The Lost and Hidden Years

Chapter Thirteen

Three days had passed. Each day killed Agnetha on the inside, and from the outside it was visible. Her children were sympathetic, her friends, and even Björn's children saw it all on her face. She was tired. Exhausted even, but Lena couldn't care. She loathed the sight of her. Agnetha had always kept her distance, out of respect, but she has found during these times she couldn't. Björn's life was hanging and she couldn't stay back.

Agnetha was discharged from the hospital after only two days. With Bjorn becoming stabilized, they decided it was finally time to transfer him to the Stockholm hospital. His condition hadn't changed much and there was nothing to do other than monitor him. Scans were taken, tests were run, but it only showed the same heartbreaking conclusion.

"These cases are not easy. Things can change in a minute, but when it will happen... we don't know," the doctor paused as he looked at Linda, Lena and then Agnetha. "There's a chance that he'll wake up and recover. It's happened, but don't be too hopeful at the same time. It's a tough situation he's in. The coma could damage his brain including memory loss. We have no way of knowing until we can see the patient conscious. His wound is doing great, though it'll take time to heal, of course. But as you know, the loss of blood he suffered is immense, which is resulting in this condition."

"What's the plan for him? Is there no hope at all?"

"We can only wait and count on God. It's in his hands now. We've done everything and will continue to try and keep him in a stable state," the faithful doctor said.

"Wouldn't it be lovely if he still believed," Lena sarcastically said. Agnetha looked at her in disbelief.

"God works in mysterious ways, Mrs. Ulvaeus. But anyway, the decision is yours to make. We're going to monitor him for as long as it takes for him to wake up. You can say whenever you feel you can no longer continue to wait, I don't recommend that path and giving up, especially this soon, but–"

"No," Agnetha immediately answered. She interrupted, not wanting to hear one more bit of what he had to say. They all looked at her in silence including Lena, who's stare was penetrative.

"With all due respect, miss, this decision is to be made by the patient's power of attorney, which in this case is his wife." Agnetha's eyes moved slowly from the man in the white coat to the woman sitting directly across from her. The moment was long, only sound had come from the monitor.

"We'll wait for as long as he needs," she agreed, keeping her eyes stuck onto Agnetha's. "I have no intention of killing my husband." The doctor looked at Björn lying in the bed, thinking of how his situation is. The tension in the room was unbearable. The doctor nodded and gave his goodbyes, ready to see the rest of his patients. He couldn't believe the chance he had to leave that room.

As soon as he had left, Agnetha lifted her head from her hands and left the room, too. Lena rolled her eyes. Linda hurried up to follow her mother, worrying about her, but she knew where she was headed. She had spent much of her time there.

Whenever Agnetha and Lena were unexpectedly at the hospital together, it had become unbearable. The judgemental, cold looks Agnetha would receive began to burn her. There was no way to continue with it. She didn't know how strong she could be, and above it, thinking of how it would be possible to survive in that family if Björn doesn't make it.

The chapel inside the hospital gave Agnetha some kind of peace. It was calm inside, calmer than she would feel anywhere else. At times she would spend hours in a pew, praying, and observing the light from the stained glass change, wishing that his condition too, would change– that he would soon wake up so they could return to their life.

Over the next days, Agnetha found she couldn't avoid the detectives any longer. They were persistent on hearing everything from her, although they had the facts. She dreaded every minute of it. She hated the reminder of those miserable days and the incredibly endless nights. Her hands shook in fear, uncontrollably. She tried to still them, but Christian as well as the other detectives had seen it, too. She was going to need therapy. It's expected for a victim with a case like hers to turn to a therapist for help.