Open Your Arms

Chapter 87

December 23, 2006

I shiver against Ville, bundled up in everything that I can be. I have boots on, a scarf, one of Ville's beanies, sunglasses--even though it's not even sunny outside--mittens, two large coats and a sweatshirt, and pants. 

Finland is too cold for me, especially when we're waiting outside in the cold and the snow to surprise his parents that we're in town for Christmas, but of course they're not answering the door. 

"Sorry," Ville wraps his arms around me and rubs me, trying to warm me up. 

I try to speak, but I'm too cold. My teeth are chattering violently. 

The door opens and I hear a shriek. Ville's mother is standing in the doorway and hugs him. 

As much as I love this moment, I really want to get inside. Once Ville's done with his hug, he immediately rushes me inside, but the warmth doesn't even settle in. I'm still freezing, as if I'm right outside. 

Ville comes inside right after me and gives his mother a proper hug. I would give her a hug, too, but I'm too cold. 

It's been so long since I've seen her, yet she still looks so good and young. Ville's going to get her genes for sure. He already looks good and he's not too old. 

"Oh, you're probably so cold," She walks over to me and takes off my coats, revealing me shivering profusely. Ville rushes to the couch and hands me a blanket, but it doesn't do anything. I'm still shivering. "Is she okay? Does she have frostbite?"

"She's fine," Ville assures her, but looks stressed out staring at me. "Do you mind if I give her a quick warm shower?"

It's weird that he asked her that question, but the fact that she's fine knowing that her son is giving me a shower is a little more weird. 

As we walk to the nearest bathroom, it occurs to me that she knows we're not going to have sex. Now she knows that we've seen each other naked before. 

"I'm going to have to take off your clothes," Ville warns me after turning on the warm water. 

Continuing to shiver, I try to move my fingers, but I can't feel them. Instead, he helps me and takes off everything for me. His touch sends shivers down my body, but standing here naked, I haven't been more cold in so long. 

Ville guides me into the shower and I sigh in relief as I see the steam. I don't care how hot it is, I just want to feel something hot. 

Hopping into the shower, the water stings at my back and I immediately yelp out in pain and try to get away from the water, but it keeps touching me. 

Ville looks at me in confusion as I jump out of the shower and shake my head. 

"It-It-It's too-too-too hottttt," I shiver, trying to properly get out a sentence. I wrap my arms around myself and Ville turns down the water, then puts his hand into the water to feel the temperature. 

"Alright, it's warmer now," He says. 

I put my hand in and it feels fine. I'm a little less cold now anyway since what I was before. I put my whole body underneath the water and I'm finally able to relax. 

I sigh and sit down on the floor of the tub, trying to shake off the coldness. It amazes me how people could possibly ever get used to this weather. 

It feels as if the cold is becoming one with the water and running down my body, never to return. Ville sits on the toilet which is next to the shower and watches over me. 

"Are you okay?" He asks. 

I nod and stand up very slowly. "Yeah, I'm doing better. Look, I can talk now without stuttering!"

He chuckles. "I'm sorry for making you stand outside for that long."

"Oh, it's not your fault that your mother took a little while to open the door. Maybe she was cooking dinner or something."

After sitting in the shower for about ten minutes, I walk out and Ville wraps a towel around me, rubbing my arms once again to warm me up. Now I'm back to being a little chilly, but that's a familiar feeling I get every single time I exit the shower. 

"I'll go grab your clothes from the suitcase," He says. "Do you want to just put on your pajamas?"

I nod vigorously. "The fluffy pants and long sleeve shirt please."

He leans over and kisses me, then disappears out into the living room to fetch my clothes. 

That was another reason why we were outside for so long. We had to go back and forth and grab the suitcase. It took a long time just because I was freezing and I had to use my hands, which caused me a lot of pain. 

Ville returns shortly after with my clothes in his hand, including underwear. "I couldn't find any bras...sorry."

"That's fine," I say and drop the towel, then put my clothes on and wrap my hair in the towel that I used. "Oh, this feels so nice. I love you."

He hugs me and kisses me, then leans behind me and takes my clothes that I was wearing before I got into the shower. "Let me take these for you."

He opens the door and we walk out, then I go into the kitchen and join Anita, who is not making dinner. She's just reading a magazine and sipping on some coffee. 

It is really late. I don't blame her for not making dinner.

 "Oh, I see you're warm now," She drops her magazine on the counter and hugs me. "Oh, it's so wonderful to see you again. When you and Ville broke up, I thought I was never going to see you again. Thankfully, I'm proven wrong."

"Yes, yes," I gleefully say. I love how caring and warm she is. "Dear Lord, it is so cold outside."

She nods. "I know. I mean, I'm used to it because I live here, but it must be freezing for you."

"The hot water stung her really bad," Ville joins us, placing a hand on my lower back. "Where's Dad and Jesse?"

"Oh, they're off getting something somewhere," She shrugs it off. If I was her, I would be worried if I didn't know where my son and husband were. "At the store."

"This late?" Ville rubs his forehead. 

"They'll be back soon," She lightly chuckles, placing a hand on his arm to reassure him. "Well this is a wonderful surprise! I had no idea you two were coming."

"That was the plan," Ville smiles. 

"Did you drive here from the airport?" Anita asks me. 

I nod. "Yeah. Ville doesn't have his license and doesn't plan on ever getting it."

"I don't need it," He says. "I've been fine without it for many years."

"I'm just his chauffer," I smile playfully and take a seat on one of the chairs that face the island. "Anita, how have you been?"

"I've been wonderful. I actually just baked some Christmas cookies." She turns around and grabs a container filled with cookies, then shows them off to us. Ville reaches in to grab them, and she slaps his hand away. "Absolutely not!"

"Yeah, absolutely not," I glare at him and then smile, letting him know I'm joking. I rest my head against his shoulder and yawn. 

"Are you ready to go to sleep?" He asks. 

I nod. "I'm so sorry, but I'm so tired."

"You two go to sleep," Anita says. "You're probably exhausted."

"Goodnight," We both say and hug her, then grab our suitcases and I follow Ville into his bedroom. I jump onto the bed and snuggle into the blankets. 

He lays down next to me and kisses me. "Goodnight, sweetheart."

"Goodnight."

I like sober Ville.