67 Summer Nights (Unedited)

Chapter 6

When I was a kid, if I woke up to my mom playing music in the morning, it was because she was cleaning and I was going to have to help. That much was true, all the way over here. I awoke to the sound of a folksy tune playing through the house. I rubbed my eyes giving into a yawn and a stretch. What my aunt playing Avicii? What was even weirder was that Hanna hadn't come in to wake me for a run. Was she okay? It was 7 a.m., she should have been dragging me out already. I walked to the bathroom to wash my face and shower then changed into my favorite lounge sweatpants and a tank top. Hanna stepped out of her bedroom at the same time. She had the same look I did when my mom started playing music. We were definitely cleaning the house today. My aunt was standing at the bottom of the stairs with a bright smile on her face. I swear adults like making younger people clean for them.

Hanna and I climbed down, greeting her with a good morning. She encouraged us to go grab some breakfast because we were going to need all our strength to help her and Oliver paint the nursery. Oliver was in the kitchen serving us each a bowl of muesli. It's okay stomach, you can do this. I took a seat, glancing at the calendar that hung on the fridge from a magnet. I'd been here for three weeks, and the pressure of all that was waiting for me at home was beginning to leave. I sighed, dipping a spoon into my bowl. Over the last few days, Anders had been by often, usually with Viktor to hang out with us or get us to go out.

There was something about the look in his eyes whenever he set them on me that sent a shiver down my spine. Every, single, time. I could always count on a hug and a kiss on the cheek upon our first greeting. His scent clung to my clothes for the rest of the day, accompanying me even when his presence was absent. Today was unfortunately not going to be one of those days. His family was visiting his grandparents, so he'd be gone all day until tonight. The thought that I only had 5 weeks left was enough to send my stomach in knots. I didn't want to leave yet.

I added a few more berries to my muesli and tried finishing it before my stomach realized that this still wasn't natural milk. Hanna and I washed the breakfast dishes meeting my aunt and Oliver upstairs in what was going to be the nursery. Three paint buckets were lined up beside rollers, sticks, and paint trays. Oliver stooped down to grab plastic ponchos for us to put over our clothes. A tall figure darkened the doorway. Hanna smiled, walking up to greet Viktor with a kiss. He shook Oliver's hand, kissing my aunt Yoli on the cheek and saying hello to me. Boundaries people, unless you were Anders. According to Hanna, Swedes loved their personal space and generally didn't stand too closely unless they knew you well, but with Anders that custom had flown right out of the window. Oliver handed Viktor a poncho then started preparing the paint rollers.

My aunt Yoli sat down on a rocking chair in the corner, shooting me a smile when I looked over at her. I knew she wasn't going to help us. Oliver placed a mask over her nose, kissing her cheek in the process. Hanna and I pushed the changing table into the hallway to keep it from getting stained then laid out more plastic on the hardwood floor. Viktor helped dump paint into the trays then we split up, each getting a wall. Oliver and my aunt had chosen a sea foam green that they'd be sanding down to give it a rustic beachy look.

There was something very satisfying about rolling paint onto a wall. It was like cutting play-do with a knife.

"How do you like Sweden so far?" Viktor asked.

"I love it. Easily the best vacation I've ever had." I replied, dipping the roller into more paint.

"I know I asked you at the party, but what made you come all the way out here?"

"Um, just a lot of changes going on at home. It was getting too stressful and too real, so my parents decided that I should go away and have relax."