It's Just Fiction

A Day for Family

The door was swung open by Linda, who wore a knitted black dress, inviting in her half-sisters and their families. Each had brought a housewarming treat– smulpaj, a crumb pie, made by Emma and Lena, and Anna had brought in a box of Swedish semla. Calle carried their little infant as the rest of their children hurried in. Anna's recent return to town to visit her family had been enjoyable for the most part. Although now, her mother, sister and she were concerned for how the gathering would go, having been told what Lena knew from a month and a half ago, which was only the fact that Björn still loved Agnetha, and of course, all knew Agnetha always had.

Lena told her children what had happened at the last party. She swore her daughters to keep it between them although both were surprised with the news. Emma was more so upset to hear, while Anna had a feeling. There are two women her father ever really loved and if it wasn't one, it would be the other. She didn't like the conclusion, and she sensed it would turn out that way. For that mostly, she was against the divorce of her parents. They were all aware, however, that since that day, the relationship that was once between Björn and Agnetha is no longer– whatever that relationship was based on. They are now too distant and cold compared to the way things were when there was nothing at all.

The times Björn and Lena met on family days, she sensed he was single. His character, his mood, and his face showed something she had never seen in him. She had brought up Agnetha once, and his relationship with her was never talked about again. He wasn't interested and it was evident that even if they had carried all the love like it appeared, they still couldn't work out their differences or issues. So, perhaps I'm not the one keeping them apart, she considered. Lena felt relieved with that thought. She wanted no involvement in their relationship, and she was more so thankful there wasn't really anything going on between the reconciled lovers.

Though it had been sometime that passed since they last entered the Fältskog/Ulvaeus residence, to Emma and Anna, it was warm and welcoming. They all got along with one another, and they were accustomed to the dysfunctional quality that in the end made them complete. The kids were scurrying around the living room in excitement to hang out with one another again. It isn't so often that they get together but when they do, there is space for them to have a social bubble of their own. Lena had greeted them all and noticed two people were missing from the bunch. She entered the kitchen with her pie and found a busy Agnetha, hair clipped back and moving around the kitchen. She greeted her kindly, watching Agnetha remove her apron and smile when she saw Lena.

"Oh, you didn't have to trouble yourself!" Agnetha said as she accepted the pie.

"Really, it was nothing. Did you need help with anything?"

"No, no. I took care of it all," she smiled. "I was just finishing up cleaning the kitchen."

"I see," she smiled. "Thank you," she cleared her throat, feeling awkward near Agnetha, but she received a smile back in return.

"Where's Björn? He hasn't come yet?" Lena asked after a while as she unwrapped the casserole sealed with aluminum foil. She hoped she'd get an answer out of Agnetha, to understand if they had made up, if they were an item, or anything at all.

"I'm not sure. The kids would know, they spoke to him." Lena stood and observed her for a brief moment before she got the sense Björn wasn't a part of Agnetha's life like she expected. Not past work, anyway. Lena figured she'd understand if it was a lie, but it didn't seem like one.

Keeping herself occupied, Agnetha let it run past her that Lena was only making small talk. She took a deep breath and thought to herself as she had her back to Lena. Deep down she knew. Agnetha knew Lena must be curious. The last time Lena spoke to her, the revelation about the couple slipped out of her mouth.