Riders on the storm (engl.)

Part 6- light my fire

„Ladies?" Ben asks confused.

„Right, I...I n...need Calciumtrihydroxide," I breathe.

His eyes are still on mine. I feel heat coming up.

„For you?"

„Yes."

„I see. Come with me, please."

He reaches his arm out to me and I take it. He smells completely different than Ben.

„Are you related to Benjamín Hjartarson?" I ask straight on.

He winces.

„Ben's dead," he murmurs and opens the door to an examination room.

„I know, I...uh. I carry his ashes with me."

Now he frowns.

„Are you a friend of Ben's?" he asks surprised while checking my temperature.

The thermometer should be exploding, because I feel like I'm burning inside!

„I'm the Hóra," I whisper. „And I do understand if you hate me now. Just gimme the drug, I'll inject it myself."

He shakes his head.

„Why would I hate you? Ben's death was destiny. He was seriously ill. Anyway, I'm Tómas Hjartarson, Ben's twin brother. But you must have noticed this already, don't you?"

Twin brother! What the holy fuck? Why didn't Ben tell me?

„It's obvious, yes. Nice to meet you, I'm Mirjam Ke...Bruckner- Clark."

„Kay Bruckner- Clark?" he smiles.

„My name was Keller before, changed my name back after divorce."

„I'm sorry to hear that. Welcome to Reykjavik, Mirjam. I normally don't ask that on the first date but would you please take off your pants?"

I giggle. Yes, I'm used to it, did a lot of awkward things during my treatment. So I follow his plea. Lay down on the couch.

„What kind of cancer do you have?" Tómas asks.

„Mamma. Just finished chemo, next step surgery in a few weeks." I whisper.

„So why do you travel like that?" he demands with a bossy undertone.

And this makes me shiver. Uh.

„I had to bring Ben home," I murmur.

He frowns, but than sighs.

„Fine, just relax. Just a quick sting...and... done. You should rest now. Where do you stay at?"

„A hotel not far away," I answer and rise up slowly.

Tómas helps and grins: „Everything is not far away here. Including my house. I...we have a little guest room, you'd be very welcome. If you stay with us, I can have an eye on you. My wife's a doctor, too, but she's at home caring for our little daughter."

I look at him surprised, while I pull my pants up.

„Why do you do this for a stranger?"

He smiles.

„If I tell you you'd think I'm mental."

„C'mon, I'm the one traveling with her friend's ashes." I giggle.

He nods.

„Right. Okay...ahm...have you heard about twins having a special connection to one another? I care for you even if I don't know you, I think because Ben loved you very much."