The Danish Woman

This is one of those odd spin off stories that comes from My Two Mothers and The Courtship of Rachel, it kind of meshed with my experiences in Copenhagen as I've been there three times and so I decided to write one based solely in Copenhagen. It was a chance to reconnect with Tess and Karin and bring in a new character. I've also referenced Agnetha from Crossing Over as well.

Author's note: I've used some Danish words and phrases, but I'm still in two minds about that so before I put this into an anthology any feedback is appreciated!

*****

It all happened so fast. One moment I was trying to show this guy a hotel address on my phone and the next moment his girlfriend had deftly removed the purse from my handbag and the two thieves were hurriedly excusing themselves and moving away. I still had no idea my purse, which not only contained 2,000 kronor and my credit cards, but also my passport was now tucked inside her large jacket. They so nearly got away with it too if not for the intervention of a tall blonde woman riding a bicycle past Copenhagen Central Station. She didn't hesitate for a moment as she grabbed the woman by the ponytail and yanked her violently back. The purse flew out from under her jacket and then she overbalanced and fell onto her back. Her accomplice took one step forward and then came to a dead stop as the woman held out a police ID.

"Stop, politiet."

The man's eyes widened as she swung off her bike. She wasn't in uniform but that didn't make her any less authoritative as she bent down and hauled the woman to her feet. The man suddenly turned tail and took off, leaving his co-conspirator with this tall Amazonian woman. She certainly had the other woman terrified because she was pleading with her as the woman proceeded to go through her pockets and when she found a wad of cash that seemed to make up her mind. By this time she was on the phone to her colleagues and pretty soon afterwards a police car turned up with two police officers in uniform. After they put the woman in the car they greeted my rescuer and I finally learned her name, Anina before they switched to flawless English and asked my name.

"Anita Goodman."

"Is anything else missing?"

"Just the purse," I opened it up, "everything is here though, your colleague came along in the nick of time, thank you."

Anina was already moving to the back of the car and then she opened the door and sat down on the seat beside the pickpocket to question her.

"We call her Lucky Anina," the male cop nodded at the car, "where are you staying?"

I gave him the name and address of my auntie Åsa in Vesterbro and he wrote that down along with my phone number and then he half turned as Anina approached. They spoke out of my hearing range for a few moments and then she farewelled him and walked over to me.

"You have relatives here, yes?"

"I do, my auntie Åsa in Vesterbro."

"Is she meeting you here?"

"I am going to her hus," I used the Danish word for house and her eyes shifted as she replied in Danish.

"Taler du dansk?"

"Ja, I learned Danish from my mother, she left here when she was a child."

"I am intrigued," she smiled crookedly, "your Danish words even sound Danish," she inclined her head in the direction of the road, "come, I will take you there, it is the least I can do."

I agreed to let her escort me back to Auntie Åsa's place but I was a little overawed by her all the same. Anina might only be a few years older than me but she has the confidence and poise of a much older woman. She was wearing casual clothes that night, a brown top and jeans. Like most Danes she spoke English fluently and despite the fact that I can speak Danish our conversation was in my mother tongue.

Indeed she was quite talkative and inquisitive, it was her day off and she'd spent the day with her mother and stepfather, which was yet another thing we had in common. My mother married my stepfather after her husband was killed in a car accident. Anina also had two sisters, Agnethe and Pia, which brought a smile to my face.

"My doctor, Agnetha in Melbourne is half Danish and half Swedish," I replied.

"Your doctor," she looked at me.

I hesitated before continuing. I've learned over the last few years that people react in one of two ways when they find out you either have or had cancer, they're over sympathetic or they clam up and I so didn't want her to do the latter. Nevertheless, I blurted it out moments later, my heart was still racing from the incident at the station.

"I had cancer of the uterus," I replied, "a few years ago but I've been in remission for a couple of years now."

"It is good you are in remission," she glanced at me, "and so now you are travelling in Europe?"

"Yeah," I glanced over my shoulder, "my parents saved up money while I was getting my life back in order but didn't tell me about it until I got the all clear."

"That is a sweet thing to do," she replied, "so, how long are you travelling for?"

"Six months, I've been to Britain to visit my uncle Sven and auntie Gwen and now I'm here, I may stay here a little longer though."

"What will you do when you get back?"

"Ah that is the million dollar question," I flicked at my hair.

"I was studying corporate law before I was diagnosed but being so close to death kind of changed my perspective and so I want to be a human rights lawyer."

"Well there are plenty of human rights abuses in Australia," she replied, "we read about your detention centres and wonder why your government locks up refugees. In Denmark we lock up criminals not refugees."

"It's fuelled by right wing papers and the cowardice of politicians," I glanced at her, "my thesis was on the fear of the unknown, it got me an A plus."

"I like the title," she smiled.

"Well if you want to read it I can give you a copy," I ventured.

I really thought she was going to sidestep that one but she merely shrugged.

"Okay, I will read your thesis. How long is it?"

"A hundred pages."

"Email it to me," she replied, "I cannot say I will read it in a hurry but I will read it."

I told her more about me after that. I was twenty five years old, the oldest of three girls and I had vague memories of my father before he was killed. Dad died when I was four years old and one of the cops who came to inform mum that her husband was dead was now my stepfather.

"Ron is pretty much my dad. I mean I've only been to dad's gravestone in Springvale a few times, the last time was when I got the all clear. He's still a cop but now he works with CID."

"What is CID?"

"Criminal Investigation Division, he's a detective."

"We have specialist investigation services here," she replied, "it is what I want to do in the future, I cannot see myself staying in uniform for the rest of my life. Where is Springvale?"

"The outer eastern suburbs of Melbourne," I told her, "it's just another suburb but it does have one of the largest crematoriums in the city, not exactly a tourist attraction."

"Unless you have a fascination for cemeteries," she chuckled and then slowed her pace, "we are here, what number is it?"

"Thirty five, apartment one."

"There," she pointed, "she is home?"

"She's working late apparently but her daughter, my cousin is home."

"I will wait here if you want."

"Oh, come in," I took two steps forward and pressed the buzzer.

My cousin, Rie is a few years younger than me, she just graduated from high school and was doing some alterations to her student cap when we arrived. She apologised for not being there to meet me and I said that was okay.

"This is Anina and this is my cousin, Rie," I introduced them.

"Hej," Rie greeted her.

"Hej," Anina replied, "you have graduated."

"Ja," Rie replied, "we are going out to serenade strangers in Nytorv and then we go clubbing," she nodded at me, "you are coming too, mor says she wants someone to be an independent witness and I have promised not to disgrace myself too much."

"What are you doing with the cap?" I asked her.

"It is a Danish tradition," she replied, "it's called a studenterhue, we get them for graduating from high school," she turned it over to show the wavy lines she'd drawn into the inside and we write our grade and some secret signs."

"What do the waves mean?"

"Oh," she smiled innocently at Anina, "if I say it I might get arrested."

"Then I would have to arrest myself," Anina returned her smile, "I too went skinny dipping in my hat," she glanced at her watch, "so who is buying all the beer?"

"That will be Jens or Ole because they have the biggest and smallest heads, but I have to run after the truck until the first stop because I got the highest grades. At this rate I will be a size zero."

It was an entertaining and educational fifteen minutes learning about the rites of Danish graduation ceremonies, which seemed to revolve around drinking for the most part but eventually Anina looked at her watch.

"I have to go home, but perhaps I will see you some other time. Don't forget you will have to give a formal statement at the police station, it is in the station."

"Okay," I nodded, "thank you for coming to my rescue."

"It was all part of the service," she shrugged.

Anina left shortly afterwards and then Rie got me settled in the third bedroom. Auntie Åsa arrived home not long after and when she heard about my encounter at the station she apologised for not being there to meet me.

"It is a disgrace the way these pickpockets roam the streets."

"Well there's one less," Rie piped up, "you should see the policewoman who brought her home, she is hot. If she arrests me tomorrow night I will faint in her arms."

"My daughter is gay," Åsa smiled crookedly, "but if she arrests you she cannot be your girlfriend, I think there are rules for that kind of thing."

Up until then I hadn't been aware that Rie was gay because it's never been an issue in my family either, but that brought up the subject of my old school friend, Tess who had moved to Copenhagen with her girlfriend, Karin. I called Tess that night from Åsa's place and we arranged to meet up once I'd been to the police station.

***

Giving a statement was always one of those things that intimidated me, probably because I was so addicted to crime shows. Thankfully this interview was remarkably informal, I just had to tell the policeman what happened and confirm that the pictures of the two people he showed me matched the description of the pickpockets who'd tried to rob me. After that I met Tess at Starbucks and while it was only for half an hour because she had to go work, it had a far greater impact when I somewhat casually admitted that I had a crush on Anina.

"Not a proper crush," I tried to defend myself, "more like yeah, she's the kind of woman I could be with if I was that way inclined."

"Oh, so you're attracted to her."

"You could say that," I managed a crooked grin, "although she's probably got a boyfriend anyway so that's that."

"So you have a crush on a woman but you haven't asked if she's with someone?"

"Um, no."

"Well hadn't you better find out?"

"You mean like?"

"Yeah, exactly," she glanced at her phone as a notification came through, "it's the first step and at least you'll know where you stand."

"But even if she is gay, what makes you think she'd be interested in me?"

"Are you kidding me?" Tess looked over the rim of her glasses.

I blushed, not knowing where to look and she nudged me with her foot under the table.

"I'll make it easy for you," she went on, "why don't you invite her out for dinner? You could tell her you want to introduce her to your best girlfriend from Australia."

"I um," I bit my lip.

"And Karin and I would be able to tell you later if she's interested."

It sounded too simple at first and almost juvenile but the more I thought about it that day as I did the tourist thing the more it made sense. I would be in the company of a lesbian couple and I trusted Tess implicitly, she was one of the few friends who came to see me in hospital when I was going through my chemo treatment. If Tess gave Anina the thumbs up then at least I'd feel better about making the first move but that brought about a new problem.

My self confidence when it came to dating was shot to pieces. I was engaged when I was diagnosed and at first David was supportive, for a whole three weeks, but then he seemed to withdraw and a week or so later he ended the relationship in the most cowardly way possible. He told me that he'd been accepted at Sydney university, which meant we'd be long distance lovers. I cried at first but the tears soon turned to bitterness when I discovered that he'd lied. He had applied but then turned it down in favour of a university in Melbourne. A week later Tess turned up at the hospital with Karin to check in on me and I recall the way she held my hand even though her girlfriend was sitting in the same room. You remember the little things far more than the big things and that was how our friendship was born but I digress!

Since my treatment had finished I'd thrown myself into study, partly because I had come so close to death and partly because it was the only way to avoid guys and the pain they brought me. Of course there was also that other thing of not wanting to get too close while you're recovering just in case it comes back somewhere else. Thus, my dating skills were pretty sparse and it showed when I called Anina from Auntie Åsa's house.

"Dinner," Anina sounded hesitant.

"It's a way of saying thank you."

"You thanked me already, I remember."

"And I want you to meet my girlfriend from Australia and her partner."

"Oh," she replied, "okay, when?"

"I've kind of said tomorrow but I'm flexible."

"Tomorrow I have an afternoon shift," she replied, "but perhaps the next night would be good."

"So, it's a yes?"

"Ja," she replied, "I will meet your girlfriend, what is her name?"

"Tess and she's the one who helped me through the chemo."

"I cannot wait to meet her then, where are we going for dinner?"

"Um, I'm not sure, I have to get back to Tess and ask her."

"Okay, call or text me and thank you."

I stared at the phone for a full minute after she hung up and went back over that conversation because it sounded like something a sixteen year old girl would say. Rie came into the room at that point and saw me looking at the phone.

"What is wrong?"

"Um, nothing," I sighed, "I think I just made a fool of myself."

"What do you mean?"

"I just asked Anina out for dinner with Tess and Karin," I closed my eyes.

"Og?"

"She said yes."

"Fantastisk," she beamed, "so, you and Anina?"

"Ha ha," I grimaced, "more like beauty and the beast and I don't even know if she's gay, let alone if she finds me attractive."

"I think you would be good together and who is the beast?"

"Who do you think?"

It came out in fits and starts and I know now it's because she wasn't that close to me, even though we're cousins but I let it all out, the hidden torments and the feeling that deep inside a part of me had been taken. And yes I knew that part of my anatomy had to be removed to save my life but it's the part that enables you to carry a child. Whether we like or not we women tend to judge ourselves on our ability to produce life and when it's taken from you there's a profound sense of loss and I'd look at mothers and their children knowing full well that I could never be like them. When you added the loss of a boyfriend into the mix it was surprising I hadn't spiralled into depression and I admitted as much to Rie.

"You should not make such a big deal out of it," she mused, "and I am not being trivial. When you finished your therapy what did your doctor tell you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Did he tell you that you were cured?"

"No, she told me that it was a day to day thing and that I shouldn't set my expectations too high," I replied and Rie nodded serenely.

"So it is with Anina or with anyone else. Do not put everything into this. You are taking her to meet your friends, you are not embarking on a world cruise."

The simplicity of that statement brought a lump to my throat and she patted my hand.

"Tomorrow we will go see my friend, Bodil. She is a hair stylist, we will get you ready for your big date and afterwards we'll go shopping. It is my treat."

***

Bodil had a salon off Strøget, which is one of the longest pedestrianised streets in Europe. Bodil is a twenty seven year old university graduate who started her own salon after falling out with her boss and for the last three years she'd seen it grow in leaps and bounds. What she did with my hair was impressive, it's always been somewhat thin and my treatment hadn't helped but she took a little extra off the length and layered it, making it seem like I had more hair.

"If you keep it shorter for the next twelve months you will find it grows thicker."

After my hair appointment it was off to do some shopping and Rie found me the perfect dress in a Red Cross shop. At first I thought the red too bright but once I had it on and could look at myself in the mirror under muted lights it seemed a little darker.

"It focuses her eyes on you," she tugged at the material, "this is a come fuck me dress."

"You think?" I stared at myself in the mirror.

"Trust me, I know and if she doesn't want you I know plenty of gay women who would."

I had to laugh at that because twenty four hours ago if you'd said I'd be contemplating sleeping with a woman I'd have said you were crazy and I actually told her that as we exited the shop.

"It is sex, in Denmark you have sex first and make a decision afterwards. Would you buy a car without test driving it first?"

I spent the rest of the day with Rie and if you're going to experience Copenhagen you've got to be on a bicycle, we went all over the city from the Little Mermaid to the National Museum and a few places in between. If only Melbourne was as bicycle friendly! At night we went to see more of my cousins out in Vesterbro, once again on the bike and Auntie Åsa was pretty impressed with my red dress because she had a surprise when we got back home.

"These shoes do not suit me."

"You just bought them last week, mor," Rie frowned.

"I know and I was going to take them back for a refund but we are the same size and in answer to her daughter's upraised eyebrows she went on, "I checked, is that a problem?"

"I'll pay you for them," I spoke up.

"No, it is fine," she replied, "it is a present."

Thus that next night I turned up at Mama Rosa in a red dress and nude-coloured shoes and yes, I did ride the spare bike to the restaurant, much to everyone's amazement.

"You're almost a Copenhagener," Tess chuckled.

Anina turned up a few minutes later and there was a moment or two where she looked me up and down.

"If I had known it was a formal dinner I would have worn a dress too, you look beautiful," she glanced at Tess and Karin, and it was only then I realised I hadn't mentioned that Tess was married to a woman.

"This is Tess and her partner, Karin," I introduced them, "and this is Anina."

"Hvordan har du det?" Anina greeted them with a smile.

"We're great," Tess returned the smile, "so, you are the angel of mercy."

"I was doing my job," Anina's smile remained fixed, "even though I was off duty."

"Even so," Tess grinned, "my dad was a cop and when he was off duty you could shoot someone in front of him and he'd pretend he didn't see it."

"We have people like that at work," her eyes flickered to me, "so, how long have you two been together?"

The story of how Tess and Karin got together took the better part of half an hour and by that time we were tucking into pizzas and beer although I stuck with the Coke because I needed a clear head and I still didn't know which way Anina swung or if I could swing that way too. Everything felt a little surreal and to heighten the oddness Anina kept glancing at me as if trying to come to her own conclusions. After the dinner we opted for coffee out at Nyhavn, which has to be one of my favourite parts of Copenhagen and it was there Anina surprised me.