Baby's On Fire // Joonas Porko

13. Champagne Supernova

For once in a while, Hanna didn't wake up with a need of killing herself. She actually felt well rested and she was awake before Linda, so she decided to make some breakfast for herself and her flatmate. While whipping eggs with sugar for the pancake mix, Hanna started to recall her last night's dreams. Most of them included a certain blonde guitarist and most of them were such happy dreams that Hanna started to get suspicions that her good mood could be related to the dreams.

Hanna didn't remember her dreams too well, and she didn't remember these dreams too well either except for one. In this dream, Hanna and Joonas were sitting in the middle of a large meadow, Joonas head in her lap while Hanna was making a small flower crown for the toddler running around trying to catch a butterfly. The toddler looked like a spitting image of her when she was a child, just the blue in the toddler's eyes wasn't the same shade as hers, they were much bluer and bright just like Joonas. The dream felt too real and once again gave her doubts if she is doing the right thing. If circumstances were different and Joonas and her were a couple, she would have accepted her faith and had this child.

"Morning," Linda's voice drew Hanna back to reality just in time to flip the pancake, "No matter how much I sleep, I never feel well rested."

Linda was complaining while working around the coffee machine. It was indeed close to noon and most people were already out and about their day.

"You work too much," Hanna said in a matter-of-fact voice.

"But I like my job."

"It still can burn you out," Hanna shrugged and put a few pancakes on a plate that she handed Linda, "I also have been a burden, so after all of this is over, I'm treating you to SPA day, but for now all I can offer are these pancakes."

"If I must," Linda sighed dramatically and took the plate, "I hope these are the best pancakes in the.."

Linda's sentence was cut by the doorbell and both girls exchanged confused looks. No one of them was expecting anyone, especially at such an early hour. Hanna gestured that she had to finish the pancakes, so Linda had to go check the door. Hanna hated to open the door, so often she would just wait until the visitor would leave. Linda on other hand never cared, she could open the door dressed just in a towel fresh from the shower and not care.

Hanna didn't pay attention to the fuss at the front door, because she assumed it was a neighbour or something. After all, no one disturbed them so early in the day. But when Hanna turned her head to the kitchen door and saw Joonas, she almost dropped the plate with pancakes that she was taking off of the pan.

"What are you doing here?" Hanna asked in a sharp voice, not even greeting the man. Joonas seemed to be taken back because of Hanna's tone.

"What's with the tone?" Linda chimed in, "Don't scare our guest."

"Sorry, just you," Hanna gestured to Joonas with the spatula, "were not a person I expected to see."

"I was in the neighbourhood," Joonas shrugged. He was questioning if he had made the right call to show up here, but he has been miserable for the past few days because he missed Hanna. They haven't contacted each other at all and he was getting desperate for Hanna's attention.

"Do you want some pancakes?" Linda was already looking for an extra plate, "Hanna makes the best pancakes."

It wasn't a lie, Hanna had learned how to take care of herself from an early age, including cooking and pancakes were the first thing she learned to cook. By age of 12 she knew how to cook, how to wash her clothes and whatnot.

Joonas sat down by the small kitchen table just as Linda put down the plate. Hanna watched Joonas closely, trying to figure out his body language, but all she saw was a somewhat shy guy, who felt a bit out of place, which was unusual given Joonas's outgoing and friendly personality. Joonas eyes caught Hanna's and they both smiled at each other. No matter how Hanna tried to keep her cold appearance, she felt as if Joonas presence made her happier. Everything just seemed so much easier, the air felt lighter and the world brighter. Joonas felt the same way, he enjoyed being around Hanna. He wanted to hear her speak about every little thing that interested her, because the way she spoke made Joonas fall in love with her more and more.