How The Heartaches Come And They Go

Chapter 27

It wasn't long until Agnetha crashed and burned, while she was feeling better, she was still sick. Marieke looked at her sleeping on the couch. Even in her sleep she looked so happy. Marieke grabbed the blanket from the arm chair to tuck Agnetha in. Not even two days ago it was Frida who she tucked in on that couch. Frida who kissed her under the huge duvet. Frida who kissed her again and again on the exact same spot they shared their first kiss. Marieke instinctively touched her lips, as though it would bring back the feeling. She couldn't imagine never kissing Frida again. In fact all she wanted to do was kiss her again.
It wasn't even until Marieke had already dialed the number that she realized what she was doing. Had she really decided?
"Andersson." It was Benny at the other side of the line. Marieke immediately hung up. What was she doing? Agnetha turned over on the couch. Marieke was happy for her, she really was, but she was also jealous. It made her feel so guilty, but she couldn't stop thinking about what would happen if she chose Frida and Agnetha found out again. But was having this tightness, this pain in her chest, the jealousy, being constantly on the verge of tears longing for Frida an alternative? She picked up the phone again. Marieke paused for a second but then she dialed the number.
"Lyngstad.", This time it was Frida who picked up. Marieke wanted to say everything all at once, but nothing came out.
"Hello? Who is this?"
"It's me."
"Marieke?", Frida seemed perplexed. Marieke looked over to Agnetha, making sure she was fast asleep and couldn't hear her.
"Frida, I don't know what to do. I miss you even though you were here this morning. And I wanna be with you, but I don't want to hurt Agnetha. God knows what would happen if she found out again." Marieke sniffled.
"Look, can we maybe just spend one evening together, just you and me and after that I'll decide?" The other end of the line was quiet for a moment.
"I miss you too. I almost walked into your room this morning, I just wanted to see you." Frida paused.
"When's your next night off?" Marieke looked over to Agnetha again before replying:
"The day after tomorrow."
"I'll pick you up at 7 then." Marieke felt so immensely relieved but nervous at the same time.
"Frida, I don't want anyone to know, is that allright?"
"I'll park around the corner. No one will know."
"Thank you." Marieke looked over to Agnetha once again.
"I don't think I've ever seen her as happy as today." Now it was Frida who felt guilty. She had said the fateful three words and she thought she had only done it out of friendship, but she couldn't deny that that wasn't all there was to it.
"I'm glad she's feeling better. Listen, I've got to go now, but I'll see you on Friday at 7."
"See you on Friday." Frida quickly hung up the phone. What had she gotten herself into? As long as it took she had gotten herself over Agnetha. And she had even found Marieke. Sweet Marieke with her plump soft lips that Frida couldn't stop thinking about kissing. And suddenly something, someone turned back time and it was like 1976 all over again. Expressions with double meanings and butterflies in her stomach when they touched ever so slightly. No, that was nonesense, those feelings only existed in her memory anymore. They had passed and gone. Frida thought about her evening with Marieke. That gave her butterflies in her stomach. The sheer thought made her smile. An entire evening with Marieke, just Marieke and no need to worry about anyone walking in on them.