”
River squeezed my hand. “Do you think your mum will like me?”
I grinned. “My mom likes everyone. She’ll spoil you rotten the moment you enter her house. It’s what she does.”
“Oh, God bless her. There’s enough childhood trauma in this family already; it’s good to hear you have a wonderful mother,” Jolene, who was married to River’s oldest brother Atlas said. She was a kindhearted American woman that I’d sat next to during dinner.
I smiled and didn’t explain that I’d been unwanted and felt rejected by my father always. Compared to the childhood trauma that River and the others had suffered, I was probably close to well-adjusted in their eyes.
“Why are ye still here?” Damian called out to Kit and Owen, who were standing close to each other, not far from us. “It’s yer wedding night, go have some fun.”
They came over to the two tables we’d moved together and stood behind Damian and Lumi.
“Owen and I have the rest of our lives to sleep and make love. This is my only wedding, and I’m going to enjoy every bit of it,” Kit said and smacked Damian’s neck.
“Ouch!” Damian complained and looked back at Owen. “Told ye in my speech that she has a fierce temper. God gave women like her flaming red hair as a warning sign to men, but ye still married her.”
“Aye, I know my wife is a handful, but I’ve got big hands.” Owen excused himself while the rest of us made more jokes and laughed together.
When Owen returned, he whispered something in Kit’s ear, and she quietly left with him.
“How about we go to bed now?” River asked with a sweet smile.
I’d had such a lovely time that I asked, “You’re sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure.” She elbowed me.
We didn’t get a chance to move before Kit returned.
“Who of ye Robertsons paid for the wedding?”
Silence fell on the group.
