The Simple Reality

1:1

The apartment was beginning to feel less of a home, the woman reflected, closing up another box of packed items that used to live in between the five bedrooms the place provided. The other areas such as the living room, dining room, and kitchen also had things of theirs that she packed up and put away. The items were not to be gone forever, but moved into house number three— formerly known as the family's guest house, which now has new plans that leave it to find company within the home more consistently... just as soon as Björn Ulvaeus makes it back from his travels out East.

He had told Agnetha not to bother herself with being the one to move things around. He would have a company come out to the house, package everything perfectly for them and transfer them to where they needed them. But Agnetha refused to listen. She preferred to be the one to do it. She knew best how to divide all their items, knew exactly which rooms they would go. She not only packed her things which she realized were in nearly every corner of the house, but she had also taken care of packing everything of Björn's to shift with them too. She did it carefully, thoughtfully, and with pleasure as she had found things that she had forgotten all about entirely.

Little writings were discovered while storing away their items. She had finally been reminded how Björn would write things for himself, and keep her curious at what they were. She was proud and pleased to read a lot of it had something that traced back to her. Agnetha had also found photographs that were special and dear, and then pieces and figurines that were souvenirs of their family. After a moment, she had looked up and noted how empty and dull the apartment had become. That was one way to transform a home back into a house, making it detached and impersonal.

She remembered the use of the house now was no longer meant to be a place anyone really resided in. Sure it had bedrooms, perfect and convenient for days which required a longer stay in Stockholm, but it would be rather a central meeting place and that was its main purpose. It was as if the apartment and the Ekerö guesthouse traded places.

In her hand, Agnetha toyed with a small picture frame. Ah, screw it, she thought. The place, in its new transformation still needed something to say, 'A family gathers still between these four walls.' It didn't matter to her how well she knew that the woman who'd spend time in this place from now on possibly has a woman of her own as well, and the fact that she is in something committed as Björn is. But for as long as anyone has eyes that might fall onto the love of her life, she would make their eyes fall to photos of her and him together first.

Those details were noticed two days later as a tour was given to the work partner, guiding her around. He had almost not caught it on his own, but attention was brought to it as Björn stood in the center of the living room with his hands tucked deep into his pockets.

"You have very nice family pictures," Christina had acknowledged. Of course, she did not miss how many there were considering every single room stepped into had a photograph, and intentionally, Björn and Agnetha in most from different occasions. Björn's eyes darted to the mantle that carried frames of family pictures, back to the kitchen which was all the way across, now remembering there were images there and he wasn't surprised when he realized that they were of Agnetha, him and the grandkids. The wall had another one from a recording session of all four of ABBA from 2019, a one that was personal and unreleased to the world. He recalled frames were in the bedroom as well and he did not need to think hard which pictures were there. It wasn't to be mistaken that it would be either a photograph of them on vacation together or a selfie. And the more he thought of what they were, the more he was sure it was one from the trip to Mallorca.

The man chuckled to himself quietly, rolling his eyes in a way he couldn't help. She would not be Agnetha Fältskog if she were able to let the chance pass. Her subtle motion was a promise to make things crystal clear if they weren't already.