Seize the Day, Relish the Night

The next morning I woke up realizing that everything that came out of Jyrki's lips was a complete lie. I had wasted my breath and trust when I had confided things about myself to him.

He had never taken the opportunity to ask me for my phone number or gave his in return. So, I had been just some piece of entertainment that never put out.

It was a depressing thought after I had had so much fun. The darkness outside, although at 19.00, just added to my solemn mood.

And the day just went down hill when he had not tried to contact me like he had in order to just get my name.

I swirled the straw in my coffee watching people pass by happily. How come whenever you feel sad you always tend to notice everyone around you is celebrating?

I jumped feeling my back pocket vibrating. I pulled out my cell phone and, for just one moment, I had hoped it would be an unknown number belonging to Jyrki. That he had after all went out of his way once more to find my phone number.

My heart's pace slowed down to normal realizing that I was not being realistic. "Hello." I said softly in Inari Saami recognizing the number.

"Well, Tuuli I love you dearly too." I heard my sister's voice speaking our native language.

"I'm sorry Mielikki." I smiled in a better mood having missed my family. "You know I love you. Congratulations. I had to hear you being pregnant in a letter from mom and not telephoned?"

"Mom's idea. I assure you. She wanted to be the one to tell you. Why a letter; go figure." She chuckled. "So why sound so unhappy?"

"I'm happy." I tried to say convincingly, more so for myself than for Miel.

"Sure." She said sarcastically. "And I'm not going to fat like a full moon in a few months. So who broke your heart this time."

"You have to be in love to have your heart broken." I smiled softly sipping some of my hot coffee.

"What about love in first sight." Said my older sister knowingly. "I thought you believed in it."

"But," I paused trying to think of something that would aid my defense. "I met this guy last week and we had an amazing date last night. The thing is that he never asked for my number. I didn't realize it until this morning. It just kind of ruined my mood for the day." I mumbled giving in knowing I would have never won.

Who did not want to believe in love at first sight? Like in fairy tales. To have someone sweep you off your feet. To love them enough that you would lay down your own life to spare them pain.

I wanted all that and more.

"Hello, my name is Tuulikki Ikapaivinopoika and I am a hopeless romantic." I chuckled thinking over how sappy I had sounded as I whined.

"It's not such a bad quality Tuuli to have such high standards on love." Miel said soothingly.

"I know." I agreed. This was who I was and I was not ashamed of that. "It would be nice if things were a bit easier in proving my beliefs true."

"And where's the fun in that." She laughed. "So, why are you so glum that he didn't ask for your number? Was he really that great?"

I zipped up my coat and added a sprinkle of salt to my coffee before placing the lid on my styrofoam cup. "I thought he was. My romantic beliefs were starting to feel real." I stuffed a clean napkin in my pocket and made my way into the streets.

"I'm sorry sweetie." Mielikki said sympathetically.

I blew my hair out of my face. "No worries. It would have never worked out anyway despite if I had wanted it to. He was in a band that tours around many months of the year."

"See," she said in a cheery voice trying to lift my spirits. "It is better off this way after all."

I gasped almost running into someone spilling my coffee all over the both of us. "I'm sorry!" I called out quickly and kept going as I explained to my sister my small absent-minded mishap.

I heard my sister laughing. "They probably didn't understand you hun, unless they fit in that small percentage that speak Inari Saami."

"Oh." I blushed. "So, why have I been so wonderfully graced with your voice?" I teased swiping my metro card and walking through the turn-style to catch the train.

"I missed you and was wondering when you're coming up. And please don't say that it's right before Christmas. Everyone misses you." Mielikki tried to persuade me. "We can't wait that long."

I thought I heard my name being called and looked around the platform. But, I was forced onto the cart with the flow of the crowd before I could recognize a face.

"Tuuli! Tuuli!" Miel's frustrated voice grabbed my attention back. "Jeeze Tuulikki are you spacing out on me?"

"Sorry," I apologized. "I swore I heard someone calling my name."

"Yeah," she scoffed. "That was probably me."

"Probably." I mumbled, swearing to myself that I heard someone calling for me.

"So when can I tell Niko to meet you in Kemi?" Miel asked getting back to the subject at hand.

I took a seat near the window and took a sip of my coffee. "I don't know Miel. Soon. I just have to work my schedule around."

"What's there to work around? The spa will just have someone else pick up you clients." She rationalized. "Simple as that."

"Yeah, I suppose." I finished my coffee.

"Don't you want to come visit?" Her pouting voice echoed out of the receiver turning the conversation around on me.

"Miel, don't get all hormonal and bitchy on me." I defended myself annoyed by her sour change in attitude. I stood up and got off the subway at my stop. "You know I want to come home and visit. I'll let you know." I hung up on her in the moment letting my nerves get the best of me.

I sighed and put my phone in my pocket knowing she wouldn't call for a little while letting us calm down first. Some sort of older sister intuition.

I pushed open the door to Kale's bar. It was fairly busy for being so early. I sat at my table and took off my jacket resting it on the back of the chair. I walked over to the bar and leaned on the counter next to Valto.

He slipped his hand under my shirt and rubbed my back. "What's wrong Tuuli?"

"I just argued with my sister." I frowned.

Valto raised his hand signaling for two beers. "You want to chill upstairs or down here." I shrugged. He grabbed the two beers and stood up. He kissed my temple and wrapped his arm around my waist leading me to my table. "Come Tuuli. Tell me all your problems."

I laughed and sat in the chair he had scooched over snuggling up to him. "She wants me to visit, and believe me I do, but she just went all hormonal on me and I'm tired and bitchy too so the two didn't mix well."

"You've been acting kind of homesick." Valto smiled softly. "You always get this way around the time when you moved here."

"I do don't I." I grabbed my beer off the table.

"So Veera and Kale mentioned that you went on a date last night." He smirked down at me.

I sighed. "Yup."

He gave me a funny look at my answer, probably expecting a different, or more cheerful, response. "How'd it go?" He asked carefully.

"I guess not too well. Well, I thought I had fun and so was he, but nothing more than that." I sighed and drank more of my beer. "He didn't ask for my number so I guess that I got the gentle let down."

"Maybe it's good that you go home for a week then. No one's holding you back here." Valto smiled hopefully. "Have a break. A stress free vacation."

"You know, maybe you're right." I tapped the rim of the cool glass bottle against my lips as I thought my schedule out.

"Of course I'm right." He grinned proudly that he managed to cheer me up. "So when are you going to leave."

"Eh, realistically, not for a few days." I shrugged.

"Disappointed?" Valto whispered to me.

"Yeah." I smiled weakly. "But, oh well, what can you do." My feet were knocked off the chair and dropped to the floor my heels clicking against the wood floor. "Hey!" I complained about being forced out of my comfortable position. I looked over confused at the frazzled man sitting now opposite me.

"You know you are a hard of hearing." Jussi breathed heavily catching his breath. "First you practically run into me and spill your coffee on me and then, you ignore me as I look like an idiot chasing you."

I let out a whole hearty laugh at his dramatic tale as he struggled to regain his composure. "I knew I heard someone calling me."

"I will see you later babe." Valto kissed my head and nodded hello to Jussi before making his swift exit.

"Was there a specific reason you were chasing me like an idiot?" I smirked.

Jussi returned my smirk seeing the anxiety in my face. "Nope." He felt like watching me squirm a little while first.

My smirk faltered but I quickly drank some of my beer to cover it up. "So how are you?" I tried to ask casually.

He leaned back in his chair with his arm hanging off the back comfortably. "Not bad; not bad. Can't complain. And you?"

"Tired." I shrugged replying honestly.

"Does that have anything to due with your extravagant night on the town last night?" Jussi grinned like a chesire cat.

"Partly, but I also had to get up early this morning for work." I played with my hair to keep my hands busy.

Jussi opened his mouth to respond, but was interrupted by my phone ringing.

I laughed looking at the screen. "It didn't take you long to calm down."

"Me?" Miel countered accusingly.

"See and you agree." I grinned.

"I hate when you do that." She huffed.

I saw Jussi's confused face since I switched languages over and smiled holding up a finger letting him know that my conversation wouldn't last too long.

"So, have you cleared your schedule?" She asked.

"Yes, because I can magically do that." I said sarcastically. "I'll get a ticket for the Sunday night train and I'll call you on my way there."

"Nuh-uh, call me when you've order the ticket first." Miel said knowing me too well.

"Alright." I laughed. "I talk to you then."

"Who are you with?" She asked nosily since I was trying to end the onversation fairly quickly.

"No one." I chuckled shaking my head.

"Is it that guy from last night you were talking about. The one that got you so upset?" Mielikki continued to interrogate.

"No." I sighed. "It's his friend."

"Well if you want I'll call you in a few minutes to get you out." She offered.

I smiled at how my sister always looks after me. "No, I think I can handle this one."

"Alright, you take care of yourself Tuuli. I love you." She said sincerely.

"Love you too Miel." My smile widened. I hung up my phone and placed it back in my jacket pocket. "Sorry about that." I looked up giving Jussi my attention once again.

"No problem love." He smiled drinking his own beer that he had ordered while I was on the phone. He leaned forward on the table. "I still think your accent is so beautiful and unique."

I looked down blushing. "Thank you."

Jussi shrugged and sat back up. "Would you mind if I got your number? For Jyrki of course."

I scrunched my nose, making a face, not liking the position I was put it. "I think I'll make Jyrki work for it. If he wants it he'll come and get it."

He grinned. "I like the way you think."

"Okay." I said slowly unsure what the meaning was behind that comment and let out a nervous chuckle.

"No, no." He chuckled. "I know you're not being spiteful; just honest. I like that."

"Thank you." I said genuinely appreciating how he had appreciated my honesty.

"You're leaving me?" I heard Veera screech over the music. I rolled my eyes and smiled seeing Jussi laugh at my reaction. Veera came over and wrapped me in a hug from behind. "Sorry to interrupt, but this woman can't leave me here all by my lonesome."

"I'm just going to be gone a week Veera." I laughed.

"Yeah," she scoffed. "And then you always come back several weeks later than planned."

"Where are you going? If you don't mind me asking." Jussi spun the glass bottle on the table nonchalantly.

"Home." I grinned now getting excited that I'd be seeing my family. "Up to Inari. I'm going to try and leave Sunday night." I patted Veera's cheek as she pouted.

"Well, Ms. Ikapaivinopoika are you hanging around til later?" Veera asked playing with my hair.

"Probably not. I'm going to head out soon and make arrangements so Miel doesn't harass me." I laughed knowing my sister just as well as she knew me.

"Okay, I'll talk to you before then." She gave my head a light kiss before leaving just as abruptly as she can.

"Sometimes I wonder how I chose my friends, unless it turns out that I'm the crazy one." I laughed.

"I hear ya." Jussi chuckled. "Do you need to leave?"

"Miel can wait a few more minutes." I noticed Jussi looking at his own cell phone for the time. "Do you?"

"I can wait a few more minutes." He smiled sipping his beer.

I looked around the bar at the familiar faces of the regulars not bothering to break the silence between us.

"Don't you want to know what Jyrki's been saying about you?" He asked curiously.

"No." I said lightly shaking my head. But, I was also trying to fight off a smile at the thought of Jyrki talking about me, only if they are good things of course.

"Bullshit." Jussi smirked and leaned closer. "You want to know why you had such an amazing time, but that's it."

I watched him enjoying his own amusement, but stayed silent.

"It's because he's an idiot." Jussi laughed. He patted the pockets of his leather jacket and took out his pack of smokes. Placing one to his lips and putting the pack back in its place before flicking his lighter and inhaling. He blew the smoke off to the side and grabbed my coat off the back of the chair. "Come on love, you've waited for me long enough."

"Who said I was waiting for you?" I chuckled letting him help me into my coat.

Jussi shrugged and dug through his back pocket for his wallet leaving the appropriate amount for his beer and a tip. He held the door open for me and continued to follow me.

"Why were you chasing me earlier anyway?" I asked breaking the silence.

"Because Jyrki had us on a hunt to find you." He smirked seeing my cheeks heat up and the soft smile on my lips.

"Oh." I said quietly letting the silence fall over us once more, only the beating of his fingers against his leather pants drumming way.

The cobblestones on the side streets that we walked were glistening from the November rain this afternoon. I stopped seeing the familiar figure on my front steps.

Jussi chuckled and gave me a small shove towards Jyrki. "Found her all in one piece. You owe me now." Jyrki gave a quick nod of thanks. He leaned down and whispered in my ear, "He's been waiting for you."

I bit my bottom lip to fight the goofy smile on my face vaguely hearing Jussi walking off leaving the two of us alone.

Jyrki stood up and walked over to me. "Hello darling."

Hearing his voice sent tingles down my spine. "Hi." I said softly.

He smirked seeing the lump in my jacket pocket. I blushed as he reached his hand in my pocket and took out my cell phone. He opened it up and plugged in his phone number.