Elsa wasn't eavesdropping. She's not the sort of person who eavesdrops. Especially on Christmas Eve morning.

She just happened to be standing there on the stairs early the next morning, and that's when she heard Britt-Marie and Kent talking. It wasn't on purpose -- she was looking for the wurse and her Gryffindor scarf. And the door of Kent and Britt-Marie's flat was open. After she'd stood there for a while listening she realized that if she walked past their door now they'd spot her, and it would look as if maybe she'd been standing on the stairs eavesdropping deliberately. So she just stayed put.

"Britt-Marie!" hollered Kent from inside -- judging by the echo he was in the bathroom, and judging by the volume of his shouting she was very far away.

"Yes?" answered Britt-Marie, sounding as if she was standing quite close to him.

"Where is my damn electric razor?" yelled Kent without apologizing for yelling. Elsa disliked him a lot for that. Because it's "damned," not "damn."

"Second drawer," answered Britt-Marie.

"Why did you put it there? It's always in the first drawer!"

"It's always been in the second drawer."

"So when are they coming?"

"Did you talk to David and Pernilla?" she asked pleasantly.

"Yes, yes."

A second drawer was opened; then came the sound of an electric razor. But not the slightest little sound of Kent saying "thanks." Britt-Marie went into the flat's foyer and leaned out the front door with Kent's suit in her hand. Gently brushed invisible fluff from one arm. She didn't see Elsa, or at least Elsa didn't think she did. And because Elsa wasn't quite sure, she realized that now she had to stay where she was and look as if she was supposed to be there. As if she was just out inspecting the quality of the railings, or something like that. Not at all as if she was eavesdropping. It got very complicated, the whole thing.

Britt-Marie disappeared back into the flat.

"Let's just eat when they come -- six, or seven maybe," Kent said dismissively.

"But I have to plan the cooking, Kent…"

"Damned if I know."

"Did you tell them we normally eat at six?"

"If it doesn't make any difference, then maybe half past six is about right?"

"We've been having dinner at six since the beginning of time; they've probably worked that out by now," said Kent with a sigh.

"No, no. Let's say six, then. If they're not here, they're not here," said Kent, as if he was anyway quite sure they wouldn't come. "I have to go now, I have a meeting with Germany," he added, walking out of the bathroom.

"We always eat at six."

"But you did you say that to David and Pernilla?"

"I'm only trying to arrange a nice Christmas for the whole family, Kent," said Britt-Marie despondently.

"If I can just know when they are coming, I can make sure the food is hot when they arrive," said Britt-Marie.

"Well which, Kent?" asked Britt-Marie, sounding worried. "Six or seven?"

"Fine, whatever."

"Jesus Christ, Britt-Marie, it doesn't make any damn difference."

"I see. Is there something wrong with that now, all of a sudden?"

"Can't we just bloody heat up the food when they come?!"

"Aren't they usually in the first?"

"Where are my damn cuff links?" asked Kent, and started tottering around the flat with his half-knotted tie trailing behind him.

"Damn, Britt-Marie! I don't know! You know what they're like -- they could come at six or they could come at half past eight!"

Elsa just stands there. Not eavesdropping, obviously. But there's a big mirror hanging in the foyer just inside the front door, and when Elsa stands on the stairs she can see Kent's reflection in it. Britt-Marie is neatly turning down his shirt collar over the tie and gently brushing the lapel of his suit jacket.

"They've always been in the second…"

"We can't have Christmas dinner at half past eight, Kent."

"I know that! So the kids will just have to eat when they damn well get here, won't they!"

"And when will everyone be here, then?"

"Let's just eat when everyone is here, if it's so bloody important."

"In the second drawer in the chest," Britt-Marie replied.

Britt-Marie stood in silence for a few grim seconds. Then she took a deep breath and tried to stabilize her voice as you do when not wanting it to be obvious that you're yelling inside.

"There's no need to get short," said Britt-Marie, sounding a bit short.

"When are you coming home?" she asks in a low voice.

"I don't bloody know, you know how the Germans are, don't wait up for me," Kent answers evasively, extricating himself and heading for the door.

"Put the shirt directly in the washing machine when you come in, please," says Britt-Marie, and comes padding after him to brush something from his trouser leg.

Kent looks at his watch the way men with very expensive watches do when they look at them. Elsa knows that because Kent told Elsa's mum that his watch cost more than Kia.

Elsa doesn't answer. Because she doesn't talk like that. Kent's telephone rings. It's a new telephone, Elsa notices. Kent looks as if he'd like to tell her what it cost.

"Yo!" he says with a grin, in that way grown men say "yo' to children because they think that's how children talk.

Kent steps onto the landing without answering. He catches sight of Elsa. He doesn't seem to think she's been eavesdropping at all, but on the other hand he doesn't look very pleased to see her.

"In the washing machine, please, Kent! Directly, as soon as you come home!" Britt-Marie calls out.

Britt-Marie straightens the coats on the hangers in the hall and carefully brushes the back of her hand over all of Kent's overcoats and jackets. Elsa shoves the tips of her fingers into the pockets of her jeans and mumbles: "Thanks."

Elsa takes a few steps towards the stairs, but stops in the doorway. In the hall mirror she sees the bathroom. Britt-Marie is standing in there, carefully rolling up the cord of Ken's electric shaver before putting it in the third drawer.

"That's Germany calling!" he says to Elsa, and looks as if he's only just remembering that she was very much implicated in the cellar-stairs-related incident yesterday that resulted in his last phone being put out of action.

He looks as if he remembers the poison as well, and what it cost. Elsa shrugs, as if she's challenging him to a fight. Kent starts yelling "Yez Klaus!" into his new phone as he disappears down the stairs.

She comes out into the hall. Catches sight of Elsa. Folds her hands over her stomach.

"I wasn't eavesdropping!" says Elsa at once.

"Oh, I see, I see…" she starts.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she says, even though Elsa very well sees that she does.

Britt-Marie brushes, brushes, brushes her skirt. Folds her hands.

"Not until it bites someone."

"I said thanks. For not saying anything to the police about --" she says, stopping herself before she says "the wurse."

"Why did you put the razor in the wrong drawer?" she asks.

Britt-Marie looks as if she's about to say something. But she leaves it. Because she knows it's true. And Elsa is going to say something, but she also leaves it. Because she knows that Britt-Marie actually returned the favor.

"Pardon me?"

"It never will bite anyone! And it saved you from Sam!" growls Elsa.

Britt-Marie turns around, surprised.

She looks into the flat through the mirror.

"It's not a horrible creature."

"You should have informed me about that horrible creature, young lady."

Elsa groans like you do when you're almost eight and have to say thanks twice.

Britt-Marie seems to understand.

"Kent said it was always in the first drawer. But you said it was always in the second drawer. And then after he'd gone, you put it in the third drawer," says Elsa.

And then there's a silence for an eternity of fairy-tale silences. And then Britt-Marie whispers, as if she's forgotten that Elsa is standing there in front of her: "Because I like it when he shouts my name."

Elsa tilts her head.

And Elsa stands outside and tries to dislike her. It doesn't go all that well.

And then Britt-Marie looks distracted for just a few moments. Then something else. Alone, perhaps. And then she mumbles: "Yes, yes, maybe I did. Maybe I did."

"Why?"

And then Britt-Marie closes the door.