The summer was giving way to autumn by the time Benny had his hearing come around. Mona had proved to be most awkward and unlike Lena her tactics had been to delay proceedings as much as she could. It seemed that once she was faced with the inescapable truth that Benny had finally had enough of his life with her and that she could no longer control him her fallback position had been to ignore proceedings. She refused to communicate with anyone at all, not even the solicitor and Benny was forced to all intents and purposes to go it alone. Frida was unbothered, she trusted Benny absolutely and it was her that kept him on the straight and narrow, focusing on the end goal. They had been quietly house hunting with help from Christian to keep it as quiet as possible and had managed to find a beautiful house hidden away on the next peninsula to Ekero making it less than a ten minute drive, it didnt have as much land as Anna's house nor was it as big but both Frida and Benny had come to a stage in their lives where material things did not matter and their family dynamic was not the same as Anna and Bjorn's, they did not need or want a huge house. It was more important to them to be close to Anna and Bjorn, to have a house that was a home and to have enough room for them to be together with all the things that they loved. This place had its own heartbeat just for them and they had both felt it the minute they walked in the door, it was rustic and charming, 4 bedrooms and a beautiful kitchen diner. More importantly there was room for Benny's piano and unlike other times that they had bought property together this time there was no discussion, they both fell in love with it immediately and for the first time in three decades Frida felt that she had two perfect reasons to come home, to finally settle again. She had been a nomad for so many years, running away from her grief and her own failures. She loved Switzerland and she always would, she was grateful that it had given her somewhere to heal repeatedly but it was time to come home, her idea of a smaller holiday home in Switzerland had met with total agreement from Benny because he had fallen in love with Switzerland too. Benny had shown his faith in Frida when he'd suggested that they put the house in her name to safeguard it from his divorce proceedings, he wouldn't put it past Mona to take him for everything he had. She had promised that he would end up on a park bench and he was sure that she would do everything in her power to make sure that her prediction would become a reality. He was peacefully prepared for whatever came, in that way he was similar to Bjorn for he knew what it was he wanted, who he wanted and he knew what he had to do to get it. They all of them were getting older and so much time had already been wasted he couldn't think of anything else he wanted more than his life back with Frida, bring his drinking under control and live a peaceful life with Frida and his music. When it boiled down to it he realised now that those two things were all he had ever needed to make the rest of his life come together.
In direct contrast to Bjorn though he was single minded in his determination, he had no such qualms about his children. He was not proud of the fact that his eldest two children were children of two relationship breakdowns for he very much considered Frida to have been their stepmother, she had huge input into their lives during their time together and their break up had affected them as much as if she had been their natural mother. He did not look back on his own behaviour during that time with any pride at all for he was uncomfortably aware of how much effort and time she had put into maintaining her relationship with them and easing them into the new world he had forced upon them all. It was a close and loving relationship that blossomed to this day he knew, neither was he proud that Ludvig would be the child of a broken marriage but he had faith in all his children that they were adults so old enough to understand why he had to do this and he was beginning to have faith in himself that he could find the right words to explain to Ludvig that it was a father's love for his son that had plastered over the cracks in a marriage which had been terminally broken before it had even begun.
He didn't need to find the words for Peter and Helene, they had reacted the same way Linda had, thanking God that he'd finally seen sense and wondering what had taken him so long, their acceptance of the situation echoed that of Linda and Christian. Their unconcealed relief and joy had soothed his soul and he had seen unexpected peace in Frida's eyes as they welcomed her home, he grieved for Lise-Lotte, they had been a true blended family long before it was common and he had finally understood that he was healing Frida as much as she was healing him by giving her back her heart and home. He understood that she would stop running now because he was the only one who was able to anchor her, he was her safe harbour just as she was his. Her grief had left a mark in her soul that could not be erased, she was different, introspective, quieter, he knew that she would allow no other to see it but he saw it and embraced it. He loved every part of her, he wished that he could take her grief away, that Lise-Lotte was still here and Russo hadn't died but he hoped he could heal some of her pain. Their conversations over these months had been long overdue for both of them, 40 years past their time but just as necessary now so that they could rebuild their life together, the delays that Mona had caused made even the patient and unflappable Benny privately anxious but Frida was able to turn it into a positive time for him, making sure that he had everything sorted out ready, that the solicitor was ready, that they were ahead of the game and she bought the house so they could nest.
The house itself gave them both joy, it was something for them alone and for the first time in 36 years Benny had a home, a real home. Not a hotel suite or the infamous park bench, a home to settle in, a home that he knew no one could take away from him.
Bjorn and Anna had been flatteringly delighted with the house and its location, they had helped with the move and roped the kids in as well. Bjorn had accompanied Benny to Mona's house to collect his things, taking the pool truck so that Mona could not tell Lena of the new vehicles, he had given Benny much needed moral support when Mona unleashed a waterfall of vitriol upon Benny's head and he could finally see how Mona had managed to keep Benny in such an abject state for all these years. Her emotional manipulation of him was masterful and indeed clever. Bjorn had stepped in on many occasions over that day intent on protecting his best friend and his new found confidence, he could see that Benny was faltering so he took him aside after yet another run in with Mona "Benny, remember why we are both doing this mate, you aren't this man she says you are. You never were" he opined firmly "it's worth it. You just have to get through this. You have a wonderful new life waiting for you, don't lose sight of it" Benny looked crushed "Oh hell Bjorn what was I thinking? Mona is right, I'm nothing, nobody. No one will want me let alone Frida. She had a wonderful man, one who treated her right, he never hurt her never cheated on her. I don't deserve her, she deserves better" Bjorn's heart fell into his shoes as Benny unravelled in front of his eyes "she deserves who she wants Benny and she wants you. Just YOU. You've always been everything to her you know that. She chose you, she walked away from Henry without a backward glance because it is you she loves" Benny shook his head "the park bench waits for me Bjorn, she won't want me. Look at me, I can't even do this right" "Benny..." he was interrupted by his phone ringing and moved away a bit "Hi Baby" he heard Anna's voice and his relief was immediate "You've been a long time, I'm not nagging you" she hastened to say "just a bit worried" he smiled at her words "Anna, I want you to nag me forever" he reassured her "I'm glad you called" and there was something in his voice that caught her attention "what's wrong?" she demanded, he sighed "this is intolerable baby, she's broken him again and I'm struggling to put him back together. It's cruel and abusive, she certainly has a way with words. Anna 51 years I've known this man, he is my brother and I can't fix him, I don't know..." he trailed off uncharacteristically emotional "she won't let him take his piano. I was lucky Lena was just angry and physical, this is something else" he sighed. Anna understood his unspoken words "I love you very much" she murmured "it's going to be ok, see you soon" and much to Bjorn's surprise she hung up. Bjorn was left with a ringtone in his ear and a ton of confusion, he was distracted by Ludvig coming in the back door but his priority was Benny who was suffering a verbal onslaught from Mona that was worse than ever before, psychologically damning, calculated to trigger Benny's worst fears and excesses.
Bjorn hurried back into the room intent on stopping it and shielding Benny who he could see was slumped on the chair with tears in his eyes, his hands were visibly shaking but he was stopped in his single minded track by Ludvig gripping his arm to the point of pain "No!" he growled aggressively "I want to hear what is said. I want to hear what he has done" Bjorn angrily pulled his arm out of Ludvig's hold "He has done nothing! Nothing to deserve this hell and if you believe that he deserves this abuse you are not the son I thought you were" he snapped pushed beyond even his limit "36 years he's hidden this from you, to give you the life that his other kids didn't have. He grew up and took responsibility for you and loved you with everything he had" Bjorn angrily stomped into the room only to be interrupted once again by the sound of a car speeding up the drive and spraying gravel everywhere as it screeched to a stop "Oh for fucks sake what NOW?" he demanded with very real frustration "Mona!" he yelled "stop this!" but she did not.
What did stop them all in their tracks was the door flying open, hitting the wall and Frida marching in with the fires of battle in her eyes, leaning on a walking stick yes but magnificent in her ire as she took in the scene. Right at her side was Anna in her gardening jacket and old clogs looking equally ready for the fight. Bjorn felt like he'd been punched in the gut as the air left his lungs at the sight of their girls, it couldn't have been less expected.
"Mona" Frida's tone was polite and all the more worrisome for it "I've come to get what is mine, what has always been mine. You won't hurt him anymore. He has given enough for Ludvig, he is grown and no matter how much you try or what you throw at Benny he will survive you and be better for it. I love him, for me he is everything, he is the best man, the only man I ever see. I will repair the damage you have done, he is enough for me, always enough" her words and voice penetrated Benny's grief and he watched wide eyed and speechless as Frida proceeded to demolish Mona piece by piece. For him, she had come for him he realised. She was here and publicly wanting him, publicly claiming him for her own, fighting for him. "Anna, please check the piano. I can't do it myself today" she asked. Bjorn frowned confused as Anna slid around Frida and got down on her knees under the piano and traced her fingers over the bottom panel, peering at it and crawled back out nodding at Frida, Bjorn's gaze swung to Benny who was still shaking and teary but had a hesitant smile fighting to break through "what does it say Anna?" Frida demanded "it says "for my Benny. Play for me and I will always listen. Forever ours Frida" Anna told the room "what year does it say?" Frida asked "1969" Benny rasped "it says 1969" "it does" Anna confirmed gently and scowled at Mona "You will not keep his music from him, you will not stop my maestro anymore. That is my gift to him, it has been his for 48 years and it will leave here today with him. He will play for me for an eternity and I will listen, I won't allow you to silence him anymore" she paced closer to Mona "I do not want to hurt your son, Benny made the right choice to care for and protect his son but make no mistake Mona, I would have forgiven the one night stand that you were, because that's all it ever was and I would have loved Ludvig as my own. We could have made it but we both made a mistake that we are rectifying now. If I had known what you were doing to him I would have been back decades ago and fought for him" she got right up in a shrinking Mona's face "I don't care what you will throw at me, I have lived through far worse than you, Benny and I will survive the storm. Throw what you will at me, I will not leave him. Are we clear?" she spat. She didn't even wait for an answer "you are the worst kind of bully and I will tolerate no more of it."
Mona finally got her voice "Look at you" she sneered at Benny "you need a fat, crippled old woman to defend you" "and still you can't face me" Frida roared "I've had 36 bloody years too much of you. Face ME! But you can't can you? A bully AND a coward. This isn't about me defending him. He can do that for himself, this is what a proper partnership is, taking the weight when the other is down, supporting the other when they can't do it for themselves. On another day it will be me needing him when I can't move for myself or I can't dress myself but you don't understand it because you'll never have it. Yes I'm old, crippled yes, fat maybe but he loves me and just me regardless of what I am" she said Benny detected a hint of vulnerability "I.." she didn't give him chance "this is about me and you and dealing with stuff that's long overdue. You were a bloody reporter and you betrayed me, worse than that you betrayed Benny. You took advantage of our troubles and you made them more than they ever had to be. You USED him for your own agenda and made him feel less than he is. It isn't true now and it wasn't true then, for that I will never forgive you. I've had ENOUGH of you." Frida's fury would not be denied.
Anna had slid back into Bjorn's arms watching the confrontation that was decades overdue, ready to intervene if necessary but it needed to happen this way she knew. Frida had read Benny well and had known he needed her to step up and show her love and she'd done it in spectacular unarguable fashion, they were just there to show unity and support. She had come for Bjorn too, she had heard in his voice his struggle on the phone and her decision had been made. Frida had not been well today, the change in the weather had affected her arthritis massively and her legs and feet were painfully swollen, her knuckles and fingers too but she had been in Linda's truck next to Anna in seconds once she'd heard what Anna had to say. Anna had driven, there had been no choice and there was no stopping her, Anna had driven like the hounds of hell were after her to Benny's house and now here they were, putting an end to a miserable situation.
Frida turned her back on a red faced, speechless Mona and faced Ludvig, her voice gentled "Ludvig, I am sorry that you had to see this and I know you have reason to hate me but I have always loved your father and I always will. I'm sorry that you are caught in the crossfire but your father needs me and I need him. I would have loved you then and I will love you now because you belong to Benny. I love Peter and Helene and I have been part of their lives since they were small, I didn't leave them just because Benny and I divorced. When you're ready there is always room for you" she grinned "the ABBA family is as modern, blended and dysfunctional as you'll ever get but we make it work" Bjorn had to smile, she was right "Ludvig, this isn't about you. You are blameless in this, you were an innocent child, your Papa chose you and it was the right choice. This is about righting a wrong done to your father"
"Mama, is any of this true?"Ludvig asked quietly, she looked away from him "Mama look me in the eye and tell me. Did you do this?" "I wanted you to have the best life" she defended
"I see Papa over there in the state he's in, I've seen it through my entire life on and off but you've always blamed him. Is this what you do to him when I'm not here?" he questioned "Is this your marriage?" he demanded "If this is what you call a marriage Mama then I understand why Papa and you must divorce" Mona it seemed couldn't find anything to say to defend herself, it was true that when a bully was finally confronted and made to face their actions that they crumpled and were defined by those actions.
"Was I a one night stand Papa?" he turned his attention to Benny, Benny cleared his throat "Ludvig, you are my world and I love you endlessly but yes you were conceived at a time when my drinking was out of control and Frida and I were having issues, not big issues but my drinking made them bigger. Your mother clearly offered me solace and in my drunken state I didn't recognise it for what it was. Never did I ever want to leave Frida" Benny answered honestly "I didn't hear from your mother again until she told me she was pregnant" "Is it true Mama?" "No" she blustered "I'm afraid it is true" Bjorn interjected "I was in the bar with him that night and he didn't remember your Mama." he sighed as he looked at Benny "should I?" he asked carefully. Benny shook his head violently "No, god no. I don't want Ludvig to suffer any more or none of this will be worth it. Please don't" he pleaded "Papa..." Ludvig protested "I said no Ludvig" Benny snapped "Never will I allow you to be hurt by this" "At what cost to you Benny?" Anna queried softly. Benny turned on her "how can you of all people ask this of me?" he asked brokenly "you spent 40 years protecting those that you love at immeasurable cost to you. He's my SON" the last word was broken with emotion "oh Benny I know but even I had to realise that I couldn't hold onto my secrets forever darling" Anna was soft in her response knowing that Benny was hurting and raging at the world "Ludvig is your son, he will love you" "I will Papa" Ludvig interjected "I have a right to know" "You don't Ludvig, there are things a parent has to protect their children from" Benny told him "no matter how old you are and this is one of them. I love you Ludvig and the price I pay is small compared to your happiness and that's all I have to say on the subject"
Mona could not hide her smile of triumph and Frida saw it as did Ludvig "You know Mona, I support Benny in whatever he decides" she said conversationally "it will never change my mind about him. I see the strongest man I know protecting his son. He is not weak, he is principled and courageous, you on the other hand have given up nothing for anyone and you have driven him to the point of insanity. This secret he keeps whatever it is holds no fear for me, I trust him to do the right thing so if you think this will change my mind you can think again" Benny turned to her and she saw the utter devastation in his eyes and her own sturdy heart cracked a little. "Tell me Papa" Ludvig urged "I can't son" he whispered. Mona smirked "he knows if he tells you he'll lose everything" she shared "he's too weak"
Ludvig turned to Bjorn "Help him! He is your brother, you cant leave him like this." he pleaded "If he can't tell me you can then he won't have to worry that he'll lose me" Benny was locked in silent communication with Frida and whatever he saw in her eyes gave him unknown strength "Bjorn it's ok" he smiled slightly "I'll tell him and I'll take my chances, perhaps it is better this way. Maybe it's time. Anna is right, if she can learn a lesson then so can I" he sighed and turned his attention to Ludvig "Whatever happens after this please try to remember that I love you. You are my son and I would rather die than hurt you but I'm not weak anymore" Bjorn moved to Benny's side pulling Anna with him and Frida was flanking his other side "I've had trouble with my drinking for decades Ludvig, it started probably in the Hep Stars if I'm honest, it was a social thing then it got worse after the Eurovision, the pressure was intense" "it was the times as well Benny" Frida said softly "everyone was drinking heavily" he squeezed her hand appreciatively "true, but I couldn't drink sensibly, it was all or nothing for me for a long time. When I met your mother I was very drunk and Frida and I had a disagreement. It was probably nothing because to this day I can't remember. Can you?" he asked Frida and she shook her head no. "Ludvig I have no memory whatsoever of meeting your mother, I never have. I have no memory of sleeping with her and again I never have" Mona started yelling that Benny was lying but Ludvig was for once unmoved by his mother, he could see something very different in the eyes of his Papa. "How do you know I'm yours Papa?" Ludvig whispered "because I KNOW in here" Benny tapped his heart "You'll always be mine and you look like Peter and Helene" he sighed "and even though I was drunk and don't remember there is evidence" Mona went deathly pale "You wouldn't" she breathed "You wouldn't hurt your son, he'll never forgive you" and then Ludvig knew for sure that something was seriously wrong "I'll be the judge of that Mama, Papa now I'm asking you to tell me. What evidence?" "I don't remember anything Ludvig and for that I'm truly sorry but other than the fact I know in my heart that you belong to me and you are my beloved son your mother has pictures of us engaging in intimate activity with date stamps." He slumped "it is clearly me and clearly your mother. I didn't want Frida to ever see them. I didn't want her to suffer, I'd hurt her enough and I never wanted you to see them or find out the circumstances of your conception. I had no idea until I saw the pictures" he was defeated "I'm sorry" he whispered to Frida and Ludvig "I love you both very much" "Bjorn??" Frida questioned "she presented him with the pictures in the bar, they are explicit and he had absolutely no idea. He didn't even know who she was. I promise on Anna's life Frida" and that sealed it for Frida. She moved from leaning on the piano "You set him up?" she breathed "you set him UP?" her voice got louder. Her memory kicked in of those brutal days "of course" she murmured "you blackmailed him.Of course you did, it would have been the only way. Oh Benny my darling. I understand now, you should have told me" she soothed "but I understand why you couldn't. But YOU" she directed her ire at Mona. "A 40 year old lie based on blackmailing a vulnerable man for his son? You are beyond words. You held his son and his marriage to ransom. It is unspeakable the damage you have done but I swear to you Mona I will repair the damage. There will be no legacy of this by the time I leave this world" she turned to Ludvig "I am truly sorry, Papa has spent 40 years trying to avoid this day for you and me. I still have faith in you that you are your father's son and I still have faith in your Papa, he will never let either of us down" Ludvig had tears in his eyes "How could you think that I'd hate you? That I wouldn't love you? You gave up everything for me" Benny's eyes slid unbidden to Mona "she told you didn't she?" Ludvig demanded "she told you that you would lose me and you believed her" Ludvig sighed "I had to have a reason for leaving Frida, I had to have you. You're my son, I'd already been a shit father to Helene and Peter I couldn't do it again. I didn't know what would happen. I couldn't risk losing you" Benny admitted "so you lost Frida instead? Papa!! Surely there was a better way?" Ludvig exclaimed emotionally."I wasn't well Ludvig, I dealt with it the best I could and Frida deserved better than a drunken has been, I was an awful husband and I knew it" he sighed "I didn't know what mama would do there were so many threats I don't remember them all. I don't expect you to believe me, she said you wouldn't but I have to hope that you won't disown me forever, I did it all for you and I'd do it all again" Benny was spent and struggling to hold his tears back.
"Papa, I see the truth in your eyes. I'm so grateful and proud that I got you for a father. I'm sorry that it's taken so long. You have courage that I can only aspire too. You must divorce Papa" Ignoring the howl of protest from his mother "I would never have disowned you once I knew the truth. Not then and not now" he said "Papa I want to see you happy and well, you are both of those things with Frida. I admit it's going to take me some time to get my thoughts sorted out and to accept what has happened but I will keep the faith that Frida has in me. I am your son" he looked at his mother who was red with rage "I am also your son and we have some serious work ahead of us to save our relationship. You have some explaining to do and it had better be the truth." He refused to listen to anymore from his mother and Frida had said everything that she had ever needed to say. Benny hesitantly took her hand and she squeezed it tightly with relief and didn't let go, his own relief was palpable. Despite Mona's loud protestations the little group left the house in silence. Once in the driveway they were met by the sight of a small lorry idling "Shit!" Frida swore and Anna started laughing "What on earth?" Bjorn asked "I forgot about them" she looked at her watch "Thank god they haven't been here too long"
She pulled Benny with her to go and talk to the men in the van."Ludvig will come with you" he nodded and smiled gently with understanding.
Benny's total confusion with what was going on morphed to absolute joy and acceptance when he heard Frida say "Bring the piano home"
