Passion's Killing Floor

My heart beat frantically as Ville knocked on the door to his parents home. And by the time his mother opened the door, I thought I might go into heart failure. But Ville grabbed my hand and held it tightly in his own.

"Hei, äiti," he said to her, pulling her into a one armed hug.
(Hi, mum)

"Voi se on niin hyvä nähdä sinua, poikani. Sisällä," she spoke in Finnish.
(Oh it is so good to see you, my son. Inside)

She led us into her small living room and left us to get Ville's father.

"She and my dad speak Finnish mostly because it's easier for them. Might have to translate for Mindy some," he told me quietly.

His mother returned, his dad in stow and they pulled each other into a hug.

"Kuka meillä on täällä?" his mother asked him, gesturing to Mindy and myself.
(Who have we here?)

"Äiti, tämä on morsiameni kerroin ja veljentyttärensä ... tytär."
(Mum, this is my fianceè I told you about and her niece... daughter.)

"Pikkuinen puhuu Englanti vain, otan sen?" his mother asked.
(Little one speaks only English, I take it?)

"Yes, but if Finnish is what you want to talk in, mother, it's fine."

"No, no," she said in English, "I can manage. Besides if I need help, you will help won't you? My perfect gentlemann," she beamed, kissing her son on the cheek.

"I'm Anita," she said, clasping my hand in both of hers. "So good to finally meet you, love. Ville told me lots of you."

She moved over to Mindy, doing the same with her hand, "And what is your name, little one?"

"Mindy," she said quietly.

"Well, Mindy, would you like some cookies? I believe we have some left in the kitchen," she smiled.

"Yes, please."

Anita led Mindy to the kitchen in the next room and we all followed, taking a seat at their dining table. Anita set a small plate of cookies on the table and Mindy eagerly took one.

"It's been so long since I've had a little one in the house. I need gran kids, Ville," she joked with her son.

"Yes, I'm sure dad is thinking the same thing. You need more workers in the shop, don't you daddy?" he laughed.

"I'm sure the government would love to know why I have children in the shop," his dad said smiling widely. "Jess was over there a while ago, working for memory's sake."

"Oh and Sarah was here just the other day, she's getting married too. All my little babies, grown up."

"I heard. She visited us not too long ago, too. Her and Mary went shopping, probably sneaked in some time looking for wedding dresses," he said, looking over at me.

"Oh, show me you're ring, love. I want to see what a kind of job my son did on ring picking."

He smiled over at me, us both realising his mother knew nothing of her ring being given to Ville. I looked over to his dad and all he did was wink at me and smile.

I put my hand in the middle of the table and Anita picked it up, examining the ring.

"My ring," she gasped, "Oh, he really does love you. My perfect angel."

She got up and kissed Ville's cheek and wrapped her arms around him. It made me smile, looking at them, just seeing all the love Ville has for his mother.

* * *

"Oh look at you here, babe. Such a cute little kid," I teased Ville.

His mother handed me a picture of Ville as a baby sitting in the seat of a truck, holding the wheel.

"Is this why you won't drive? You were traumatised as a child. Now I must be your chauffeur."

"You make this girl drive you places? Goodness, why don't you drive?" his dad asked him.

"There's no point in knowing, I'm gone most of the time anyway. So... no point, that's why there are taxi's."

"That's not a gentlemann thing to do," his mum said and we both giggled.