Blossom in Winter (Blossom in Winter #1)(119)

“Yes?”

“I saw your interview in Forbes magazine. Very well done. Congratulations on your fund.”

I smile, humbled. “Thank you, Mrs. Chilnisky.”

“Petra, on February fifteenth, we are hosting a panel of highly talented and entrepreneurial students. Students who already have a successful career or venture on the side. I would truly appreciate if you could join us.”

I raise both eyebrows and, to my surprise, find myself nodding at her.





Columbia Economics, February 15, 2020





Standing behind the door, I glance discreetly at the big, dark auditorium where over three hundred students have gathered. There’s a stage in front with a big sofa already in the spotlight, two screens behind it, and two big cameras on the edges.

“Oh God. Have you seen the number of people in there?”

“They are all excited to see you,” Matthew cheers me up. “It’s amazing, Petra. You’ll be fine. I think a lot of business channels are out there too. You’re gonna meet so many journalists.”

Despite Matthew’s attempts to comfort me, I’m not feeling amazing at all. “Give me a second.” I run to the bathroom to calm myself down before stepping on stage. I’m glad Alex and Dad are far away in Singapore. Having them in the crowd would have been even worse. I try to breathe slowly, but the acid in my stomach comes up. I rush to one of the toilets and throw up. No one at Columbia knows I suffer from panic attacks or agoraphobia, and it’s better to keep it that way.

I take my dental kit from my purse, brush my teeth, and put some blush on my cheeks to hide how pale I am. Then I smear gloss on my lips, and try smiling at the mirror. I observe myself attentively. I realize I’ve lost some weight, as my collarbone is more visible than usual and my arms look skinnier too. I can’t let my phobia get in the way, yet eating is hard. So hard. Any type of food feels repugnant. I glance at my chest and smile—well, at least this part of my body looks the same, if not bigger.

I focus on my breath, inhaling and exhaling deeply, but my heart is thundering. I’ve never been on stage before, let alone spoken about myself in front of cameras, journalists, and my own colleagues.





Bedford Hills, February 22, 2020





He’s finally back from Singapore! And furthermore, Julia is in town. Alex has planned a small celebration in my honor over the weekend. Nothing too fancy—just a small dinner between us three. He saw my interview onstage and said he couldn’t believe how I’d managed to remain so calm during the entire panel. He also added I’d acted just like Dad, strong and confident, even if I was terrified inside.

“Julia! I’m so happy you’re here.”

“Me too, my dear Petra.” We hug each other before kissing each other’s cheeks. “Congratulations on your interview and your panel at Columbia. My brother shared it with me.”

“Oh, it’s nothing, really.”

Julia glances at my figure. “Have you been on a diet? You look even thinner than when I met you.”

“I’m fine. Don’t worry.” I hold Julia by the arm, walking her into the dining room. “So, tell me, what brings you to New York?”

Julia sits in front of me, with Alex between us at the head of the table. “Well, just a quick getaway.”

Maria prepared a special feast for today’s celebration. After all, she’s known Julia since she was born. She cooked her favorite meal: pea soup, followed by andijviestamppot—a pan full of Dutch mashed potatoes and escarole endive—accompanied with meatballs for Julia and tofu for me. Alex also decides to have the tofu. I smile at his choice. He knows I don’t like him to consume meat.

While Maria seems extremely happy to see everyone enjoying the meal, she couldn’t help but frown looking at my plate. “You didn’t like the food, Ms. Van Gatt?”

“The food was great, Maria. Thank you. I’m just not hungry.”

“You are so skinny, Petra. You need to eat a bit,” adds Julia, seeing half of the soup still in my bowl. “It’s only vegetables.”

“I’m fine, Julia, really… Don’t worry.”

Julia exchanges a glance with Alex. He wipes his mouth and looks at me. “Petra, would you mind checking on Arthur? Maria will escort you.”





Alexander Van Dieren





“Well, I won’t serve you any whiskey, since I know you don’t drink.” I prepare one for myself and invite Julia into the sitting area of my office. She sits on the sofa against the wall, a glass of water in hand, while I take the armchair beside her.

“So, tell me”—I take the first sip—“what brings my lovely sister to New York?”

“This.” Julia plays a video on her iPhone and turns it to me. It’s Tess Hagen giving an interview to NPO 1, the biggest national TV channel in the Netherlands.

“So, Tess is really getting into politics…”

“Yes, looks like she is officially tied to the CDA. Provincial elections are next month and the national ones are next year. She’s been gathering big audiences and public support. I’m not sure what she has in mind. My husband is worried about what she knows and what she might do…”