Chapter 6: Vänner och Älskare, Part II

June 1982, Göteborg, Sweden

When I stepped off the train onto the platform, Torbjörn and Elizabeth were waiting for me. I hugged both of them and got a kiss on the cheek from Elizabeth. Torbjörn grabbed one of my bags and I grabbed the other, and we headed to his car. Ten minutes later, we were at his parents’ apartment near Linnéplatsen. We put my things in the spare room, then went to a small restaurant on Vasagatan for lunch.

“How have you been, Elizabeth?” I asked. “You don’t write very often.”

“Good. I’m really, really ready to graduate on Friday!”

“I can imagine. I was really happy to graduate last year, especially because it meant I could finally move out of my parents’ house. Speaking of which, why aren’t you two in school today?”

“Cece and I have a place lined-up already. We’re starting a photography business, Ateljé Cool, as soon as school is done.”

“That’s cool! No pun intended. I started my own computer business while I was a Senior in High School. It’s done pretty well for the past two years. But you didn’t answer my question, young lady, why aren’t you in school today?”

“We had something better to do,” she said with a smile. “So you have your own place, do you have a full-time girlfriend?”

“There’s one girl who is really special, and we’re still working on our relationship. We aren’t exclusive, if that’s what you mean,” I said with a smile.

“Oh, for crying out loud!” Torbjörn complained. “It’s only been an hour and you two are already at it again?”

“Relax, Toby!” Elizabeth laughed, “It was just a question! You know I’m with Lasse.”

“Lasse? Lars Bolin?” I asked.

“Yes. Since January.”

“And you, Torbjörn?” I asked.

“Nope. Elizabeth would never go out with me!” he said wistfully. “No girlfriend yet.”

He was jealous! I’d had one night with her, a wonderful night, but just one. And that was all it was ever meant to be. I’d never realized that he was in love with Elizabeth, but there wasn’t really much to do about it at this point.

“What are your plans, Steve?” Torbjörn asked.

“Tonight I’m having dinner with my friend Josh from the States, his girlfriend, Anne-Marie, and my friend Sofia from Hovås. Tomorrow I’m coming to Schillerska for lunch with the class, and then there’s the graduation party at Bengt’s house. On Friday there’s graduation and a party at Lotta Håkanson’s house, and on Saturday you’re having your party. After that, I’m not sure. I need to make a few phone calls before I head out to the party with you tonight. And, of course, I’m heading to Stockholm on Saturday of next week.”

After lunch we went back to Torbjörn’s place and hung out, my two friends playing hooky for the afternoon to be with me. Elizabeth did try to get under my skin as she had in the past, but given that she was in a relationship, any tickling, or more, would have to remain a thing of fantasy. That thought brought back memories of firm, round breasts and bright pink nipples and areolae of her legs wrapped around me and her deliciously tight pussy. And THAT thought caused a stirring in my pants that required me to adjust them. This didn’t escape notice.

“I see you remember,” Elizabeth smirked.

“Fond memories. I hope for you as well.”

“Yes. It was just something that could never be and we both knew it.”

“Oh STOP already,” Torbjörn said, smiling. “You two want to screw, so go screw. Lasse won’t care.”

“Maybe not, but I will,” I said. “If Elizabeth were unattached, and she wanted to, then yes, but otherwise, no.”

Elizabeth smiled, “I like the integrity. Toby thinks with his dick!”

I shook my head. I knew these two had been close since kindergarten, but never been more than friends. It struck me that they would make a great couple if they, or rather she, could get past the issue of having been lifelong friends. I’d seen it before and I was sure I’d see it again — two people who ought to be together, not getting together because they’d always been friends. It almost happened with Elizabeth and me, though in our case the getting together was a single glorious night of lovemaking.

About 4:30pm, I placed a call to Tina Hoff. She’d been the most faithful and constant pen-pal that I’d had since I’d left Sweden. I’d talked to Karin nearly every week, but we only wrote occasionally. It was always somewhat surprising to me given I’d only ever met Tina once, while I was in Alingsås talking about the exchange program, and she’d only said about ten total words to me. I did remember that she’d never been more than about ten feet from me the entire time, except when I was teaching her schoolmates to play American football. Even then, she’d stood faithfully on the sidelines watching my every move.

Someone whom I assumed was her mom answered and called Tina to the phone.

“Hi, Tina, it’s Steve Adams. I’m in Göteborg.”

“Hi! Wow, your Swedish is still very good! Do you think you’ll be able to come to Alingsås?”

“I’m free from Sunday until Friday of next week.”

“Just a minute. Let me check with my mom.”

She put the phone down and I heard a muffled conversation. She was back in less than two minutes.

“Would you like to come on Monday? Mom said to invite you for dinner, but you could come earlier if you want. Mom said to let you know you could stay in our guest room, because the trains back to Göteborg stop running fairly early.”

I quickly checked the SJ train schedule that I’d picked up and looked for a train that would get me there in the afternoon.

“Sure. I’ll see you on Monday, around 2:10pm at the train station.”

“Great! See you then.”

I hung up and let Torbjörn know my plans.

“Another one?” he asked, smiling and shaking his head. “Didn’t you have enough last time?”

“She’s a pen-pal. There is nothing romantic going on at all,” I said. “She’s written to me regularly for the past two years and there hasn’t even been a hint of anything beyond friendship.”

“Speaking of girls, how is Katt?” Elizabeth asked.

“It’s been a few months since I spoke to her, but I’m sure she’s fine. She’s involved with her skating partner now, which is a very good thing. They’re coming to visit me in Chicago towards the end of July.”

We talked for a bit longer and then I excused myself to take a shower and dress for my night out with Josh, Anne-Marie, and Sofia. At 5:15pm, I walked to Linnéplatsen, where we’d agreed to meet. Josh was coming from school and Anne-Marie and Sofia were coming from home on the Särö bus line. Josh was just stepping off the #2 tram when I walked up.

“Hi, Steve! It’s great to see you!” Josh said in perfect Swedish, with the sing-song «Göteborgska» accent.

“Josh! It’s great to see you too!” I said, hugging him.

“The girls should be here in about ten minutes,” he said.

“Mary said to say hi and give you a kiss, but I think I’ll pass! Though if you and Anne-Marie will allow it, I’ll give it to Anne-Marie and she can give it to you!”

“No chance!” Josh replied, laughing. “I know your reputation far too well. I want her going home with me, not you!”

“Then you’ll need to wait a month or so for the kiss. Do you have your return date?”

“July 10th. We’ll be in Abisko June 27th through July 3rd. We fly out of Copenhagen just as you did, though I suspect my flight will not be nearly as fun as yours!”

“Mary has really missed you. I think you’ll be fucked within a millimeter of your life when you get home!”

“She told me that you took the edge off for her a few weeks ago,” he chuckled. “But I have no doubt. How is Kara doing?”

“As well as can be expected. Josh, she’s not going to school in the Fall. She’s staying in Milford for a while with her mom. She’ll start at IIT one year later than planned.”

“Oh wow! That sucks for you!”

“A bit. But, honestly, I think Kara made the right decision. Her mom told off Pastor Kent and left the church because he used his sermon at the funeral to make me out to be the cause of Kara’s dad’s death.”

“He’s an asshole. He always was. I won’t be going to church when I get home. Let’s just say I’ve had a revelation! I’m pretty sure I’m on the same page you are in that regard. The church would condemn pretty much everything I’ve done here and I can’t agree with them.”

“So, Anne-Marie is a steady girl?” I asked with an arched eyebrow. “I thought your plan was to have fun?”

“For the first six months or so, I was Steve Adams! Then I decided I needed a steady girlfriend. Anne-Marie is great. She’s fifteen, smoking hot, and totally cool with it just being for the time I’m here.”

“You were Steve Adams? Sounds as if there are some stories there!”

“Yes,” he chuckled, “and like Steve Adams, I’ll never tell you. I learned that from you, my friend. And it’s served me well.”

I nodded as the bus pulled into the plaza and stopped a few feet from us. The passengers filed out and suddenly a blur of dark hair and olive skin clad in jeans and a t-shirt crashed into me and wrapped its arms around me and gave me a crushing hug.

“Hi, Sofia,” I chuckled, hugging her back.

She released the hug, but kept her hands on my waist. Tears ran down her cheeks and she turned her face up for a kiss. I gave her a soft kiss on the lips, then pulled her tightly to me once again.

“I’ve missed you a lot, Steve!” she said softly.

“I’ve missed you, too, Sofia.”

We broke the hug, and Sofia took my hand and we turned to face Josh and Anne-Marie. Josh was not kidding when he called her smoking hot. She was about two inches shorter than I was, had long blonde hair, sparkling blue eyes, and a face and body that rivaled Kara Blanchard’s. The only other girl I knew that even came close to the two of them was Karin Andersson. Josh had done well.

“Put your eyeballs back in your head, Steve!” Sofia teased. “She’s gorgeous. We all know!”

Anne-Marie blushed slightly and Josh put his arm around her. I really, really regretted Josh not wanting me to kiss her, but I totally understood! They made a really cute couple, but I knew that Josh’s heart belonged to Mary. At the moment, though, his body belonged to Anne-Marie.

“Where to?” I asked.

“A new Italian place that just opened near Nordstan.”

We boarded the next #2 tram headed for Centralstationen, the closest stop to where we were going. I paid my fare while the other three all showed their student transit passes. Sofia only released my hand long enough for me to buy my ticket and slide it into the machine that would stamp the time on it. When we sat down, she sat very close to me, our shoulders and legs touching. My feelings for her from two years ago flooded into my mind.

“How long are you in Göteborg?” Sofia asked.

“Until a week from Saturday. I had to change my plans a bit because Kara’s dad died unexpectedly last week and I need to be with her. She insisted that I come, but I cut a couple of weeks off the trip so I could get back to her.”

“That’s a huge sacrifice for you, Steve. I know how much you were looking forward to coming here.”

“I’ve done one of the most important things I wanted to do when I planned the trip — see you.”

“Can we get together, just you and me? I’ll be at Toby’s party on Saturday, of course. Josh invited me. But maybe next week you and I could go to Liseberg? And then you could come for dinner, too. Mom and Dad want to see you, too.”

“Sure. What about Wednesday for Liseberg?”

“OK. Could you come to dinner on Tuesday, maybe? So we don’t have to rush home from the amusement park? I could invite Petra and Tomas over after dinner. They’d love to see you, too.”

“That would be great!” I said.

“Steve,” she said softly, “bring an overnight bag when you come Tuesday.”

I wasn’t going to get into a debate with her on the tram, so I just nodded. I’d have to talk to her about that, because I knew her feelings about what it meant to make love, which I was sure she was intending to do.

“Also, I have a message for you from Suzana Jonsson,” Sofia said. “She wants to meet you for coffee. Can you do it on Monday or Thursday morning in Hovås?”

“How about Monday morning around 9:30am? I’ll take the bus out. We can meet at the coffee shop down the street from your house. If that doesn’t work, then call me. I know I can’t safely call the Jonssons’ house.”

“No, you can’t! Her dad was livid! She was grounded for the rest of the Summer! He’s so pissed at you he can’t see straight.”

I chuckled, “I know how that goes!”

Josh pulled the lanyard to indicate we wanted the next stop, though I was sure the tram would have stopped at Centralstationen even without the signal. We got off and walked a few blocks to the restaurant. We were seated quickly and after reviewing the menu, we ordered.

“So, how did you two meet?” I asked Josh and Anne-Marie.

“She lives next door to me!” he replied with a silly smile. “It’s very convenient!”

She smacked him on the shoulder and said, “My brother rides the same bus Josh does into Göteborg for «gymnasiet», and they started hanging out. Josh always had lots of girlfriends, so I wasn’t really interested. Then our families got together for a New Year’s party and we danced and then I kissed him at midnight. We just kind of clicked, I guess. I told him I’d go out with him, but I wasn’t going to compete with other girls.”

“That sounds like Sofia,” I said.

Sofia squeezed my hand, “Sadly, Steve already had Pia when he came to Hovås. So we ended up being best friends instead.”

“Well, he said yes,” Anne-Marie said, “and we’ve been a couple ever since. But he goes home in a month, and then he’ll be back with Mary.”

I nodded, “I know how that goes as well. I just saw Pia when I was in Helsingborg. She was really the one I left behind, so to speak. I was seeing an ice dancer named Katt as well, but she moved to the States so I could see her there.”

“I’ve heard about you from Josh,” Anne-Marie said with a smile.

I chuckled, “I’m sure. I did have something to give him from Mary, but there was no way in hell I was going to French kiss him. I did offer to give you the kiss so you could give it to Josh, but he declined,” I said with a laugh.

“You would!” Sofia giggled. “And I think Josh made a good decision!”

“Oh, I wouldn’t object,” Anne-Marie said with a cute smile, causing all of us to laugh, even Josh.

Our food arrived, and we ate and continued to talk. When we finished, I paid the bill, and left a tip, even though service was already included. I always felt that good service deserved a bit extra, even when tipping wasn’t the norm. We left the restaurant and found an ice cream kiosk and got cones. We walked around the center of Göteborg for about an hour before we boarded a tram back to Linnéplatsen.

When we got off the tram, Sofia checked the bus schedule and saw that the next Särö bus didn’t depart for about thirty minutes.

“Let’s take a walk,” she said.