Lilla Jag

1954

Autumn, 1954

It was a quiet, early morning in the little cottage in Torshälla, Sweden. Anni-Frid stirred awake as her alarm buzzed softly, stretching beneath the familiar warmth of her floral-patterned covers, the ones she had loved for as long as she could remember. At eight years old, waking up was still a struggle, and she let out a sleepy groan, rubbing her eyes with her small fists, trying to shake off the lingering drowsiness.

As her mind slowly cleared, her gaze drifted to the small poster pinned above her nightstand—a school choir poster. They were holding open rehearsals today, looking for new members, and the thought of it had sparked something in her. She had been practicing quietly, sneaking behind after school to listen to the choir's rehearsals, humming along to their melodies. It had earned her a few scoldings from mormor for coming home late, but it didn't stop her. The only problem was she hadn't told Arntine yet. She hesitated, wondering how her grandmother would react, her heart already skipping with anticipation. She went downstairs, wearing her tousled curly hair down, smoothing it a little bit so it didn't look as messy as before. She fidgeted with the hem of her green pajamas, watching her grandmother prepare breakfast from a distance. Anni-Frid padded downstairs, her tousled curls falling loose around her shoulders. She ran her fingers through them, smoothing out the wild strands just enough to tame the morning mess. Her small hands fidgeted nervously with the hem of her green pajamas as she watched from a distance, her grandmother, Arntine, busy preparing breakfast.

Arntine noticed her right away, casting a warm smile in her direction. She recognized that shy look in her granddaughter's eyes all too well. "Älskling, I know that face," Arntine said, her voice gentle as she set the table. "Tell me, what is it?" She paused, turning to face Anni-Frid, her eyes kind but curious.

"Mormor..." Anni-Frid began, her voice quiet and uncertain. She stepped a little closer, hiding a small, crumpled paper behind her back. "There's... there's an open rehearsal for the school choir today," she murmured, glancing down at the floor. "They're looking for new members, mormor. I was wondering if I could go?"

Arntine's eyebrows lifted as she straightened up. "A school choir?" she asked, and Anni-Frid nodded quickly, still not meeting her eyes. "And you'd like to sing with them?" she continued, her tone soft, drawing another shy nod from her granddaughter.

"I want to try," Anni-Frid whispered, her voice almost too small to hear, uncertainty lingering in every word.

"Show me," Arntine said gently, though with a hint of seriousness. Without hesitation, Anni-Frid pulled the poster from behind her back and placed it on the table, her heart fluttering with nervous anticipation. Arntine chuckled quietly at her granddaughter's preparedness, her eyes scanning the poster while her face shifted between expressions—first a frown, then a thoughtful look, then something unreadable. Each change in her grandmother's face made Anni-Frid more anxious, unsure of what to expect.

"Hmm..." Arntine finally hummed, and Anni-Frid's heart sank, thinking her mormor might say no. But then, with a soft smile and a twinkle in her eye, Arntine looked up. "Alright," she said simply.

Anni-Frid's eyes lit up in disbelief. "Really, mormor?" she asked, her voice full of surprise.

Arntine nodded and handed the poster back. "Tack, tack, tack!" Anni-Frid squealed, throwing her arms around her grandmother's waist, hugging her tightly, her heart swelling with joy. Anni-Frid dashed off in a flurry of excitement, her heart racing as she got ready for the day ahead. She picked out the perfect outfit, carefully chosen to reflect her vibrant spirit. Her mormor styled her hair neatly, each curl falling into place, transforming her into a little girl ready to conquer the world.