S2 22.We are good team

Venla arranges flowers she bought to herself when she hears keys clanking and door opening. It must be Ilari. She holds her breath, readies herself for inevitable fight. They must talk this thru now before it gets worse. Before it hurts too much.

To her suprise, Ilari’s eyes are full of warmth and he comes straight to her, kiss her and smile. 

– Hey beautiful! 

– Hi? 

– Missed you, he says and starts to fish his phone from his backpocket. 

– We need to-- Venla starts to say but Ilari has something else on his mind. 

– I need to show you something!

- I found the perfect house! Ilari seems overjoyed at coming back. Venla hasn’t seen this kind of enthusiasm with him. – You’ll love it! He tells and wraps his arms over her shoulders. 

- Wait what? 

– Big old house. Had very good feeling in it. Bright rooms, big yard for your greenhouse and gardening, and Lucky to run around. Forest is near, neighbours are not too close by. It needs some renovations but we are good team or what? 

– I’m not following you, Venla stutters and her mouth goes dry. 

– Let me show you. I took loads of pictures. Ilari goes on and doesn’t really listen.

 - Um, ok? Venla just blinks when Ilari shows her the pics. He’s right. It really looks nice and Venla sees potential at the yard. Apple trees, berry bushes, flower beds. 

- It’s perfect, Ilari smiles to her. Looks genuinly happy. – We have enough room there for good. You can have as large teapot collection as you ever want and there’s spare room in case we --

- We? Venla cuts him short. 

– We, Ilari says with certainty. 

– You mean, you mean you want me to…?

 – Move with me. What else? Ilari looks suprised. Like he wouldn’t even have thought Venla would stay behind. 

– Oh. I…I’m out of words, Venla mutters.

 – So. Say something? 

– Eh, what? 

– About the house. Do you like it? 

Venla looks at the pics again.

– It’s beautiful. I really like those old houses, history they have, she manages to say, dumstruck.

– I knew it. That makes it clear. I’m going to call them tomorrow and get the paperwork done. 

Venla has mixed feelings. She just talked with girls about this the other night. She was miserable, had started to prepare herself to be alone in few months. And for what? Ilari just assumed she’ll leave her life here and would go with him. Thought that Ilari wanted her to come along with him made her happy as ever. He wanted to have a life together with her even though Venla hasn’t heard those three little words from him. Those words she wanted to hear so much.

But thought of him orchestrating her life without even asking what she would think of it and would she want to come along was too much. That was annoying and insulting. Venla started to feel anger flaming inside her and it got more fire to it with every heartbeat. Like she would be just some part of decor you could pack along.

 And if she would go, what would happen then? Would she be a prisoner in the golden cage? Ilari didn’t mention anything about how far all shops and other services were but he said neighbors weren’t near. Ilari hated ms. Hurskainen so much by now he really didn’t want anyone snooping on his private life again. So the house was probably middle of nowhere. Venla didn’t have a drivers licence and her feet were still so weak she couldn’t walk far.