This Must be Fiction

"I should have done this last night!" I shouted, throwing clothes onto the bed.

"Relax, relax. You don't have all your clothes here anyway, all you have to unpack is what you have in your suitcase." Ville sat on the bed next to the pile I was creating.

"I know that, but I have to plan for what's coming. These clothes are really just the basics. Jeans, tees, a couple nice outfits. But when my other stuff comes in I have to know just where I'm going to put it."

"Like I said, do whatever you need to." Ville rose and kissed me before heading to the living room, probably to put in a movie. I slipped a Led Zeppelin CD into his stereo that I had moved to the floor for the time being.

The CD was over before I had completely organized my thoughts. My stuff was all put away, but I couldn't stop obsessing over what I might need from my house.
I dialed Robert.

"I need my own pillow. Did you make the list like I asked?" I spoke before he even got the chance to say hello.

"Yes, I made the incredibly long list. I doubt you're going to need all this shit."

"I need it all! I'm living here, I need my house things."

"Slippers? You can't just buy those? Your hair dryer?"

I laughed. "Yes. Ok maybe the slippers can go, but the hair dryer stays."

"I'm whittling down this list. To a reasonable size. Besides, I'm not spending a shit-ton of money shipping all of your stuff."

"Ok, fine, but I'm just going to keep asking you to ship things if you don't send all the right stuff."

"All right then." Sarcastic bastard.

"Thanks Robert, I really appreciate this."

"Only for you doll." I could hear that he was not done with me yet. "Can you give the phone to Ville?"

"Why?"

"I need to talk to him. Don't worry."
I hesitated with the phone still by my ear. Was it wise to give Ville the phone? Whatever, Robert would find a way to speak to him regardless of what I did.

I walked into the living room and saw Ville sipping a beer on his couch, facing the TV. The Crow was on the screen.

His hand was already outstretched for the phone. It amazed me how good his hearing was.

"Hi Robert." He said. I wish I could have heard what he was saying to Ville, but I could guess the jest of it.

"Of course not... I understand... I think we both know that that's not up to me... Of course. Robert, I know exactly where you're coming from.... She didn't tell you? It tore me apart too..." He paused to laugh. "Yeah man, check on us whenever you want. You can stay here for a while if you'd like... I didn't think about that... Good talking to you... No I don't expect that of you." He smiled at me, but then remained being focused. "Here she is." Ville handed me the phone.

"You didn't say anything too terrible, did you?"

"Obviously nothing he couldn't handle. I'm still wary about him, Molly. I may have to check up on you sometime soon."

"Yeah, fine, whatever."

"Call Lizzie in the near future."

"OK. Bye Roberto."

"Bye Molly McGee." he teased me with the nick name.

"He wasn't too terrible was he?" I collapsed onto Ville's lap. His baritone voice calmed my fears.

"He's worried about you. I respect that." He hugged me into his chest where I breathed a sigh of relief.

"I've got to go grocery shopping." I said into Ville's chest.

"Ah yes, I nearly forgot about that. I'll call a cab."
Ville dialed us a cab and a few minutes later we were on our way to a Finnish super market.

"I'm really going to need some help shopping, I'm not going to have any clue what anything says."

"No worries."

Before we started for the store Ville tugged my shirt. "Ring?"

"Oh!" I removed it from my hand and slipped it through the silver band around my neck. "Thanks for reminding me."

"What would you do without me?"

"I'd be useless." I said with a smile. He kissed my cheek before we got out of the car.

The second I stepped in the store, I was indeed useless. Of course some foods were recognizable, but there where a lot more that were questionable.

"You need to teach me Finnish." I said as I grabbed a cart from next to us. He took the cart from me and began pushing down the aisles.

"If you think you have the energy to learn it."

"At least teach me some of the basics." I held up a bag of apples.

"Omena." He said as he took them from me and set them in the cart.

I continued with the fruit until we moved on to vegetables. Then went on to bread, condiments, and drinks.

"Kahvi." Ville said as I showed a bag of coffee.

"Oh that ones easy!" I laughed.

"How much of this Finnish food shopping are you retaining?" He asked.

"Just about none of it. I figure after a while I'll get the hang of it." I went to grab Ville's hand, but he retracted. I felt hurt, immensely, and he felt it.

"Oh God, I'm sorry just.... we can't be seen in public." He put his hands on my shoulders. I sighed and leaned back, breaking the contact with him.

"I know that. It's shitty." I laughed as I held back my guilt and sorrow for putting the both of us through this.

"Don't." He said.

"Don't what?"

"Don't feel guilty about all this. It's not your fault. It's society's fault. Well, my society anyway." He laughed. I looked into his eyes and felt some relief.

"Right. I don't like not being able to touch you in public. For the first time in years I can go out in public and not be recognized, but you don't get that luxury." My eyes rolled over to a group of teenagers who were staring at Ville and I. "Kahvi. Coffee. That ones easy to remember." I looked down at the bag and set it on top of the loaf of bread.

"Think we're set? There's a lot of food in here." I said after walking down a few more aisles.

"It's not up to me, I'm not eating any of it."

"Well then we're good. I doubt I can eat this much in two months."

Ville offered to pay, but I stole his credit card and put it in my pocket before he could take it back. He thought about reaching in and getting it, but he didn't want to risk anyone seeing him putting is hands in my pants. I counted out some Euros, roughly, and paid the friendly cashier.

Another cab drove us home, and I reminded myself that I should rent a car while in Finland. If Ville refused to drive, I was going to refuse to be driven around.
After we arrived home I began putting the groceries away.

"You know, if you were a human I would offer to make you dinner. I like cooking." I said. Ville began putting some canned goods away.

"Oh yeah? Well you can make me dinner if you like, I'll try to hold it down."
He was trying to be nice, I think, but it still made me feel bad.

"You don't have to force yourself to eat for my sake, Ville." I tossed a loaf of bread on the counter.

"Good, because I really wasn't looking forward to vomiting up actual food." he laughed.

We finished putting everything away and I made myself a light lunch. It was basically all I could keep down. I still hadn't gotten used to eating much food, but I knew that it was necessary to gain weight.

"Movie?" He asked from his couch.

"Surely.... how about... hmm..." I scanned his collection. "A Clockwork Orange?"

"Sounds good."

I popped it into the player and took my seat next to Ville. He draped his arm on my shoulders and I crossed my legs over-top his.

I hadn't realized that I'd fallen asleep until I woke up in the same position a few hours later.