Baby Don't You Cry No More

A disaster

Benny and Frida lost their appetite, they both only drank tea now and really needed it. Benny was telling her everything that had happened in recent years and how the situation was, Frida just listened without commenting, it was not proper to do so. "Then, I found out that Ludvig is not my son, but the son of her ex-husband, that's why everything happened very quickly between the beginning of our relationship and when she got pregnant. Also the fact that Ludvig supposedly born early. She had kept it for herself all these years," he explained.

"How did Ludvig take it?" Frida asked almost unable to believe everything he had told her.

"Too bad," Benny confessed. "Bad enough, I'm afraid he's not in his healthiest time either," his shoulders trembled as he said those words. "I didn't condemn him, on the contrary. I tried, rather, I did everything possible for him to have everything, including to the point of associating with his real dad regarding horses and racing, in order to have an activity in common and that he could suffer less with the situation." Telling Frida had made Benny feel that he could deal with this better, she had always been a good listener and knew that in a certain way he could count on her.

Frida didn't know what to say, she held his hand and squeezed it, she really felt sorry for her now friend, but despite the whole situation she was clear that what he was doing wasn't the most convenient. "I understand that it has been a hard blow for you, especially because of what Ludvig implies for you," Frida's eyes watered and she felt her runny nose. Ludvig represented Benny's wish that she couldn't give him, although she pretended for a long time that she had no remorse for what happened, the truth is that at the beginning, when she found out about Mona's pregnancy and how quickly Benny had moved on, she felt that she wanted to die and it was like a blow to the heart.

"Everything fell apart for me," Benny confessed.

"Listen to me," she lifted his head, cupping his chin, then slid her hand down to his cheeks. "It's been devastating, but alcohol won't solve your problems. Benny, it won't fix anything. You'll make everything worse and make us suffer," she told him seriously without looking away.

"I don't know how to control it," he knew she was right, he was hurting himself and the people around him, including Ludvig who, despite everything, was the most important thing to him. "I am not a good example for Ludvig, for any of my three children, but I don't know how to control my desire to drink alcohol."

"If you have already identified what your problem is, why not to seek professional help?" She suggested.

"It's not that easy. It took me a long time to assimilate and accept it. Maybe I haven't had enough willpower to do it, or maybe a reason."

Frida took a deep breath, she felt bad to know that Benny was living that situation, indirectly it also affected her; Frida loved him very much and she was not going to accept that something bad happened to him. "Benny, I want us to do an exercise," she wiped away tears that welled up on her cheek. "I want you to promise me that you will make a change in your life, you are going to get away from alcohol, from the bad life, you are going to seek help. I want you to reflect and try harder or this can get worse and end in a tragedy," she was severe with her words, he also knew it but she needed to tell him. Frida squeezed his hand tighter, she needed him to commit to having a better quality life.

"I will try even if it costs me. I will do it for you." She shook her head, that was not the intention at all.

"I don't want you to do it for me. Do it for yourself, for your family, for your children and grandchildren," she replied making him understand. Having her so close made him appreciate her more, he felt like an asshole but he couldn't stop looking at her and feeling protected. He slowly approached, both of them nervous. Benny closed his eyes but Frida kept them open, she didn't assimilate what would happen in a few seconds, she didn't want to but she didn't know how to stop it either. Their lips met suddenly, Frida didn't even bother to open hers, the situation was annoying in itself.