Dancing Queen

Chapter 23

Frida opened her eyes slowly and noticed that the room was slightly brighter than it should have been. The night before she had made sure to close the curtains just so she could get some more sleep on that Saturday off.

She opened her eyes a little wider, wiping away the trail of sleep, and looked to her left, finding the side of the bed empty. She glanced at the alarm clock and noticed it was 8:30 am. She sighed and abandoned her head on the pillow, she really wanted to sleep longer that day. But now her curiosity was up and she wanted to know where he was and why the house was so silent.

She turned on her side and invaded his side of the bed, hugging his pillow with arms and legs, but after a couple of minutes, she sighed again and decided to get up.

She adjusted the baggy shirt that had slipped off her shoulder and slowly walked towards the door, snatching a hair clip to pull her hair up. She arrived in the living room and found it completely empty, as was the kitchen. She frowned and sighed, noticing the ready-to-use coffee machine and walking over to make a cup, contemplating the situation.

"Benny?" she called out loudly, but got no response.

As she rubbed a hand on the back of her neck and turned on the machine, she noticed a yellow Post-it stuck to the cat-shaped cookie jar. She peeled it off and read:

'Good morning, gorgeous!
You've probably already noticed my profound and conspicuous absence. But I got a call from a colleague and had to rush to get some important documents.
Heléne is with me, I'm taking her to my sister.
I think I'll be back before 10am, definitely.
See you later, you're welcome for the coffee.
I know, I'm the best. Love you! - Triple B - Bad Boy Benny'.

Frida laughed out loud when she read his signature and shook her head 'Stupid' and then she left the post-it on the counter, remembering herself to put it in her wallet so as not to lose it.

She rolled her eyes at herself at that thought. She she was in love, after all. It was not the first time he wrote her something, whether it was on a post-it, a sheet of paper, a message on the bathroom mirror, and she loved that. He was always able to make her smile with those little things, even in the morning, when she was quite moody as soon as she woke up. He didn't know that she collected all those messages from him, maybe one day she'd reveal it to him.

Frida sighed and turned to the coffee machine again, and then she felt her stomach growl. She was hungry and she was one hundred percent that he didn't have time to eat breakfast in his rush to get out, so she fixed something to eat for both. She got the milk, the cereals and started preparing some toast and rusks with jam. Then she also remembered the Nesquik in the cabinet above the fridge and she got that for him too.

Before getting everything ready, she reached over to turn on the bluetooth speaker that was on the counter and connected her cell phone to her playlist and when the first notes started playing loudly, Frida smiled. She loved cooking while listening to music.

While she carried on with the preparation, almost without realizing it, she began to dance around the kitchen, up to the point of improvising even some pirouettes and more articulate classical steps, chuckling to herself. She felt free and powerful while she danced, but above all she adored it because her mind became a white board, without thoughts, only light and joy.

***

Benny opened the door, glancing carelessly at the documents in his hand, trying to continue reading them as he had done on the stairs, but stopped suddenly when he heard music blaring through the house. He had been sure he'd find Frida still in bed.