It's Just Fiction

The Invitation

Wednesday morning had come as it was expected to. Agnetha was awake at 6 AM and watched the sky from her bed as it changed its colors as the hours passed, black to the cool blue of the morning. The branches were dancing outside her window, and snow was present. She fought the urge to leave her bed, but if she had to lie there for another hour, she'd go mad. She didn't want to start coffee. She had plans for coffee already for that day. Instead she went on to shower and prepare herself– hair, make-up, and clothes. She walked the dogs outside for a bit around the yard and stood in front of the large Christmas tree. She smiled as she studied all the images it carried. Her family was large, and it's growing. She had many things to give thanks for.

The house was awake by 9, loud and energized. As a family they had their breakfast and exchanges of plans for the day. Agnetha felt jealous of the rest, because although she was the only one with plans, she dreaded it. She didn't want to leave the house, and she didn't want to meet her friend, but she made a promise. After today, she'd make sure they don't see one another for another while, simply because it was pointless. He is a dear friend, she couldn't deny that, but there wasn't a chance she could continue these coffee meetings. They were exhausting and as much as she hoped her mind would stop running back to Björn, it couldn't.

At 11:15 AM she arrived to a small café in Stockholm. She couldn't mistake the tall man who sat alone reading a newspaper. He'd fill her in on what he read, she'd already guessed it.

"Hello," she greeted.

"Good morning, Agnetha," he beamed a smile to her as she took a seat before him. "How were the roads getting here? Were they bad?"

"Not yet," she responded, "but I heard there will be a storm later tonight."

"Nearly a blizzard once a week," he noted.

"We're in Sweden, I think it makes sense. I don't know that you can feel the climate change here."

"You may not feel it, but it's happening," he started. She smiled at him internally kicking herself for beginning an entire flood that's to come about climate change. The waitress had come by for their orders. Two coffees and two pieces of cake to go with it.

For half an hour the friends caught up on their lives, Agnetha spoke of the ABBA songs as much as she could, yet vague and something that really was not so significant that it would be considered "news." He noticed how much she spoke about her and Björn, her and Björn in a flood, she and Björn and the kids... he didn't comment much but Marc already couldn't stand him. Not since Björn's birthday, when he randomly and rudely took the phone from Agnetha to get her off of the call. He noticed their relationship was special and personally couldn't relate to it. He and his ex-wife meet once a year, they share one daughter together, and one grandchild. Agnetha clearly still loves Björn, whatever that kind of love is, he wasn't sure yet, but he couldn't relate to it.

He heard about the divorce between Björn and Lena, though did not know enough to understand the reason why a 38 year marriage would collapse, Marc began to speculate that perhaps it was for Agnetha. It would explain why Björn is protective with her, remembering the way he rested his hand on her body as he helped her through the doorway. Do exes do that? Was it normal? He didn't know. That wasn't in his experience. Why is it in theirs? Whatever the reason was, and as much as it irked him, he couldn't blame Björn. She's not an easy woman to forget, and he counted him as the fool who let her get away. His mind drifted back to Agnetha and smiled at her story. She lifted her cup for a drink and nearly choked. She coughed for a little while, and now even more worried she'd draw attention to herself.

"Great," she mumbled.

"You alright?" he laughed. She nodded. She couldn't tell him what she saw. Not yet. She grew flustered and irritated and knew this day was going off to a strange start.