Klaus - Shall We Then...?

Chapter 21: Did I Do That???

Jesper cooked eggs, slices of bacon, and pieces of toasts for breakfast. He even brewed black coffee for his father and his lover. He put some sugar cubes in his. 

"Hmm... this is very nice, Jesper," Mr. Johansson said as he sipped his coffee. "I never expected you to learn to cook. But you keep impressing me every time."

"They're not as good as our servants' but I'm still learning," Jesper said as he stacked the pieces of egg and bacon on top of the toast and took a bite. 

"If this is not good, I don't know what is," Klaus said as he already finished the plate and wiped his mouth gently with a handkerchief. 

Mr. Johansson took a last sip of coffee and said, "That was quite pleasant. I'm ready to go back home now."

"All right, I'll get the coach ready," Jesper said. 

"I'll help you with your luggage," Klaus said. 

"Thank you, both of you," Mr. Johansson said. 

********

Mr. Johansson was now completely ready, and Klaus drove the coach to take him back to the port. Just as they planned, they had a friendly conversation about random subjects. 

"How long have you been a woodsman?" Mr. Johansson asked. 

"Ever since I was able to hold an ax, so probably around 50 years," Klaus answered. 

"That's quite a long time," Mr. Johansson said. "That's probably why you're so fit. Did you see his muscles, Jesper?" 

"Uh... yes... I did..." Jesper said in the back of the seat, trying not to blush. Klaus was also blushing under his beard, he was just hoping that it wasn't visible on his cheekbones. 

"You should probably work out more so that you could look like him," Mr. Johansson said. 

"Let's not put your son on doing something even you couldn't do," Jesper snickered. 

"You got me," Mr. Johansson said. 

"How long have you been a mailman?" Klaus asked Mr. Johansson. 

"I've been a mailman for 20 years before I took over my father's position as the owner of the headquarter of the post office and the dean of mail academy," Mr. Johansson explained. "It's been 20 years since I took over that position, too."

"You must live a fancy life now, Mr. Johansson," Klaus said. 

"I've been living a fancy life since I was a kid," Mr. Johansson said. "But I didn't want to be one of those spoiled rich people, so I worked really hard to keep the post office running." 

"Well, you didn't do a very good job trying to make your son not one of those spoiled rich brats," Jesper said. 

"At least you admit you were pretty spoiled before you came to Smeerensburg," Mr. Johansson said. 

"This place really knocked the sense into me," Jesper said. 

"How wonder how, though," Mr. Johansson said. 

"Well, a wise man once said to me," Jesper said. Klaus lit up a bit as he knew what Jesper was going to say. "A true act of selflessness always sparks another."

Klaus smiled proudly as those words came out of Jesper's mouth. 

"Hmm," Mr. Johansson said. "I don't know who that wise man is, but I like how it's very philosophical." 

********

At the dock, they bid their farewells. It was not like one of those teary farewells, but it was comforting for all three of them.