Please remember this is only fiction!

 

 

Chapter 1

 

 

On a hot, humid Saturday summer’s day, in 1997, John Eriksson was on his way to the club he disc jockeyed at during weeknights.  He went to check his work schedule for the up coming week.  He was always happy to have the weekends off so he could spend time with his girlfriend.  This Saturday was going to change his life forever; he was going to ask Jessica to marry him.  John told all of his co-workers his plan for the evening so it would be something they would both remember.  They wished him luck and told him to have a wonderful weekend.  As he got in his car, he grabbed his cell phone and called Jessica’s parents’ house to talk to her.  He had not talked to her since before he started his shift at the club.  When the phone was answered, Jessica’s mother was on the other end, and her voice was tearful.  John asked what was wrong; she began to cry and through her tears she told John that Jessica was killed in an accident last night.  John sat there in his car, speechless and shaken by the news.  He told Jessica’s mother he was so sorry and he would have to call her back.  He reached over to his glove compartment, opened it and pulled out a ring case.  He opened the ring case; in it was a marquee cut diamond ring surrounded by baguettes.  John sat there looking it and tears began to form in his eyes.  His romantic evening was now never going to take place; he was crushed.  On his way home, he was in a daze and had so many memories flashing in his mind.  When he arrived home, Jean, his mother, knew something was wrong.  “John, you look like you’ve seen a ghost,” she said.  “I called to talk to Jessica and Mrs. Foster answered the phone with a tearful voice.  She told me Jessica was killed last night in an accident.”  “Oh my goodness!  What happened?”  John told his mother that Mrs. Foster did not tell him any details.  He broke down and began to cry on his mother’s shoulder.  All Jean could do was hold him and feel his pain.  She knew how much John loved Jessica. 

            After twenty minutes, John went to his room to lie down.  He took the ring case out of his pocket and placed it on his dresser.  He laid down on his firm bed and placed his head on a fluffy pillow.  He lay there looking up at the ceiling fan and watched it rotate slowly.  Later that evening, Holly and Joan entered into John’s room.  They are twin sisters and have a close bond with their big brother.  They told him they had heard about Jessica and how sorry they felt for him.  He told them thank you and gave them both a hug.  John began telling them how he had planned to propose to Jessica and showed them the ring he had bought.  They both broke down and cried; they had developed a great relationship with Jessica and really wanted her to become a member of their family.  John laid back down and his sisters left his room so he could be alone.  “God, if you are listening, show me a sign that Jessica is up there so I can go on with my life.”  He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep again.

            Suddenly, his room seemed to be filled with a bright, soft light.  John opened his eyes and saw a silhouette of someone walking in the light.  He squinted his eyes to see if he could make out the shadowy figure, it was Jessica.  “Don’t be afraid John, you asked God for a sign and here I am.  I am okay and I did not feel a thing when the accident happened.  In time you will understand all of this.  I also have a message for you.  You will meet someone in the near future who deserves the ring you bought more than I did.  She is already well known, but that is all I can tell you.  You will know who she is when you see her.  Please go on with your life, but know that I will always be in your heart.”  Just as quickly as the light appeared, it left.  John tried going back to sleep, but just could not.  Finally after a few hours, he was able to go back to sleep.  At nine o’clock the next morning, Sunday, he woke up and got dressed to go over to the Foster’s house.  Before he left, he told his parents and sisters what happened during the night.  They were speechless about the whole incident.  When John was about to walk out the door, his father, Lasse, told him he had an announcement to make later that evening, so he was to be home for six o’clock.  John agreed with his father and walked out the door to his car.  When he turned the car on, a song he played frequently at the club was playing on the radio.  It was Ace of Base’s single “Beautiful Life.”  He loved the beat and melody; especially the message in the song, life is beautiful.  He had a secret crush on one of the ladies in the band, Linn.  He thought she was as beautiful as Jessica but had more beautiful eyes.  The song took his mind off of what had happened during the early morning hours.  By the time he got to the Foster’s house, he had changed his mood from happy to somber.  He knocked on the front door and Mr. Foster answered it.  Dennis Foster had a somber look on his face.  His eyes were red from crying for a few hours.  He was out of town when the accident happened and only found out about it when he came home.

            John shook his hand and asked him how he was holding up.  Dennis said he was heartbroken, but holding up.  John made his way to the family room where the rest of the family was sitting on the couch.  Mrs. Foster was sitting on the couch between her other children, Kristen and James.  Kristen was the middle child and James was the youngest.  Anne got up from the couch and wrapped her arms around John, thanking him for coming over.  She told him Jessica’s wake was going to be tomorrow evening.  She said the funeral home did a good job of fixing her up for viewing.  John said he would help in any way he could.  He sat down and asked if the police had determined what caused the accident.  Anne told him that there was a piece if metal in the road that caused her tire to blow out and made her vehicle spin out of control.  An 18-wheeler had no time to stop and plowed through her.  The police said it happened so fast that she did not feel a thing.  When John heard that, it triggered his memory about what happened last night.  He began telling the Fosters about Jessica appearing and how she told him she was okay and for him to go on with his life.  He told them about his plan to propose to her last night.  They all broke down into tears and thanked him for telling them about the incident.  John stayed at the Fosters until five thirty, sharing memories about Jessica.  He left from there to go back home to hear the announcement his father had to make.

            As soon as he arrived home, Lasse asked the family to join him in the family room.  “I have gathered you all here because I have an announcement to make.  As you know, I was transferred to Louisiana because of my job.  This took place before I met your mother and you all were born.  I received a phone call from my sister that our mother is not well and she needs help getting around.  The office told me they could relocate me without losing my job.”  ‘So what does this mean,” asked John?  “This means we are going to have to move back to my birth place in Sweden.  I will be moving over before the rest of you, so I can find a place close to your “farmor.”  It should not take long to get things set up.”  The family sat in silence as they tried to process what Lasse told them.  Holly broke the silence, “So we are going to have to learn a lot more Swedish and expand our knowledge on the culture, so we can understand what is going on around us?”  “You will have to De-Americanize yourself somewhat and learn how to become a Swedish citizen.”  “Why can’t we just speak in English over there?  I know it is their second official language and it’s easier for all of us to speak,” said Joan.  “You will miss out on a lot of good conversations if you don’t learn the native tongue,” said Lasse.

            “So we are going to move to Göteborg?  That sounds like a very nice place to live,” said John.  “How did you know that is where we are going to live,” asked Lasse?

“I remember you telling me about growing up there and how much you missed it.”

“Hey, isn’t Ace of Base from Göteborg,” asked Holly?  “Yes they are,” said John, “I love their song “Beautiful Life” and love the lead singer, Linn.”  Holly and Joan snickered, and then began to sing “All That She Wants.”  John snapped at them, “Hey!  I happen to like that song, so chill out!”  Holly and Joan just laughed and continued singing some more Ace of Base songs.  John joined in with them and enjoyed it.  After all the singing and a little more discussion about the announcement, everyone went to bed.  Everyone except for John, he decided to log onto the Internet.  He wanted to find out more information on Ace of Base and about the city he and his family were moving to in a few weeks.  First stop on the web, Ace of Base’s homepage.  He began reading the bios of each member.  He saved Linn’s for last so he could enjoy it more.  He found out that she had a good sense of humor but was more introverted than her sister Jenny and brother Jonas.  Rumors were flying around that she and the fourth member, Ulf were having a secret relationship with each other.  She strongly denied that and said her heart belonged to only one man, Fredrik, her fiancé.  John found some pictures of Linn and Fredrik on another web site.  He could tell they were very much in love.  “He better treat her right.  If not, I’ll find him myself and kick his ass.”

            He then moved on to researching about Göteborg.  He found out that it is the second largest port city in Sweden and home to Volvo and SAAB factories.  He also saw an article on the site about Ace of Base having a huge fan base from all over the world on the Internet.  “I know I am going to love living there,” John said as he logged off.  Monday evening, the Erikssons went to Jessica’s wake.  For John it would be a final good bye to the love of his life.  When they got there, only a few people were around.  The Fosters thanked them for coming.  Anne led John up to the front to see Jessica.  She looked so peaceful; her medium length blonde hair was feathered out on the pillow in the casket.  She had the promise ring John gave to her on her left ring finger.  Anne asked him if he wanted it back, he said no.  She looked like an angel lying there.  John leaned over and kissed her forehead, then touched her hands for the last time.  The next morning, the family got ready for the funeral; John was a pallbearer so he left ahead of his family.  When he got there, the chapel at the funeral home was almost full.  After the service, he and five other guys carried the casket out to the hearse.  They all rode in a limo behind it to the burial site.  When everyone left the burial site, John stayed behind for a few minutes.  He thanked Jessica for the visit and for giving him so many memories.

            A few weeks turned into six months, it’s now December 1997.  Finally the Erikssons moved to Göteborg and started their new lives as Swedish citizens.  The first thing John did was look for a job at a disco in Göteborg.  None of the discos were looking for a new disc jockey.  The next thing John did was look in the local paper in the classifieds.  He saw an ad that read: Looking for someone to train as producer at local recording studio.  Must have experience in music and equipment.  Call 31 555 67 72 to set up interview.  John called and asked to set up a time to meet with the person in charge.  He was told to be there first thing in the morning at 7:30.  He asked the person for directions and the address.  When he got home, he told his parents about getting an interview set up.  Lasse asked him where it is.  “All I know is the place is called ‘The Barn’ and I have to meet with someone named Joker.”  Lasse laughed a little, “What would possess someone to give a person that name?  Must be a stage name or nickname.”  John thought for a minute, “I’ve heard that name before and not from playing cards.”  He laughed and went to bed.

            At 6:30 the next morning, John got up and got ready to go to ‘The Barn.’  He was nervous but wants to make a good first impression.  By 6:50, he was on his way to his interview.  When he pulled up, he was surprised to actually see a barn.  It was painted a bright red and had white trim.  He opened the door and went up the stairs.  There he saw a built, broad shoulder man in the kitchenette area.  He had his back to John and he was fixing coffee.  When he turned around, John recognized who this guy was, Jonas Berggren A.K.A. Joker.  Jonas smiled at John and said; “Glad to see you made it on time.  I like that in a person.”  John shook Jonas’s hand and was then led to his office.  It was not his main one, just a small one he used every now and then.  It had just enough room for the desk and two chairs.  “So John,” said Jonas, “tell me what kind experience do you have in the music industry?”  “I have D.J.ed at a club where I lived, in the States, for five years.  Had to give it up since my father had to move to Göteborg to help my farmor.  I have played the keyboards and guitar for roughly ten years.  I have my own mixing board that I have done a few remixes on.”  Jonas was impressed by what he heard.  He extended his hand out to John, “You have the job,” he said.  John thanked him and they walked back towards the kitchenette.  Jonas offered him a cup of coffee and a honey bun.  A few minutes later, Jenny walked up the stairs and straight to the coffee pot.  She then acknowledged Jonas and introduced herself to John.  “Hi, I’m Jenny.  I’m Jonas’s youngest sister.”  Then Ulf walked up the stairs to join everyone.  He introduced himself and got a cup of coffee.  They were now waiting on Linn; she was always late.

            “I’m getting tired of Linn’s tardiness.  She’s always been ten minutes late and it puts us behind,” said Jonas.  Linn had been having a few problems with Fredrik treating her like crap.  He always kept her up all hours of the night with his nymphomaniac obsession.  When she would tell him no, he would get pissed and do things to keep her awake.  In turn, Linn would be so tired the next morning that she would get a late start.  No sleep and annoyance equals a bad mood.  When Linn finally arrived, Jonas was very aggravated and lit into her.  “We were supposed to start work at 8:30!  It is now 9:00 and we are very behind!”  Linn gave Jonas a cold look and proceed to the coffee pot.  She poured herself a cup and sat down at the table.  Jonas let out a scream and told John his first job would be to work with Linn.  She had to record the vocals for “Every Time It Rains.”  Jonas and Jenny walked downstairs to start finalizing the songs that made the final cut for the album.  Just before Ulf walked down he told John good luck.  “What is that supposed to mean,” asked John?  Ulf chuckled and walked down the stairs to join Jonas and Jenny.  Linn sat there with her head down, staring at her cup.  She never made eye contact with John.  “Well, when you’re ready, show me where we need to go work.”  Linn looked up from her cup with a blank stare, “Okay, give me a few more minutes.”  John went downstairs and found Jonas.  He asked him to show him where he and Linn were going to work.  After Jonas showed him, John began getting things ready.  A couple of minutes later, Linn showed up and did a few warm ups Jenny taught her.  John looked over the lyrics to get a feeling of the song.  “This does not sound like a typical song Ace of Base would sing,” he said to Linn.  She smirked a little bit and said, “ Damn Clive Davis chose it.  That monkey man thinks he knows everything.  I told him I just wanted to play keyboards and sing backup.  I want a break from the front.”  Linn proceed to the recording area and put her headphones on.  John played the pre-recorded music and watched as Linn counted off the beats.  When she started singing, the tone of her voice sounded angry.  John cut the music and told her she needed to sound sad and depressed, not angry.  “I’m angry because I have to sing this stupid song.”  John laughed and said, “Think of something that depresses you and really upsets you.”  Linn stood there for a minute then told John to start the music up again.  When she sang this time, there was more sadness in her voice.  John was pleased with what he was hearing.  After the music was finished, John rolled the recording back and Linn came out of the recording area.  She sat next to him and listened to the playback.  “We have to get Jonas’s approval on this.  I think it’s the best one,” said Linn.  Jonas came to check on them a few minutes later.  When he heard the playback, he was amazed with what he heard.

            “Finally!  The sound I’ve been waiting to hear.  Let’s go with that take.”  Jonas looked at Linn with a satisfied look and said, “I told you that you could do it!”  Linn dawned the first smile Jonas had seen in six months.  He told them to break for lunch.  Jenny came in and invited them to join her for lunch at a little café in Göteborg, not far from The Barn.  As they were leaving the room, John touched Linn on the shoulder and told her she did an awesome job.  She looked back at him and gave him a big smile.  When they all got into Jenny’s car, a white SAAB 900, Linn and Jenny began talking in Swedish.  They kept looking back at John and would then continue to talk in Swedish.  Jenny switched to English and started a conversation with John.  “What brings you to Göteborg?”  John answered, “My farmor is not doing too well, so my father moved us back to his birth place.”    “Oh, I am sorry to hear your farmor is ill,” replied Jenny, “I hope she gets to feeling better.”  “Tack,” said John.  When they arrived to the café, they ordered their drinks and food and got a table close to the back.  “So John,” said Jenny, “do you have any siblings?  A younger brother perhaps?”  He laughed a little and said, “No, just two younger twin sisters, Holly and Joan.  We’re real close with each other.”  Jenny smiled and said it is good to know he loves his sisters very much.  “Jonas loves us, even though he pushes us a lot.”  Linn replied, “He’s been pushing us since we told him we would join Tech Noir.  He expects the best out of us and when it doesn’t come, he gets upset.”  John had no comment, he just took it all in.  “Linn, Jonas just wants you back to your old self.  He is upset with the behavior you have been displaying and your lack of involvement in the past six months.  I want to see you back to your old self.  I miss the sister who could make people laugh when they were down.”

Linn sat there and said nothing, then replied, “I’ve just been losing sleep and having relationship problems.”  John replied, “ That can really alter a person’s mood, not getting sleep and having a lot on your mind.  My girlfriend’s mother is going through the same thing.”  “You have a girlfriend you left behind in The States,” asked Jenny?  “She died in a car accident six months ago.  Of course it happened before we moved here.  I was going to ask her to marry me.”  Linn and Jenny gasped when John told them that.  They told him they were sorry to hear he had lost his girlfriend.  John told them about Jessica visiting him.  “What did she tell you,” asked Linn?  “She told me that she would always be in my heart and to go on with my life.  I was so glad to hear we were moving to Göteborg.  For me it meant I would not have to relive the incident over and over, and I could actually get on with my life.”  “Wow,” said Linn, “that is very moving.”  They finished up their lunch and went back to The Barn.  When they got back, before John and Linn walked inside, Linn asked John if she could give him a hug.  He asked her why.  “I just want to give you one since you’ve been through a lot.”  “Sure, lay one on me.”  When she hugged him, she felt a fluttery feeling in her stomach.  She felt a security she never felt with Fredrik.  To John it felt good to be holding someone in his arms again.  When Linn pulled back, she saw a smile on John’s face.  For a split second she wanted to give him a kiss, but changed her mind.  She felt she would be hurting Fredrik.  They walked in a couple of minutes behind Jenny.  Everyone was upstairs in the kitchenette area.  Birthe had stopped by to visit Jonas on her way in from Oslo.  She had just made an announcement that she was opening her own hair salon in Göteborg and moving in with Jonas.  Everyone congratulated Birthe on her news and wished her luck with the hair salon.  Jonas walked Birthe down to her car and told everyone to find something to do.  Ulf asked John to follow him to his work area.  He wanted him to hear a song he was finalizing as a b-side to a single release.

Jenny pulled Linn off to the side to ask her what went on outside.  “What took you and John so long to walk in?”  “I just felt like giving him a hug, since he’s gone through a lot.  I was tempted to kiss him, but changed my mind.  I felt so secure in his arms, nothing I had ever felt with Fredrik.”  “Oh my gosh!  You’re falling for the new producer!”  Linn smiled a little and said, “I know, but I don’t want Jonas to know.  He has said never to get involved with the persons we work with.  Besides I don’t want to lose Fredrik, he is my life.”  Jenny rolled her eyes and said, “Wake up Linn!  A guy, who keeps you up at all hours of the night, wanting sex, is not what your life should revolve around.  Fredrik somewhere down the line lost respect for you and only sees you as some sex toy for him.  Just seems you stay with him so you won’t go home to an empty space.”  “I would feel weird without Fredrik being around.  He has always been ‘there’ since forever.”  Jenny made a suggestion, “Why don’t you ask John out for a drink, just as a friend, and see if there is really any chemistry between you two.  “Sounds like a good idea.  I will approach him after work.”  “One more thing,” asked Jenny, “what did you think about that put you in the depressed mood to sing ‘Every Time It Rains’?”  “Being so sleep deprived,” responded Linn.  Jonas came back in and told everyone to go home for the day.  Ulf nudged John and said, “He only says that when Birthe comes to town.  He’s ready to get some, you know what I mean.”  “Oh trust me, I know what you mean.”

They all walked out to their cars to go their separate ways for the day, Ulf locked the door behind him.  Linn approached John at his car; “I would like to know if you would join me for a drink, maybe in a few hours or something?”  “Sounds good to me!  Where do you want to meet?”  Linn gave him the name of a pub close to her apartment.  As soon as John got home, Holly and Joan were in the family room, waiting for him.  They had found out where John got a job and were ready to bombard him with questions.  He knew what they were up to and told them he would have to talk to them later.  He passed the kitchen to go upstairs to his room.  Before he set his foot on the first step, his father called out his name.  He turned back around and went into the kitchen where his mother and father were sitting.  “Where are you going in such a rush,” asked Jean?  “I’m going to have a drink with a new friend.”  “Oh really?  Who is this friend,” asked Lasse?  “Okay, if you must know, it’s Linn Berggren.  She sings in the group Ace of Base and she invited me to join her for a drink.”  Holly and Joan were listening to the conversation, when they heard the words ‘Ace of Base’ and ‘Linn Berggren,’ they had to jump in.  “Oh my gosh, you’re going on a date with your crush,” Holly said.  “You have got to be the luckiest guy in the world right now,” said Joan.  “It’s not a date, just a drink between two friends.  Now if you don’t mind, I need to get ready.  Oh and for your information, Linn has a boyfriend.”  John took off and went upstairs to go shower.  While he was bathing, he thought about how good it felt to get a hug from someone other than his mother.  Then he thought about the night Jessica came to visit him.  He remembered she told him he would meet someone who was already well known.  “I doubt anything will happen between Linn and I.”  He dried himself off and got dressed.  The pub was just a couple of blocks over from his house.  When he got there, John began looking for Linn.  He spotted her towards the back, ordered a drink and went to the table.  She had freshened herself up, curled her hair a bit and touched up her makeup.  “Glad you could make it,” said Linn.  “I had to escape my parents and sisters.  They were trying to bombard me with questions.  Told them I would talk to them later.”  “That’s why it’s good to have a place of you own.  No one to ask you where you are going and what you are doing.”  “So what do you want to talk about,” asked John?  “I would like to know more about you,” said Linn.  “What would you like to know?”  “What do you do for fun?”  “I usually hang out at home, read a book, ride a bike, go to the park in the summer and just enjoy life.”  “Sounds almost like what I like to do,” said Linn.  They talked a little bit more and got to know each other better.  At one point, John reached over and moved some of Linn’s hair behind her left ear.  When he did that, it sent goose bumps through Linn’s body.  She wanted his hand to caress more than just her hair.  Fredrik was always so rough with her and would hurt her without knowing it.  John wished Linn would leave Fredrik, so he could make her happy.  His doubt of a relationship was fading fast.  He knew in his heart Linn was the one Jessica mentioned to him that night.  “Oh wow,” said Linn, “it’s getting late and we have work in the morning.”  “Is it okay if I walk you home,” asked John?  “Sure,” said Linn.  They grabbed their coats and walked out the door.  They were quiet as they walked in the direction of Linn’s apartment.  John had his hands in his front pockets trying to keep warm.  He saw Linn was shivering a little and asked if he could put his arm around her to warm her up a bit; she said yes.  When he did that, a mixture of goose bumps and a tingling sensation shot through her body.  Fredrik would never have put his arm around her to keep her warm.  Before she knew it, they were in front of her apartment.

“Hope you can get some sleep,” said John.  Linn smirked and said, “I hope so too.”  When John took his arm from Linn, she grabbed his hand and held it for a moment.  She pulled him close to her and gave him a kiss on the lips.  Her kiss sent a sensation through his body that he had never felt before.  When Linn pulled back, John was speechless.  “Thank you for walking me home Mr. Eriksson.”  She walked up the steps, opened the door and went inside.  John stood there for a minute just looking at Linn’s door.  He wished he could have followed her inside.  The cold December air almost froze him in his place, but he snapped out of his daze and walked home.  When Linn looked into the family room, Fredrik was asleep on the couch.  She took off her shoes and tiptoed by him.  She got out of her clothes, put pajamas on and crawled into bed.  She thought about John as she drifted off to sleep.  She had a gut feeling she was really supposed to be with him.  The next morning, everyone arrived to The Barn to begin another day of work.  For the first time in six months, Linn arrived on time.  Jonas, Ulf and John went to make some decisions on some songs.  This gave Jenny the chance to ask Linn what happened last night.  “So what went on with John?  I want some details,” said Jenny.  “We talked for a couple of hours and then he walked me home.”  “What happened after you got home?”  “I gave him a kiss and then I went inside.”  “So you left him out in the cold?”  “Yes, but Fredrik was asleep on the couch.”  “What did his lips feel like against yours?”  “Like a perfect fit to mine.”  “It’s a sign,” said Jenny as she walked down the stairs.  She was going to find the guys, Linn followed after her.  “What do you mean ‘it’s a sign,’” Linn asked?  “Just think about it Linn, just think about it.”

Six months have past now, Lasse’s mother passed away.  Holly and Joan have moved back to The States.  Lasse is about to retire from his job.  John has been looking for a place of his own and developing a great friendship with Linn.  She still won’t let Fredrik go.  This month, June, Ace of Base is set up to go to Roma so they can film a music video.  Their album is planned for release in July worldwide.  John told Linn not to have too much fun in Roma.  She laughed and said, “Don’t worry, I won’t.”  “Why,” he asked?  “You won’t be there and I always have fun when you’re around.”  “Aw, I wish I could go, but I’m just a producer,” said John.  “Well, you can at least come see me off,” she said.  “Won’t Fredrik be there?  I mean he’s already upset we’re really good friends.”  “He went to the Swiss Alps on a mountain climbing trip.  So there is no way he’ll be around.”  Later that evening, John went to the airport to see Linn off.  She was dressed in a t-shirt and jeans so she would be comfortable on the plane.  She was waiting at the gate and looking out for John and the others.  When she saw John, she dawned a smile and walked towards him.  She gave him a hug and thanked him for coming.  A few minutes later Jenny and Ulf arrived, and then Jonas showed up with Birthe.  All of them greeted John when they saw him.  After everyone was at the gate, an announcement came over the PA system that Flight 317 to Roma was now boarding.  “That’s our call,” said Jonas.  Everyone picked up their carryon and walked to the entrance of the plane.  Just before Linn handed her ticket to the flight attendant, she hugged John and kissed him on the cheek.  She told him she would call when she got a chance.  John watched as she boarded the plane.  Before the door to the ramp was closed, John saw Linn look back and smile.

John and Linn got to see each other off and on during the promotion of the album, ‘Flowers.’  Linn was now playing the keyboard and standing in the background.  She called John when she was in The States to find out how he was doing.  “I’m getting ready to move into my own place and missing you.  Feels like you’ve been gone forever.  I miss seeing you everyday when I go to work.”  “Aw, I’ll be back before you know it.  After we do a few shows here in New York, I’ll be home for a couple of weeks.”  “Do you need me to come pick you up when your flight arrives?”  “No, Fredrik said he would.  Besides, you need to get settled into your new place.”  Ace of Base did the shows that were se up for them.  After that long week, Ace of Base flew back to Göteborg.  Birthe was the only one waiting at the gate.  Linn asked her if she had seen Fredrik.  Birthe told her she had not seen him at all.  Linn put her head down and just looked at the floor.  Jenny went to console her.  They eventually went to baggage claim and got their suitcases.  “Linn,” said Jenny, “I’ll take you home and give Fredrik a piece of my mind.”  “No, I’ll call John, I’ll be okay, thanks.”  Linn called John’s cell phone; “That bastard! I’m gonna take care of him after I pick you up.”  Linn told Jenny to go on home and she would call her later.  Twenty minutes later, John arrived to pick up Linn.  He gave her a hug and got her suitcase.  They walked to John’s car, a silver Volvo 850, and loaded her suitcase in the trunk.  “I can’t believe that jackass would do this to you.  He does not deserve you.  I deserve you more than him.”  Linn was flattered by what John was saying.  Being on promotion gave her time to really think about things.

Fredrik had called her at one point when she was in the Netherlands.  She had returned to the hotel after an interview and wanted to take a nap.  The phone in her room began to ring; she was just going to let it ring.  After the third ring, she answered it.  “Hey darling!  How are you doing?”  Linn knew it was not John’s voice, but didn’t want to hear the voice on the other end.  “Oh I’m about to take a nap, had a long morning,” said Linn.  “When are you coming home?”  “I don’t know yet.  We have to go to The States tomorrow.  We’ll be there for a week.”  “Tell them you’re not going,” said Fredrik.  “I can’t leave promotion!  If I do that, rumors will be flying that I quit the band.  I’m already under attack for standing in the back and having my pictures blurred.  I have to stay!”  “I’m getting sick of all the promotion crap.  I’ve seen pictures of you and you look like you are so depressed.”  “That’s because I am depressed.  Depressed because of the way you treat me.  You got so mad when I told you we were going on promotion and I would be gone for long periods of time.  You started throwing my clothes around and telling me to pack and to go stay with Jenny for the night.  I don’t deserve that kind of treatment.”  Fredrik was silent for a moment then sighed.  “I’m sorry, I just really miss you,” he said.  “I really need to go.  Will you still be able to pick me up next week?”  “Yes,” he said.  Linn hung up the phone, laid down and went to sleep.

When John pulled up to Linn’s house, he helped her get her suitcase inside.  John immediately started looking for Fredrik.  Linn smelled a perfume that she knew was not hers.  “John, check the bedroom.  He has another woman here,” she said.  John opened the door to the master bedroom.  There asleep in the queen size, rod iron bed was Fredrik and a friend of Linn.  John flung the door all the way open, waking them both up.  They both jumped out of the bed and started getting dressed.  John turned his head and said, “When you get dressed, I want to see you in the family room.  Tell your lady friend you’ll see her later.”  John walked to the family room and saw Linn sitting on the couch.  “I’m just in shock,” she said.  He sat down and put his arm around her.  Five minutes later, Fredrik and Linn’s friend walked out of the bedroom.  As her friend walked by her, Linn told her she was to never speak or see her again.  She walked out the door and never looked back.  Fredrik sat down in a chair across from Linn.  They just stared at each other with a cold look.  “Get your stuff and get out of my sight,” said Linn.  “Wait,” said John, “I have a few questions.”  “Ask away,” said Fredrik.  “Did you ever love Linn?”  “Yes, at one time but when she snuck behind my back and had a relationship with Ulf, I fell out of love.”  John looked at Linn, “Is this true?”  “Yes, but it only lasted five months.  I thought we let bygones be bygones and moved on.”  “Well you thought wrong,” said Fredrik.  “Why have you been treating her like crap,” asked John?  “She deserves being treated like that.  Made me feel like crap when I found out she was sneaking around with Ulf.”  “When did this all take place?”  “It was during the tour for the Happy Nation album.  She’s good at keeping secrets from people.  I didn’t know anything until I heard Linn on the phone one night.  I heard her say she could not go on like this and it had to stop.  She hung up the phone and saw me standing there.  She broke down and told me what she had been doing.”  “Okay,” said John, “let me get this straight.  Linn had a relationship with Ulf for five months and you only found out about it after Linn broke it off with him.  I’m just trying to process all of this.”  “Let me explain,” said Linn.  “I had a relationship with Ulf because I was lonely and he was just ‘there.’  I missed Fredrik and Ulf took his place while we were on tour.  When we came home, I realized what I was doing was wrong.  I told Fredrik about it and a few hours later, we talked and made up.”

“That was all in the past.  I just can’t handle the touring that goes along with the albums.  I want out and now I am.  I’ve had fun with this reminiscing, but I’m ready to go.  Take care you two and have a happy life.”  Fredrik packed his clothes, took a few of his things and left.  Linn had no emotion when he left.  To her it felt like a weight was lifted off her shoulders.

            “So you really did have a relationship with Ulf,” asked John?  “Yes, but I’m not proud about it.  I also felt I was stabbing Jenny in the back.  She dated Ulf for a period of time as well.”  “Sounds like the nickname Buddha fits him well.  A wise man knowing how to chose beautiful women.”  Linn blushed a bit when John said that.  “What would you like me to do,” asked John?  “Help me carry my suite case to the guest room so I can unpack and start washing my clothes.”  John took her suite case to the room and placed it on the bed.  She opened it up and began separating her light and dark colored clothes. He stood in the doorway and watched her for a couple of minutes.  “Is there anything else I can do for you,” he asked?  “Can you cook me something to eat,” asked Linn?  “I sure can do that for you.  Do you mind coming over to my apartment for it?”  “Not at all, I’d love to see your place.”  John gave Linn his address and told her he would call when dinner was almost ready.  He left and went to buy the ingredients for his late farmor’s family famous meatballs.  Linn began to wash her clothes and burned the sheets from the master bedroom bed in the fireplace.  Before she knew it, all of her clothes were washed, dried and put away.  She looked at her clock and figured she had at least an hour to get ready.  She took a shower to relax and freshen up.  She then dried and curled her hair, put makeup on and got dressed.  By the time she got her shoes on, John was calling to let her know the food was almost ready to serve.  She got her purse, a change of clothes just in case and her keys.  She drove to John’s apartment in her white Volvo 850 Turbo.  She knocked on the door and John answered it with a smile.  He was wearing a pair of slacks and a polo shirt.  He smelled of ‘Old Spice’ aftershave and the seasoning from the food.  He invited Linn in, gave her a hug and began showing her around his place.  When they got to the dining room, Linn was surprised to see what John had done.  In the middle of the table was an arrangement of flowers and a lit candle at each end.  He had set the table for them to eat there.  John seated Linn and took their plates to serve the food.  After he served the meatballs, pasta and seasoned mash potatoes, he poured up beers in two separate pilsner glasses.  He brought the plates back and then got the glasses.  They sat across from each other staring at one another from time to time while they ate.  After they finished, they cleaned up the dishes and kitchen and went to the family room to sit on the couch.

            Linn laid her head in John’s lap and stretched the rest of her body on the couch.  They looked into each other’s eyes for a few minutes.  John leaned over and gave Linn a kiss.  Linn put her hand on John’s neck to keep him kissing her.  When she let him go, she repositioned herself on the couch so he could be more comfortable.  She began kissing John again and trying to unbutton the two buttons on his shirt.  John pulled it off after she got the buttons undone.  They got up off the couch and went to the bedroom.  They stripped off their clothes and looked at each other’s naked body smiling.  John threw the cover back and lifted Linn onto the bed.  When John was inside her, it felt so good.  He was so gentle with her and not rough like Fredrik.  They began to moan softly and got a rhythm.  After thirty minutes, they were finished making love.  Linn laid on John’s chest feeling very happy.  She slept the whole night on his chest until morning.  When the sun began to shine in the window, it began to wake Linn up a little bit.  She looked at the clock and saw it was 8 o’clock.  “Oh my gosh, we’re late for work!”  When Linn said that, it woke up John.  “Hold on now, we don’t have work this weekend.  Remember, Jonas gave us the weekend off.”  Linn sighed and laid back down to sleep a bit longer.  “I’m going to get up and make some breakfast and brew some coffee,” said John.  He got out of the bed and put his boxers on to go to the kitchen.  Linn pulled the covers back over her naked body.  A few minutes later, the phone rang and John answered it.  Linn could hear him talking about something but could not make out what it he was saying.  She finally got up and put her undergarments on to get a cup of coffee and some breakfast.  When she entered the kitchen, John was cooking some ham and making toast.  She got her coffee and sat down at the table looking at John.  His muscular arms and chest just looked so sexy while he cooked at the stove.  After the ham was cooked and the bread toasted, he served up a plate for Linn and himself.  “Not to butt into your business, but who called you,” asked Linn?  “It was my father.  He invited us to join my mother and him for a little celebration for his retirement.  He and my mother have been anxious to meet you.”  What Linn did not know was John had something else planned.  They were still going to his parents’ house, but not for a retirement party.  John was going to propose to Linn the next day, which was Sunday.  He knew the time had come for him to settle down with Linn.  He had been a friend with her for almost a year.  He knew so much about her from all the time he spent with her.  “So when is this little celebration supposed to start,” asked Linn?  “Tomorrow afternoon,” said John.  “Okay, that’s fine.”  They finished breakfast and got dressed.  They decided to go to the park for a few hours.  The park was not too far from John’s apartment, so they decided to walk there.  On the way, they held each other’s hand and smiled at each other, knowing they were finally happy.  When they got there, they picked a spot to spread their blanket and sat down.  John began observing the children playing and laughing.  He thought about the song ‘Beautiful Life’ as he observed all the activity.  Linn was enjoying the warm sun and being with John.  All of the sudden, John started sing ‘Beautiful Life’ really loud.  Linn gave him a strange look and began laughing.

“What is that all about,” asked Linn?  “I am just so happy right now.  Life is beautiful and I’m happy to be with someone I love.  I love you Malin Sofia Katarina Berggren!  I love you with all my heart and soul, now you know it.”  Linn was taken back by hearing John loves her.  “I love you too,” said Linn with a dreamy look in her eyes.  John leaned over and gave Linn a kiss.  They stayed at the park for a couple more hours, just observing people.  At one point, Linn saw an elderly couple sitting on a bench.  The elderly man has his arm around his frail wife and they sat there looking at each other with love in their eyes.  “Look at that couple John,” said Linn, “I wonder if we’ll ever be like that one day.”  “Maybe,” he said with a smile.  They got up, folded their blanket and began walking back to John’s apartment.  As they were leaving, Linn looked back and smiled at the elderly couple, they smiled back.  When they got back, Linn got her purse, clothes and keys and got ready to go back to her place.  She thanked John for everything and invited him to join her for morning Mass.  He said that would be fine and kissed Linn.  She got into her car and drove home.  When she got inside, she ran to the phone and called Jenny.  “Jenny speaking.”  “Hej sys!  You will never believe what happened last night.  I caught; well John caught Fredrik in bed with a friend of mine.  So we are now officially over.”  “Glad you finally came to you senses sys,” said Jenny.  “So what happened after John caught Fredrik?”  “He told him to come to the family room after he and his ‘lady friend’ got dressed.  I told my friend to never speak to me again.  John then asked Fredrik some questions, he answered them and then he left.  Glad he took some of his crap with him.  Then John offered to cook me dinner at his place so I went over there.  Oh and you will never guess what I did as well.”  “What did you do,” asked Jenny?  “I burned the sheets that were on my bed where Fredrik and my ex-friend did their thing.”  “I know one thing for sure, you didn’t come back from John’s apartment last night.”  “How did you know that,” asked Linn?  “I called your apartment and cell phone and got no answer.  I knew you had something going with John.  I’m not going to ask for any details on the evening.”  “All I can say is that it was magical and just like my song ‘Whispers In Blindness’ in a way” replied Linn.  “Oh while I have you on the phone, we have an early choir practice before Mass.  Just wanted to remind you of that,” said Jenny.  “I’ll be there bright and early after I pick John up.”  Linn hung up from talking to Jenny and called her mother.  She wanted to tell her about breaking up with Fredrik and finally being happy.  “Hello Mama,” said Linn!  “Hello Malin.  How are you doing this evening?  You sound very happy at the moment.”  “I am very happy.  I finally broke up with Fredrik.  When I got home from tour, I had to call my good friend John to pick me up, since Fredrik was not there.  When we got there a few things transpired and that is when I told him to leave.  It was like a weight lifted off my shoulders when he left.”  “So I assume you and your friend John are an item now?”  “Yes we are, he knows me so well.  It’s like he can read what I am feeling and cater to it.  I have invited him to come to Mass tomorrow.  I would really like you and Papa to meet him.”  “I would love to meet John and I know your Papa would as well,” said Brigitta.  Linn talked with her mother for a few more minutes and then hung up with her.  She then got ready for bed and then called John to let him know he had to be ready very early.  He told her he would pick her up.

The next morning, at 6:30, they were ready to go to Mass.  Linn called John to let him know she would be waiting outside for him.  When they arrived to the church, Göran and Brigitta were standing outside.  When John and Linn got to the entrance of the church, Linn hugged and kissed her parents.  “Who is this striking young gentleman with you,” asked Brigitta?  “This is John Eriksson, the guy I told you about last night.  He is a producer at The Barn.”  John shook Brigitta’s hand and stepped back close to Linn.  Göran looked John over before he decided to shake his hand.  “I have a feeling you and my daughter are meant for each other.  You two look very happy and I am glad Linn is happy again.”  He then shook John’s hand with a smile on his face.  Before they entered into the church, Jenny joined them outside.  She hugged and kissed her parents as well and greeted John.  For the first time in months, Jenny saw happiness in Linn’s eyes that she had not seen.  They all entered the church and the Berggrens took off to their practice.  John kneeled on one knee before seating himself close to the front of the church.  A few minutes later, after John seated himself, Jonas and Birthe entered into the church.  They spotted John and made their way to where he was sitting.  They greeted him and sat next to him.  As soon as they sat down the Mass began.  After the Mass, the Berggrens and John gathered outside.  Jonas hugged and kissed his parents and talked to them for a few minutes.  John pulled Birthe off to the side and told her his plan for today.  He told her to pass the word on to Jonas, Jenny and their parents.  She got a surprised look on her face on Jonas just happened to see it.  He came over to where John and Birthe were standing.  His towering presence at this point actually scared John.  He was unsure what Jonas would do or how he would react.  “What’s going on over here,” asked Jonas?  “He’s going to ask Malin to marry him,” said Birthe.  Jonas’s eyes got very large but did not smile until a few seconds later.  John was relieved when Jonas smiled; he was scared he was going to get his face pounded in.  John told him of his plans and what he needed him to do.  Jonas shook his hand, told him he would inform his parents and Jenny and he would call for further instructions.  John took Linn back to her apartment so she could freshen up before going to John’s parents’ house.  He told her he had a few errands to run and he would be back to pick her up in a few hours.  He went back to his apartment and found the ring he was supposed to give Jessica.  He stayed in his nice clothes her wore to church, but packed a change of comfortable clothes.  He put the ring box in his shirt pocket and headed back out to a few more places to get a few things.  When he was finished, he called and told Linn to be standing outside.  He then called Jonas and Jenny and gave them directions to his parents’ house.  When he got to her apartment, she was standing outside as instructed.  She was wearing the shirt and blue jeans she wore for the ‘Don’t Turn Around’ video.  John parked the car, got out and opened to passenger door for Linn.  He then drove out to The Barn after he picked her up.  “What are we here,” asked Linn?  “That’s for me to know and you to find out,” said John.  He got out of the car and opened the passenger door for Linn.  He then unlocked the door to The Barn and led Linn inside.  He took her to the recording area they first worked in together.  There lying on the mixing board were a dozen yellow roses.  John handed them to Linn and she smelled them.

“This is where it all began for the two of us.  Right in this room is where our friendship began with a sad song.  That sad song has now become a happy one for both of us.  We know life is beautiful but it would be more beautiful if we could spend it together forever.”  John got down on one knee and reached into his shirt pocket to get the ring box.  He opened the box to display the ring for Linn to see.  “Malin Berggren, will you accept this ring as a token of my love and marry me?”  Linn dropped the roses and covered her mouth.  Her eyes weld up with tears and she was speechless for a few seconds.  “Yes, I will marry you!  Oh I love you so much!”  John slipped the ring on Linn’s finger.  He got off his knee and gave Linn a passionate kiss.  Linn picked up her roses after kissing John and hugged him.  They walked back out to John’s car after locking the door and headed to his parents’ house.  “I am so happy right now,” said John.  “I am happy as well,” replied Linn.  They looked at each other and smiled.  Linn kept looking at the ring to admire its beauty.  It was a perfect to her finger and had no defects at all.  When they got to John’s parents’ house, Linn saw her siblings’ and parents’ cars.  “What’s really going on here?  Is your father really retiring or do you have something else up your sleeve,” asked Linn?  John just smiled and turned into the driveway.  Before he let Linn in his parents’ house, he covered her eyes and led her in.  A family engagement party had been planned for them along with John’s help.  John led her to the family room and removed his hands from her eyes.  When he did, Brigitta was standing in front of Linn with a huge smile on her face.  She gave Linn a hug and everyone in the room followed suite. 

Lasse pulled John off to the side to tell him some news.  “There is someone else coming over later.  Before I moved to the States, I had a girlfriend.  She and I had a son before I got the news about being transferred.  Lately, I have been in touch with him and he wants to meet you.  You would really like him, he is an awesome piano player.”  “What does mother have to say about this?”  “She knew about it when we had known each other for a few months.  I felt she should know about it and she was very understanding.  She met him a few weeks ago and has accepted him.”  A few minutes later, someone knocked on the door.  Jean went and answered the door; it was Lasse’s son.  He was tall, had short wavy/straight light brown hair and brown eyes.  “Come in; welcome to our home,” said Jean.  She led him to the family room where everyone was gathered.  Lasse saw them and took John to meet his half brother.  “John this is Jakob.”  John shook Jakob’s hand, “Nice to meet you.”  John introduced Jakob to everyone in the room.  “So Jakob,” said John, “I hear you play the piano really well.  Would you mind playing something for us?”  “Not at all, I’d love to play something.  What would you like to hear?”  “How about Beethoven’s ‘Fifth’,” asked Jenny?  “Sure thing, I can play that with my eyes closed,” said Jakob.  He went to the piano, closed his eyes and began playing.  Everyone was amazed by his ability to play with his eyes closed.  When he finished, everyone applauded him.  “That was pretty cool,” said Jonas.  “I think a man who can do that is sexy,” said Jenny.  Jakob blushed when Jenny said that.  For the rest of the day everyone ate, sang songs and enjoyed each other’s company.