See You When I See You Read online

  happy?”

  “That’s right…”

  “Because then you’ll be happy too?”

  “Yes. Very happy.”

  Sadie thought for a moment.

  “I am actually going to my sister’s on

  Saturday.”

  She thought again.

  88

  “So why shouldn’t you come too?” she said

  finally. “Let’s do that…”

  Dani lit up. And she remembered to say thank

  you.

  “Thank you!” she said. “Thanks in advance,

  Sadie! You don’t know how much this means to

  me.”

  Then she helped Sadie dry all the glasses that

  were left and put them away in the cupboard,

  before sitting at the kitchen table to eat the

  corncob Sadie had heated up for her.

  89

  Chapter 18

  And then it was dessert: ice cream with meringue

  and hot chocolate sauce.

  “I still haven’t heard a thing about the Iceland

  pony expedition,” Dad reminded them.

  “We’re going back again soon,” Sadie told him.

  “Is that right? So it was a great success!”

  “Let’s concentrate on the ice cream,” said Dani.

  So they did.

  Then Sven told his latest riddles. The first went like this:

  “What can everyone see but no one touch?”

  “Smoke,” guessed Sadie.

  “Correct!” said Sven. “Now for the next: Who

  never misses a ball?”

  “Dani,” guessed Dani’s grandpa.

  “Wrong!” said Sven.

  “The wall,” Sadie guessed.

  “Correct!” The third riddle: Who’s been around

  the world the most times?”

  But they were interrupted again by Dani’s

  father. He wanted to know if they thought the

  chicken had tasted good.

  90

  “Not bad,” Grandma admitted, and she started

  leafing through one of his Italian newspapers lying on the sofa.

  She was trying to learn Italian so she could

  travel with Dani to Rome to meet Dani’s

  grandmother and cousins.

  “The chicken was excellent!” said Grandpa,

  turning on the TV to see the news.

  “The corn was also excellent!” said Dani. “The

  tastiest corn I’ve ever eaten!”

  “Who’s been around the world the most times?”

  Sven repeated impatiently.

  “The moon,” Sadie guessed.

  “Correct again!” yelled Sven. “Sadie got them

  all right!”

  “Fantastic, Sadie!” exclaimed Dani’s father.

  He didn’t know that Sadie had read the riddles

  and answers on the same milk carton as Sven.

  He thought Sadie really was smart!

  91

  Chapter 19

  Moments later all the guests went home, including Sadie. And Dani was finally alone with her father.

  “It all worked out well in the end,” he said.

  “Don’t you think, Dani?”

  “What did?” Dani was watching the candle

  burning down.

  “With Sadie.”

  “Oh,” said Dani. “I thought you meant with the

  corncob.”

  “Don’t you agree?” he persisted.

  “Not bad,” Dani admitted, sounding like her

  grandmother.

  Her father sank into silence.

  For a long time there was only the sound of the

  radio talking to itself out in the kitchen.

  But suddenly Dani said: “What about Mama?”

  Her father gave a start.

  “Have you forgotten her now?”

  “How could I forget her?”

  “But you like Sadie?”

  “Yes, I do. Very much.”

  92

  He got up and Dani saw that he had tears in his

  eyes.

  It still happened sometimes when Dani’s

  mother was mentioned, even though it was nearly

  five years since she died.

  He limped from the room and Dani went and lay

  on the sofa where Cat was waiting for her.

  “How could I ever forget Ella?” she said,

  stroking its back.

  The cat watched her thoughtfully.

  “But I like you too,” she hurried to add. “Very

  much.”

  She stretched out on the sofa and began to think

  up a little poem for Ella.

  She does that sometimes, pulling small poems

  right out of the air.

  Ella! Ella! You are my dearest!

  93

  Don’t be unhappy, or I can’t be happy.

  If you’re sad I’ll break into a thousand pieces!

  She stopped.

  The poem didn’t have a single rhyme but she

  was pleased with it anyway, because it was true.

  She was about to go on when the phone rang. It

  was Ella, who had come back home and wanted to

  speak to her. But it was almost impossible to hear her because she was crying so hard.

  “I j-just wanted to tell you s-something on the

  bus,” she sobbed. “S-someone has dug up our

  tr-tr-treasure!”

  Dani sank into the chair beside the telephone

  table and laughed.

  “I know!”

  The sobbing stopped at once.

  “How can you know that?”

  “Because I’m the one who did it!”

  94

  It was a few seconds before Ella understood.

  She gasped—and suddenly it was as if the sun

  had come out after rain.

  “Well done,” she said and sniffed so loudly that

  it hissed into the phone. “When did you say we’d

  see each other again?”

  This time Dani had the best possible answer:

  “On Saturday. We can go with Sadie again to

  see the Iceland ponies.”

  Ella almost whinnied with happiness.

  “I can manage till then.”

  “Do you mean with your class?”

  “I mean with anything. As long as I can see

  you! Thank you, Dani! You’ve saved my life!”

  “It was nothing,” said Dani.

  “Night night!”

  “Night,” said Dani, smiling happily.

  95

  Chapter 20

  She was still smiling as she undressed and

  brushed her teeth and put on her nightie and lay

  in her comfy bed.

  “It doesn’t really matter so much that Sadie

  was here today,” she explained when her father

  popped in. “I forgive you. This once.”

  “Thank you, Dani,” said her father, putting the

  night cover over the guinea pigs.

  “How was Skansen?” he suddenly remembered.

  “Good,” said Dani. “I met Ella.”

  Her father straightened up.

  “Ella this and Ella that! How many children are

  there actually in your class?”

  “Twenty-two,” said Dani. “Why?”

  96

  “Then can’t you find one of them to be friends

  with?”

  “Mmm, I probably can,” yawned Dani. “But not

  best friends in the world.”

  “But Dani, don’t you understand? Children

  can’t see each other very often when they live as far apart as you and Ella.”

  His cell phone rang.

  “Just a minute,” he said and took it out to the

  living room.

  Dani
reached out her arm and lifted the edge of

  the guinea pigs’ cover.

  “Did you hear that?” she whispered. “They

  always want to keep me and Ella apart! Always,

  always, always. But they can’t, because we keep

  seeing each other!”

  The guinea pigs chattered knowingly.

  “If only you knew how happy you are when

  you’re happy,” continued Dani.

  The guinea pigs looked at each other. What was

  she talking about now?

  97

  Guinea pigs always know how happy they are when they’re happy. You can tell by the way their eyes glitter.

  “Night night to you too!” Dani dropped the

  cover back and waited for her father.

  Why was he taking so long on the phone?

  “That was Sadie,” he said when he finally came

  back. “She thinks I behaved badly with you today.”

  Dani closed her eyes.

  Must he talk about that again? She had already

  forgiven him.

  But her father went on. He was very upset.

  “I didn’t mean to. I never want to make you

  unhappy, Dani! Do you understand that?”

  He looked beseechingly at her, but Dani wasn’t

  listening. It had been a long day and she only

  wanted to sleep.

  When he saw that, he tucked her in.

  “Amore,” he said, almost to himself. “I don’t

  know what gets into me.”

  “Relax!” said Dani, and she rolled herself into a ball, just like Cat.

  Her father turned out the light and crept from

  the room.

  “Good night, Ella,” Dani mumbled in the direction of Ella’s house. “At last I can sleep. See you when I see you. No, I mean on Saturday!”

  She thought a bit.

  “I can manage till then, too,” she added. “With

  anything.”

  And she fell asleep

  98

  99

  Print edition first published in 2017 by Gecko Press PO Box 9335, Wellington 6141, New Zealand

  [email protected]

  English language edition © Gecko Press Ltd 2017

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted or utilized in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher.

  Vi ses när vi ses

  Text © Rose Lagercrantz 2016

  Illustrations © Eva Eriksson 2016

  First published by Bonnier Carlsen, Stockholm, Sweden Published in the English language by arrangement with Bonnier Group Agency, Stockholm, Sweden

  Translated by Julia Marshall

  Edited by Penelope Todd

  Typesetting by Vida & Luke Kelly, New Zealand Hardback (USA) ISBN: 978-1-776571-29-1

  Paperback ISBN: 978-1-776571-30-7

  Ebook ISBNs: 978-1-776571-31-4 (epub);

  978-1-776571-32-1 (mobi);

  978-1-776571-33-8 (pdf)

  For more curiously good books, visit www.geckopress.com

  More curiously good books from

  GECKO PRESS

  Life According to Dani

  by Rose Lagercrantz, ill. by

  Eva Eriksson

  Age 6+

  Chapter book

  A stand-alone follow-up to

  the acclaimed and beloved

  chapter books My Happy

  Life and My Heart is

  Laughing.

  Reviews

  “Another sterling early chapter book by this duo. ”

  — Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews

  “Subtle, joyful, funny, challenging — Lagercrantz’s books are true classics for modern families

  everywhere.” — The Times

  “Sweet, charismatic drawings by Eriksson

  complement the spare text perfectly and will

  endear Dani to readers… Many readers, especially

  those dealing with similar situations to those faced by the main characters, will identify strongly and compassionately. ” — School Library Journal

  More curiously good books from

  GECKO PRESS

  My Heart is Laughing

  by Rose Lagercrantz, ill. by

  Eva Eriksson

  Age 6+

  Chapter book

  The standalone sequel to

  the acclaimed illustrated

  chapter book My Happy

  Life (a New York Times

  Notable Children’s Book).

  Reviews

  “Dani is always happy, except when she’s not.

  A delightful story about being sad, being

  happy, best friends and hopefulness. Another

  adorable book from the author and illustrator

  of My Happy Life. These books are just the

  best – you will love the characters; the stories

  are splendid and the drawings charming –

  perfect as a read-aloud for 4-up and a

  readalone for 6-8yrs.” — Page and Blackmore

  Booksellers

  “Lagercrantz has the ability to develop her

  characters fully, while keeping the story

  approachable for young readers just wanting

  to tackle chapter books. Genuine feelings such

  as humor, honesty, and heartbreak will leave

  readers yearning for Dani to return once

  again.” — School Library Journal, starred

  review

  “A forthright early chapter book about resilience…

  This deeply respectful book validates and

  celebrates the daily challenges of being a child in today’s world.” — Kirkus Reviews

  “Salty and sweet, this is umami for the emerging

  reader.” — The Horn Book Magazine, starred review

  More curiously good books from

  GECKO PRESS

  My Happy Life

  by Rose Lagercrantz, ill. by

  Eva Eriksson

  Age 6+

  Chapter book

  The perfect first chapter

  book about the

  irrepressibly happy Dani,

  who starts school and

  meets a new friend.

  Reviews

  “One of those joyous rarities: a book about

  girls who are neither infallible nor

  pratfall-prone, but who are instead very

  real—both admirable and relatable… If only all

  early chapter books were this beautifully

  conceived.” — The New York Times, Notable

  Book of 2013

  “This tale is a winner.” — The Independent, Books of the Year 2012

  “Acclaimed Swedish writer Lagercrantz applies

  exactly the right amount of whimsical

  childhood observation and attitude to a serious

  exploration of a very young, broken heart… A

  sweet read for both children and their parents,

  who may be grateful at the reminder of

  emotional complexity lurking behind their

  children’s smiles.” — Kirkus Reviews

  Document Outline

  Cover

  Title Page

  Contents

  PART 1

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  PART 2

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Copyright Information

  Mo
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