Nb: Høsten hadde farget fjellene i en gyllen glød da Astrid og Lars nådde familiens hytte.
En: Autumn had painted the mountains in a golden glow as Astrid and Lars reached the family cabin.

Nb: Den lille tømmerhytta, omgitt av høye furutrær, lå badet i solskinnet fra den fallende ettermiddagssolen.
En: The small log cabin, surrounded by tall pine trees, was bathed in the sunlight of the fading afternoon.

Nb: Den krispige, kjølige luften bar med seg lukten av røyken fra peisovnen.
En: The crisp, cool air carried the scent of smoke from the fireplace.

Nb: Inne i hytta var det varmt og koselig, en trygg kontrast til kulden utenfor.
En: Inside the cabin, it was warm and cozy, a safe contrast to the cold outside.

Nb: Astrid betraktet broren sin mens han snakket i vei om jobben sin, prestasjonene sine, og hvor godt alt gikk for ham.
En: Astrid observed her brother as he chatted away about his job, his accomplishments, and how well everything was going for him.

Nb: Han var selvsikker og velmenende, men veldig opptatt av sitt eget liv.
En: He was confident and well-meaning, but very absorbed in his own life.

Nb: Astrid kjente på en kjent følelse av usynlighet, som om hun bare var en skygge ved hans side.
En: Astrid felt a familiar sense of invisibility, as if she were just a shadow by his side.

Nb: De siste gangene familien hadde samlet seg, hadde Astrid alltid følt seg oversett.
En: The last few times the family had gathered, Astrid had always felt overlooked.

Nb: Lars hadde ubevisst alltid vært midtpunktet.
En: Lars had unknowingly always been the center of attention.

Nb: Nå, her i fjellene, hadde Astrid bestemt seg for å endre det.
En: Now, here in the mountains, Astrid had decided to change that.

Nb: Hun måtte snakke med ham, fortelle ham hvordan hun følte seg.
En: She needed to talk to him, to tell him how she felt.

Nb: Det var en tid for forandring.
En: It was time for a change.

Nb: Senere den kvelden, etter at middagstaket var ryddet bort, samlet de to søsknene seg foran peisen.
En: Later that evening, after the dinner table had been cleared, the two siblings gathered in front of the fireplace.

Nb: Røyken svevde mykt opp gjennom pipen, og flammene kastet varme skygger i rommet.
En: The smoke drifted softly up through the chimney, and the flames cast warm shadows in the room.

Nb: Lars snakket fortsatt, men Astrid tok en dyp pust.
En: Lars was still talking, but Astrid took a deep breath.

Nb: "Lars, kan vi snakke?"
En: "Lars, can we talk?"

Nb: spurte hun, stemmen hennes rolig men fast.
En: she asked, her voice calm but firm.

Nb: Han så på henne, kanskje for første gang noensinne, med et litt overrasket blikk.
En: He looked at her, perhaps for the first time ever, with a slightly surprised expression.

Nb: "Jeg vil at du skal vite hvordan jeg har følt," fortsatte hun, "og hvor mye ditt fravær har påvirket meg."
En: "I want you to know how I've been feeling," she continued, "and how much your absence has affected me."

Nb: Lars hevet et øyenbryn, men sa ingenting.
En: Lars raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

Nb: Astrid fortsatte.
En: Astrid continued.

Nb: Hun fortalte om følelsen av å bli oversett, om hvordan hun alltid så opp til ham, men også skjulte en dyp sorg.
En: She spoke about the feeling of being overlooked, about how she always looked up to him but also harbored a deep sorrow.

Nb: Ordene fløt, ærlige og rå.
En: The words flowed, honest and raw.

Nb: Det var som om årevis med tilbaketrukket skygge endelig ble fjernet.
En: It was as if years of retreating into the shadows were finally being lifted.

Nb: Diskusjonen ble opphetet, gamle uenigheter kom tilbake, men Astrid sto på sitt.
En: The discussion became heated, and old disagreements resurfaced, but Astrid stood her ground.

Nb: Lars lyttet, sakte men sikkert, til hennes betroelser.
En: Lars listened, slowly but surely, to her confessions.

Nb: Hun så forandring i øynene hans, en ny forståelse.
En: She saw change in his eyes, a new understanding.

Nb: Stiltid fulgte, en sterk stillhet som fylte rommet med noe nådig og uventet.
En: Silence followed, a powerful silence that filled the room with something graceful and unexpected.

Nb: I den varme firkanten av ildlys, innså Lars hvor mye han hadde oversett.
En: In the warm square of firelight, Lars realized how much he had overlooked.

Nb: Han beklaget seg.
En: He apologized.

Nb: For første gang virkelig sa han hvor mye han satte pris på henne og hvor viktig hun var.
En: For the first time, he truly told her how much he appreciated her and how important she was.

Nb: Han ville være en bedre bror, en som så og lyttet.
En: He wanted to be a better brother, one who saw and listened.

Nb: Astrid kjente lettelse vaske over seg.
En: Astrid felt relief wash over her.

Nb: Som flammene i peisen, følte hun styrken vokse i henne.
En: Like the flames in the fireplace, she felt strength growing within her.

Nb: Herfra fremover ville ting være annerledes.
En: From here on, things would be different.

Nb: Hun var ikke lenger bare en skygge ved siden av broren sin.
En: She was no longer just a shadow beside her brother.

Nb: De satt sammen lenge etterpå, snakket i en mild stemning, og delte historier.
En: They sat together long afterward, talking in a gentle tone, sharing stories.

Nb: Den kalde høstkvelden ble til natt, mens både Astrid og Lars fant en ny forståelse seg imellom.
En: The cold autumn evening turned into night, as both Astrid and Lars found a new understanding between them.

Nb: Det var en ny begynnelse, i skogens rolige fang.
En: It was a new beginning, in the forest’s tranquil embrace.

Nb: Familien, som bladene utenfor, hadde endelig funnet sin rettmessige plass.
En: The family, like the leaves outside, had finally found their rightful place.