The next day, Agnetha's symptoms were getting worse. And to top it off, Linda and Christian's worst fears about Björn had come true. He had gotten sick as well and like Agnetha, his symptoms were getting worse by the hour. Linda, Christian, their spouses, and the grandkids were all concerned for them in one way or another. Linda had also spoken to Benny and Frida about their condition and by late afternoon, Björn and Agnetha's condition had gotten so bad that their two kids were left with no other choice but to take their parents to the hospital.
Linda and Christian got their two parents into the car and drove off to the hospital. Both Agnetha and Björn pretty much had the same symptoms: splitting headaches, chills, sweat, high fevers, fatigue, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting. They needed medical treatment as soon as possible. They were no longer young after all. They were both feeling nauseous as Linda and Christian drove them to the nearest hospital.
"Christian, you need to pull over! I think Mama's about to throw up again!" Linda exclaimed.
She sensed that Agnetha was about to throw up all over the car floor and all over Björn, who was starting to feel nauseous himself. Christian quickly pulled the car over on the side of the highway and he and Linda carefully got their sick parents out of the car and they each held their parents as they threw up all over the pavement before heading back into the car. And soon enough, they began driving again.
"Linda," Christian asked as he turned to his sister while keeping his eyes on the road at the same time.
"Yeah," Linda replied.
"Do you think Lena may have poisoned Mama and Papa?"
"No, not really," Linda frowned. "Why would you think that?"
"Well for starters, they are both really sick," Christian replied. "And we all know that Lena is still being a pain in the ass."
"True, but it could just be other things. Not necessarily Lena."
"Yeah I know. Lena poisoning them is just a possibility. I mean I'm not a doctor but still."
"I know. I mean you made a good point yesterday when it comes to Papa and because of that I'm honestly not really surprised that he got sick as well. He's just as sick as Mama after all."
"I just hope that Mama and Papa are ok," Christian sighed as he pulled into the emergency room entrance.
"Same," Linda sighed.
Once Christian and Linda pulled into the emergency room, Linda quickly got out of the car while Christian stayed with their parents. Linda explained to the two nurses on duty what was happening as some more nurses grabbed two stretchers and placed Agnetha and Björn onto each stretcher and wheeled them away. As Agnetha and Björn were being wheeled into separate rooms, Linda and Christian couldn't help but sense some words coming out of Agnetha's mouth.
"Björn! Don't leave me!" Agnetha exclaimed as she saw Björn being wheeled into an examination room and burst into tears.
The nurses then wheeled Agnetha into another examination room that was across the hall from the examination room where Björn was being treated. They couldn't help but feel sorry for Agnetha as she cried through her physical pain. They knew Agnetha wasn't crying because of the physical pain that she was in but for her love for Björn. The nurses immediately hooked both Agnetha and Björn on antibiotics that were being given to them through IV fluids as well as oxygen masks as the doctors and nurses continued running tests on each of them.
Meanwhile, in the waiting room, their two children were awaiting the condition that their two parents were in. At this point, Linda and Christian were joined by the others as well as by Benny and Frida, who both had lost their minds after being told by Linda what had happened. The family sat impatiently for two hours awaiting an update on their condition.
"Mama," Signe cried. "I want Mormor!"
"I know sweetheart, but Mormor and Morfar are really sick right now," Linda replied as she turned to her youngest daughter and gave her a hug.
"Are Mormor and Morfar dying?" Signe asked as she continued to cry, this time pleading with her big blue eyes.
"No sweetheart, they're not. Your Mormor and Morfar have always been strong. You know that, Signe. Your grandparents have gone through so much in their lives and they are still strong and healthy and they'll still be with us no matter what," Linda said reassuringly.
"Want me to tell you a story of how strong your Mormor is?" Frida asked.
"Yeah," the grandchildren nodded.
"Well your Mormor has always been afraid of flying. Even more so during the ABBA years and we were constantly out touring and meeting new people. Anyways, about 40 years ago, we were on a massive tour across America and Canada as well as right here in Europe and Japan. We got to see so many different places and meet new people as usual and we visited so many different cities during that tour. At one point, we went to several different American and Canadian cities like Edmonton, Vancouver, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York. Anyways, after our show in New York we had to fly out to Boston the next morning and we ran into some bad weather. Your Mormor was so terrified of flying that she was obviously really scared while we were on that plane and she was so scared that she felt sick afterwards. But you know what? After a day of rest, she continued touring with us not only because she had to, but because she wanted to. That's determination right there. And as exhausted as we were afterwards, that tour was a huge success. Also, there are many, many more stories I can tell you girls about your Mormor but that right there is proof that she's always been strong."
"And your Morfar is also really strong. There's so many things that I can say about your Morfar and his strength but for the most part, you've seen it with your own eyes. I mean we all know Lena isn't a very nice person at all and you know why your Morfar was still married to her during all those years? Because of your two aunties. He and your Mormor were already divorced and your Mama and your uncle were still very little and your Morfar didn't want to divorce Lena until now because they were still little. And your Morfar is still extremely physically active at his age," Benny added.
Just as Benny and Frida were busy telling the grandchildren about Agnetha and Björn's strengths and some of the obstacles they've had to endure over the years, the doctor finally came out. The family immediately stood up awaiting to hear some news about both Agnetha and Björn and their condition.
"Ok everyone. We have an update on both Miss Fältskog and Mr. Ulvaeus's condition," the doctor announced.
"What is it doctor?" Christian asked with no hesitation.
"Well, I guess I have no easy way of saying this but both Miss Fältskog and Mr. Ulvaeus have meningitis."
The family became shocked at the mere mention that both Agnetha and Björn had been diagnosed with meningitis. It was a very serious condition and at their old age, it was something that nobody was expecting. This was a life or death situation and nobody really had the courage to speak.
"I'm sorry if this has caused any significant amount of surprise for any of you. They are both in stable condition right now."
"Can we go see them?" Linda asked as she finally gathered up the courage to talk and tears rolled through her eyes.
"Yes, you can come with me."
The doctor led the family to the private rooms where Agnetha and Björn were being kept. As they got closer and closer to where Agnetha and Björn were, they realized that Björn and Agnetha were being kept in separate rooms. Benny, Frida, Linda, and Christian especially knew that the simple fact that they were being kept in separate hospital rooms would be the end of them. Those two were soulmates and it was bad enough that they were kept apart for 40 years. The least the hospital staff can do is keep them together, especially with Agnetha's mental state over the past couple of years,
"Here we are. Mr. Ulvaeus is in Room 125 and Miss Fältskog is in Room 126," the doctor announced. "Let me know if you have any questions."
The family quietly thanked the doctor as they debated whether they should go into Agnetha's room first or Björn's room first. It was good that their rooms were right next door to one another but this was another reason why they were so frustrated about Björn and Agnetha being kept in separate rooms.
"At least their rooms are right next door to one another," Benny said.
"It would've been better if Mormor and Morfar had the same room together," Tilda grumbled.
"I know," Frida sighed.
The family ultimately decided to go into Björn's room first. He had an IV running down his right arm and wires across his chest and had been asleep but was now wide awake upon seeing his family. Björn couldn't help but have a huge smile and grin on his face upon seeing them.
"Papa, how are you feeling?" Christian asked as he went over to Björn.
"I'm in a lot of pain but still feeling good," Björn smiled.
The rest of the family gently laughed at his humor. Björn was in a lot of physical pain but he still managed to release his humorous side. Meanwhile, Linda's phone rang and stepped out of the room for a bit, which Björn quickly noticed.
"Hey where did Linda go?"
"She'll be back in a second," Jens replied. "She had to take a phone call."
Just then, Linda came back into the room. She looked tensed to say the least but upon entering the room, the smile reappeared on her face again but she was still tense.
"Sorry Papa, I had to take that call. It was Emma," Linda said.
"Is she coming to see me?" Björn asked, almost pleading with his big blue eyes.
"Yeah of course she's coming to see you, Papa. Anna wants to come as well but is being held up by work and by the fact that she and Calle just had a baby together. But they are doing everything they can to come see you and Mama," Linda replied.
"Ok good," Björn replied.
The family stayed with Björn for a little while longer before they had to go next door to see Agnetha. When they arrived in Agnetha's room, she was sound asleep and like Björn, she had an IV running down her right arm and wires across her chest. As the family got closer to her, Agnetha woke up.
"MORMOR!" Signe exclaimed as she ran over to her grandmother and hugged her.
Agnetha winced at Signe's volume but hugged her back regardless. She looked around the room, happy to see her children, her grandchildren, as well as Benny and Frida, but there was only one person she was looking for: Björn.
"B-Björn, w-wh-where is h-he?!" Agnetha exclaimed as tears began forming in her eyes.
"He's in another room, Mama. He'll be ok," Linda replied reassuringly at her mother.
"No he's not ok! I need to go see him for myself!" Agnetha exclaimed as she tried to get out of her bed.
"Mama, no! That's not a good idea!" Christian exclaimed as Agnetha tried getting the wires off of her chest.
"I need to see him!"
"Mama, you can't!"
"I SAID I NEED TO SEE HIM!" Agnetha exclaimed as she broke down in tears.
Meanwhile, in the room next door, Björn couldn't help but hear his beloved Agnetha's cries for him. The walls were very paper thin so he could hear her, along with the other patients in the ER. Björn's heart literally broke for her as her sobs pierced through the walls and along the hospital corridor, but Björn knew better than to get up and find Agnetha's hospital bed and try to comfort her especially in the condition that she was in and as much as it hurt him having to hear her.
Back in Agnetha's room, the family tried to comfort Agnetha and tried to keep her from moving out of her bed and ripping all of her wires off of her just to go see Björn. The doctor and two nurses came rushing in upon hearing her as Agnetha's heart rate began going up and she began hyperventilating. Just as the nurses began sedating her, Agnetha's heart rate monitor went up and it started beeping like crazy.
"I need you all to get out right now!" the doctor exclaimed as the two nurses pushed the entire family out of Agnetha's room and more nurses came in.
The family were left devastated as they watched the doctors and nurses working ruthlessly to stabilize Agnetha again. Björn, on the other hand, sensed everything that was happening especially as he can hear it through the walls. The only thing the others can do right now is pray for both Björn and Agnetha and hope that the couple will be healed sooner than later.