Super Trouper

The Reason Why

Benny rubbed his face on her arm caressing as he hugged her, "I never thought you were stupid, even though you can't remember things you have been very cunning, as usual," he blurted out. "I'm very proud of you."

"I want you to be clear that the decisions we make from now on will be based on this recent past, since I opened my eyes after the accident. Nothing matters anymore what happened a year, two years or three before," she made it clear by putting her hand on his hairy chest.

"It's not that easy for me," he held her hand and sighed. "I do remember you, I still have feelings... everything we went through and I don't want to have to go through that again," Frida saw him vulnerable for a long time, it was him saying he was afraid, in which Benny talked about something that had insisted on silence.

"You are right in a way and I feel I should build a new relationship with the children," she put her hand on his cheek trying to make him understand how important it was for her that they were both on the same page. "But this is our relationship also, we have to do the things we want as a couple." Before they could express anything else, the phone began to ring, to which Benny did not hesitate to carefully get up from the couch as soon as Frida moved away  and took the phone.

"Hello!" Benny replied.

"Hi Benny. Excuse me for calling, is Frida at home?"Ragnar asked from the other end of the phone, Benny frowned and looked at her, suddenly feeling his body fill with jealousy again.

"She is," he paused, thinking how to proceed without getting in the way, if in the eleven years they hadn't had major problems, now it couldn't be the exception. "One second..." Benny took the phone from his ear and passed it to Frida, who took it confused, but judging by Benny's face it was not a pleasant call.

"Hello?" She said sheepishly.

"Frida, sorry to interrupt you," Ragnar apologized in advance. "I just wanted to call you so you know Lotta had a fever all night, now she's better but she says she'd rather go with you," he explained.

Frida was worried, of course she would not refuse. "Sure, we'll go pick her up right away. Does she still feel bad?" By instinct, Frida worried about her children, she didn't even know where it came from to be dismayed or to be aware of them, but she assumed it was maternal instinct.

"She is better, the fever has subsided. I can take her so you don't have to come," Ragnar offered, to which she accepted. She looked outside and it was still raining heavily, that would be a hindrance.

Benny watched her intently, waiting for her to hang up the phone so he could ask. "It's Lotta," Frida said, putting the phone down in her place. "Ragnar will bring her, she has a fever and she wants to be here," she crossed her arms and looked at him in anguish, not only for Lotta, but she knew they had a conversation to come.

"Does she need us to take her to the doctor?" Benny asked.

"I don't think so, I want to keep an eye on her anyway," Frida answered. "It's probably for the better, I wouldn't like her to feel I'm not being a good mom for her."

"You are not a bad mom, Frida," he pointed out.

"Probably, but you know what I mean." Benny nodded and took hold of her waist pulling her body a little closer to his; she knew that his attitude in that situation was a big process regarding her personal and family relationships.

Some time later, Benny and Frida were in the kitchen preparing lunch, she was recovering her skill little by little, and from the least that Benny could teach her. The doorbell rang, they both made eye contact, Frida wiped her hand with the apron and went to the entrance to open it, it must be them.