Right one at the wrong time

After the press conference

Konstrakta was now on her way to her dressing room. The press conference was over and after Cornelia had started talking to a thousand people at once, not really paying any attention to her anymore, Konstrakta decided to go, leaving the others to talk in peace. As she walked, her thoughts began to circle.

She thought about her children, her husband and made up her mind to call them later and tell them that she was part of the second semi-final. Now many people started talking to her at the same time. It was all about the turquoise carpet and a certain bustle arose in the room. Probably for the first time, Konstrakta was glad. Actually, she liked to have her peace, to think, to let her thoughts wander, to turn inwards. But apart from the time in the hotel room or when she did manage to go for a walk, there wouldn't be much peace and quiet these weeks.

"Ana, about the turquoise carpet.. We need to rethink your outfit and make up. I know you wanted it a little darker, but..." A woman from the makeup team started to talk to her, but Konstrakta raised her hand to indicate that she should stop talking.
"I would be happy if we could leave it at that. No unforeseen changes please. I think it's fine." Her tone was a little cool and she realised herself that it might have come out of her a little too harshly just now. She smiled slightly and added, "Sorry, I'm a bit tired from the day today. It was all a bit much. Still, I'd be grateful if we didn't change anything now..."

The woman looked slightly intimidated and lowered her head. Then she just nodded and, having realised it was no use arguing with Konstrakta, she would leave her alone. The rest of the evening was free. Konstrakta thought compulsively about what she could do to keep herself busy. She was somehow agitated and annoyed inside. First this very embarrassing action of the Swedish woman in front of the camera. And then she had basically forced herself on Konstrakta during the photo session. Her leg almost crawling into hers. She had probably never heard of personal space either?

Simply annoying and intrusive. And then this weird outfit with all the metal chains... They would never become friends. Finally she reached her hotel room and looked for her key. As she tried to insert it into the keyhole, she noticed that her hands were still shaking slightly. Maybe she really should just rest now. Maybe she should treat herself to a bath. It would help her relax and thank goodness her hotel room had a bathtub. But before she undressed, she sank down on the bed and took out her mobile phone. As she held it in front of her, she noticed something which, for some reason, she hadn't really noticed before. The walls, the bed, her clothes, the cupboards... Everything so white, so pure and innocent. She noticed it now for the first time after holding up her mobile phone, which was completely black.

Through her work as an architect, she had a certain feeling for shapes, details and colours. And the jet black colour of her mobile phone now literally screamed out at her from the abundance of white. Actually, contrasts and opposites were a good thing. Actually...
She let her fingers glide over the keyboard and then waited for someone to pick up. It rang longer than usual and quickly her eyes flitted to the clock. It wasn't that late. Her family must still be awake. Finally someone picked up.

"Yes?"
"Darling? It's me. Are the kids still awake?"
After a brief pause, she heard her husband's tired voice from the speaker.
"Yes... Your son is out with friends though."
"What? At this time?" Konstrakta was shocked. Her son was already in his teens but still not old enough.
And in what a casual tone he had said it.
"Ana, don't get upset. He'll be home soon. I told him not to overdo it."
He murmured.

Konstrakta took a deep breath and tried to continue speaking as calmly as possible. The day had been long enough and she was already annoyed. This was not how she wanted the day to end now.
"Okay, if you say so, I trust it. So about today.. We had the second press conference and..."
"Ana, honey? Can we talk about it tomorrow? I'm tired already. I mean of course I want to know about your day.. But maybe you can call again tomorrow? Like earlier?"

Earlier? It wasn't even that late. She hadn't expected him to say something like this. A slight sting threatened to spread through her chest area. Had he really just put her off? His wife was miles away in another country at such a big event as the Eurovision Song Contest to participate for their country and her husband was too tired to listen to her. She knew he didn't mean it and she knew he was a good man and a great father. That he did care, but now, just when she needed him, when she wanted to tell him about her day, get the stress off her chest, he was too tired.

He had absolutely no idea how tired Konstrakta was and yet she had still called. And since she was already easily irritated, her feelings now seemed to be playing tricks on her. Everything suddenly seemed twice as bad.
"Ok, fine. Please text me when our young Mr, I'm-going-out is home. So I don't have to worry about that too." She snorted into the phone.
"Wow, Ana. Relax. Are you okay? You're suddenly so on edge? If it's important to you, you can tell me about your day now too."
His voice softened.
"Important to me? And I'm not on edge. So no, it doesn't matter. Good night."

And without waiting for his reply, she hung up and threw the phone on the bed. There were the colours again. Black and white. Almost like on a wedding. Still breathing heavily, anger boiling up inside of her she couldn't help but think of how she had fallen in love with her husband then. She had been so incredibly young and happy. Not that she wasn't happy now. But it was different. Something had changed. Something had left..

And yet it was actually something completely different that the black colour reminded her of. Konstrakta took the remote control and turned on the television. She didn't really look at what was on and it didn't really matter. She just needed some kind of sound to turn off her noisy thoughts...

As she brushed off her clothes, she caught on something on her hair. She walked towards the mirror that hung on the wall opposite her bed between two landscape paintings and reached into her hair with her hands to find what she had just caught on. It was two mini rhinestones chained together. Like from a metal chain.

When she looked at them more closely, she instinctively raised her head and her eyes fell again on the vase in her room. Konstrakta knew immediately to whom these belonged and where they came from. Without even another glance, she threw them into the bin as quickly as if she was afraid the stones would burn her hand if they touched her skin for even a second longer.