Love in Theory and Practice

Welcome Home

The light was blinding and the air up the stage was strangely humid, almost choking me. I suppose it's alright; it was after all, this is the night I have been waiting for my whole life.

"Now," I heard the gentleman beside me announce, the volume of the microphone slamming me back to the present, "let me present the wonderful and highly estemeed physicist beside me. Not only did she revolutionised science in ways not seen since Einstein and the greats before him, she had made her father proud. Let's welcome, Dr. Zakia Weil!".

The faceless audience broke into a wild applause, some even giving me a standing ovation.

I felt tears threatening to fall and in their blur, I found Father at the front row, smiling and applauding. My heart swelled up, and I felt a sense of happiness I haven't felt for a long time. It had been all worth, I told myself as I take my place behind the mic pedestal to speak to the audience.

Someone came up and stood beside me. I couldn't make out his face but in his hands was the most coveted gold medal, sitting regally inside the blue box. Its beautiful, the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life. I turned to thank the person and even before I can utter the words, I heard a somehow familiar voice whisper to me, "Now, you know how to say thank you hmm? Sweetheart."

I looked up and to my horror, I stared straight to those green eyes.

BANG! BANG!

"Hey, man! Open up!"

I scrambled up out of sleep, momentarily confused as to why I was slumped across the desk and my head cushioned on top of my notes. My laptop was half open, word processor containing a bunch of math even in my current state I know didn't look right. I studied the room I was in, blearily looking around. Half opened boxes on the floor, numerous books piled up at a corner.

And the cold. Too cold.

Yep Finland, I reminded myself as I peel off a paper stuck to my cheek, vaguely aware that the incessant door pounding that woke me up had thankfully stopped. I let the paper fall back to the desk and leaned back to the wooden chair. What manner of person would have the need to visit me at... 1 in the morning, I would not know.

I moved to this apartment just a couple of weeks ago, with the help of the Valo couple. The apartment was recently vacated, or so it seemed, as many furniture were left behind such as the wooden desk and chair I was using. It had one bedroom, a cozy kitchen with recently painted white walls and a nice view of the snow covered courtyard from the large window, looking like a Hallmark card. The building itself looked a little run down, considering its history of being a workers' quarters back in 1920's, but had a lovely courtyard and few tenants; the fact that the rent was also cheaper compared to others didn't hurt either. The best part though was that the first floor was mostly unoccupied, except me and another tenant from across the hall who was either always away or a recluse or had died sometime I moved in. An added perk really. No need to worry on awkward hallway greetings or unwarranted welcome parties.

The Valo's had helped me find this place (sans the son, whom I thankfully had not seen since that fateful night). They let me stay at their place for a few days and it had been a vacation of some sort. Anita was always preparing different homemade Finnish food for me to try and Kari was regaling me with some of the history of the city, driving me around so I can at least be familiar with my way around. They even accompanied me with purchasing new essentials. I didn't know if it was because they took pity of me being an orphan or because they see me as an extension of Dr Adan's professional life or just because they were good people. Either way, I was thankful.

"HEY MAN! OPEN UP! WHAT THE HELL!" came a bellow from outside my door, followed by a series of pounding intent on breaking the door down.

Blinking away the vestiges of sleep and feeling a little concerned on what sort of emergency warranted this late night knocking, I scrambled out of the desk and stumbled my way to the door. I swung it open and revealed a man my age with a goatee, wearing a beanie with the same insignia I saw back at the Valo house. His hand was clenched in a tight fist and was ready for another door poundinh but caught himself when I opened it. His face broke on a loop sided grin, immediately fading as he studied me.