What Anni-Frid would like you to know

Chapter 8 - Why did it have to be me? (The German Girl)

After the night of the luau that the four Swedes prepared and finally the release of the album Arrival, Frida opened her eyes, feeling licks in her nose, it could be none other than Zappa, who awoke her from a deep sleep.
Her small green eyes met just before 6:00 AM on the clock, the faint rays of sunlight hovering against the white silk curtain that made up the decoration of Benny and Frida's huge room.
She smiled and stroked the soft hair of Zappa, who was shaking her little tail completely happy to have woken her up.

She did not quite understand why, but she felt a little bit nostalgic, picked up her first photo album on top of the stuffed closet. She wore her most comfortable shaggy robe, combed her red hair that glowed and showed intense softness, she had dark circles, as always, the same nightmares with the past. They could be with their father, with their past or with the life that led before all this, the past certainly could not be easily erased, especially when their story was even a little ill-defined.
He took the album with him to the first floor, under his arms, his fingers interlacing one of the pink ribbon that had already faded between his fingers, his nails painted wine red.
She sat in the rocking chair outside, seeing a little mist and a few small drops reaching her small, upturned nose. She smiled.
"Great, great moments," Frida said to herself smiling, seeing a photo of her at the age of 16, singing at a charity event for the first time.
"Look-the little German girl. Frida turned to verse one of her first photos when she was still a baby. "Oh Alfred ... If you had found me, what would it be like?" Would everything be different? said Frida, speaking with the picture of her father, who had an incredible resemblance to her.
"How do I thank you, Grandma? I do not think I would have built all this without you. Look, Benny takes good care of me, I think things will work out, I promise. she said, kissing one of her pictures with her grandmother, very affectionately.
And the sequences of memories that were built in her life kept coming up like flashes in her head ... Her nightmares were things that returned, they were real things. It was his past.
Of course she was excited, but she never expected anything much, and now, she practically had a great life compared to the past. So why did that make her insecure and even too shy to go forward?
- I hope you two are with God, the stars that make up my favorite constellation, my mother Synni and my dear grandmother. said Frida, entwining the faded lace again on her old album, holding Alfred's picture in the pocket of her robe, with the caption on the back, written in German: Militärsoldat, Alfred, Vater von Anni-Frid* (Militar Soldier, Alfred, Father of Anni-Frid)
"I'll find you, Alfred, I only want answers." This is about me. It's just what I literally deserve after all this time. said Frida determinedly, coming home again, shaking with cold, going directly to her sewing machine, making the last adjustments of the clothes that should already be perfectly and completely prepared.

***

"After she told me that, I was not even home that morning, when I found her sewing the dresses, her hands were so shaky and her legs were shaking, she had three coats, it could not be just the cold. Benny smiled at the interviewer after Frida had told a little of what had happened in her life story on the show's announcement tour. "She does not know her parents, and I really know how much she wants it from the bottom of her heart, she's not giving up too easily ..." Benny said, enveloping Frida, a little shameful, on her shoulders.
"Anni-Frid, are you Norwegian and German?" Do you expect that, through this interview that is now passing to Scandinavia and to the whole of Europe your father recognizes you? said the interviewer, a little tense in asking this to the recluse Frida.
"Well ... I do not know if he's seeing this, but I think it's time to face each other, I'm practically 31 years old, the only reference I had to take care of my children was my grandmother, after she died, I turned alone, without ever this man who calls himself my father, come to me. It's frustrating, literally frustrating. Frida swallowed dryly, frowning slightly irritably. "I am Norwegian and German, a very beautiful offspring. I'm not going to say that I'm not proud of it, I'm proud to be who I am and to be where I am today thanks to everything I had to go through. she said, giving a shy smile to the camera that was specifically on her that day.
* The audience applauded loudly and loudly *
- Björn, you are one of the composers of the renowned songs that are making a big hit, along with Benny Andersson, what do you feel about the tour and the movie you are about to perform? Would you expect them to be in the East ever in their lives? said the interviewer, passing the word to tense Björn, his hands wrapped around Agnetha's, sweating cold.
"Well ..." he said, clearing his throat. - ABBA has the potential for this, I believe this was already expected. Our material is very good, our songs have great harmony and are made with will, I did not expect less. It was not for nothing that we managed to win Eurovision, and almost every month we are performing in Switzerland, Germany and some presentations here in Sweden, that is gratifying for us. - he said smiling, shaking his legs as the camera focused on him.
* The fervent audience applauded once more with screams *
Agnetha, you who have had some experiences in music before ABBA, with their beautiful records and songs sung with the heart, would think that you would be involved in something so great these days? - said the interviewer, referring to Agnetha, who was shocked when the camera focused on her.
- Oh no ... This was all thanks to all the projects we worked on together, this is not just for me or for the great friend I won at that time, Frida. said Agnetha, taking Frida's hands, smiling. - Benny is a great composer, I really admire him and I'm a little jealous, he's more agile on the piano than I am. said Agnetha, smiling spontaneously at Benny. - The movie will be very good, the plot is incredible. Australia is so far, and that gives me shivers, but I believe that everything will be very good and wonderful, I hope everyone can be with us and participate in this great moment for us. said Agnetha, biting her lips and looking down at the floor.
* The audience screamed WE WANT ABBA, WE WANT ABBA, WE WANT ABBA *
- It is a privilege to have you here today, a group already with great successes, albums sold around the world and with an exorbitant harmony, can you sing one for us? I'm such a fan of you ... "said the presenter in a trembling voice, embarrassed to ask the music for the Swedes.
"Sure, how about you tell me what your favorite is?" Frida said, winking at the interviewer.
"Please, Fernando, I beg you!" said the interviewer, hugging his illustrated poster with the autographs of the four.
"If I have the same again, I would be my friend, Fernando ..." Frida stood up, chanting one of the phrases before they all began to play, calling the audience to sing together.
Benny looked at her proudly as he played the melody on the piano, he was really very happy and grateful, Agnetha was with his companion, as if shining like a sun, with the white overalls made with her help, his blue eyes glittered whenever I smiled at Frida. Björn was happy with his playing, playing his traditional guitar.
Everyone clapped and danced in the audience, no one could stand still for a single moment.
- Thank you Abba, thank you! I am really very happy that my boss has given this opportunity to me. said the interviewer in tears after he had practically yelled at Fernando.