A Family Vacation

Chapter 8: Dinnertime

Agnetha's POV

June 2, 2019

It's 6:45 PM and I'm still napping on my bed in the luxury hotel room that I'm sharing with Linda and Tilda. As I continue to nap peacefully, I'm woken up by several taps on my shoulder.

"Grandma! Grandma! Get up!" Tilda said tapping on my shoulder. I immediately woke up and scrambled around a bit.

"What? What happened?"

"We have to get ready! Grandpa made us a reservation at one of the hotel restaurants!"

"For when?"

"7:30"

"Ok, I'll get ready!"

I immediately jumped out of bed and I immediately put on some formal outfits along with Tilda and Linda before joining the others in the elevator on our way to the restaurant. The elevator landed on the first floor and pretty soon we arrived at the restaurant that Bjorn had made reservations for. It was a steakhouse and Bjorn was already there with Lena. The host then greeted us.

"Hello everyone! My name is Mohammed and I'm your host this evening! Please follow me!"

We followed Mohammed to the long, wide table and he seated us. Bjorn and Lena were sitting across from Linda, Jens, Tilda, Esther, Signe, and I, while Emma, Anna, Christian, Isabelle, and my little granddaughter sat on the other end. We started to have some small talk among one another before the waitress arrived.

"Hello everyone! My name is Jasmine and I'll be serving you all this evening! What would you guys like to drink?"

Jasmine took our drink orders before heading to the kitchen with our orders. We started to look at the menu. To be honest, there are so many good options.

"What are you guys thinking of having?" I asked turning to Linda and Jens.

"We were thinking of having some skirt steak," Jens replied.

"I guess I'll have that as well"

"Lena and I are having some lobster," Bjorn said.

"Oh I didn't realize they had seafood here too!" I said chuckling.

"They do!"

Just then Jasmine comes back and begins taking our orders. I order the skirt steak, which is what Linda and Jens are also having.

"So are you guys enjoying it here so far?!" Bjorn asked after Jasmine left with our orders.

"Yeah" Lena said.

"Same here. I like it so far!" Anna responded.

"Cheers for the next three weeks of our vacation here!" Christian said holding up his glass of wine and making a toast.

"Cheers!" everyone responded as our drinks touched one another.

After a little while of more and more small talk, several waiters showed up and served us our meals. The skirt steak that Linda, Jens, and I had ordered looked absolutely delicious.

"This looks good!" Linda exclaimed.

"I know right?!" Jens responded before we all started eating.

We began eating and after a little while, Bjorn caught my attention.

"Hey Agnetha, is it ok if I have a piece of that steak?"

"Sure" I responded as I cut up a piece of skirt steak and gave it to Bjorn. Lena looked displeased as I did so.

"Thank you" Bjorn said as he ate the piece of skirt steak that I gave to him. When he was done, Lena became more irate and snapped.

"Bjorn! Why did you have to ask Agnetha for a piece of her steak when you could've asked Linda or Jens knowing that they ordered the same thing?!"

"Lena, let's not fight. We are on vacation and to top it off, we are in front of the kids and grandkids and they don't really need to be hearing us fight."

"Just answer me!" Esther, Signe, and Christian's daughter smirked a little bit when they heard Lena.

"Because I just felt like asking Agnetha. I just randomly felt like it!" Bjorn sighed.

"Alright! But I'll be watching you!" Lena said as Bjorn and I rolled our eyes. Esther and Signe smirked some more.

"Girls enough! Finish eating!" Linda told them and the two girls listened.

After the lovely meal, we all headed back up to our rooms. I decided to relax on the balcony of my hotel room. I couldn't help but think about the incident that happened at dinner. I still think Lena is still planning her revenge on me, I can just feel it. Based on her behavior recently, I can think of one song. It's not an ABBA song, but it was I song that I have a love/hate relationship with. It came out at the same time I released Wrap Your Arms Around Me, my first English language solo album after Bjorn, Benny, Frida, and I decided to take a 35-year long break from ABBA.

Tilda joined me out in the balcony and together we enjoyed the beautiful view of both the city and of the Palm Jumeirah. Then, Tilda spoke up.

"Grandma, are you alright?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm ok dear," I said reassuring her even though that was a lie.

"You know you can always talk to me, mama, papa, Christian, and Isabelle about anything?"

"Yes, I know that darling"

"Ok, I just wanted to check up on you," she shrugged.

"Thank you!"

I gave Tilda a warm hug and we held each other for a while before I kissed her on the forehead.

"I love you so much, Tilda! You've really grown into a beautiful young lady! I still find it hard to believe you're already 18!"

"Aww thanks grandma! I love you too!" she said blushing.

We headed back inside before getting ready for bed. I laid down on my bed ready for our first full day here in Dubai, while anxious about whatever form of revenge Lena is planning on me.