67 Summer Nights (Unedited)

Chapter 1

The airport was bustling with travelers carrying luggage of different sizes. I was standing near baggage claim holding onto my suitcases listening to a foreign language give direction over the PA system. It was at that moment, that I knew, I'd messed up not accepting Swedish lessons from my aunt. I took a timid step forward following behind a group of people that looked like they knew where they were going. My suitcases bounced behind me, knocking against my tennis shoes with each step. Conversations meshed together all around me throwing my poor language skills into further disarray.

I crossed the length of the terminal, finally seeing a sign marked exit in English. The bright sun against the blue sky greeted me with a blast of heat that gently licked my skin. Whoa, that was a weird sentence. The air felt clean as it entered my lungs. A large sign hanging from two poles read, 'Welcome to Sweden!' I smiled, feeling a surge tingle through my body. I'd finally made it! A feminine voice called out to me from off to the side. There she was! My aunt Yolanda was standing with a hand over her round belly beside a tall good-looking man.

"Aunt Yoli!" I cried, hurrying over and almost knocking her over. The tall man helped us regain balance with one hand, giving into a deep chuckle.

"Lydia, this is my fiancé, Oliver Markstrom. Oliver, this is my niece, Lydia." My aunt introduced.

"Welcome to Sweden." He said, opening his arms to give me a hug. Stranger danger, stranger danger! Ha, just kidding.

"Thank you, It's great to finally meet you." I replied as my aunt took up my suitcases.

He felt like a great big ole teddy bear as he squeezed me into a hug.

"Come, let's get you home," My aunt suggested. "You must be exhausted."

"Seventeen hours on a plane was brutal. We had two layovers and the man sitting next to me, either he didn't shower, or he showered in poop."

My aunt and Oliver laughed as we reached the car. I shuddered at the memory of his stench. Even now I could still smell it. We climbed into our seats, shutting our doors as Oliver turned over the ignition. I suction cupped my face to the window taking in the mix of gothic and modern architecture lining the cobblestone streets. It felt like an entirely different world out here. Oliver rolled down the window letting the wind blow my hair back. I felt like a dog a second, but I still stuck my head out and snapped landscape photos. If there aren't photos to back it up, did it even really happen?

We turned onto a residential street after a long few minutes, stopping in front of a large two-story contemporary style home. I stepped off the car, being met with the sweet, salty sea breeze, sweeping gently through the trees. Large and colorful flowers contrasted brightly against the stark white facade of their home. Oliver popped the trunk and pulled my suitcases down onto the street. I grabbed my carryon bags from the backseat walking up behind my Aunt Yoli as she led the way to the front door. It opened before we could step onto the porch, with a young girl standing in the doorway. She was about my height with a tanned complexion that exalted the almost platinum nature of her blonde hair. Her crystal blue eyes sparkled with the sunlight as she offered me a friendly smile.

"Lydia, this is my daughter, Hanna." Oliver said.

"Welcome to Sweden! We're so happy you're here." She greeted, throwing her arms around my neck.

I remained taken aback for a few seconds before reciprocating the hug. Hanna grabbed a suitcase from her dad, leading us into the house. Inside, the decor was very obviously beach oriented with turquoise, white and sandy colors mixing together. Large windows let sunlight bleed through the curtains onto the tiled floors. The white IKEA sofas were placed perpendicular to each other around a wooden coffee table. Dozens of plants and small trees were scattered on tables and corners. Oliver and Hanna showed me to the guest room located on the second floor.