Chapter 2
Jane could not believe she got it: lingonberry streusel. Made fresh that morning by a sweet old woman named Heidi and tucked into a proper pink pastry box. If Loki did not approve of her after this, well…
She would have to let go of the fantasy of being Dr. Jane Foster-Odinson.
The address Thor provided led Jane right into the heart of Queen Anne Hill; home to Seattle’s most stately manors. Thor had always danced around the subject of how comfortable his family was. It was something Jane initially attributed is Norwegian roots as the nation, despite having well-fed coffers, was not one known for conspicuous displays of wealth. As time went on though, and more clues were dropped (like a three weeklong vacation to Florida and Disney World), Jane got the feeling his skittishness was more of a defensive mechanism.
Something that was confirmed when Jane pulled up to the Odinson’s red brick Italianate villa. Certain people would see the house and the luxury vehicles in the drive-way and suddenly look at affable, fun-loving Thor as an easy meal ticket.
It just made Jane feel all the more special…and all the more nervous. Thor did not just need to protect himself, but Loki as well. When the inevitable happened, he would be Loki’s sole caretaker. Thor needed to be extra cautious about who he brought around the family.
The pressure was on. With one last glance in her sun visor mirror, she grabbed the box and her purse and headed up the entry flanked with cypress trees.
“Jane!”
Jane looked up to see Thor throwing open the front door. It was the nicest she had ever seen him dressed; tailored slacks, crisply ironed button-up, wild hair pulled back into a ponytail. “Glad you found the place; I was a bit worried. The roads in here…are,” his lighthearted step slowed as his eyes fell on the pink box. “Whatcha got there?”
Jane grabbed the flap holding the lid shut.
“Wanna see?” Before he could answer, she lifted it up. The smell of warm bakery freshness and hot fruit filled the air.
“No,” Thor whispered, “it’s impossible…”
“Are you sure?”
Gently, Thor took the box from her hands, as if it were a basket of sleeping kittens.
“Lingonberry streusel,” his gaze looked up to meet hers. “Oh! Jane! Loki is going to love you!”
“Well,” Jane shrugged, “they say first impressions matter.”
“Thor?”
Jane’s breath hitched at the sight of Frigga standing in the doorway. She was even more elegant in person, her gold-spun curls loosely pinned to the back of her head, revealing a pair of diamond studs that dazzled like her eyes. A dress of sumptuous black velvet clung to her frame, one that tastefully cut off just below the knee. The sleeves were a sheer black that ran the length of her arms before cinching at each wrist.
“Dear; is everything alright?”
“Sorry, um,” Thor closed the lid and handed the box back to Jane before putting his arm around her, “Mother, it is my honor to introduce you to Miss Jane Foster.”
“Hello…,” Jane smiled.
“Hello, Jane,” Frigga cooed sweetly as she descended the steps…in her four-inch, black satin Dolce and Gabbana pumps. “It is a pleasure to finally meet the young woman who as stolen my boy’s heart. And…,” the first familial trait appeared. Jane noted how Frigga’s eyebrows arched and lips quirked at the sight of the box; it was almost identical to Thor’s reaction. “What might this be?”
“Lingonberry streusel!” Thor declared, giving Jane’s shoulder a squeeze, “She found a place that makes it!”
“How sweet of you,” a bright smile broke across Frigga’s face, “I’m certain Thor told you that it’s Loki’s favorite.”
“He did, yes.”
“This is a wonderful surprise, thank you,” Frigga clapped her hands, “come now; come inside and meet the rest of the family. And please excuse Loki, I tried to get him to put clothes on but-”
“He’s wearing his best dress pajamas for you,” Thor laughed.
It was no surprise, considering Frigga’s previous life as an interior designer, that walking into the home was like walking into a magazine spread.
“Mrs. Odinson, your home is beautiful.”
“Thank you, Jane. And please, no need for such formalities, Frigga will do just fine. Thor,” Frigga turned to her son, “could you take this box down to the kitchen and find someplace to hide it? If Loki finds out we have streusel, he will not be able to think of anything else.”
“Good point,” Thor nodded before holding his hands out to Jane, “may I?”
“Of course.”
“Oh,” Thor looked sadly down at the box as soon as it was given over, “well, now, how will I take your coat?”
“I think I’ll manage,” Jane smirked, already shrugging it off her shoulders.
“She’s very American, as you can see,” Thor said to his mother, “very independent! I’ll be right back!”
“As if Norwegian women are helpless damsels…,” Frigga rolled her eyes. “Well, let me introduce you to my husband Odin and our little Loki lamb.”
Frigga led Jane through the entry hall and into a neatly staged sitting room. Jane was struck by the endless variety of tactile features; plush rugs, embossed wallpaper, a roughhewn wood mantle lined with family photos and heirlooms. Cozy plaids and florals fabrics managed to oppose and complement each other. For a playful touch, French toile curtains flanked the large bay window facing, well…Elliot Bay.
There he is.
Sitting before the fireplace, in his ‘best dress pajamas’ and legs akimbo around a puzzle was the boy of the hour.
“Dah-Dah!” Loki suddenly chirruped, the pacifier dropping from his mouth, “I see un, too, fee moos!” He held up a clumsy set of three fingers to the older man beside him in a recliner, “Fee!”
“There are three cows in your puzzle?” The man leaned over, the fire casting his great white beard in a pale shade of orange. “Ah, yes, I see them; one, two, three! Very good, Loki!”
“Loki got a new puzzle today,” Frigga explained, “he has quite the aptitude for them! Fifty pieces and,” she then looked to the man, “is he already finished?”
“Just about,” the man laughed as he rocked to his feet, “come along, little one. Our guest has arrived.”
Jane forced a smile as Loki turned sharply to her. Thor’s numerous pictures had in no way captured how truly lovely Loki’s green-blue eyes were. They stood out in sharp contrast from his hair and equally dark eyelashes. His lips had been pulled into a tight purse; his eyebrows drawn into a knit above his slender nose.
Loki looked quite unimpressed.
He then blew a raspberry.
“Loki,” Frigga said with a semi-scolding tone, “now, that’s no way to behave!”
The Little then let out a screeching laugh, fell backward and began kicking his dangerously long legs. This got a few chuckles and passing comments from the parents like ‘Oh, that’s just how he is’ and ‘he’s such a funny boy’.
“Brother!” Thor burst into the room and Jane released an unheard sigh of relief. “What are you doing on the floor? Don’t you want to come and meet my new girlfriend? She’s very nice, I think you’ll like her.”
Loki sat up and declared: “Moos!”
“We probably should have warned you,” Frigga said with a hopeless sigh, “Loki, well, I love him to death but he’s an awful brat.”
At this, the whole family erupted in laughter.
“Well, um,” Jane began, “I actually, uh, like puzzles.” She then made a hard swallow and met Loki’s gaze. “Would you like to show me what you’re working on, Loki?”
Loki’s eye narrowed with sudden distrust, as if Jane were a spy after his secret.
“Maybe you can tell me what it’s a puzzle of? I can see some green…and a fence…is it a farm?”
“’Es puz-zah en ‘es goss taines ‘n moos,” he showed her three fingers, “fee moos.”
“Oh, moos!” Jane nodded, “I love moos. Are they brown moos, or black and white moos?”
“Ban-nah wh’te!” Loki chirped.
“I think we would all love to see your puzzle,” Frigga said. Jane followed the family over to the fireplace and joined their chorus of praise.
“I like how you did the middle first,” she thought to say, noting how the outside frame was the last part to be completed, “I have never seen someone do a puzzle like that.”
“Yeah,” Loki nodded, “’es good!”
“Fifty pieces,” Thor cheered, “I don’t even think father could do a puzzle that big!”
“Certainly not,” Odin said, patting Loki on the head, “what a brilliant boy we have.”
“Loki, my dear; would you like to show Jane your drawings?”
Loki looked sharply up at his mother; his eyes as big as saucers.
“Cuh-lor?”
“Our Loki is quite the artist as well,” Odin told Jane.
“What say you, brother?” Thor held out a hand for him to take.
“I do!” Loki declared as he clumsily utilized his long skinny limbs to push off the ground. “I big.”
“Yes dear, you’re very big.”
“Aye! Very good, Loki! One, two, up you go! There’s my boy!”
“Well done, brother!”
“Did it!”
Just like the puzzle, Thor and his family commended Loki in a way that was deeply disproportionate to the task. Had one walked into the living room just then, they might have thought the Little had just landed a gold medal dismount; blindfolded.
“L’ss go!”
It would have been an insult to suggest that the great Loki Odinson should hang his masterpieces on a mere refrigerator. So, his family arranged for an entire room to become a dedicated workspace/art gallery. Handsome built-ins of solid oak lined one wall, which led Jane to believe Loki’s studio had a previous life as an office. Leather-bound tomes and advanced electronics were now replaced with woven baskets; each one with a quaint little hand-written sign for what was inside. Crayons, paints, colored craft paper, glue, glitter, yarn – the list went on.
“See! ‘Essa cuh-lors!” Opposite the built-ins was Loki’s gallery wall. Half of it was a corkboard for hanging art, the other half was a chalkboard for doodling.
“Wow, you did all these?” Jane asked, gesturing to Loki’s drawings.
“Yeah!” Loki was beaming with pride, “’Es Tor!” He pointed to one with a yellow lump.
“As you can see, my brother has a skill for capturing my likeness.”
“Our little Rembrandt,” Odin chuckled.
“I bet you do all sorts of amazing things in here,” Jane said as she looked around. “Oh!” She pointed to the ceiling. “Look at that! You have glow-in-the-dark stars. I had those when I was a little girl.”
“Stahs?” Loki’s eyes grew wide. “Stahs! Look!”
“Loki!”
“No!”
“Don’t!”
“Huh?” Jane stared in disbelief as the Little unceremoniously pulled down his pajama pants, revealing his training underwear.
“Stahs!”
Both Odin and Frigga were a flurry of apologies as they helped Loki pull his pants back up. Thor was attempting to explain the situation…but he couldn’t stop laughing.
“He’s…he’s trying – geeze, Loki! He’s trying to potty train,” he finally managed.
“Right,” Jane nodded…though she did not fully understand.
“If he has an accident, the little stars disappear.”
“Oh-h-h-h, yeah, I’ve seen those commercials.”
Loki was cooing with sad ‘no’s as Frigga whispered something in his ear. Presumably, that he was not to pull down his bottoms in front of his brother’s girlfriend.
“Herr Odin? Fru Frigga?” An older woman hesitantly entered the office-turned-studio. “Dinner will be served in about fifteen minutes; would you like to bring the little one to be settled?”
“Thank you, Ingrid,” Odin nodded to her, “we’ll be down shortly.” They then exchanged a few more words in Norwegian before he turned back to his family.
“Alright, my little prince,” specifically Loki, who already was pressing himself into his mother’s side. “No more showing off our Pull-Ups, alright?”
Loki nodded.
“And we’ll be a proper gentleman for the rest of the evening, yes?”
Loki brought his thumb to his mouth and gave another nod.
“Very good,” Odin let out a long sigh. “Honestly though,” he then looked at Jane, “I can’t guarantee he won’t do it again.”
“It’s perfectly fine,” Jane smiled, “really.”
“Let’s go get you ready for dinner,” she heard Frigga whisper to her boy.
“’Kay…”
The dining room had been designed with Frigga’s impeccable balance of elegance and ease. All the tall windows were now dark; only the warm glow of the neighboring houses and the distant lights of the Seattle skyline could be seen. Bouquets of fall florals had been strategically placed around the space. A matching centerpiece stood in bold contrast to the white lace tablecloth.
Ingrid and another young woman were setting the last of the flatware. Four settings had been made…and a trayless highchair had been pulled up to the table.
“Mama, I do!” Loki ran right to it and plopped himself down.
“Such a big boy,” Frigga said as she followed behind.
“Your usual glass of Rêvasser Blanc de Blancs, Fru?” Ingrid asked.
“Yes, thank you.”
Ingrid nodded and placed a wine glass at the setting beside Loki. Her pale eyes then met Jane’s.
“And for the lady?”
“Oh, uh,” Jane looked to Thor.
“Well, father and I will each have a Stella-”
“Milk!” Loki chirped, “In-gee, milk p’ease!”
“Of course, little one.”
“Loki…,” Frigga hushed the Little as she slid the tray onto his highchair, “Ingrid was talking to Jane, you need to wait your turn.”
“Milk Mama!”
“A nice cold Stella sounds perfect,” Jane told Ingrid, “thank you.”
She pretended not to see the smile and wink Odin gave Thor.
“Well then,” Thor pulled out one of the tall dining room chairs, “since I didn’t get to take your coat.”
“Thank you,” Jane slipped into the seat. Thor took the one to her left, which was next to Odin’s seat at the head of the table. An empty seat, clearly Frigga’s, was at Odin’s left…which put Loki directly across from Jane.
“There we are, all ready for dinner,” Frigga tucked the long end of Loki’s plastic bib under the tray.
“Mama…,” the Little cooed sweetly her.
“Such a silly boy,” she leaned down to rub her nose with his before officially joining the family at the table.
“We’ve had Ingrid and Svelte prepare a traditional meal,” Odin began, capturing Jane’s attention, “smoked salmon shipped all the way from Oslo, arrived fresh this morning. There’s dark rye bread, potato dumplings and a hearty lapskaus; which is just our word for lamb stew.”
“Sounds delicious!”
Svelte returned with the drinks, including Loki’s bottle of milk. A handful of what appeared to be crackers were put on his tray to pick at.
Loki once more became disinterested in Jane. Maybe because she lost her shiny newness. Maybe because his parents wanted to learn all about her classes and Littles and astrophysics did not mix well. Whatever the reason, Loki was more focused on his snack and playing with the toys clamped to the rim of the highchair tray.
“Be’eg play! Mama!” Every now and again, he would kick his legs and screech with delight.
“Loki, it’s not polite to interrupt, remember?” And Frigga was forced to calm him. “Dinner will be out in just a moment; alright my sweet treasure?”
“Tor play?” Loki began to ask, slumping over in his highchair as if dying of boredom.
“I would love to play after we have dinner. Would you like to ask Jane to play, too?”
“I would love to play with you,” Jane said in her cheeriest voice, “maybe a board game? Or another puzzle?”
Loki huffed and flopped his body to the other side of the highchair.
“Jane is your brother’s new friend,” Frigga whispered to him, “wouldn’t you like to play with her?”
Loki blew another raspberry.
“Don’t take it personally, Jane” Odin said, “Loki is very close to his brother. And like most Littles, he does not react well to any sort of change. The move here from Bergen was very difficult for him to process.”
“I can only imagine,” said Jane.
“They were insistent they could handle him on their own,” Thor said with a sort of mock scolding as his eyes moved back and forth between his parents.
“I’m glad you pushed back,” said Frigga, “Odin and I truly underestimated how much Loki needed you during that time.” She took a moment to look adoringly upon her youngest, brushing some of his hair from his face.
“Loki loved our old home,” Odin went on, “we had a modest little bit of land where he could run around and cause mischief.”
“And in the winter the snow would pile into a perfect slop for him to sled on,” Thor added. “Hm, that reminds me; how goes looking for holiday cabins in Leavenworth?”
“Go snow?” Loki perked up, “Mama ‘n Papa? In’nah Tor?”
“We certainly hope so,” Frigga told him.
“Leavenworth is really lovely in the winter,” Jane said, “I’m sure you must’ve seen pictures of the Bavarian city center; probably as close as you’ll find to a European-style holiday here in Washington.”
“Have you been?” Odin sat up in his seat, “We shared with our neighbors that we were looking to buy a second home in the mountains; somewhere not too far but also with plenty of snow for the little prince to play in.”
“Oh, I’ve been lots of times. Mostly in the summer,” Jane nudged Thor with her shoulder, “it’s a great place for hiking, and the kayaking down over in Wenatchee isn’t bad either.”
“Is that so?” Thor asked, nudging her back.
“Mhmm. But,” she looked back to Odin, “back when I was working on my undergrad, a few of us who didn’t have family nearby scraped together a little money to get a cabin one Christmas.”
“Are you not from Washington then?” Frigga asked.
“New Mexico, actually. I moved to Seattle for school. I love it here; there’s a lot more variety in things to do, but,” Jane smiled at Loki, “I know how scary and strange it can be to move to a whole new place you’ve never been before.”
Loki made a small huff of acknowledgement of her words.
The meal was then brought out on several plates and Thor quickly whispered to Jane that his family preferred shared meals as opposed to individual plates.
“Something we picked up after we adopted Loki,” he added with a small laugh, “he used to love to eat off all of our plates!”
Sure enough, Loki did not get his own plate. Rather, he pointed to what he wanted, and Frigga would slice it or tear it up into tiny pieces and put it on his tray.
“Can we use our manners?”
“P’ease Mama?”
As long as he asked her nicely.