Upon hearing a knock on the front door, Maja moved from the kitchen where she’d put tea on and left the recipe book on the table to answer. A wide smile curved her full lips when her hazel hues took in the sight of one of her closest friends, Aurélie. “Hej, hur mår du? Vilken överraskning! Snälla kom in.” She stepped back to allow the princess into her and Tadgh’s home, moving to hug the woman after she’d closed the door behind her. It was cold outside and they had a fire going in the fireplace, partly for ambience and enjoyment but also because Maja still found it heat the house pretty well. Although, the thermostat was set to switch the heater on should the temperature fall below a certain temperature. “It’s so great to see you,” Maja added, with a smile that ceased to falter. She reached for the woman’s hand and led her to the kitchen. “I’ve just put on some tea. Can I warm you up with a cup?”
Aurelie felt a childlike giddiness in surprising Maja. She considered her one of her closest friends and kept in touch with her more frequently than she did with most people. They had a connection she found so rare with most people and in her face being everywhere- and with the power of social media, the surprise was a gift not only to Maja but to herself. She gave Maja a bouncing and giddy hug before she passed the gift along. “Yes, yes tea! Tea and all the catching up.” When she pulled away she cupped Maja’s face, taller than her as she was. “It’s really you, happy and as beautiful as ever!” She pulled her back into a hug. “The happiest of Christmases to you, my dearest friend.”