Sincerely Stockholm

Chapter Four: Everything works until it doesn't.

Dame awoke just before 8:00 am without an alarm. As she stretched out to get her blood flowing, Dame smirked to herself realizing that she didn't receive or need a wake up call from some random handler. She bounded out of bed, brushed her teeth, looked in the mirror and told herself, Damianne, time to take care of yourself, no more personal assistants... for now. Dame found herself roused by the modest selection of hip yet elemental wardrobe choices. She made her way down the spiral staircase to the main floor, not really knowing what to expect. Just then Agneta called her over to her "side" of the converted cottage. She explained that Erik had already left for the studio to prep for a recording session later that day. Dame looked down the kitchen table realizing that Agneta had already prepared and laid out breakfast. Only when Dame surveyed the small buffet, did she realize how famished she was. Acting like some sort of museum guide, Agneta presented what she described as a "somewhat typical Swedish breakfast."

There were smörgås on knäckebröd which were basically open face sandwiches on crisp bread. The sandwiches were buttered, and capped with an assortment of toppings ranging from hard cheese, cold cuts like skinka (ham), to tomatoes, cucumber and Messmör; a Norwegian sweet pâté made from butter and whey. Dame's hunger overrode any scepticism she felt about the morning meal, and sat quickly, ravenously inhaling the Swedish spread. Her only request from Old Blighty was tea, so Agneta immediately obliged, brewing up a perfect pot of English Breakfast. Dame really appreciated the informal vibe of brekky, helping Dame to gain quick comfort with Agneta's courteous down-to-earth nature.

The two chit chatted, finished up their meal, and were soon walking to the Metro. Dame was pleased with herself that she realized they were entering a different station versus the previous day. And because she was less stressed this morning, Dame had time to marvel at the haunting beauty of the Stockholm subway system. Just as they were boarding, Agneta explained that the studio was directly north of Södermalm, only a twenty-three minute commute away in a district called Sibirien. As they sat on the train, their conversation continued. "Does the name of the studio's neighbourhood have any relation to Siberia in Russia?" Dame inquired. Agneta then explained, "Yes. Sibirien has historically been a bastion for the working class. The name originates from a time when the area was inhabited by the poor, who could not afford heating. People started to say that this section of Stockholm was as cold as Siberia." Dame then mused, "So is it work, work, work once we get to the Siberia studios?" Agneta smirked and alleviated Dame's worries, "The overall studio itself has a very relaxed vibe and a non-traditional style, meaning that each of the three actual recording studios have their own personality. You will feel nothing corporate about the space." Dame then asked, "Is this why Blix likes working there?" Agneta  answered, "Definitely. Also Blix likes to run and there is a great nearby park called Vanadislunden where he can take off whenever he gets the urge. Recently he discovered some boulders there with people doing rock climbing. So he adds that to his fitness regime every now and then." Dame's eyes widened, "Blix does rock climbing during work?" Agneta chuckled and said, "Well, he's only had one bad dismount, and sprained an ankle. But Blix joked and said he could still play guitar and sing with a swollen foot."

"Well Blix sounds dedicated to his music production. I guess he doesn't have much time for a relationship?" Dame probed hoping that her romantic inquiry wasn't too obvious. "When Blix was in Rött Slott, like you, he didn't have much time for anything but recording, live shows or promotional tours," Agneta answered in a sisterly tone then continued, "Once he packed in the rock star life and settled down to producing, he started dating." Before Dame had to ask, Agneta finally shed light on his current status, "I do believe Blix is not super serious with anyone at the moment. To be honest, I wish he was, only to give him a distraction..." Agneta then quickly rephrased her thought, "That doesn't sound right. I mean, I wish he was in a more dedicated relationship so he could have a more balanced life." Dame gave a sympathetic nod. "So I guess it's also difficult for you to date?" Agneta asked. Dame took in a long breath and then exhaled with an explanation, "I've really only ever had one serious boyfriend, and that's Elliott. He's a fantastic guy but our relationship has always been complicated." Agneta leaned forward so Dame didn't have to raise her voice. "You see, Elliott is not only my brother Rupert's best mate, he also is the lead guitarist for DAME. And to make our dynamic even more complex, Elliott and I became the main songwriting duo for the group," Dame explained. "It's normal for a kid sister to have a crush on one of your older brother's friends. But just as I started to be attracted to Elliott, the band blew up and all our lives ceased being anything close to normal," Dame declared. Agneta listened intently as Dame continued, "As the popularity of the group and my fame grew, Rupert's jealousy developed into a raging resentment against me. This put Elliott in the middle of an increasingly uncomfortable situation. At the same time, there was mounting pressure for Elliott and I to compose more hit singles. It was all too much. So, after a lot of soul searching I kind of packed everything in. I guess the split with Elliott was collateral damage, unfortunately," Dame disclosed as her eyes started to well up. Agneta consoled Dame with a hug, and inquired, "So do you still have feelings for Elliott?" Dame sighed and stated, "I shall always have feelings for him. But I'm so at odds with it all. Was I only with Elliott because he made me feel safe? He knew me before all the stardom, so I knew his intentions were always genuine. Also, I was so young, so maybe the relationship reached its natural end?" Dame concluded. Agneta added, "I know what you mean. I was with my first serious boyfriend for about five years, and then I met Erik at the recording studio. It was instantly different between Erik and I."