The Wind in Europe Is Warmer Than Your Embrace

My best friend had come home after her divorce and was staying with me for a while.

That day she suddenly got stomach cramps,

and lying weak in the hospital bed she said she wanted sweet almond cakes. I went to buy them without a second thought.

My car broke down on the way, so I had no choice but to turn back to the hospital.

I had just reached the door of her room when I heard my brother sighing.

Augusta Dickerson, I know it's hard for you to have no proper place for now. I'll talk Nora Fox into divorcing Dale Vance.

Through the gap in the door, I saw Dale, my husband of seven years,

kneeling at my best friend's bedside with red-rimmed eyes, his hand resting on her belly.

Augusta was crying her eyes out.

She's been so good to me, and here I am carrying your child. I should just get rid of the baby. I can't be the other woman.

Dale pulled her tight, his face twisted with pain.

Don't say stupid things! The baby is innocent.

You're the one I love. Back then, so you'd come back to me, I made the marriage license with Nora a fake.

Augusta, you're not the other woman!

Watching the two of them, so tender, so devoted, I felt the whole room spin.

Even my own brother, the person closest to me, was helping them deceive me.

I didn't even have the strength left to go in and confront them. I turned around and said yes to the company's Northgate project.

The Northgate project had landed in my inbox three days earlier, and I'd swiped it away without thinking.

For one thing, Augusta had just come home, and I was busy taking care of her.

For another, my anniversary with Dale was coming up,

and I'd been putting real effort into planning for it.

I meant to bring up having a baby while I was at it, too.

For seven years, I'd wanted a child.

Every time, Dale had an excuse.

Kids cry and fuss all the time. They wear you out.

Augusta hadn't been back a full month, and already he had a baby with her.

So it turned out he didn't dislike children after all.

He just didn't like me.

At least the Northgate transfer order hadn't expired yet.

The moment I accepted, the Director Whitfield messaged me.

That's wonderful, Nora. I honestly thought you'd turn it down again for Dale's sake.

Has the lovesick girl finally come to her senses?

I stared at the screen for a few seconds, then sent back a smiley face.

The Director had high hopes for me, and I'd turned her down so many times.

The chance to go to Berlin last year, the exchange in Singapore the year before,

every single time it came down to one line from Dale.

What am I supposed to do if you leave?

Back then it felt sweet. It felt like being needed, like giving up my career was worth it.

Now it just felt like a joke.

I opened the pinned chat.

Are you back from your work dinner?

Dale, who usually took forever to reply, answered in a second.

Not yet, still in Harborview.

Thinking of what I'd just overheard,

how many times, exactly, had he lied to me?

A delivery driver's voice came up the stairwell.

Mr. Fox? Your sweet almond cakes are here.

I turned to the side and saw my brother step out to take the order.

A moment later, Augusta sent a message.

Nora, I forgot my brother had ordered delivery for me.

You don't have to buy any. Come back soon.

After the driver left, I heard the three of them laughing together, easy and bright.

Eyes stinging, I walked over to the nurses' station

and asked about Augusta's condition.

There's no one in the VIP room with stomach cramps.

Your friend is

The young nurse had a loud voice.

Shhthe family said her condition is to be kept confidential, especially the pregnancy

The nurse beside her quickly cut in, keeping her voice low.

But I'd already heard.

I'm so sorry, she's new and doesn't know the rules yet.

Your friend is fine, nothing serious. There's no need to worry.

I nodded along and turned to go.

The next day, Dale came home with dark circles under his eyes.

The insurance company said your car broke down. You weren't hurt, were you?

I was so worried I didn't sleep all night.

He eased me into a chair and stroked my back with his broad palm.

Once he saw I was fine, he let out a breath.

For a second, it threw me.

He still cared about me the same way as before.

Except this man, who never bought regional treats, had come home with a pile of supplements.

He pulled a bouquet out from behind his back and smiled at me.

I bought these especially for you in Harborview.

The roses you love.

I caught sight of the tag on the bouquet.

It was identical to the one from the flower shop next to the hospital.

The flowers were in bright, full bloom, but the thorns dug into me until it hurt.

We hardly ever take supplements at home. What did you buy so many of them for?

Augusta's sick, isn't she? They're for her.

Dale said it as if it were nothing.

I'll take care of Augusta from now on.

You've been looking after her for days. Get some proper rest.

As he spoke, he carefully arranged the supplements on the table.

Premium collagen supplements, iron and prenatal supplements, and two boxes of ready-to-eat gourmet health supplements.

The boxes were stamped with gold lettering. One look told you they weren't cheap.

While Dale was packing up, two bottles of vitamins slipped out.

I looked down and saw the words on the label:

"For early pregnancy."

Dale caught me looking, and his hands stilled for a second

before he shoved the bottles into his pocket in a rush.

"Augusta's stomach's been bothering her. I meant to grab stomach medicine and picked up the wrong thing"

"Oh, right, weren't you wanting to celebrate our anniversary? I'll put in for the time off early."

Dale had a stomach condition. There was no way he'd mistake his own stomach medicine.

Wrong bottle was just an excuse,

a bet that I still didn't know a thing.

Watching him cover it up, I decided to test him.

"Well, if you grabbed them by mistake, give them to me."

"Dale, I've been thinking. I want a child."

The guilty look vanished, and he frowned.

"How many times do we have to go over this? Drop it."

"Besides, giving birth hurts. I can't stand the thought of you in that kind of pain."

Exactly the answer I expected.

Once everything was packed, Dale got ready to leave.

"Take the supplements over tomorrow," I said.

"You barely slept last night. Rest first."

"I'm fine."

"Augusta's stomach really hurts. I need to get these to her right away."

I stepped in front of him and blocked the door.

"Dale, if one day I left you, what would you do?"

He turned to look at me like he'd heard a joke.

"You? Leave?"

"You're the one who practically threw yourself at me to get married."

Right. How could I have been so stupid back then.

I'd married him against my parents' wishes, insisted on it even though his family had nothing.

My mother said we didn't match, that sooner or later his heart would wander.

And I'd laughed at her for not believing in what we had.

Now I was tasting the fruit of it. When he heard I might leave,

I saw the flicker of relief cross his eyes, the small joy of being let off the hook.

Not long after, my brother showed up too.

His eyes went back and forth between me and Dale.

"Nora, why do you look so awful?"

Dale spoke first.

"She's fine. Just worried about me."

"Nora, you didn't sleep well last night either. Go rest."

Dale had his shoes on already, itching to get out the door.

"That won't do. Nora still has to make the porridge in a bit," my brother said.

He pushed the groceries he'd bought into my hands.

"Augusta wants the healing porridge, the one Nora makes."

"Once it's done, let my wife get some proper rest, all right?"

"Don't worry, I will!"

The two of them played off each other like I wasn't standing there feeling anything at all.

Before I could react, Dale was already gone.

Dale talked about caring for me,

but Augusta always came first. Always.

"Augusta likes it thick, so put in a couple extra scoops of grain," my brother said.

The moment Dale left, he started pushing.

My feet felt like lead. I couldn't make them move.

"I'm tired. I don't want to cook."

He didn't even look up.

"Cook it first, then rest. Augusta's waiting for it."

I hated making that porridge.

The grain had to soak overnight, then simmer low in a clay pot, forty minutes of standing over the stove, stirring.

Not a minute less,

or Augusta would say it wasn't cooked through.

Back when I thought Augusta was my best friend, I'd made it no matter how much I hated it.

There was no reason to now.

"I'm not making it. If she wants it, she can order takeout."

My brother blinked.

"Nora, what's this tantrum about?"

I ignored him and headed for my room.

In the group chat, Augusta had sent a message:

"Never mind the healing porridge. Nora didn't rest well last night, I don't want to be too much trouble for her."

Before I could say a word, my brother typed back behind me.

"It's no trouble. Looking after you is the least she can do."

He grabbed my arm and ordered me,

"Nora, whether you want to make this porridge or not, you're making it!"

"Don't forget, if it weren't for you, Augusta would never have found out she was swapped at birth."

"You owe her this!"

My blood froze in an instant, and my whole body started to shake.

How many times my brother had said this to me, I'd lost count.

Augusta's real name was Augusta Dickerson. She was our neighbor, in the same complex as us.

The two families were close, and the three of us grew up together.

The year we were twelve, a new amusement park opened in the city.

I dragged Augusta along to go with me,

and on the way, crossing the street, we were in a car crash.

That was when the hospital discovered Augusta had been swapped at birth.

Her birth parents were farmers from a poor rural town far away.

Augusta hadn't been badly hurt in the crash, and she was discharged within days.

But the Dickersons couldn't take the blow. Once they had their real daughter back, they moved abroad.

The day Augusta's birth parents came to take her home,

my brother held on to her and cried like his heart was breaking.

"Augusta, you'll always be my sister! Come live with us."

In the end her parents took her away anyway.

After that, my brother changed toward me.

There was always resentment in the way he looked at me.

But if I hadn't shielded Augusta with everything I had that day, she would have been hurt far worse.

Later Augusta came back now and then.

Every winter and summer break, her birth parents would send her to the city to stay a few days.

And later still, Augusta and I got into the same high school.

My brother simply moved her into our house.

They came and went together every day, as if the two of them were the real siblings.

Augusta could see how much it hurt me. She'd come over and tell me,

"Nora, you'll always be my best friend."

Back then I even counted myself lucky, sure I'd picked the right friend.

Until last night, when I stumbled onto their lies.

My brother saw something wrong in my face and lowered his voice.

"Augusta's divorced now, and she's sick."

"You come make the porridge. I'll help you."

I rubbed my swollen legs and looked up at him.

"I don't owe her anything."

Even without that crash, someone would have found out Augusta had been swapped.

"I really don't have time for this."

"I guess I've spoiled you too much all this time."

With that, my brother slammed the door and left.

I looked around the empty room, and the past came back to me.

Right after we married, Dale used to bring a bunch of roses home every time he came back from a work dinner.

My brother would show up with groceries and mooch a meal off us.

We used to laugh so easily around that dinner table.

So it turned out the whole thing was a beautiful dream they'd stitched together for me out of lies.

The phone screen lit up again.

Augusta had posted a selfie holding a bowl of porridge, captioned:

"Thank you to my best friend Nora for making this healing porridge. It tastes just like it did when we were kids."

My brother called, his voice a little frantic.

"I ordered takeout. I told her you made it so she wouldn't feel bad."

"Don't let it slip!"

This dream was overdue to end.

I opened the group chat and didn't hesitate.

"You're welcome."

"But I forgot to mentionpregnant women shouldn't eat that porridge."

Then I left the group, powered off the phone, all in one clean motion.

I used the landline at home to call my lawyer

and ask about separating from Dale.

The marriage license was fake, but some of the properties had both our names on them.

Then I called the Director to ask if I could go to Northgate a little later.

Splitting the assets with Dale would take some time.

And I still had to let friends and family know.

Just as I was sorting all this out, I heard a noise outside the door.

Augusta stumbled into my home, Dale and my brother trailing behind her.

Her eyes were red, her voice hoarse.

"Nora, did I do something wrong?"

"You don't answer my messages, you don't pick up when I call."

She walked straight to me and threw her arms around me.

I pulled free.

"The baby's yours and Dale's, isn't it? I hope you two are happy."

Augusta's eyes went wide, and then the tears wouldn't stop.

"I can get rid of it."

"Nora, if that's what you want."

I was about to say something when Dale stepped in front of her.

"You and Nora grew up together. She'd never make you get rid of your baby."

Dale turned to me, his voice as gentle as ever.

"Nora, whatever happens, can we let Augusta have the baby first?"

"You wanted a child, didn't you? Augusta says you can be the baby's godmother."

"You're the father, I'm the godmother. What exactly does that make us?"

Dale froze, catching the slip too late.

I went inside, gathered a few of Dale's clothes, and threw them at his feet.

"I'll pack up the rest and send it later. My lawyer will be in touch."

"This house is mine. Now get out."

Nora, don't push this too far!

My brother had spoken.

Give Dale back to Augusta. Give them the house.

Call it settling what you owe her.

My hands clenched. I looked at Dale.

Dale kept his head down, letting the words stand.

I drew a slow breath. Something in me went cold all the way through.

And right then, Augusta's legs gave out.

She collapsed into Dale's arms.

Augusta, are you okay?

Dale panicked, his voice shaking to pieces.

What is this... what's wrong?

My brother panicked too.

Augusta drank the healing porridge.

She said Nora made it. I told her not to, and she went and finished it behind my back.

My brother rushed to make her throw it up.

Augusta pushed his hand away and said weakly,

Nora, don't blame Dale...

Dale looked like he was falling apart.

Nora, how much longer are you going to keep hounding Augusta?

She didn't want to waste the porridge you made. She knew a pregnant woman shouldn't drink it, and she drank it anyway.

I can't believe you can't even make room for one child!

He carried Augusta out without looking back.

There was a time when he'd been just that frantic over me.

The year I had acute appendicitis, I woke at three in the morning in agony.

Dale lifted me off the bed and ran me to the hospital.

When I woke from surgery, he was slumped at the bedside, holding my fingers, awake all night.

His stomach couldn't take late nights, but he smiled and said it was fine.

When my boss bullied me my first days on the job, he didn't hesitate, he wanted to go fight the man.

Nothing could budge him, and in the end he got transferred to another department.

He said he'd never let me suffer a single wrong in this life.

And now he'd gotten his mistress pregnant and expected me to swallow every wrong there was...

Are you satisfied now?

My brother rounded on me.

You think dragging it all out into the open feels good, don't you?

Let me tell you, what you owe Augusta, you'll never pay off, not ever!

My chest went tight, like I couldn't breathe.

A long while later, the shrill ring of a phone pulled me back.

It was Dale's voice.

Nora, how cruel can you be!

You brought Augusta's parents over just to force her into an abortion.

You know her birth parents are old-fashioned, that they'd never stand for her being pregnant before marriage.

I... I didn't!

The only people who know Augusta's background and have her birth parents' contact info are the three of us!

And to think Augusta still called you her best friend.

You make me sick!

Before I could finish, the line clicked dead in my ear.

My brother had guessed at something.

Yesterday you said your car broke down and you couldn't buy the sweet almond cakes.

I bet you did it on purpose, so you could sneak Augusta's parents over!

It wasn't me...

Because they knew it wasn't them, they'd decided it had to be me.

I went after them to explain, and my brother shoved me to the floor.

You stay away from Augusta!

Didn't you say this house was yours?

Then you can sit here and think long and hard about what you've done!

With that, my brother locked me inside and pulled the main breaker.

This was how he'd always punished me.

When we fought as kids, he'd shut me away like this.

He knew I was afraid of the dark.

I pounded on the door, but all I heard was the car pulling away downstairs.

In the dark, I shook all over.

I bit down on my lip and dragged my nails hard across my thigh, leaving red welts.

The pain kept me clear.

The worse it got, the less I could afford to lose.

I don't know how long passed before footsteps came from outside the door.

The moment it opened, I heard a familiar voice.

God, Nora, are you all right?

It was the Director.

I was going to get back to you about Northgate, but your phone was off.

I couldn't stop worrying, so I came to check on you.

The Director helped me up, and I turned my phone back on.

It was full of unread messages from Augusta,

and one intimate photo of her and Dale.

Nora, you lost.

You didn't actually think I drank that healing porridge, did you.

Dale was right about you. You're so easy to fool.

I froze where I stood, and the Director leaned in to see what had happened.

I set the phone down and thought for a few seconds.

Director, I want to leave for Northgate tomorrow.