Super Trouper

The Cigarette.

Frida spent most of her time in the bedroom, she hardly ever went out to eat, she felt very lost in that world so big that she couldn't fit in. That night in particular it was very cold, she was sitting in the armchair at the bedroom by the window, while a floor lamp illuminated the book she had in her hand, apart from making her pass the time, it also helped in her habit of reading. She wanted to keep her mind occupied as much as possible, those days had been total gloom for her and didn't understand so many things, felt empty. She had found some books that she read before the accident, Benny passed them for her to read again, in fact, it was one of the recommended therapies for her situation.

The children were in the living room while they ate tacos, Benny and Olive were also there listening to music and talking, it was Olive's last night at home as she was leaving to Norway the next day; they wanted to take the most advantage of that night. Even though the six were gathered, the emptiness still felt there, the pillar of that family was alone upstairs in a room completely away from them, it was sad.

"Benny," Olive called to him, placing her hand on top of his that was resting on the sofa. Benny quickly set his gaze on her. "Why don't you invite Frida to join us?" She suggested.

"I was thinking that, I miss her and I don't want her to stay locked in the bedroom any longer," he said. "Maybe if you go and ask her, she'll agree quickly," he added.

"You're right, I'll go get her," Olive got up from the sofa and left them there chatting. She turned on the lights on the stairs that were off and then went upstairs to the room. Before she entered, she knocked on the door and until she heard Frida's approval, she did not enter.

"Come in," Frida immediately said when heard the door. She stopped reading, closing the book, but first putting her finger to avoid losing the page. She looked at the door that instantly opened and there was her aunt.

"Hello, are you busy?" Olive asked stepping in and walking over to her.

"I was reading," Frida replied, folding the page of the book and this time closing it.

"We are all in the living room," she commented. Frida didn't answer so she decided to continue talking. "You have been locked in this bedroom all day and week, as you know, I am going back to my country tomorrow and I would like to share a little more with you," she continued.

"I am very sad for the fact that you are leaving," Frida commented.

"It makes me very sad to leave," her voice now became a little more worn. "Could you come down with us? I think it's a good idea for you to share with the family," she told her.

"I don't know, they sure feel uncomfortable every time I'm around, I don't want to create a tense environment," Frida sighed and put the book on the table next to her, then she tried to sit up correctly as she already felt the pressure on her arm.

"Of course not," Olive denied it flatly. "How do you think so? They are dying for you to integrate more, believe me they wish you were down there with them," she assured.

"You say it because you want me there but I'm not so sure. Benny is probably begging me to stay up here for a few more weeks," in her words Olive could feel deep pain and self-pity, it was one of the things she had to say to Benny, because she was afraid that her niece was going to isolate herself more than ever and this would be more counterproductive to her recovery.

"Listen to me," Olive took a more serious tone of voice and stared at her, "that's nothing more than out of the question. They all want you to be there with them like in the old days and believe me the one most interested is your husband," she explained, exercising a bit of the faculty of authority that she had. Frida was silent and looked at her aunt fixedly, she was a strong woman and the more she looked at her the more she could notice her nobility, she really felt part of her and it was the best in the world, she without thinking about it was the first to take the initiative to hug her, she needed it.