I Can Be That Woman

Chapter Nine

<<I would like to know, for once, what it feels like to fall in love>>

The conversation with Frida was deeply stuck on his head, but especially those words. Lately she looked different, she was showing a side of her that he never believed existed, however, the vulnerability she gave off touched something deep inside him. Benny reprogrammed the treadmill to run faster, in an attempt to forget such conversation. He couldn't understand why it affected him, never cared about anyone's life, only those he loved; his sister. Eva-Lis was the only true thing he had left, and even though they didn't talk much he knew that she would always be there for him and vice versa. Also Björn who was like his brother, but only them. Speaking of people present, because although his parents were no longer with him, Benny would always carry them in his heart, loving them deeply.

But his short list did not end there, Frida was also important to him. Her presence was a constant and played an important role in his life. When was the last time a lover had so much weight in his life? Never. But it did not end there, because the truth is that Frida was not only his lover; she was his confident, his stalwart. In three years, both built a relationship based on freedom, but also on trust, they learned to follow each other's rhythm. He was right in saying that he knew her, and it was reciprocated. With her, he was free, he was himself, she didn't see him as an opportunity or an object but as the man he was. His heart began to beat faster and Benny began to feel dizzy, slowly slowing down the pace of the treadmill until he stopped. He took the towel and wiped the sweat from his face. Closing her eyes, images of the special night with Frida appeared; she was so fragile, innocent and tender.

Benny threw the towel hard at the other end of the small gym. "Fuck!!" His face turned red, the vein on his temple popped out, he was frustrated. He breathed heavily as he held onto the weight bench. His faithful maid, Selene, entered the room alarmed.

"Is everything alright sir? Are you hurt?"

Benny lifted his face and looked at her; Selene used to go three times a week to do the cleaning, she was a fifty-year-old woman. "No, I'm fine."

"Excuse me, sir, but you don't look very well to say," she said with concern.

"I'm fine. I'll take a bath," he got up and drank water. Every morning he would work out here, in his own gym; when he bought the place Benny knew he wanted an exclusive room to work out, so he bought gym machines and set up this room.

Benny took a shower, but he didn't feel any better, quite the opposite; he felt exhausted and dizzy, the water burned him and it was not very hot. He got out as soon as he could, his teeth chattering, he was more frustrated now. Benny put on his boxer, socks and a shirt and, not even bothering to dry his hair, he lay back. With the curtains closed, the comfortable mattress under his body and the fluffy comforter covering him, Benny closed his eyes hoping to soothe his being.

"Benny." Someone was calling him. "Benny, do you hear me?" Of course, he answered in his mind, but his body felt too heavy to wake up.

"Should I call the doctor? An ambulance?" Someone else said.

"I could take him in my car." Frida, that voice was Frida's, and the other person was Selene. Benny tried to turn around but his body was too heavy. He let out a gasp, feeling very hot. "Benny?"

"W-water," Benny asked, unable to open his eyes yet. His lips were parched, his head ached. He heard footsteps go away, surely Selene went for the water. "It b-burns."

"You have a fever," Frida answered sitting next to him. A few minutes ago she arrived because Björn asked her for a favor, but she didn't imagine finding Benny in this state; Selene told her that he had been locked in his bed room for the last two hours, but above all that she saw him badly and that was what alerted Frida. Benny was extremely hot and complained in the middle of his sleep. "Can you open your eyes?"