Dreams for the summer

It’s always s little hard to get used to being at home after a great journey. Ken enjoys a nice cup of tea with the new china he bought at Suuri Snadi and wonders about the new kitchen chairs.
- Yellow? Orange? Red? White? It’s too difficult to decide the color!

 

Kaarna goes straight to Mari´s.

 

- Marimarimarimari!!!!!! I’ve missed you so much!!!!!!
- Awwww.
- Aw?

 

- Kaarna, what can I say? It was only a week! I hardly noticed you were in another country.
- Apparently. You didn’t even bother to comment any of the holiday photos I sent to you.
Mari’s tone turns mean when she says:
- So now you want to be difficult, right? Are you going to be an imbecile, crawling in the corner again? Are you going to act like a retard now?
- …

 

Kaarna can’t understand why Mari is deliberately mean to her and rushes out. She eats all the egg liquor chocolate that were meant to be for Mari. She feels ashamed and humiliated.
- Why do I expect anyone to miss me or care about me? I’m pathetic. But still… such cruelty. How can she be so mean?

 

When Ken unpacks his stuff, he finds a 200 euro bill and a letter in the pocket of his bag. The letter says:
“We want to give you this for your next flight ticket to Germany. Please visit us again, when we are not this busy with the wedding!”
Clothilde and Günther are the most generous people ever and Ken is deeply touched.

 

 

Kaarna’s phone keeps ringing, but she freezes and can’t answer it.
- Kaarna, give me that phone, Ken says and answers to Mari’s call. The conversation is soon over and Ken says:
- She’s coming over. Whatever it is this time, talk it through now.

 

The paint dries up really quickly on a warm and windy day.
- It was a great idea to paint every chair with a different color. I’m such a copycat thoug. Hopefully Aino @merjakayhko takes this as a compliment and not only as stealing of ideas.

 

Mari is really apologetic.
- I feel terrible. I didn’t mean those things I said! Can you forgive me?
- Did you want to hurt me? On purpose?
- Yes… you were really annoying.

- Is that what you do when someone pisses you off? Strike on the things they are the most vulnerable?
- Yes. It’s a horrible habit.
- It’s an unforgivable habit! It’s pure cruelty! I can’t handle mean and cruel people. I just can’t.
- Kaarna please, I said I’m sorry! And I will say it a million times again if that helps you to forgive me!

 

Kaarna gives up and forgives. Mari says:
- You look so beautiful when you cry.
- Nobody’s beautiful while crying.
- But you are. Especially cute! I want you so much right now!!!
- Well, here I am and I’m all yours…
- Right here? Right now?
- Sure! Over there in the bushes!

- Oh Kaarna… the ground is wet.
- Not as wet as you are!
- Naughty girl, you are turning me into an outdoor person!
- Yes! And we have all summer ahead of us…our first summer together.

 

- Oh boy… that was my kind of outdooring… I just hope nobody saw me. Everybody definitely heard you though! Mari laughs.
- Your face is well known here… it’s on tomorrow’s paper: a local actress having sex at the river park!
- Hey, you want to come to see the play next week? I can get free tickets for you and Ken.
- Yay! Of course! Not the premiere though. I hate that fancy feeling. Can’t wait to see you on stage again!
- And it’s not even a musical.
- Even better!

 

Meanwhile at home Geordie approaches from Filia’s side of the yard and asks:
- Can we sit here and celebrate Mothers’ Day? Mom has hoarded so much things that there’s no space to sit inside her home.
- Oh… Of course, Ken answers and notices that Filia has already set the table.

Filia blabbers over and over how good a son Geordie is and Ken feels guilty. He had totally forgotten this day.

 

Kaarna is in a good mood when she comes home:
- Hey Ken, what’s up?
- I forgot to send a card to my mother for Mother’s Day and I also forgot her birthday, because we were in Germany. And I’m not going to call her, because that would ruin everybody’s day.
- Ha ha! And the winner of the Best Son Contest is Ken!!!! I’m so glad that you’re not perfect.
- I turn into a monster when I have to talk to her. I hate Mother’s Day. I need a day for the first borns, to celebrate us, who were the guinea pigs of our parents and carry all the mistakes they made.
- Yes! Let’s choose the date!

 

 

Sauna is a relaxing place and therefore good for deep talk.
- Do you think it’s possible to find a perfect partner? Kaarna asks.
- Well, it depends on what your demands are. If your expectations are very high, then no.
- Was Hector perfect for you?
- For years he was… Yes… I think he really was perfect for me. But people change. We both changed.

 

Kaarna continues:
- Do you think it’s ok to settle for someone who is not perfect?
- Of course it’s ok. You need to prioritize your needs and if the other person fills the most important ones, I think it’s good enough.
- What was the most important thing between you and Hector?
- He was my best friend and I was his.

 

- Are you thinking about you and Mari? Ken asks.
- Yes. We don’t have many common interests, but that’s not important. For me the most important thing is physical compatibility. So she is perfect… she loves to cuddle, and sex with her is beyond this world. We automatically know how to touch each other the right way.
- And love?
- I don’t know if I even know what love is, but I think I love her. She doesn’t love me, I assume.
- That doesn’t sound very good.
- I don’t need to be loved, if I get noticed and appreciated. And touched and fucked.
- I’m worried about you.
- Don’t fucking be!!!

 

 

Good morning, Mari says when she comes out with a coffee cup.
- Good afternoon, the others reply.
- It’s so hot! I wasn’t expecting this!
- We neither. Seems like the spring has finally found its way to Carelia!

 

Mari kisses Kaarna and says:
- Ken, are you going to watch the Eurovision Song Contest tonight? Finland made it to the finals!
- No, I can never stay up that late, besides it’s obvious that Ukraine will win. I’ll find out in the morning if Finland gets any points at all.

- Nonsense! The song is really good, I think we have a chance for the second place. You must join me and Kaarna!

 

What’s the most important part of the Euroviisut? All the food of course, at least for Ken and Kaarna! But Mari actually loves the music.
- The songs are always shit, Kaarna says and Ken agrees but adds:
- Except Abba! Nobody’s ever been better. Oh… except Conchita Wurst! Nobody will ever beat her!

 

Ken is soon fast asleep. Kaarna tries to stay awake. When it’s time for the results, Mari wakes her up. But it’s just like Lotto: you hope for the win and you get nothing.
- I’m happy for Ukraine, they needed to win this, Mari says.
- True. But how on earth are they able to organize the contest next year when they need to re-build their country after the war?! Hopefully they will get a lot of help!

 

 

Ken and Kaarna go to see Mari’s play. They are both really grateful for the free tickets. Kaarna would be terrified having to go alone.

 

Mari is amazing on stage. Kaarna and Ken have only seen her starring a musical comedy, but she’s even better in a tragedy. It’s obvious that she’s the most talented actor at the town theater.

 

Mari has a few hours between the shows to grab a bite with Kaarna. She has been working so hard all winter that she’ll be able to have a really long summer holiday.
- I can’t wait for our first summer together!
- Me neither! It’ll be amazing!

 

A young woman with a baby comes closer and says:
- Excuse me, could I sit here? This place is packed and I need to feed my baby girl.
Kaarna is about to say something, but Mari is faster:
- Of course! Please do! Oh my! Look at that cute little face! She’s so adorable! What’s her name? How old is she?

 

To Kaarna’s horror the woman sits down and flips her breast out. Kaarna feels her soup coming up. She forces her mouth to stay closed so neither any food nor words can escape between her lips.

- Jesus Christ Superstar… put that udder away, we are trying to eat here!!!! she thinks.
But Mari doesn’t seem to mind at all, in fact she’s disturbingly interested in the little fetus.

She even volunteers to hold the creature while its mother goes to the ladies room. She blabbers like an idiot to the tiny alien and Kaarna has to ask:
- Would you like to have a child some day?
- Oh yes yes yes! And the sooner the better!
- And how…? With whom…?
- Not alone that’s for sure. I’m hoping a someone special will share my dream of a family, Mari says and leaves Kaarna speechless.

 

When they are alone again Kaarna asks:
- Who did you mean when you made that stupid mystery comment about a certain someone? Talk to me straight! I need clear information.
- You of course, silly!
- Wtf?! Only a short while ago you didn’t even want to promise me anything and now you’re talking about having a family together??? You’re being illogical!

 

- Well, I’m only dreaming, but let’s face it. Our biological clocks are ticking.
- Yours maybe! I don’t need children to ruin my life!
- We should talk about this later. I need to head back to the theater.
- Yeah, let’s do that. Have a great night. Kiss kiss.
Kaarna stays in the cafeteria and orders too many desserts.

 

 

 

Ken is chatting with Clothilde. They are thinking about a roadtrip to the Baltic countries. Ken could drive through Estonia, and Clothilde and Günther through Poland, and then they could camp together in Lithuania or Latvia. But diesel and living costs are super expensive now (thanks to asshole Putin), so plans are really hard to make. Dreaming is always possible though!

 

And now Ken gets a message from Hector, who asks if Ken hears the chainsaw. Yes he does, it’s been roaring all day. Hector says that he’s only a couple of blocks away from Ken and asks him to come and say hello.

 

Ken sees that the noise of a chainsaw is caused by Hector. He stops working when he sees Ken.
- I’m an entrepreneur now! I decided to be a lumberjack!
- This is a surprise. I thought you didn’t have to work for living now.
- I can’t spend my time doing nothing! So I figured I could to do something that I love. And I love cutting down trees!

 

Hector has made a packed lunch for two. The north wind blows and brings cold air, but the trees give cover and the air feels almost warm. It’s nice to sit and eat in the nature - now that the chainsaw is quiet.

 

Now that Hector has all the equipment needed, Ken asks him to build a log bench in front of the sauna.

 

It doesn’t take much time before the bench is ready to be sat on.
- So sturdy! Doesn’t shake at all!

 

Kaarna is a bit nervous when she lets Mari in. She knows they have to have a serious conversation and to be honest she’s sick of them. Mari however is joyful and wants to show Kaarna the new shoes she just bought.

 

Mari looks super hot in her red high heels, which makes Kaarna both excited and sad. She fears this might be the last time they have sex together.

 

The girls talk about their future dreams. Mari definitely wants to have kids, but Kaarna can’t even consider that:
- I think this difference between us is unsolvable. If you stay with me, you’re soon going to be too old to get safely pregnant.
- So are you going to dump me now?
- No!!! But we have to talk about this! If you need kids, I’m not the person you want to be with!
- You’d be a great mother.
- I would be a mother who gives tranquilizers to the brats when they cry…

 

Kaarna continues:
- I can’t see a future for us…
- But we can at least stay together until I meet someone who wants a real family, right?
- Yes… we can do that… Wait, what?! What am I thinking… you’ll be dating other people and I’ll be hoping you’ll never find anyone?! Fuck you for even suggesting that. That would leave me hanging on the edge.

 

They sit in silence. Kaarna tries not to cry.
- I guess I’d better sleep at my home tonight, Mari whispers.
- I agree, Kaarna says, even if she wants to cry out loud and beg Mari to stay and change her mind about children. 

 

 

 What does Kaarna do during the next days? Maximizes the pain by going through the photos and videos of Mari, of course. She was so full of joy thinking about the summer with Mari, but now it’s just raining, metaforically and literally.

Kaarna has hundreds of photos of Mari, who always enjoyed posing for her. And Kaarna adored photographing Mari, because she is perfect from head to toe. The beauty of her symmetrical face, the amazingly round butt, the hair of a goddess… Kaarna is a visual person who feels good when seeing beautiful things and now she has lost the most beautiful thing she have ever laid her eyes on.

 

 Ken wants to give Kaarna something else to think about than Mari. So, when it’s sunny again, he suggests a one night trip:
- I can’t afford diesel these days, but we can camp at the Saimaa shores here in Carelia this summer.

Reluctantly Kaarna goes to the car with Ken.

 

They only drive about 10 km before all the lights on Herbert’s dashboard start to blink and beeb. Ken calls for help.

 

The tow truck comes surprisingly fast and picks Herbert up. Kaarna and Ken also get a lift on the truck and they drive straight to Reiska’s car repair shop.

 

Reiska speaks some Mechanics that makes no sense to Ken. The only thing he understands is ”it’s going to be expensive”. Ken has no choice but to ask Reiska to do whatever needs to be done. It means that now he must say goodbye to the dream of driving around in the Baltic countries with his German friends.

They end up having a barbecue at their own yard, but neither of them feels like talking. Too much weight of shattered dreams.