7. Do you prefer yellow or red roses?
Freya
Slowly I started waking up to some noices coming from upstairs, I guess it's Matela's morning routine going on. We were sleeping at the basement slash rehearsal room in a mattress with Gilbert. We'll see how long we stay here, but at least it's free and it's nice to spend time with the others here.
I opened my eyes, I was laying on my belly, my right hand being around Gilbert. He was awake already and his eyes were glued to his phone. It looked like he was reading something, I smiled a bit, he looked so focused.
And then when I yawned, he fastly turned his eyes on me, shut off the phone and put it down on top of his chest.
"Morning dear." He gave me a sweet smile. I let out a long breath as I snuggled even closer to him.
"How long you've been awake?" I mumbled a bit tired, but still well rested.
"Long.. I've been listening to that." He pointed his finger up, meaning the noice coming from upstairs. I chuckled silently and amused.
I decided to sat up, since the clock on the wall showed the time to be almost nine. I stretched my arms.
"Gladly we don't have to deal with that." I said relieved, because family life would be the worst scenario for me. I'm just not a person who would want to have children or husband. Boyfriend is enough.
We changed our clothes and then went to upstairs, to the kitchen. The little family was there eating peacefully, Olli was feeding Oscar as the little one was sitting in the high chair. Eevi was next to Olli, and they had already put plates mugs for us across from them.
"Morning! Was the mattress bad to sleep in?" Eevi smiled. Her hair was open as she put some locks of it behind her ear.
I sat across from Olli, so Gilbert sat next to me.
"It was fine. Don't you worry too much." I grinned amused, I took one slice of bread to my plate. Gilbert followed my actions.
Eevi then stood up and went to take the kettle. She poured tea for Gilbert and me, we both thanked her. I then looked to my right, and Oscar's eyes were already on me. I smiled a little to him, Olli tried to feed him but that was a bit hard, since Oscar was too busy to observe me and Gilbert.
"Any plans for today? I promised to see mom before she would go back to Oulu. It takes maybe couple of hours. I take Oscar with me." Eevi explained. I looked at Gilbert if he would have any idea, but he seemed to be in his own world, he was just zoning out as he took small sips of his tea.
"Uhm.. I have no idea. I was supposed to see Oliver, but apparently he's sick. Maybe we should meet my mom." I wondered, then looking at Gilbert. It looked like he wasn't even listening, so I poked his arm. He flinched and turned his head to look at me a bit confused.
"Hm?" He raised his eyebrows.
"Shall we meet my mom today?" I asked from him, he frowned a bit.
"Doesn't she have work..?" He carefully said, sipping his tea again. It sounded like he doesn't want to meet her. I don't understand this. He's so.. weird. Quickly my eyes looked at Eevi and then Olli, his eyes were on Gilbert. Olli looked a bit weird too, like he was judging Gilbert with his gaze.
What is going on? It was making me irritated, so I decided to talk straight.
"Okay, whatever this is.. did something happen last night when you two were at the bar?" I moved my head and gaze between those two. Eevi got interested too since she stared at her husband.
They both freezed for a second, they changed looks.
"Uhm.. no? What makes you think that?" Gilbert suddenly had an amused smirk on his face, like nothing was going on. I know Gilbert well, and I see if he's acting strange. I tried to stay calm, I didn't want Oscar to see us arguing.
"You've been weird since you both got here. Did something happen?" I asked again. I think Eevi sensed the tight air, so she stood up and walked behind me, and then took Oscar.
"Okay baby, let's change clothes before we go to see grandma." Eevi told to her son, and then headed to upstairs. Gilbert stayed silent.
Olli was about to stand up, but I stopped his actions.
"You stay there." I demanded, he sat back down, silently.
I looked at Gilbert again, and he was tense.
"Nothing happened. I'm just a bit tired." He wasn't even looking at me as he explained. I didn't buy that explanation.
I turned my eyes on Olli then, and I could see that he was also hiding something. Carefully he looked at me back, and I gave him the gaze that he should tell the truth.
"Olli?" I asked and he was opening and closing his mouth, not knowing if he should talk or not. He shrugged his shoulders quickly as his hand pointed towards Gilbert.
"Literally Freya! Nothing happened. Nothing." Gilbert raised his voice a bit and it made me and Olli flinch. He never raises his voice. He never acts like this. He was frustrated and mad. Then he stood up from the chair fastly, and I had to look at him confused.
"Then why are you acting like that?" I asked confused, maybe also irritated. He started taking steps towards the hallway, like he's leaving.
"It makes me angry that you won't believe me!" He raised his voice again. Then we all were silent for a moment, I only heard that he was putting on his shoes.
"Where are you going now?" I asked.
He didn't answer. He opened the front door, then closed it again. He left. It's never a good thing to leave during arguing.
I sighed deeply as I rubbed my eyes, I leaned my right arm's elbow against the table. I also felt ashamed.. arguing in front of others is always.. ugh, it makes me feel like I'm a villain or something.
Apparently Olli saw my frustration, he could've leave but he didn't.
"He will calm down. Remember that every couple argues sometimes, it's normal. I'd be a bit worried if some people never argues or not have their disagreements." He tried to make me feel better. Maybe he did a little, I know that this is part of life.
But Gilbert was like a different person for a moment, like I hit the sensitive part that I haven't found ever before.
"Yeah.. maybe it's.. very hard for him to be here after all, I don't know. I mean his father passed away a while ago and there has been much going on. And now we're here, and I should talk thing clear with Joel and..." I explained worried, I had to take a break and focus on breathing. I didn't want to burst into tears right now.
I glanced at Olli and he was nodding, looking like he knew something else too. Maybe something happened last night, but I want Gilbert to tell me about it. And if nothing happened.. I need to relax and calm my mind.
Suddenly my phone got a message, so I took the phone out of my pocket to look that who it was.
Mom: Morning! I have a day-off today, shall we see at some cafe? Bring Gilbert with you, I haven't seen him in years! ;)
I sighed again as I read it. I showed the message to Olli, and he read it. He frowned and gave me a bit apologetic face. I just bit the insides of my cheeks.
I placed the phone down at the table between me and Olli, I just stared the message.
"What are you going to do?" He asked, I just shrugged my shoulders.
"Well I'm going to see my mom, no matter if Gilbert is coming or not. His tantrum will not ruin my day." I determinedly said, but still calmly. Olli smiled, looking proud.
I took my tea mug as I stood up, I walked to the sink and placed it there. My phone buzzed again, but I ignored it. It's probably my mom again since I'm not answering to her immediately. She can be impatient sometimes.
"Uhm.. what's this?" Olli sounded confused and a bit shocked. I turned around, he was holding my phone. I walked there, and he handed me the phone. His reaction to something made me a bit scared too. I looked down at the phone.
Unknown: Do you prefer yellow or red roses? I want you to feel special.
I frowned hardly, is this the same motherfucker, again?! I wanted to throw the phone away.
I took deep breaths, my hand was shaking a little bit.
Olli stood up and walked to me, I stared at the message anger in my eyes.
"It's an unknown number.. has this happened before?" He sounded very worried. I nodded slowly, I almost threw the phone to the table. Then I let my hands slide across my face, and then my hair.
"I have blocked that number every time and deleted all the messages.. nothing works. This is literally stalking." I shook my head.
"Have you told to Gilbert? Or Eevi?" Olli asked curious, I swallowed.
"I haven't. Could this stay between us? I'm sure that the idiot behind the number will stop eventually." I suggested, almost beginning. I don't want this thing to be bigger than it is now. Don't every stalker stop when they don't get the attention? If this even is stalking.
But I must say that this message was creepy.. do you prefer yellow or red roses? I want you to feel special.
"Yeah, I promise that my mouth will be shut about this." He convinced.
I just shook my head like this whole thing would disappear from my mind. Then I heard steps coming down the stairs, me and Olli both turned our heads that way. Eevi was holding Oscar, and she was talking something to him.
"We're ready. Freya are you coming to downtown? I could drive you since we would have the same journey." Eevi suggested smiling, I smiled back and nodded.
"That would be nice."
For the whole ride to the city we talked about the argument between me and Gilbert. Eevi comforted me with her words, I don't know if it made me feel better. I tried to forget the whole thing even for that time when I'll be with my mom. I texted to her before we left, and we will meet at some cafe.
"Thanks for the ride." I said to Eevi as I stood out from the passenger's seat.
"No problem. Have fun." She smiled and I wished the same to her. I closed the door and turned around. The cafe would be in some shopping mall, so I started walking. It was cloudy day, but still nicely warm. I can't wait for the summer, all the festivals and having just fun. We haven't decided yet with Gilbert that what we will do, but I will go at least two festivals, it's my tradition every year.
I found the cafe and I walked in, I looked for mom, but I didn't see her anywhere. There were only some people.
Then I felt someone poking my shoulder behind my back, quickly I turned around, and there my mom was. She was smiling widely, and seeing her made me smile and almost cry. We hugged each other tightly.
"Oh my child, I've missed you so much." We pulled apart and mom put her hands on my cheeks, she studied my face and everything. I kept on smiling.
Mom paid our teas and sandwiches, then we found a nice table next to the window and sat down.
"Son-in-law canditate didn't came then. Did he have something else?" Mom immediately asked curiously. She hasn't really changed, I think that she still deep inside hopes that I would get married. But now she's happy that I'm dating.
"Uhm yeah.. he.. needed some alone time." I swallowed, and I just begged that she wouldn't ask any specific things. But of course she saw through me. I saw her frowning a bit as I drank my tea.
"Freya.. this situation is very hard for Gilbert. I understand that he needs to be alone today. Remember that arguments are part of relationships." She said so calmly and lowered her tone a bit. Now it was my turn to frown and be confused. I placed the tea mug down.
"How did you know that we argued?" I asked a bit amused. She can be a mindreader sometimes.
"From your tone. But please be gentle with him. Him seeing that.. what was his name.. this man you had before him?" She tried so hard to remember Joel's name. I sighed as I rubbed my forehead. I think I'll get a headache. I hope that this conversation wouldn't go so far that we both get mad. Mom doesn't always think her words before she talks, in a bad way. She still means what she says, she just says things very straight. Doesn't beautifu the words.
"Joel." I mumbled. She nodded.
"Yes. Gilbert seeing that Joel must be very hard. But if I can say one thing.. you made the right choice." She whispered the last sentence. I frowned. Yes mom can be a bit judgmental sometimes.. but she has never criticized my relationships from the past. The most important thing to her is that I have a boyfriend. Maybe it's a status thing too, she can talk to her friends and to our relatives that I'm dating.. why is it such a big deal? Having a boyfriend isn't an achievement, like for real. You meet someone special if you meet, that's it.
"What do you mean?" I questioned maybe irritated, but I tried to hide it.
"Gilbert is well behaved and handsome man in every kind of way. He had a great childhood and he got raised well. And he has seen many countries and knows a lot about life. Like that's a man everyone should have, so you're very lucky. And he must have great heritage. That's a man you should marry." She explained a bit excited, and her words made me almost choke to my tea.
"So all that matters to you is money? And haven't I told you millions of times that I hate the idea of getting married and have children. It's not my dream!" I started getting mad, but I calmed myself down. I didn't want everyone in this cafe to hear us.
Mom only rolled her eyes.
"If I were you, I would leave all the games with that Joel, and move to London and plan settled down life with Gilbert. You're twenty nine years old and still have no plans." She lowered her tone.
"There is no games!" I shout whispered, I was about to continue and tell couple strict words, but her phone was ringing on the table. I saw that it was my brother Kalf calling, immediately mom answered to him happily.
I kept on biting my teeth together, trying to calm myself down.
So much happening! Gilbert acting weird, unknown number and Freya's mom telling her unpleasant opinions...
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