“When did you get back?” I ask him after
“A few hours ago....” he says this against my ear, from behind, pressed up to me, “I saw you up here. You were sound asleep. And it seemed like a good idea.... as we’ve been up all night.... you didn’t even feel me get into bed next to you,” he says and draws me to him, his arms like a seatbelt buckled in front of me; he kisses my neck, “I think you were dreaming.... or maybe I was because— I didn’t even notice when I fell asleep.... was it the hut again—your dream?”
“And the—“
“Moon....” he says it with me as I say it too
“The moon....” I sigh seeing it the way it was in the dream as it shone into the hut; full, beautiful .... and the sound of the sea.... and then I heard—
“I heard music,” I say now, “yours....”
“That was my fault, I’m sorry, I had it on.... I’ve been going back over some of the parts and had it on when .... I was laying here next to you. Before I fell asleep....”
“What time is it?”
“It’s a little after twelve.... we should probably get up,” he says reluctantly
And because I hear it in his voice I ask,
“why? What’s up now—Jörn....?”
After a beat he sighs,
“he wants to do a zoom meeting.”
“A zoom meeting? Who does? Who do you mean?”
“Paulina.”
“Oh.... ? ....he —is— a ‘he’—“ I say, “glad you clarified.”
“You couldn’t tell on the phone?”
“By a phone call? Jörn—nobody jumps to conclusions these days, yes? We don’t jump, right? —but, you know, I’m not even sure how you have managed to—rope me in—to your shenanigans, now— how did this even happen? I am trying to imagine your motives and —I mean how did you ....?—do this?—and I let you, because I’m —a twit— obviously —this is crazy! What is it you expect me to do?”
But instead he does something ....he knows I like —which is an unfair trick.
He ignores my questions and instead just asks,
“actually, you need to tell me, I’m fascinated —how did you manage to convince Paulina? I think he almost has a crush on you now and he only likes boys,” but I notice he does not laugh, rather sounds somewhat astounded
“What?!” I laugh at that, “did I? With just my voice!???”
“Yes, because now he wants to see what you look like,” now he actually laughs, and, he seems even wickedly amused
“Please—you’re not serious....”
But he keeps doing something he knows I like so I think maybe this is a spy tactic he’s picked up
“I’m not that easy to convince,” I say
“You don’t lie very well. No, tell me, how did you disguise your voice? I’m really curious.”
“It wasn’t on purpose.”
“What wasn’t?”
“Well, first when I called I got the voice mail and hung up. I sent an email. Then he called me back. But —not at first. About twenty minutes later, I guess it was. I didn’t expect that. Because— see, I realized I was hungry. Because actually, I didn’t eat since some time yesterday —on my hike. When all I had was a granola bar. So I decided to make something— I was half asleep but starving and so I was just going to make a baked potato and I didn’t realize the shaker to the cayenne pepper was on the wrong opening and I inhaled a cloud of pepper dust when he called— so I was actually choking and totally hoarse.... he really thought I was a guy?”
now he’s really laughing at me,
“I guess you better start inhaling more pepper because .... well—“here he pauses, “besides that—we need to make you look like someone called Elton.”
“You need to do some explaining, Jörn. And why —exactly— do you think I’ll do this? Sometimes you are too demanding, I swear Jörn—“ but I stop protesting.... because he can be convincing, actually
But I hold some resolve still, and I say,
“I do want to know why.... why now? Why suddenly do you decide—to now make me a part of your spy schemes?”
“Why do you think?” he says this into my ear between kissing my neck
“No—I don’t know.... really I don’t....”
“Maybe because of what I wrote on the note ..... it is time to.”
“That is so cryptic, Jörn. You make it sound like you are explaining but—you never actually say anything! Would it be too hard for you to—for once— to actually say? Something? Actually tell me something? Something! Maybe once, just once. Dropped your guard, maybe?”
“And that is why. I knew you’d get there eventually.”
I am silenced by this enigmatic remark.
“More of your riddles! I swear—!”
Only, no. I don’t finish that remark.
Because I cannot.
and even so, my mind is trying to work out what he means even while in the midst he presses his advantage with his methods of distraction. And then ....it is some time before the conversation gets anywhere; he teases and says,
“I feel I owe you for your birthday,” as if for excuse
***
And not too long after ....
he concedes now to admit,
“All right, I will explain: Paulina’s ex is Lisa’s best friend.... Bruno—“
“Bruno?”
“Yes— he was partner in the business with Paulina —the Cabaret —all of this— which I only discovered after.... I bought the business .... that is—Greta.... bought the business—“
“Shocking—maybe you should have hired a detective to get the lowdown first,” I say with irony.
Which he ignores, not even pausing,
“—and— she cannot know; it would blow my cover and —cause a lot of misunderstandings..... this presents the problem of the zoom call as— besides that you can’t look like you, also, because you know she knows this house and I know she’s been consoling Paulina on the break up —she’s currently at his place....”
“This is insane! How is it possible of all drag clothing companies you buy the one who is somehow connected with your wife?”
“Lisa is a home designer, Bruno went to her design school— and it’s Stockholm.”
“What does that mean?”
“So—“ but just ignores this question, “now we have to come up with something fast to disguise not just us but also this place. This house. That she got for us. Any ideas?”
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