The following morning found Anna wide awake at 6am. She had a lot to do, she was genuinely excited and she so wanted to get Bjorn's first family Sunday gathering right. They had new family coming and she was desperate for everyone to be happy. She stretched languidly and smiled when she found herself to be totally cocooned in Bjorn's arms. She turned herself over gently and faced him and wondered if she would always marvel that he was there. It would always be a miracle to her she knew. She stroked his hair out of his eyes and smiled as she looked at him. She could still see the 23 year old Bjorn in the face of the 72 year old man, he still was the most handsome man she had ever seen. "I can feel you looking at me you know" he grumbled good naturedly, his eyes still closed. She jumped a bit "Stop counting my wrinkles" he teased. "I'm not, I thought you were asleep" she countered. "You'll be asleep if you count my wrinkles" he opened an eye "Actually that's a good enough reason for me to let you count. Fancy going back to sleep?" he half teased knowing what the answer would be. "No, I was just thinking about all the years that we have lived. When I look at you, I still see the 23 year old" His lips twitched and he pulled her closer. "It's mutual, I still see your 18 year old face baby" he shut his eye and hooked a leg over hers "What's the time?" he asked. "Just after 6" she answered him. "Ok, plenty of time. I want 15 minutes of snuggle time with you then we will both get up. I want breakfast and then a walk down to the beach and blow the cobwebs away then we can cook together and get ready for this wonderful day. I'm so looking forward to it. Anna didn't even need to think about it, his plan sounded much better than hers had been. She didn't say anything, she just shut her eyes and snuggled in.
Her arm was flung around his waist and the devil in her came out to play, she loved snuggling but she was just so excited. Her lips curved into a smile and her hand wandered down gently towards his arse. It had always been her weakness, that and his eyes, his shoulders, his smile. Who was she kidding? Pretty much everything about him was her weakness. She smiled to herself as she took her time reacquainting herself with his backside. The years had not taken the slightest toll on his arse she reflected happily. She felt him twitch against her thigh and to be honest she was surprised. She hadn't done anything yet. She actually hadn't been intending to do more than tease but his immediate reaction had her intrigued. Was it possible she wondered that just her touch could have that much effect on him. She couldn't believe that it was the case and her nerve wobbled. "Is there a particular reason why you've stopped?" Bjorn rasped with his eyes still closed "I was thoroughly enjoying that you know." Anna was suddenly inexplicably shy and she took a breath. "I couldn't think of a better way to wake up in the morning unless I was the one touching you" he said quietly. He opened his eyes and she was immediately lost in a sea of blue. "Well, I was thinking I couldn't believe that you would respond so quickly when I hadn't done anything yet" Anna admitted. "Anna, you were groping my arse!! How can you say you haven't done anything?" he protested laughing. Anna blushed furiously "not for long I didn't" she defended. "Anna, you only have to look at me and you turn me on so it's not going to take much of that kind of attention to send me into orbit now is it?" he replied still amused. "I'm sorry" Anna said "Are you? I'm definitely not. What I'd like is for you to finish what you've started or I'll finish it for you" Bjorn knew when to take control, he knew when it was time to ease her mind. He waited patiently while she thought about it and was delightfully rewarded when she abruptly took it into her head to divest him of his pajama bottoms. She grumbled and said "Why do you have to wear so many clothes? You never used to in bed." Bjorn had to laugh "Well I've not wanted to be naked in bed until you were sharing it with me again. I told you that at Vallentuna. You never used to wear anything either so I thought I'd be respectful because you always wear something to bed now." he explained. Anna considered this and nodded "Fair enough, I wear pajamas to bed so that I don't catch my cannula. It's awful when I catch it wrong and also when I'm by myself I get cold very quickly now" Anna blushed and smiled "I haven't been cold recently" she added. "I should hope not" Bjorn told her. He took her hand and put it back where he wanted it and he closed his eyes saying to Anna "You may continue" she watched his lips curve into a peaceful smile and she grinned as another piece of normal settled into its rightful place.
It was much longer than the 15 minutes that Bjorn had originally wanted when they both finally tumbled out of bed. Anna was pink cheeked and laughing and Bjorn was smugly satisfied and chuckling.
This morning Anna made it all the way into the bathroom and had managed to have a wee before the nausea descended upon her again. Bjorn just happened by chance to be looking at her and god he felt sorry for her as he literally watched her face turn green. She lurched off the toilet and Bjorn caught her gently and turned her round faster than she could have done herself and supported her to the floor as she vomited over the toilet bowl. This time he stayed down with her and held her hand as she heaved. When she had finished she burst into tears "I hate this" she sobbed "I hate being sick all the time! I was so happy and now I've ruined it" Bjorn sighed in sympathy and tugged her away from the toilet. He scooted until his back was against the wall and he pulled her until she was on his lap with her head buried in his shoulder and he let her cry. It was an absolute storm that overtook her and there was nothing he could do but hold her and weather it with her. He rocked her and hushed her until her tears were slowing and he was not ashamed to admit that his own tears had mixed with hers. She heaved a shuddering, exhausted breath and whispered "I'm sorry. I haven't cried before. Not properly." "Too busy making sure the rest of us are ok" Bjorn told her quietly. "It's ok you know, you don't have to be strong every minute of the day baby. It had to happen sometime and I'm glad it's with me Anna" he stroked her damp hair back off her face. "This is a terrifying thing you're going through" he kissed her head. "You know what it really is?" she wept "I'm so scared I won't live. I'll go through all of this and still I won't live. I don't want to leave you. I see a life ahead of me now. Before you came back it mattered, of course it did but the kids are grown and they'll learn to live without me" Bjorn protested gently and said "Anna, they won't baby. Christian's already said that and neither will I" "I want to meet the new baby Bjorn and I want to stay with you" she whispered. "And you will baby, you've got this. You've come so far alone and now you have even more reason to fight. Think of all the grandchildren we have and those that will come, there's me. We have so much left to do Anna and I want it all with you. We can do it baby" he reassured her earnestly. "You will beat this, there's no doubt in my mind my beautiful girl"
They sat there on the bathroom floor for a long time while Anna finally let go her rage and grief and bitterness about being diagnosed with cancer. All the things she had not felt able to burden her children with because she was their mother and it was her job to look after them. She had held it in for a year and finally with the news of the new baby and Bjorn's presence the dam had well and truly broken. She clung to him as her world slowly righted itself. She was exhausted and had given herself a headache but she felt better, she felt lighter. "It's only ever been you" she whispered. "I trust you enough for this" Bjorn rested his cheek on her hair and tightened his embrace momentarily. Most people wouldn't understand her words. He did. "Its my honour Anna. It's the same for me. I don't go down on my knees for anyone else you know" He felt her lips move into a smile against his neck. "Glad to hear it" she whispered. "Whatever happens you know I've always loved you don't you?" she questioned urgently. "Yes Anna I do. I do know and it's important to me that you accept I've always loved you regardless of everything that I've done" was his heartfelt reassurance she nodded and squeezed his hand tightly. "I know Bjorn" There was a comfortable silence for a while as they sat enjoying each others company and digesting what had happened. Bjorn was devastated about what had poured out of her but was perversely proud that she had not trusted anyone else with her innermost agonies. Anna on the other hand was somewhat embarrassed but relieved of her burden. He hadn't left her alone to cry and scream. He'd stayed with her, held her tightly and fought through her breakdown with her, she'd found shelter and solace in his arms. "Thank you for not leaving me Bjorn" she whispered. "Nowhere else I'd ever be baby. Better get used to it" he told her. "I don't want to move but I need to clean my teeth and have a shower" she sighed. "Ok, how's your tummy if you get up?"asked Bjorn. "I'll do it slowly and I should be fine" she replied. Bjorn nodded and shifted her gently off his lap. He climbed to his feet and flushed the toilet and then bent and helped Anna to stand, he held onto her while her dizziness faded. "Ok?" he asked after a little while. She nodded gratefully and went over to the sink to clean her teeth. "Want a shower now?" Bjorn asked. "Yeah, I really do. Stay with me though?" she asked uncertainly. "Of course" said Bjorn as if there were any other option. "Can I come in there with you?" was his next question "it's big enough" Anna smiled and said "Bjorn you don't have to. I'm fine" "I know I don't have to. We used to share a bath, I can't remember ever sharing a shower with you. I want to see what it's like" he told her. Anna frowned and thought. "I don't know" she said "surely we must have done? We did pretty much everything else under the sun. Do you remember the jacuzzi in Switzerland in the snow?" her eyes sparkled. Bjorn thought back and grinned as he focused on the memory she was talking about. "God yes. That WAS special" he agreed happily. "Come on Anna, let's live a little and try it. At the very least we'll be saving the planet" he winked at her and she burst out laughing. "Bjorn I have never met anyone that makes me laugh like you do. You come up with the most outrageous excuses" he grinned as he turned the shower on "Yeah, I'm a desperate man and you love me for it" "I do" she affirmed quietly. He turned and took his pajama trousers off and threw them in the laundry basket and started divesting her of the t shirt she was wearing. She lifted her arms and he pulled it off carefully minding her cannula. "Are we going to be in there for a while?" Anna checked laughing. "Yes" was his simple answer. "Then wait a minute, I need to do something with my cannula" she told him "You may as well watch because you'll need to do it for me on the later days of chemo week." She opened the bathroom cupboard and took out 2 boxes and showed him their contents. One had waterproof cannula stops in it and the other had the massive waterproof cushioned dressings in like she had worn the first day Bjorn had come back. She showed him how to fit the waterproof stop to her cannula and then she put the dressing over the cannula to hold it secure and dry. "When you take this off" she indicated the dressing "and I'm on chemo, I'll call you all the names under the sun and I'll threaten you with death because it's agony to get off but I won't mean it I promise" she assured him hastily. "Relax Anna, I won't get offended or upset" he comforted her. "I can do it Anna, I won't leave you" he knew that he'd probably be reassuring her about the issue of her "temper" for the rest of his life. Her leaving that day in temper had scarred her for life as it had him. "Are you done?" he asked. "Yep" she said patting the dressing and he said "Well get on and get that sexy bottom in the shower, we have loads to do today" she giggled as he crowded her into the shower using his body. The water was perfect and Anna sighed happily as it hit her "You know, I don't share a shower with anyone for decades and then twice in a month" she giggled. Bjorn frowned and grabbed her waist to turn her round. When she was facing him he backed her up against the wall and he said "and just who have you been sharing a shower with? Because it sure as hell wasn't me!" Anna sparkled at him under the shower spray and said mischievously "I was told it fulfilled every young boys fantasy circa 1976" Bjorn's eyebrows shot up "It would have fulfilled MY fantasy circa 1976 and you were MINE then" he grumbled. He put his hands on either side of her head effectively trapping her and kissed her gently, she hummed happily and returned the kiss, winding her arms around his neck. "Who was it Anna?" he asked again breaking the kiss. Anna pushed at him gently and he stepped back. She reached for the shower gel and the flannel and proceeded to wash her face and arms then she looked at him and said "Are you going to shower baby?" Bjorn tutted and moved under the shower to soak himself. She found herself behind him and she smirked as an idea came into her head. Bjorn was totally oblivious as he stood under the shower with his back to her, she dropped the flannel quietly and she filled her hands with shower gel and warmed it a little before stepping forward and sliding her hands gently round his waist to his front and spreading the shower gel where ever she could reach. She was enjoying this, it felt amazing she thought. She stepped forward and plastered herself to Bjorn's back and she leaned her head on his shoulder. Bjorn for his part was not expecting her to take any initiative and she took him by surprise. His hands came up to press on the tiled wall involuntarily and his "Jesus Anna!" was torn from him. "I'm helping you" she said innocently. " Helping me with what exactly baby?" he shifted his stance a little to accommodate her leaning on him. She of course took immediate advantage and travelled further down. Bjorn thought his knees might buckle as she touched him freely "Anna, what are you doing?" "Fulfilling your fantasy circa 1976?" she questioned gently. His forehead dropped to the wall "I have so many fantasies when it comes to you" he shared "I'm not sure I could pick one, but this is one I didn't even know I had" She smiled and decided to put him out of his misery. "Frida said we were fulfilling every teen boys fantasy circa 1976 when we shared this very shower and she was wearing the hottest underwear I've ever seen. Benny's a lucky boy" she giggled "Frida made me laugh when I was feeling so ill, she was showering me and so I said "We must be wet dream central circa 1976" Bjorn's eyes closed with what felt suspiciously like relief "Anna, you are a little minx!! Still!! You know I'm a jealous bastard when it comes to you" he sighed happily and turned around to face her. He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her tightly. "Frida is right you know, the whole world lusted after you two. I was so proud you were mine. So proud of YOU, watching you sing was always my joy whether we were on stage or in the studio" he looked at her and was alarmed to see her eyes sparkling with tears "I wish you had told me that then, I don't remember you ever telling me that you were proud of me after Christian was born and I tried so hard" she said quietly "I know I didn't baby and I can't explain why because I don't know myself but I was ALWAYS proud of you. I know you tried. You sang some of your best stuff after Christian was born" Bjorn said gently. Anna heaved a big sigh and smiled "That's another issue sorted and put away then"and kissed him. "Just like that?" Bjorn asked "Just like that" Anna grinned. She swiped her hair out of her face and brushed his out of his eyes."I so wanted to be your wet dream central today but I'm running out of time. I have a lot to do, we have everyone here today and Benny and Frida are coming home. I'm excited to see her." Bjorn grinned at her excitement and grabbed the soap and flannel washed her legs and feet before rising to his full height "Anna, you will always be my wet dream central, more so now than you've ever been probably. WE have a lot to do today, not just you, we are going to do this together. I've been so looking forward to it. More than you know" he paused to wash her front gently. His eyes widened as her hands flew to her mouth, she gasped and she looked at him from big eyes. "What?? Did I hurt you?" he demanded worriedly. "Do it again!" she said urgently Bjorn was genuinely confused "Do what again?" she grabbed his hand with the flannel in and put it on her chest "That Bjorn. Do it again" she demanded. He washed her chest gently again still confused but willing. she took the flannel out of his hand and said "Just you now" "You don't have to ask me to touch you Anna, I'd have my hands on you all the time if you'd let me baby" then he felt her response to him and his eyes flew to meet hers. "Bjorn, my god Bjorn, I can feel you. I can feel you touching my nipples. They said it would never happen, they said the scarring was too great! They said in my case it would be just a cosmetic repair." she babbled frantically and she could not help the few grateful tears. "It's not like it was but I CAN feel you" she sniffled then covered her face. "Are you embarrassed?" he asked gently "please don't be Anna, not with me. It's another miracle in our lives and I want to share them all with you darling" He peeled her hands away from her face gently and made her look at him, he was relieved to see that her eyes were smiling, damp but smiling. "I'm embarrassed but not in the way you think. I'm so glad it's you but instead of appreciating the miracle the first thing I thought was how turned on I was with you, THEN I thought of the miracle" she laughed and after a moment Bjorn laughed and picked her up. "Just as it should be baby" They shared an intense kiss and when she broke away to breathe he said "The water is getting cold Miss. We have stuff to do. You and I WILL be revisiting this later on I promise you" he put her down and she got out of the shower.
They hurried to dress and get downstairs because everyone would be arriving for breakfast very soon and their ability to work together after all this time really showed now as they managed to get a decent breakfast out on the table before anyone arrived. Anna perched on the stool and took a breath and watched Bjorn bustle around her kitchen "Bjorn?" he turned around enquiringly "You look like you belong here, I've missed you" he grinned and said "do you know that's the first time you've actually said you've missed me all these years" he walked towards her "I've missed you all these years too. It's more than loving each other isn't it?" Anna nodded, pleased that he understood. "Anna, let me tell you something. I've never lived here with you until now, this has been your home for how long?" Anna thought and said 34 years wondering where he was going with this. " I haven't had a home since you left Anna, I haven't belonged anywhere. I own a house and Vallentuna and an apartment at Slottsholmen. The closest I have is Vallentuna and that's because I felt close to you. I've been here a week and I feel like I finally belong somewhere. I belong with you and it wouldn't matter if we lived in a cardboard box I would still belong with you. You are where my home is"
Anna didn't have to say anything, she nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him tightly to her. "Bjorn?" he tilted his head to look down at her "there's another thing I've missed as much as I've missed you" she soothed his indignation with a soft stroke to his beard "and that is?" "Bjorn can you please make me some of your coffee, I really want your coffee" He couldn't help his shout of laughter as he asked "You feel good enough for coffee?" "Absolutely yes I do, just yours. I want to try"
And that's how Linda and Christian found them 20 minutes later, feet up chatting and laughing in the kitchen both nursing enormous cups . Linda kissed and hugged them both tightly before investigating her Mama's cup "Mama, you haven't managed coffee for nearly a year!!! I thought I could smell coffee" Anna blushed and said "Don't ask, it's silly" Christian wandered over to the coffee machine and helped himself. He took a sip as he turned and made his way towards his father. "Linda,you need coffee, this is great coffee. Mama I'd forgotten that your coffee tastes like this" Anna laughed and said "that's because it's not mine, it's Papa's. He always makes better coffee than any of us, me included" Linda grinned as she shot across the kitchen to get a mug. "Thanks Papa,it's always the best part of visiting Vallentuna" she teased. Bjorn frowned and said "and there was me thinking it was my company you wanted all these years" he couldn't hold his stern countenance and grinned "Oh Papa you know we love you" Linda soothed him. "I love it that it's just us four for a little while" Linda said happily. Christian put his arm around his sister and hugged her."I know, I can have some memories now instead of asking you all the time." Linda smiled and snuggled into her brother and Bjorn marvelled at their closeness. He looked at Anna and she had a soft, satisfied smile on her face. He was distracted by Christian talking to Linda "When will you tell me what's wrong with you?" he was asking."You are my sister and I know you, come on its just us four. Spit it out" Anna and Bjorn looked at each other and held their breath. Bjorn felt Anna's small hand creep into his and grip tightly he gave her a reassuring squeeze. Linda sighed and said "I'm old enough to know better Christian, I'm old now and I thought I was in the menopause. I've cried all over Mama and I've cried all over Papa, I've shouted at the kids when they didn't deserve it and I've given Jens such a hard time that I don't know why he stays with me" Christian was instantly comforting and said "he stays because he loves you and you drive me insane anyway so the menopause won't make the slightest difference" Linda laughed and mock punched him in the tummy. "That's what sisters are for" Christian caught her hand and squeezed it. "Linda, it will be ok you know, we'll get through it, this family will get through anything, you know that." "Well I'm glad to hear it because the menopause will have to wait for a while" Christian had the grace to look confused and Linda took pity on him and said "Christian, I'm nearly 45 and I'm about 14 weeks pregnant" Christian was delighted and not as shocked as Linda thought he would be. "Well that's the best news I've had in a whole week. This family has waited long enough for a miracle and now we have two!!" He hugged his sister tightly. "I am scared Christian, I'm too old for this" Christian was not having any of that "Nonsense!!" he declared "many women older than you have children now, you'll be absolutely fine. You're fit and well, I bet you really can't wait for another baby and besides you're already past 12 weeks" he reassured her firmly. "God, he's so like you, just look at him taking control" mumbled Anna at Bjorn. He slid her a sideways look and didn't get the chance to answer because Christian had gone on to say "Anyway, you won't have any shortage of help. Mama says I can come home, I'm going to start the build that we have permission for when Mama finishes her chemo the week after next" Linda screeched with excitement and very nearly knocked Christian off his chair when she launched herself at him. "Jesus Christ Linda be careful" Christian yelled as he fought to keep them both from falling on the floor. "Will you stop screeching Linda?" he yelled again "Bloody hell you drive me crazy" He glared at Bjorn and Anna "Why did you have to have her first?? Why couldn't I have been the older brother??" he grumbled as he finally managed to get them both safely back on the chair. Bjorn and Anna looked at each other non plussed "I didn't have much choice Christian, you both just came along as you were meant to be" Anna said laughing. Bjorn couldn't help it, he roared with laughter again. " You two!!! God I love you both, it's such a happy day! We have so many miracles on the horizon"
Anna smiled to herself and caught Christian's eye. "More than you know baby, miracles on the horizon? You ain't seen nothing yet my love."
