The Simple Reality

Rules to Giving Up

The last second on the microwave beeped and Agnetha had caught it in an instant. She had felt a great accomplishment as she finished her task, opening the small door in time just before the sound went off. She chuckled to herself and pulled out the bag of popcorn. She poured it into a bowl and carried the water she had fetched from the fridge with her too as she walked towards the living room.

Her love sat on one couch with his MacBook on the coffee table in the middle and a phone to his ear. It had been a long day like this and for the first time, she didn't complain about it. She sat beside him as she listened to him ask questions and when she had thought he'd finished asking, she'd remind him to ask a question she wanted to know the answer to, but he was in fact not finished and had more of his own to add on. She subsided and waited patiently.

The joyous difference between the phone calls he has been making all day, and the phone calls he would make on other days is that these ones had a certain significance and that was to plan their wedding. The morning had seen them call for vendors. For them a budget was not really an obstacle, so they called their first choices and selected the ones available for their outdoor wedding event. The first they had booked was a date by the city. They reserved the fifth of September and figured it would be the best date in order to get everything finished in time for what they were planning.

Björn had called to work out a few vendors for table and chair services for the outdoor seating, then catering services, florists and music. They agreed those were perhaps most important to set the date and have them planned so that they could make sure nothing is missed before inviting guests. He knew a few people for music, of course, he already had a vision of what they might want. They scheduled appointments for tasting, picking and choosing, and between it all Björn would look over at her as she crunched popcorn, and stole a small bit from the bowl.

"This is the second time you make popcorn today," he noted curiously. "Either you're stressed or don't want to cook. Which is it?"

"No... I can cook. I will cook in a few," she sighed. "I decided, I'm on a diet." He had a face full of questions. "Popcorn diet," she smiled.

"Why?"

"What do you mean why? I am getting married on the fifth of September and I need to lose at least five pounds in one month. Ten would be great," she laughed. "But I am realistic. I will start with popcorn." She fed him the few in her fingers.

"But I like you this way," he told her as he accepted them.

"Thank you," she smiled. "But I choose popcorn."

"Anna, please tell me that you've had something other than popcorn today."

"Yes."

"What?"

"Water." Björn closed his Mac and took the bowl from her, not so happy to hear her. She was giggly but he took it away and moved to the kitchen without saying how upset he was over the fact. "What?" she laughed. "It's flavored water!" Agnetha called him. "And sparkling."

He rolled his eyes when he heard her and opened the freezer because he decided he would make food and she will eat. What on earth was a popcorn diet?

"What could ever have you think a popcorn diet is the way to go? I could make you something tastier, healthier, and you can still call it a diet," he said with air quotes during the last word. She softly smiled.

"Like what?"

"Like gluten free, less sugars and less carbs. It's more than enough."

"Okay, but mostly we eat gluten free anyway."

"Exercises," he suggested. "In the morning we jog, in the afternoon, we walk, and by evening..." he broke out a smile. "A few stretches here and there. Typically we nail that one easily."