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into
    Skype, Lance popped up as already online. Magnus grinned.
    It looked like he wasn"t the only impatient one. He was about
    to initiate the call when the familiar ringing sounded and the
    box with his options came on screen. He answered the call,
    the webcam switching on automatically.
    “Hi, Magnus.” Jakob beamed at him.
    “Hey, Jakob.” Magnus smiled back. “How did your big
    soccer tournament go yesterday?”
    “It was great. We won!” Jakob held up a picture of his
    team, taken after the game. Everyone was all smiles. “I even
    scored a goal!”
    “Wow, that"s excellent. Well done!” God, he wished he
    could have been there. Watching the video Lance had sent
    just wasn"t the same as being there.
    Why had he ever agreed to go on this stupid
    assignment? He was missing some of the most important
    events in Jakob"s life. Interesting university job or not, this
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    wasn"t going to happen again. No more expeditions. He"d
    have to figure something else out.
    “We miss you.” Jakob held up a sheet that had the last
    three days of May and all of June on it. June twenty, his
    return date, had a big fat red circle around it, as did the
    twenty-fifth, their wedding date. “I"ve started a countdown so
    I know exactly how many days are left until you come back.
    Only twenty-two to go now!”
    “That"s a brilliant idea. I"ve been counting the days in
    my head, but seeing them dwindle on paper, like you"ve
    done, will be even better.” It would also give him something
    to do a little later on.
    They chatted for a while. Then Jakob said goodbye so
    he could have some time with Lance. The boy was putting on
    a brave face, but his eyes looked suspiciously moist when he
    turned away and left the study.
    “Hey, Magnus.” Lance smiled at him. “How are you
    holding out? You look tired.”
    “Hi, älskling .” Magnus wanted to reach into the screen
    to caress Lance, make the recent tightness around his eyes
    go away. “I"m okay, just can"t wait to come home. The work
    isn"t even as interesting as I seemed to remember. And being
    away from you and Jakob is pure torture.”
    “I know. We miss you so much.” Lance swallowed. “I"m
    sorry the work isn"t even something you want to do, that
    must make it worse.”
    Magnus nodded.
    “All I want is for you to come home.” Lance wiped his
    eyes. “I"m sorry. I didn"t want to make you all sad.”
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    “It"s okay, Lance. I"m already sad. Being away from my
    family does that to me.” Magnus took a deep breath. “In fact,
    I can"t take this anymore. I"ve decided that come what may,
    this is not going to happen again.”
    “It isn"t?” Lance"s eyes widened, hope warring with
    doubt. “But what about your job?”
    “ Fuck the job!” Magnus felt much better having put his
    deep feelings into words like that. Foul language had such a
    freeing effect sometimes, despite Lance"s shock.
    “Do you mean that?” Lance"s expression was so hopeful
    that it made Magnus"s heart beat faster.
    “ Yes , I mean that. There"s always something else I can
    do. We don"t need this job financially, and if they"re going to
    send me away like this instead of letting me teach at the
    university, what"s the point of working for them?” Magnus
    shrugged.
    “Oh, Magnus.” Lance had tears of joy in his eyes. “I love
    you. I can"t wait for you to be back so I can show you.”
    “I look forward to it, älskling . You don"t know how
    much.” Magnus grinned. “Twenty-two days and I"ll be home
    to celebrate our reunion. Just focus on that.”
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    Chapter Seven

    TWO days later Magnus was on his way to Hansbreen glacier
    to the east of the station for his weekly measurements. Since
    this was a tidewater glacier, ending in the sea instead of on
    land, he"d have to be careful not to get too close to the
    seaward edge, or he might drop into the freezing water when
    the