Pills of love

Birthday Party (part 3)

"Fans all over the world shocked by the news of the break up of the legendary Led Zeppelin band. The announcement came this morning ..."*.

"No, I can't believe it!" Hans exclaimed, turning up the volume of the news on TV.

"What can't you believe?" Frida asked, entering the kitchen.

Hans listened for a few moments to the reporter and replied absently "Led Zeppelin broke up. Damn. One of my favorite bands".

Frida sighed and listened for a few moments to the TV report "Not ABBA, my boy?" she winked at him "Anyway, they're very good. Not my style, but a shame the same, yes".

Hans turned to her "Have you ever met them?".

"No" Frida shrugged.

"Can you imagine mom doing hard rock?" Lise-Lotte laughed around her mouthful of cereal, sitting across from her brother "I'd pay to see you, mom".

"For your information, miss, I like rock music and a lot too. You've to get out of your head this unhealthy idea you have of me as more ancient than a dinosaur" Frida said with her hands on her hips, glaring at her daughter playfully.

Hans grinned and shook his head "She's right, Lotta. In her youth, the tom-tom started hard rock, so she knows what it's about".

Lise-Lotte laughed along with her brother and Frida looked at him in mock shock.

"Tu quoque, Brute!".

"See! She also speaks like the ancient Romans!" Hans laughed louder.

Frida took a cloth from the piano and threw it towards her son, taking him full in the face "Shame on both of you. Disrespectful and naughty. Now hurry up and get out of my sight".

Hans and Lise-Lotte got up from the table, not before giving a hug to their mother, who pinched them on the sides in spite, and then they hurried to get their backpacks and go to school.

Frida sighed with a little smile and turned off the TV, taking the dirty dishes to the sink to tidy up the kitchen. She looked up at the clock above the oven and saw that it was just 8 o'clock. Sighing again, she ran a hand through her loose hair.

'Girl. Calm down. Don't give yourself false hope... He might not even come. You know it. So, go on with your day normally and whatever happens, happens. But you won't be disappointed'.

Frida thought, looking at the clock again and noting that only one minute had just passed.

///

Benny looked nervously at the watch on his wrist and noticed that it was 10 minutes to 9.

"Come on, come on, come on" he murmered at the red light.

As soon as the green light appeared, he immediately set in motion, wishing at all costs not to be late for his appointment with Frida, but not too early so as not to seem so desperate.

'Well, not that I'm not. Heck, I totally am... But then, a date? Is it really a date? Yes, yes. It is, so make sure you don't screw up'.

When he finally made the last turn that took him down the driveway, he sighed with relief and soon parked.

Getting out of the car, he took a few moments to look at the house, being seized by a breath of nostalgia after all that time spent away from there. He turned to lock the car and walked into the driveway, the gate being open.

'The kids had to go to school and have forgotten it open. As always' he thought with a smile.

Everything was as always. Nothing had changed: the perfectly manicured turf, the fountain in the center of the garden noisy due to the flowing water, their roses and petunias in excellent health, planted with so much effort months before, just as he had left them. Yes, everything was as always, everything perfectly and beautifully as always.