Grace (English Version)

Chapter 7

After our less than amusing conversation on the bus, a few weeks have now passed. Weeks with very enjoyable events. At least that's how an outsider would describe it. For me, the past few weeks have been awesome. Grace and I have recently become something that could be called a couple. It didn't take long after our cinema Wednesday and I was invited to Grace's home for dinner. We recently got back one of our most difficult exams with very good grades and wanted to celebrate this appropriately. Grace therefore called me if I would like a little "stage victory celebration" as she called it. At the time, however, I didn't know anything about the amount of food that she and her parents were preparing. So I was quite surprised when I got there that evening and found a set table. Grace told me there was a ritual in their home. If you got a class work or something similar large, for example a technical work, with a very good grade, this would be recognized with a small celebration. After all, this grade is another small victory on the way to the A-levels.

The dinner was really tasty and plentiful. In addition to some party classics such as Toast Hawaii or French fries, there were also a few typical Australian dishes, albeit with some minor losses. Not all ingredients were available here in Germany. At dinner I learned a lot about Grace and her family. Her mother is a doctor of political science at the local university. Her father is a so-called communications supervisor, i.e. foreign language broker and translator for an international construction company for industrial plants.

I also told a lot about myself. After all, just like Grace, I was born abroad and later moved here. Everyone seemed very interested in Sweden. They had never been there before and wanted to learn more about them. I told a little about my family. From my mother, head of the local logistics center of Edeka, my father, head of town planning at the State Office for the Environment, and from my little brother Bjorn, who is currently in 4th grade. Grace also has a brother, who is currently studying in Scotland.

After a very good dinner and long talks with Grace and her family, I said goodbye at some point. The clock showed almost midnight. Fortunately, tomorrow was a Saturday. At the door I said goodbye to Grace's parents and wanted to do the same to her when she suddenly hugged me. I was so surprised by such exuberant warmth that I returned the hug without asking.

"Thank you for being here," she said.

"On the contrary. Thank you very much for the invitation."

"You're welcome."

"I will return the favor at the next opportunity."

"I'm excited about it."

For a moment we looked each other in the eye, then we kissed. In the background I saw Grace's parents quietly withdrawing. Our kiss lasted a long time. Finally we loosened up and looked deeply into each other's eyes.

"Good night Fiete," she whispered at some point.

"Good night Grace," I replied, kissing her goodbye. Then I turned and went home leisurely, not without waving at her again.

It was only on the way home that I started to understand the whole situation from before. I kissed Grace! I had breached her hard shell and kissed her! What madness! I couldn't hold myself for joy anymore and thrust my fist in the air. I could have hugged the world at that moment.

At home in bed, I couldn't keep an eye out. I was too excited and too happy. That evening had completely changed Grace. She had been sitting at the table and laughing. Completely liberated and carefree. A really magical sight. I had never seen Grace like this before. In the future, however, I would be able to see her more carefree and happy.

For some reason I had to think of our interesting conversation under the tree in the park when Grace, quite beside herself, made me understand that she didn't want to tell about herself and her past. She was very determined and I had no doubt about what she said. That evening, however, she had spoken of the past without inhibitions. Under the tree I still thought she had a secret that would make her uncomfortable, but this realization now crumbled. Did I just imagine it or did it really exist, this secret? The whole evening suddenly seemed contradictory to me in the face of our conversation in the park, but I pulled myself together. She had said herself that she overreacted, so there was nothing there. All just imagination!

I finally fell asleep satisfied and happy.