How The Heartaches Come And They Go

Chapter 8

The giggling and talking from upstairs continued for a quite a while, but Marieke immediatly noticed when it stopped. A couple of minutes later, while she was unloading the dishwasher, she could hear Frida coming down the stairs. Frida poked her head into the kitchen.
"She's asleep again."
"I figured. I'm impressed you know." Marieke bent down to pick up a pot from the dishwasher, when she got up again, Frida was leaned against the kitchen island.
"Why is that?"
"Agnetha is so exhausted, she can hardly stand up for 5 minutes, or stay awake for a long time for that matter, but the two of you just talked for almost an hour which she spend mostly laughing. It takes someone special for that." Frida laughed.
"Well, I'm special allright." There it was again the uncertainty of whether Frida was making fun of her making Marieke blush.
"Would you maybe want something to drink? Maybe tea?" Marieke tried to redeem herself from the embarrassement.
"Sure, why not. I came all the way here, might as well keep you some company too. Sleepyhead up there finally seems to have become quite fond of you but she sure isn't the life of the party right now."
"So I didn't make that up? She really didn't want me to be here in the beginning?", Marieke asked as she lit the stove and placed the kettle on top.
"Well let's just say, it was neither her idea, nor was she convinced that it was a good one But, hey, you came in and proved her wrong. She even called you an angel for the way you take care of her." Marieke laughed.
"No, really she did." Frida laughed too.
"Now you're making me curious, why did Agnetha think it was a bad idea to hire me?" Frida thought about wether she should tell Marieke the truth or not. Before she could answer anything at all Marieke added:
"I understand if that's something between you and Agnetha though." Frida thought about it for another couple of seconds and said:
"One day I might tell you, but only if you swear to never tell Agnetha, I snitched." Frida winked at her - again. The kettle's sudden hissing only startled Marieke more. The whole sight made Frida laugh, she enjoyed making the young woman blush and startling her, just as much as Marieke seemed to enjoy Frida making her blush. With their tea in cups Marieke asked:
"Should we go sit on the couch? Might be a little more comfortable than standing in the kitchen." Frida nodded, grabbing her cup. When they sat down she asked:
"I'm a little curious about something too. Would you mind if I asked?"
"No, go ahead."
"Why did you decide to become an Au Pair? Here in Sweden of all places?"
"Well, I wanted to travel, to see a bit of the world, but I also wanted to do something, you know a unique work experience before I eventually settle down, start to work and might even get married." Frida smiled inquiring;
"Might get married? That doesn't sound very convinced."
"It does take two to get married, you know." Marieke replied sarcastically.
"Oh, I know but you can't tell me that a girl as pretty and smart as you doesn't have a whole bunch of potential boyfriends lined up." Marieke laughed wholeheartedly
"That's a very sweet thing of you to say, but I have to disappoint, no boyfriends. Which I honestly do not mind in the slightest."
"I see." Frida raised one of her eyebrows:
"The more we talk the more ridiculous Agnetha's worries seem to get."