The Honest Affair

22

Thursday, January 16, 1986

"Hey, I've been waiting on you," said Björn quietly as soon as he left the conversation was in and was approached by Agnetha. She had a gift in her hand that she had given Björn to hold onto for the moment while she hung the jacket onto the hanger.

"I know," she sighed unhappily. She was hesitant to say why, but she had to. "I fell outside my house. I slipped on the ice and my pants became dirty. I had to go back inside and change."

"You what?!"

"Shh!" Agnetha hurried to silence his reaction. She had already known it. "Quiet Björn! It's not a big of a deal."

"Are you fine?"

"I think so. My butt hurts," she laughed, "but I'm fine. Let me go say hello. Do I look like I'm a whale?" she asked.

"Not at all." He has a smirk and Agnetha looked around the room.

"Where's Lena?"

"Home," he explained.

"What? She didn't come?"

"Pregnant and with Emma." Agnetha rolled her eyes.

"And the real reason?" She waited for him to speak up, and he finally did when she took the gift back.

"We got into an argument. It's not a big deal."

"Why does she get to stay home and I have to be here?"

"She's not the A."

Agnetha gave a slight face knowing she would give anything to be the one home but she couldn't miss this. She promised too many people.

"Agnetha!" Görel and Frida both approached her. They hadn't seen her in sometime, Frida since Christmas and Görel since... September? Görel could hardly recall.

"Hi!" Agnetha kissed their cheeks, wary to put the gift she carried in between them so they don't come in contact with her belly.

"God! Agnetha, you look so different!" Görel pointed out.

"Right?" Frida added. "I'm telling you, she's gained some weight," she laughed. "But it's not the kind where it's bad. I mean your face is glowing, and chubby. It's strange," laughed Frida.

"Oh? So you're talking about how fat I am now?"

"No, darling, that's not what we meant."

"How come when a woman gains a pound everyone notices and when a man gains ten no one says a thing?" Björn hurried in to shift the subject onto him and Agnetha breathed in relief. It was only the beginning of the night.

Entering the main room, Agnetha greeted Stig and his wife, his daughter and many of their colleague friends. Feeling as if everyone's eyes were drawn to her, she kept her hands in the pockets of her jackets, pushing it towards her belly to shield the bump. She felt comfortable to know her jacket had a puffy quality already which made up for the bump she is aiming to hide.

Within a half an hour, the four members were united and surrounded by Görel, her husband, and Stig, who called for a round of drinks to be served. The gathering was not a big one, and in fact more intimate between close colleagues. Drinks were passed into every hand and while everyone accepted in laughter, and only one of them rejected.

"No, thank you," Agnetha held up a hand gently. "I'm okay."

"Take it, Agnetha," Stig said. "For me. You can. It's only one."

"No, no– I'm driving."

"Since when do you refuse?" questioned Frida. Agnetha took in a breath and looked at Björn who leaned in casually behind her as he reached for a small crystal glass from the tray for himself.