Frida watched Anna blossom during the 30 minutes or so that she spent on the phone with Bjorn and she was happy to see it. These two did not deserve the lives that they had fallen into. She knew for sure that Bjorn had not been happy for many years. There were little things that he had said, she had seen the way Lena was with him. She sighed quietly and slipped away to the kitchen to fetch a glass of water. Anna too had paid a heavy price and Frida knew that none of what had happened to her since was her fault. Knowing Anna as she did, she really couldn't blame her for wanting to stay here. She finished her water and went back out on the veranda, she walked it's length while her mind wrestled with everything that had gone on in the last 72 hours. Who knew that one single phone call would let loose such hard hidden truths, would force Anna to talk to Bjorn after so many years. She wiped away a sudden stray tear as the thought of Anna's fight and illness crossed her mind, for a moment she had forgotten it in the excitement of watching Anna make the first move and calling Bjorn. She would do as she promised Anna, she would adhere to her wishes but she hoped over time she would find a way to persuade Anna that it was right to tell Bjorn.
Which bought her back full circle to her own problem. Benny.
Her musings were interrupted by Anna as she laid a hand on her shoulder. Frida turned to see her, her eyes were sparkling, her face was relaxed and she was grinning widely. Frida raised her eyebrows and said "amazing what a phonecall can do isn't it? Look at your face! He makes you happy!"she commented with a touch of irony. Agnetha's eyes dropped away then slowly came back up to Frida's. "I know" she whispered. "For 50 years, even when we had our stupid fights he's made me happy. It's wrong, he's married and content with her. He loves her" "Agnetha, his life is not what you think, he works endlessly even at his age, he should be slowing down and enjoying this time but he cannot. He does not rest, he cannot sleep" Agnetha let out a bitter laugh "Finally, we have something in common, that's a first" Frida reached out a hand. "Stop it Anna, this is a new chance" she said gently. "We have to let it all go. We none of us deserve to be fighting at our age" Agnetha took her hand and squeezed it. "You're right, I'm sorry" They leaned on the railing in companionable silence for a while. "Frida?" "What?" "For the first time in months I'm properly hungry and after we've eaten something, you will call Benny" Frida protested. Agnetha was not going to back down. "Frida, you made me talk to Bjorn, now you must do the same for Benny. It saddens me that we have come to this. You know more of Bjorn that I do and it is the same for Benny and I. We do not chat often but I know that he would love to see you." Frida sighed and said "He will only want to talk to me about ABBA. That will have to be enough. Agnetha did not think that this was necessarily true. She knew that Benny was feeling his age and that he and Mona were living separate lives and had been for some considerable time. Oh he had not said anything directly but his voice on the phone was tired and he had said on most occasions that they had spoken that Mona was out or away or working. One night when he had rung and found her in while everyone else had gone out she had joked about her microwave meal for one and he had laughed and commented that he'd had a long time to get used to them. He had confided in her once years ago when he'd had a few whiskys that he and Mona were not close and they never had been. They hadn't really had the chance to talk about it since and to be fair Agnetha thought that he wouldn't speak about it again without alcohol being involved, he was a surprisingly private person and hid his pain from the world. Her musings were interrupted by Frida asking her what she wanted for dinner.
Much later in the evening when Agnetha had finally tired of all the delaying tactics Frida had employed and had put the phone in her hand and sat on the sofa next to her.
Even though Frida had spoken to him just the day before yesterday, had spoken to him regularly throughout the years, for some reason this felt different. Perhaps it was because she had been reminded today that life was not infinite and this may be their last chance to be at peace and leave a final page in the ABBA story.
She could feel Agnetha staring at her, she turned and said "Oh ALRIGHT!" she grumbled. She dialled Benny's number and waited. He answered slower than she thought he would. "Hi Benny" she said gently. "Frida? Hi! I wasn't expecting to hear from you so soon" he said.
Frida frowned momentarily diverted. He sounded so tired. "You ok?" She asked concerned. " Yes I'm fine, fine, how are you? How's Switzerland today?" Classic Benny distraction technique she reflected. Let's wake him up. She smirked. "Switzerland was fine yesterday when I left. I flew into Stockholm yesterday afternoon. I'm with Anna at Ekero. There was a long silence "What's the matter with you? What's wrong?" Benny demanded, a note of panic in his voice Frida frowned again. "Benny nothing is wrong with me. I'm fine. Totally fine. Old and creaky but fine" Benny mumbled under his breath."What was that?" asked Frida. "Why have you flown home?" asked Benny. "Because Anna asked me too. We needed to chat, we needed girl time before you boys took us over again" Frida smiled and said "We have news Benny." She gave the phone to Agnetha. "Hi Benny" she said quietly. "Hi little one. How are you?" asked Benny carefully. It had been a while. "I'm good Benny, listen I have something to say" "It's ok Anna, don't feel bad. I knew you'd find it difficult. We just wanted to ask once more little one. We will never think any the less of you because you don't want to sing anymore. It's all good" Anna broke into a huge grin. "Benny stop, I want to tell you yes, yes I'll do it. I will sing for you all" There was a huge silence. "Are you there?" Anna enquired gently. " Yes! I'm here" Benny answered hastily "I'm just shocked Anna. Why now little one?" "Benny, if I don't sing now, the silence will be forever. Frida said she'd help me. I'm absolutely terrified though. Bjorn promised me you wouldn't release it if I sounded anything less than I was" "You spoke to Bjorn? He knows? You haven't spoken to Bjorn in years!" Benny was having a really hard time getting his head around all of this. He had never truly expected Anna to say yes. He never thought the project would get off the ground. He felt the first stirrings of interest in anything that he'd felt for years. "I can't believe you spoke to Bjorn. He's been devastated that you wouldn't talk to him or see him. He must be so relieved." "I doubt if devastated is quite the word, maybe delighted" Agnetha commented with a little heat."Benny, there's something going on that is going to make this awkward though. I have another situation with a stalker, maybe 2. I've had to put in new security at Ekero. Bjorn says he will upgrade the studio but I cannot come there until it is done. I'm sorry" "It's ok little one. I'll talk to Bjorn. How bad is it?" "Pretty bad Benny" she replied sadly. "Ok. Don't cry, give the phone to Frida"
Frida came on the line, watching Anna leave the room. "How bad is it Frida? asked Benny quietly. "It's not in her mind if that's what you're thinking!" retorted Frida. "No! I'm not." Benny protested. Frida sighed. "Sorry, Christian seems to take the threats pretty seriously. When was the last time you came here?" "Actually physically to Ekero to see Anna? 10 years? Maybe a little less but not much" "Benny, she's in prison, all these people making her life difficult, stalking her, harassing her and yet she is the one who pays. All the time. She has gates and fences, keypads, a panic room, cameras, steel shutters. It's awful. It is much changed here, she's still brave enough to want to sing though" there was a comfy silence. "You know what's funny?"she laughed. " I've just realised that I don't even know how to get out! I'm stuck here as much as her now" Benny smiled tiredly. "Can I see you?" he asked quietly. "I'd like to, no event, no party, just you and me." There was a silence as Frida digested his words "I'd love to but is it ok to do this? Mona would make your life difficult." she finally answered. Benny sighed and said "leave Mona to me. My life is as it is"
Frida got off the phone a little later and stared into space. She felt most disturbed by the call. He said he was ok but he didn't sound ok. He sounded sad and beaten. It didn't sound like the Benny she knew and loved. It had her worried.
The next morning she was woken by the sound of Agnetha being violently sick in her bathroom. She lay for a moment battling tears then got up and went to Agnetha's room. She tapped on the door and went in, finding Anna as she expected on her knees on the floor in front of the toilet. She clearly hadn't had time to put more than her bra and panties on so Frida went to get her robe and draped it over her shoulders in case she was cold then rinsed a flannel in warm water ready.
Agnetha was exhausted by the time she had finished. She hated the sickness the most, everything else she could handle but the nausea and vomiting was grinding her down. She sat back on her heels and shuffled backwards so she could lean on the wall. She lifted her gaze to meet Frida's. "I love you Frida but I want you to leave. You don't deserve to be a prisoner here with me. Shut in, not able to go anywhere. Besides you've been here before with Russo and I won't make you watch it all again. It must be horrendous. I'm so sorry" Agnetha couldn't hide her exhausted tears as she slumped against the wall."I'm so selfish!"
Frida grabbed hold of Agnetha's hands and pulled her to her feet and wrapped her up in a hug. "Anna, I will go nowhere. This is not like Russo. Yours is a different story and it's going to have a very different ending. This is the nicest prison I've ever been in and I'm happy here with you. I need you too you know. I missed you. It's been too long since I've seen you and I've only been here two days and you're already trying to throw me out!" Agnetha crumpled and sobbed her heart out. "I don't want you to go. I don't but I have another round of treatment next week and it'll be worse. I sleep all week, I say things I don't mean, I vomit nearly non stop. I can't eat because I get mouth ulcers, my skin falls off. Linda spends that week with me mostly and that makes me feel dreadful. She should be with her kids. She must be so tired but she won't leave me, she been doing this for a year!" Frida made a decision. "Ok, well let's give her a break for the next treatment cycle then!! I'll do it with you. We should send her on holiday with the kids for a week! She might trust me with you"she suggested. "She won't go, I wish she would. All of them. They need to get away from here and live in a world outside these gates. If you're here, she might though." Anna considered it. She smiled feeling something like excitement. She could plan a perfect holiday for them. Two lots of excitement in two days. It never rained but it poured. She giggled. "I'll call her to come over, let me dress."
"She stepped away from Frida and for the first time Frida saw fully what Agnetha had been through, she saw the scars, the cannula and the bruising around her veins and she saw the results of the reconstruction.
Agnetha was horrified, for a split second she had forgotten what she looked like. She let out a distressed moan and tried to cover up with the robe. Frida knew instantly that her next words were critical, she was probably the only one to see her like this " Well that's just not fair!! she said. "Your boobs are like they were 30 years ago!! Look at those beauties!! Very perky! Mine are obviously tired and old." Frida spun her round. "There's the double whammy, look at that bottom! still the sexiest one in the world! she turned Anna again. "Shame Bjorn isn't here to see it!" Agnetha snorted and then laughed until she cried again, "I love you Frida but I'm hideous, he would never love me now" "What I see in front of me is a gorgeous blond bombshell with scars that WILL fade, an amazing arse, boobs I would pay millions for and a soft heart that cares so much for others that it sometimes makes her life more difficult than it has to be" Frida squeezed Agnetha gently and Anna was never more grateful that Frida would stay.
