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twenty-three

"Anna" -The Menzingers

"Baby." Anna gained Lars' attention. 

     He hummed in response, too entranced from the book he had started a week before to look up at her, "They're boarding. We gotta go."

     Lars looked up then, finding Anna hunched over in front of him as she hurriedly packed up her laptop. He closed the thick book after placing the bookmark inside, stuffing the novel into his backpack. With Anna hunched over in front of him, Lars was able to place a quick kiss on her head before she straightened back up again.

     Airports made Anna antsy, her hands were always busy, and time was her enemy. Anna had made Lars leave the house three hours early before their plane departed. She hadn't even felt him kiss her head as she rummaged through her leather backpack, mumbling her checklist to herself. 

     Lars grabbed her hand once she had her ticket in hand and her backpack was on. They didn't worry about any other luggage for they had checked it in.

     Anna and Lars had splurged on good seats for their trip to Sweden. They weren't going to stay in the country long, only a few weeks to enjoy each other's company and explore the land. Lars also wanted to take a trip to the city his family is from, Norrkoping. The couple planned the trip the day after her last day of work. 

     They were to spend two weeks in Sweden, visiting Lars' family home and Anna's great-grandparents' farm in Ljungby. Their last week will be spent in London where one of the days would be spent with Midge and her beau, Laurie, in Cornwall.

     The original plan was to drive down to San Diego to visit her grandmother, dad, and step-mom. Next thing they knew, they were booking flights for a few days later to Stockholm and then another flight to England.

     Anna spent the flight curled up next to her man as she watched movies on her laptop. Lars spent many hours reading American Wine by the one and only Midge Price. The movie based on said novel had come out in the Spring, but Lars hadn't seen it yet, for he didn't want to ruin the book by already knowing the ending.

     A week after the premiere, Anna had received a letter from the said author, saying the event was a smashing success. Anna even saw a photo of her and Laurie at the premiere, Eve looked older and wiser and not to mention how amazing she looked in the dress. 

     Lars remembered finding Anna on her bed, gawking at her laptop at the sight of the couple. Anna was drooling at the sight of the prominent British man. Lars rolled his eyes, took off his shirt, and that got Anna to slap the laptop close, and jump her man.

     Lars laughed to himself at the memory before he closed the thick book, once again looking over to find Anna asleep in her window seat. He kissed her head, pulling the fleece blanket up higher, so it went around her shoulders. 

     The movie she was watching had ended, so Lars turned off the laptop, placing it back in her backpack before he raised the armrest between them, bringing his woman into his arms.

     Twenty-two hours later, Anna had declared to sworn off planes, mentioning something about her ass becoming flat. Lars laughed as he searched for their luggage. He recognized some of the words around. 

     He wasn't fluent in Swedish due to him growing up in California.

      But he knew the basics. The couple was able to hail a taxi and make it to their hotel without collapsing. Lars had almost to carry her at one point, but with a promise of food, Anna perked up.

     It was a rough first few days in Stockholm for the couple. The time change was what did it for them. Lars tried his hardest to keep Anna on schedule, but it was near impossible. Anna even started to sob at one point like a child due to how exhausted she was. But after the initial shock of the change had filtered out of their bodies, Anna was ready to take on the day, and Lars was right behind her.