Dancing Queen

Chapter 20

Heléne stuck close to Frida throughout the day, from breakfast, to a ride in the park near their house, to the show of the water games in the fountains in the square, to lunch.

Yes, because in the end they hadn't done anything Benny wanted, but that suited him just fine.

Benny watched them all day, feeling an unusually calm feeling inside his chest. For the first time in years, he didn't feel burdened by the weight of a life always on the run, alone, with the responsibility of another person's life on his shoulders. The most important person. With the fear of failing, of making mistakes...

Now he finally had someone to share a large part of his life, of that weight... And it was magnificent.

His gaze was captured by the sight of the two of them a little further on, while Heléne approached the road to indicate something from a distance to Frida, something across the road, her right hand clasped around her fingers, never leaving them.

That simple and usual situation made his throat close, made him want to find an isolated corner and throw out all the emotions that by now had taken up residence in his chest and also get rid of them physically. But he couldn't and so he ordered himself to calm down and take control of his emotions, patting himself on the head for remembering to wear his sunglasses.

Yeah, he was sure more than ever that she was more than enough for them. For him for sure. And he would have fought tooth and nail to keep her next to him for as long as possible. Forever, even better.

His thoughts were interrupted when Frida turned back and smiled at him, frowning slightly when she saw him so far away.

He smiled and quickened his pace, placing himself next to Heléne.

"Daddy, I want ice cream!" Heléne told him as soon as he was beside her, taking his hand and looking at him with a little rascal smile.

Benny laughed and shook her hand "Honey, you can't always eat ice cream".

Heléne stopped and beckoned him to bend down to whisper in his ear "But Frida is with us! We don't have other sweets at home!" she said almost scandalized, murmuring so as not to be heard by Frida, but doing it badly. Frida rolled her eyes and smiled amused.

"And do you think that otherwise she'd want to leave?" he murmured back.

Heléne nodded at once several times and Benny chuckled.

"Ok, I get your point" Benny said, then grimaced "We'll go in a while though, ok? Because daddy has to go home and do some work" he told her, ending with an apologizing look at Frida too and mouthing 'Sorry'.

"Oh" Heléne pouted and then her face lit up again "Frida and I can go!" she turned to Frida, looking at her with big eyes "Shall we go there together, Frida?" she asked almost shyly.

Before Benny could say something, Frida replied "Sure. No problem" she smiled at her and stroked her cheek, making her smile.

"Yay!" Helene cheered on the spot.

"But didn't you say that you have to go to Sylvia's for a little later?" Frida reminded her, shaking her hand lightly.

"Oh, right" Heléne frowned, having forgotten that part "Can I go to Sylvia's first for a little little bit and then we'll go to the store?" she looked at her with her big blue eyes, the same as her dad's, and Frida chuckled at her attempts to soften her.

"Ok, we'll do so".

Heléne grinned and then turned to her father again "Daddy?".

Benny snorted amused "What, little manipulative munchkin?" pulling her towards him by her jacket.