22. Family issues

Venla is spending rest of saturday with Susanna and they go shopping
 – Hi, Iida tells them loudly. They greet her and her friend. 
- What you are doing here? Susanna seems to be surprised. - You hate shopping.
- I'm with mom. She's trying to find new shoes for autumn, Iida grins. Venla's eyes widen. Mom? Iida's mother? Well, that was a surprise.
- Mom. This is Susanna and Venla, Iida introduces them. The said woman smiles and offers her hand.
- Oh hello! I'm Warda Sydänmaa, she says with french accent. 
- Hello mrs. Sydänmaa, Susanna says but Venla is unable to speak, so she just muttering something.
- Just call me Warda. It's so nice to meet Iida's friends! They smalltalk a little while and after they move on, Venla can't keep her thoughts canned anymore.
- She was SO young to be even Iida's mother! Susanna nods.
- Some men change for younger and then some even younger. 

- I thought I could take a tattoo, Ilari thinks aloud and opens a bottle of whiskey. 
– I tought you already buried the idea, Iiro says and enjoys warmth in the sun. 
- Virpi didn't like it, Ilari sighes and takes a long drink straight out of the bottle. 
– She didn’t liked or accepted half of the things you wanted to do, Iiro reminds his brother. 
- It's weird how you can miss someone whom with you just argued and fought all the time, Ilari muses.
– So you really loved her? 
- Mmhm.
– It pained me to see how otherwise two good people just kept hurting each other, Iiro continues. – Maybe breakup was for the good after all? You can be the man you really are, not a man she wanted you to be? Ilari shakes his head, refusing to listen. He takes another big gulp. 
-It hurts so fucking bad! 
-I can see it. Let it go, bro. Let it go. 
- Easier said than done. Ilari falls silent for a time, looks the whiskey bottle and hands it over to Iiro. -I drink way too much. I'm going the same way like mother did. 
– Hell you will! Iiro's voice grows angry. -You are much stronger than that! 
-I don't feel like it. Ilari's voice is raspy. Like he has to fight to keep himself together.
– You carried me -literally – when I didn't have no strenght. Supported me and helped me recover when I was ready to die. You could handle all that shit, hospitals and all. This won’t break you, Iiro says quietly but articulates clearly. - I cannot carry you but I can watch your back. Will you let me do that? 
- Ok. 
– Love you, moron.

Comments