Seize the Day, Relish the Night

"Are you sure you have everything?" Veera asked me, for what seemed like the thousandth time.

"Yes." I said quietly, not really paying attention, and checked my phone again to see if I had any missed calls.

"What in God's name are you doing?" She sighed frustrated with me, realizing that I had not been listening to her one bit.

I gave her a confused look. "What did I do now?"

"I give up." She rubbed her face and laughed. "Who's phone call are you waiting for, love?"

"Jyrki." I bit my lip blushing. "He said we'd meet up for coffee before I left for the train station."

"Oh my goodness Tuuli." She laughed. "I don't think I've ever seen you like this before. Has the man grown a pair to ask you to be his girlfriend yet?"

I laughed and leaned my head back as I sunk further down in the sofa chair. "Not really."

"That's a no then." She smacked my leg. "There's no such thing as in between. It's only yes or no."

I stuck my tongue at her and sighed. "Is this stupid?"

"Yes." Veera laughed pouring herself some red wine.

"I'm being serious V." I whined.

She chuckled. "I am too, love."

"You were like this with Kale." I reminded her and took her glass of wine.

"But, I was his girlfriend when I was a lost cause." She grinned and poured herself another glass knowing she wouldn't be getting it back from me.

"I am being stupid." I groaned.

She patted my head and kissed my temple. "It's okay love, only natural with you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I looked at her, eyebrows raised interested in her answer.

She sat in the chair across from me. "You always fall fast and hard."

"It's not like I date a lot." I shrugged, trying to not let her words get to me too much.

"No, you're too picky." She laughed and smiled. "But, when you do, this whole new persona comes out."

"I can't help it." I finished my wine.

"I know." Veera smiled softly. "You're too good. So," she grabbed our empty glasses and began to wash them for me. "You ready to get going or are we waiting around for Romeo?"

I sighed and looked at my phone only to see the digital numbers of the time glow. "No, I'm ready; I have to check my bags in. I don't know which is worse, the airport or the train station."

Veera laughed wiping the glasses dry before putting them back in the cabinet. "You're screwed either way." I watched her walk down the hall to the entranceway and grabbed her coat off the hook. "Ready to go meet the guys. They want to say goodbye too and come with us to the station. I think anyway." She chuckled to herself. "They never give a definite answer to anything."

I laughed agreeing and smacked the palm of my hand against my forehead and groaned.

Veera wrapped her scarf around her neck and rolled her eyes. "What did you do?"

"I need my ticket." I laughed.

"And how many times did I ask you if you had everything?" She tisked, shaking her pointer finger at me.

"Yeah, yeah." I mumbled grabbing my laptop among the small pile of my luggage and unpacked it. I popped it open and started it up, getting the cord to the printer. I placed the end in the USB. I looked up at Veera briefly as she tapped her feet, before looking back down to bring up my email. "Yes?"

"I'm just waiting." She grinned.

I laughed finding my sister's email and clicking on the link. "I noticed." I clicked on the print button. "See, took no time."

"Are we grabbing dinner at the station?" She asked as I shut off the printer and packed up everything again.

"Yeah, might as well. Miel only ordered me a breakfast, probably figuring the same." I zipped up the bag and went to slip my coat on.

Veera looked at the light jacket I was putting on. "Please don't tell me that you plan on wearing that in Inari?"

I laughed at her motherly tone of voice. "No, I have another coat I'm carrying on. You need to get pregnant."

"What?" She looked at me shocked almost dropping my duffle.

"I'm being serious." I laughed and patted her cheek. "You'd be a good mamma. Besides you need some one to order around besides your husband and I."

She smacked my butt when I bent down to pick up my other bag. I turned around and stuck my tongue out.

The guys were waiting across the road talking and looking out on the harbor. Valto turn around and grinned. "What took you guys so long?"

"Don't look at me." Veera waved her finger at him and shook her head. "It was all Sleeping Beauty's fault." She handed the duffle to her husband and wrapped her arm around his waist.

"Aw, poor Tuuli had to be woken up by a beast." Kale cooed and grunted when his wife elbowed him. "And what a lovely beast she is too." He pouted and rubbed his side.

"The prettiest." I laughed and thanked Valto who took my other bag off of my hands.

Ale wrapped his arm around my shoulder. "So, my brother is too chicken shit to ask you, but how has this thing with that rock star been going?"

"And you have some nerve teasing." I laughed at Kale. "It's going good I guess."

"Please." Veera kicked me in the butt playfully. "She's head over heels already."

"When isn't she." Ale chuckled, his voice echoing against the buildings.

"Hey!" I pouted and ducked from under is arm, going to Valto's side instead. "What's so bad about love?"

"Nothing, babe." Valto hugged me. "They're just jealous."

I grinned and hugged him back. "At least someone loves me." I laughed when my friends rolled their eyes.

I jumped feeling my phone vibrate and hastily grabbed it out of my pocket. "Oh, brother." I heard Veera mumble.

"Hello?" I smiled in anticipation of hearing Jyrki's voice.

"Hello darling." His deep voice making me melt.

"Hi." I said softly.

"I got caught up with Archzie." He began to apologize. "Is it too late to come grab a cup of coffee with you?"

"My friends and I are on our way to get a quick dinner at the train station." I chewed on my lip and looked at them watching me.

"Oh." I heard him sigh. "Well, I guess I will see you when you get back, darling."

I looked at Veera with pleading eyes, as did her husband. "Fine." She threw her arms up in defeat.

"So, you don't want to join us then?" I smiled at Valto who leaned forward to hear his answer.

He grabbed the phone out of my hands impatiently. "Hello?"

"Who's this?" Jyrki asked confused.

"Your worst nightmare." He hissed.

"Valto." I whined as he pushed me away in my sad attempt to get my phone back.

"Listen here." He continued to shove me away with one hand effortlessly. "You have her dangling on your little hook. Reel her in already!" He exchanged a few more words and hung up handing me my phone.

"Well?" Kale asked for me since I was still staring at him dumbfounded.

"He's coming." Valto shrugged, like it was nothing. "I told him to meet us at The Asemaravintola on the second floor. I assume we're eating in that area and not going to the bar first?"

I nodded, blinking away my confusion and smacked him. "I'm not dangling on a hook." They all erupted in laughter. "I'm not!"

Ale ruffled my hair. "It's alright Tuuli."

I groaned and hiked my bag up on my shoulder staying quiet the rest of the walk there. I took a deep breath before entering the ticket sales area to exchange my print out for a real ticket.

Valto came with me while the rest opted to wait outside with my luggage. The man behind the counter politely took my papers and license before quickly stamping a bunch of things and handing me a ticket and license back. "Have a nice trip."

I thanked the man and had to laugh. "That's always so overwhelming for me."

"You're too cute Tuuli." Valto laughed and held the door open for me. "What track are you leaving from?"

I looked down at my ticket to read the information. "Number 15. All the way in the back of the station." I laughed.

He smiled, "Hopefully not too many people over there though."

After finally getting my luggage check onto the train, we made our way away from the crowd and up to the second floor.

"Table for six." Kale stepped forward to the seat hostess of the restaurant, Olivia, speaking up for all of us.

I slid in the booth next to Valto, while Ale sat opposite next to his brother and Veera, and slid out of my coat. "Hey Tuuli." Veera snapped her fingers to get my attention.

"What?" I looked up from my menu.

"Lover boy's here." She smirked.

I saw Jyrki looking around confused outside the restaurant. I smiled and grabbed my bag. "Order us whatever, I want to get something for the ride from Cafe Kapsakki anyway."

"Or you don't want us to scare him off?" Ale teased.

"That too." I laughed and jogged over to Jyrki.

Jyrki looked up from his phone feeling someone's presence. He wrapped his long arms around me in a warm hug and smiled feeling my soft lips on his cheek. "I was just about to call you, darling."

Valto observed the two. "I would have never imagined her going for a guy like him." He chuckled seeing the tall man clad in black.

Kale sipped his water and laughed. "Usually it's with those geeky guys."

"What do you think her father will say when he meets him." Ale pondered spying on his friend with the rest of them.

"You mean, if they even get that far." Valto chuckled.

"Leave her alone." Veera defended her friend, even though she was picking on her earlier as well. "She really likes him."

"Well, if he treats her right, he can stay." Kale puffed out his chest. "I don't care how famous he is or how many free concerts he'd bribe me with."

Veera rolled her eyes and smack his chest. She pointed to each of the guys. "When she comes back with him, be nice."

Jyrki let me go slowly and leaned down slightly to kiss my lips briefly. I smiled and licked my dry lips. "I'm glad you came."

"Me too." He grinned.

I slipped my hand in to his and gave it a little tug. "Come with me. I need to buy a few things for the trip up." I turned around and flashed him a smile. "Besides, you don't want to face them just yet; trust me."

Jyrki laughed. "I think your friend that picked up the phone says it all."

I tugged on his arm. "What did Valto say?"

"Nothing that wasn't far from the truth." He smiled mysteriously and shrugged.

"You're cheeky just like him for holding out on me." I pouted and released his hand. I went over to the candy section.

"Alright, let's give the kids some make-out time." Valto teased, winking at me.

"We'll be getting a drink and then well meet you on the platform, love." Veera kissed my cheek.

Jyrki swayed our linked hands as we made our way slowly to track 15. He bit the corner of his lip before tugging me away from the crowd and to a more intimate corner. "So."

"So." I giggled as I leaned against the wall.

"They weren't so bad." He chuckled leaning over me.

"That's because they were on good behavior." I laughed. "But, they're a good group of friends."

Jyrki's smile softened. "So, I have had you dangling off of a hook huh."

I wasn't sure how to answer that. "I-"

"I have, darling." He chuckled, interrupting me. "Unintentionally of course."

"I hope it's unintentionally." I returned his smile.

He looked over my face and tucked some of my blond locks away from my face. "So, Miss Ikapaivinopoika." He smiled bashfully, having a hard time pronouncing my last name, before continuing. "Would you allow me to reel you in and officially have you as my girlfriend?"

I looked into his charming blue eyes and sighed. I knew it wouldn't be easy, but something inside said to take the challenge. I nodded my head. "I think I might allow you to."

He grinned from ear to ear and kissed the corner of my lips making me smile. "You have just made me the happiest man alive." His soft thin lips pressing against mine quickly hushed my laughter.

His hand gently squeezed my hip and slipped it under my shirt, rubbing my back and pulling me closer. I wrapped my arms around his neck and laughed when he spun me around.

"So you finally have manned up enough to ask my girl out, huh?" Veera smirked interrupting our moment; the boys each smoking a cigar from the bar, trailing not too far behind.

"And if I did?" Jyrki smirked still holding me close.

"I'd say about damn time." Valto laughed.

"They just announced that you're train is pulling in." Ale smiled. "We figured you two were too busy to notice."

Sure enough the blue car train pulled in; signaling I only had a few more minutes with my friends and newfound boyfriend; the idea made my head swim.

The once deserted platform, was now crowded with people saying fair-well and safe journey, as my friends turned to me and began so as well.

"I'll miss you." Jyrki whispered in my ear, once it was his turn.

I smiled. "You'll be having far too much fun with your friends doing that music video to miss me."

He shook his head. "I am going to miss you."

"Good." I kissed his lips and accepted his warm hug.

The muffled voice off the announcer repeated that the train was ready to depart. I looked around and just noticed that the platform was practically empty compared to just minutes earlier.

I kissed Jyrki quickly once again, not giving him a chance to react, and said goodbye to everyone before climbing up the stairs to my car.

I sat next to the window and waved to them. The warning to stand clear was announced right before the doors were closed. My body fell forward slightly as the train jerked as it began to leave the station.

I waved and blew kisses at them until I could no longer see their bodies waving crazily in return. I sighed and leaned in my large chair, settling in for the long trip to Kemi.

"So how long to you think she'll be gone this time?" Veera laughed.

"I bet two weeks." Valto grinned and swung his arm around Jyrki's shoulder. "She'll be on good behavior for lover boy here."

"I don't know." Ale said in a skeptical tone. "She hasn't been home since early summer. Could be longer."

"I thought she was going for just a week?" Jyrki looked at them confused.

"Well," Kale began. "Tuuli always says one week and the next thing you know, you don't see her for a month. She always gets caught up when up there, reminiscing or herding. Sammi stuff I guess." He shrugged.

"So what's you're bet Jyrki?" Ale smirked.

"A week?" Jyrki mumbled still confused, which just sent the bunch into laughter. Well, now he was hoping it was only a week.