The oldfashioned phone rings! It’s Kaarna.
-
What the actual fuck, Ken?! I’ve tried to reach you on WhatsApp and I
have called your cell phone for days but no connection! I was fucking
worried!!!!
-
Oh Kaarna… I’m a mess… I have no control over myself. The mobile phone
is missing and the battery is dead. I’m using the QnS technique at
work…Quickly and Shittily! I can’t sleep at night. I even lied to
Hector!!!!
Things are not going well for Kaarna either. She starts to cry when she asks:
- Can I stay in your guest room for a little while until I find another home?
- Oh.. of course you can! But what’s wrong?
- Can I stay in your guest room for a little while until I find another home?
- Oh.. of course you can! But what’s wrong?
- It’s the neighbors… I
mean they are really nice and creative, but also way too boheme. The
landlady is growing weed in one of the apartments. A lot of weed! She
sells it! All sorts of creepy people come and go all the time. There are
parties very often. You know the cultural and artistic type… wine and
weed, alternative music and loud intellectual conversations. I hate
this. Plus the building is most likely molded. I have a fever every
evening and my joints hurt all the time.
- I have to hide Mari’s guitar. Kaarna must not see that it’s still here. I’ll take care of it when I find my mobile phone.
- Poor little Kaarna. She was so excited about her new life and now this happens.
Kaarna arrives the
next day. Ken feels like Kaarna brings the sun in the middle of the
darkness, even if she looks really sad and ashamed and she’s got tears
in her eyes.
Kaarna looks around.
- The new kitchen looks nice and spacy. And you have a new skirt too.
- Wait until you see the rest of the rooms! And I apparently knitted the skirt recently.
- Apparently?
- I have no memory of doing it. These weeks have been blurry. Where’s the milk now…?
Suddenly Ken starts to laugh.
-
Look! My phone! It was in the fridge! No wonder the battery died days
ago. These iPhone batteries are useless in lower temperatures.
- This is so embarrasing.
- Nonsense. This is a very good reason to have that special hot chocolate that I brought home from Germany.
- The one with…?!
- Yes! Nobody can feel sad when drinking ”Trinkschokolade mit Marzipangeschmack”!
- Cute and girly, Kaarna says when she sees the guest room.
- I will add a door curtain tomorrow so you will have some privacy too!
It takes Ken only a blink of an eye to sew a curtain for the doorway.
Kaarna smiles and says:
- You do know that this curtain only takes you one step closer to hippieness? You’re a lost cause.
- Maybe hippieness is the way to happiness?!
Kaarna smiles and says:
- You do know that this curtain only takes you one step closer to hippieness? You’re a lost cause.
- Maybe hippieness is the way to happiness?!
Even sewing the reindeers doesn’t feel like a mission impossible anymore. Kaarna helps with ironing and folding.
Ken can finally relax.
All the reindeers are done, and the customer will pick them up the next
morning. Ken has even sent a message to Mari about the guitar. He
sleeps well, he eats properly and he doesn’t keep losing his stuff
anymore. He’s really back on the tracks!
- Thanks for making lunch! Have you found any apartments?
- No, it’s hopeless.
- Are you only looking for the ones in Nyland?
- Yes of course.
- Oh no… I was hoping you would consider staying here in Carelia.
- No, it’s hopeless.
- Are you only looking for the ones in Nyland?
- Yes of course.
- Oh no… I was hoping you would consider staying here in Carelia.
Later that evening Ken gives the guitar to Mari and they try to small talk a little. Then Mari asks:
- So, doesn’t she even want to see me?
- … she didn’t say that…
- Right. Is she at home?
- Yes… no… well, sort of yes…
- What’s wrong with you?
- The door is open, you know the way… she’s in there.
- So, doesn’t she even want to see me?
- … she didn’t say that…
- Right. Is she at home?
- Yes… no… well, sort of yes…
- What’s wrong with you?
- The door is open, you know the way… she’s in there.
- Damn… I hope I didn’t make a terrible mistake.
Ken has to force himself not to rush outside and straight to the guest room to see what’ll happen!
Ken has to force himself not to rush outside and straight to the guest room to see what’ll happen!
Kaarna is going through the rental ads once again when she hears the door. She says:
- Hey Ken, come take a look at this. This one seems promising…
- Kaarna!? hollers a voice behind the curtain, and it’s definitely not Ken.
- Hey Ken, come take a look at this. This one seems promising…
- Kaarna!? hollers a voice behind the curtain, and it’s definitely not Ken.
Kaarna jumps up and drops her laptop.
- Mari… she manages to whisper even though she feels like she can’t even breathe. Mari is confused and looks around.
- What have you done with your home?! What’s with all the sewing stuff? Where’s the kitchen?
- Mari… she manages to whisper even though she feels like she can’t even breathe. Mari is confused and looks around.
- What have you done with your home?! What’s with all the sewing stuff? Where’s the kitchen?
Kaarna bursts into tears and starts to cry out loud like a child.
- Kaarna, don’t cry, Mari says and gently touches her arm. Kaarna collapses on the floor.
- Can we please at least talk? Can I hug you? Mari asks.
- Kaarna, don’t cry, Mari says and gently touches her arm. Kaarna collapses on the floor.
- Can we please at least talk? Can I hug you? Mari asks.
Feeling Mari’s body next to her own makes Kaarna cry even harder.
- I’ve missed you so much!
- I’ve missed you too, babe. How are you? How was your summer?
- I’ve missed you so much!
- I’ve missed you too, babe. How are you? How was your summer?
They hold each other
all evening and talk and talk and talk. Kaarna tells about her summer
and moving to Nyland and the setback that brought her back to Melukylä.
Mari starts to giggle when she sees Kaarna without pants. Kaarna says:
- I wasn’t prepared for this, was I? I haven’t had sex since the spring, I had no reason to shave all summer.
- It’s kind of hot actually! Can’t wait to explore that jungle!
- I wasn’t prepared for this, was I? I haven’t had sex since the spring, I had no reason to shave all summer.
- It’s kind of hot actually! Can’t wait to explore that jungle!
And then they have the most romantic, tender, loving, sweet and beautiful sex they have ever had.
In the morning Kaarna sits watching the sleeping and snoring Mari and thinks:
- If you really are willing to give up on your dream for me, I will never complain about your stupid day rhythm, your stupid sunglasses and the fact that you are too independent and unable to give me as much attention as I need.
- If you really are willing to give up on your dream for me, I will never complain about your stupid day rhythm, your stupid sunglasses and the fact that you are too independent and unable to give me as much attention as I need.
Afternoon tea with
waffles! Ken is surprised to see Mari here. This can lead to something
good or something horrible. But at least right now they both seem very
happy.
- Can you guys even look any more in love?
- Can you guys even look any more in love?
Kaarna tells Ken about a big change in her plans:
- I’m not going to Nyland! I’m staying here, now we must find me an apartment in Melukylä!
- Wow… great news for me. And this has something to with Mari I guess.
- We’re back together!
These news make Ken wonder.
- Can I ask you something? What about your different values and future plans?
- I’m not going to Nyland! I’m staying here, now we must find me an apartment in Melukylä!
- Wow… great news for me. And this has something to with Mari I guess.
- We’re back together!
These news make Ken wonder.
- Can I ask you something? What about your different values and future plans?
Mari replies:
- I thought about a lifetime commitment about kids. It scares me a bit! What if I change my mind… I’ve never even had a pet. I should first practise with a cat!
- Cat!? Kaarna moans.
- I thought about a lifetime commitment about kids. It scares me a bit! What if I change my mind… I’ve never even had a pet. I should first practise with a cat!
- Cat!? Kaarna moans.
Kaarna is appalled:
- Cat!!!! I hate cats! They are devils on Earth, devious things!
- Are you joking?
- No! Plus I’m allergic to cats. What about a dog instead?
- Dogs need walks all the time! I can’t wake up in the morning and walk the damn creature!
- Cat!!!! I hate cats! They are devils on Earth, devious things!
- Are you joking?
- No! Plus I’m allergic to cats. What about a dog instead?
- Dogs need walks all the time! I can’t wake up in the morning and walk the damn creature!
- Ok… more tea, anyone? Ken sighs but feels kind a cozy. Things are just the way they used to be.