The Honest Affair

1

Part One

Wednesday, July 31st, 1985

Another average night was spent gently as a relaxed mother finished her duties. She had grown used to the nights that were reserved to herself after each day had passed. It became a routine, that despite what others may have considered she had grown to love. Being a single mother was something she never thought she'd be content with, but lately her life was going just right.

Her twelve year old daughter, Linda, and her seven year old son, Christian, were both already in bed, knowing it was ticking down to their bedtime. Each one had gone to their respective bedrooms, changed for bed, and had brushed their teeth.

Meanwhile they did, Agnetha slipped into her nightgown and prepared herself for a quiet night to herself. The thunderstorm outside was raging, and as she walked through the house, she turned the main lights off from the living room until she got to the kitchen. She watched the rain wash the windows. It had been a long, hot July. For so long there had been a drought, but tonight it has finally rained.

Ready to finally move along to her room, she was startled by the knocks at her door. The time on her wrist had shown it was a little past 11 PM. Who would come– now? She looked through the peephole finding a menacing figure drenched in the rain. The figure had turned just enough to recognize that it was none other than her ex-husband.

"Björn?!" She swung the door open and screeched in excitement. "What on earth are you doing here?" He smiled to hear her and see her so happy to see him. "W-when did you get back?"

"Hey, Agnetha," he stepped inside from the rain after she had made space for him. He ran his fingers through his soaked hair and turned to see her.

"I didn't know you were in town."

"That's because I just arrived," he laughed. "I couldn't wait. I have to see the kids." They walked into the kitchen together and sat at the table looking at one another.

"Oh! I wish you called. I would have let them stay awake a little while longer."

"So they're asleep?" She nodded. He checked the time and realized it was a little after their bedtime and that he should have considered the time was late.

"Well, how've you been, Agnetha?" She sat before him in a long gown, legs crossed. Both hands were linked holding onto her knee as she tried to think of what to say.

"I've been really good. I'm very happy doing what I'm doing. Whether the music or time with the kids," she paused and watched him smiling at her, dazzling and drenched from the rain still. So many years passed and she suddenly found he was a grown man, just as grown of a woman she had become. They were not two young lovers. No longer were they the young couple in a band. They were just man and woman, who happened to have history and share children. For years they had accepted their separate lives, yet maintained one family. Whatever they shared years ago had never vanished, because you don't forget a love like theirs, which they understood well, yet it was something they had become accustomed to for a few years now. Finally the tension of seeing one another everyday was gone and with that, it left room to ask one another the simple things as they missed one another from afar.

"How are you... Lena and Emma?" He brought himself out of his thoughts.

"They're good. They're in England still. Another two days and they'll follow."

"Why did you come early?"

"Benny and Frida are already back in town and Tim wanted me to. For the musical," he explained. "Plus there's still items Lena wants to take care of packing first before our move."