Chapter 3 - Worlds Apart

Chapter Three

23.12.
 
“For the last time! We are taking off in half an hour! So get yer arses down here for Christ’s sake!”
Flinching Elena sat up on the bed. She was in her room, snow was falling from the sky, leaving a white frosting all over the backyard. “Cummin’, Dad!” she yelled, trying to pull herself together. She didn’t feel rested at all, turning over to her back to close her eyes again. 23.12, Granny-day.
 
The day was long and exhausting. Her whole family gathered at her grandmother’s place for a big family lunch. Trying hard to join the conversations, Elena sipped her wine, rocking one of her little cousins on her lap. Riku came to her mind. His laughter, his shining eyes. He was definitely a handsome piece of man! Smiling to herself she emptied her glass. ‘I’m going crazy!’ she thought. ‘Now I already have hots for the friend of my imaginary dream-husband!’
When they were finally at her parents’ place again Elena was dead tired. Kissing her mother goodnight she went to bed, falling asleep without even thinking about Samu or Riku.
 

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“Leni! Leni, come on, let’s go!” there was impatient knocking at her door and Elena lifted her head from the pillow, feeling the speed of her heartbeat increasing. She was back at the hotel and unless she was very much mistaken, it was Riku’s voice that came from the corridor. Slowly she got up, walking over to the door. “What?” she mumbled and rubbed her sleepy eyes.
Riku’s mouth dropped open. “You’ve got to be kidding me, Leni! You are ASLEEP?” he grabbed her shoulders he turned her around to drag her inside the room before he closed the door with his foot. “Alright, you got five minutes to have a shower! Go, go, go! The car will be waiting for us in 30 minutes! Good Lord, girl, your husband will go bananas!” he ran his fingers through her messy hair. “Do something girly about this!” he demanded. “Wash it, soap it, put in some cream or whatever a girl needs to do to prevent herself from looking like a scarecrow!”
Uttering something vulgar under her breath, Elena yawned and walked over to the bathroom.
“Five minutes!” Riku yelled after her, going through her new dresses. A short black dress was one of his favourites. She had looked stunning in it! He knew, she was his mate’s wife, but it had taken his breath away when he had seen her in the shop this afternoon, turning around herself in front of a mirror, throwing insecure gazes at him. The sight of her had taken him back many years and he had suddenly felt a lump in his throat. He had always loved to run his fingers over the large tattoo on her back, lilies, most of them almost the size of his palm. They started right above her left butt-cheek, making their way over her spine and her right hip up to her left shoulder. She had always been breath-taking.
Quickly he shook his head to dispel his thoughts and kept searching through the rest of the bags to distract himself from memories about soft skin and the marvellous work of art on her beautiful back. Bending down, he tried to find the silver pumps they had bought together with a tiny silver purse that would match the thin stripes of silver on the upper part of her strapless dress.
With a towel around her body and in her hair Elena returned from the bathroom after no more than seven minutes, giving him the time he needed to gather himself. Quickly she combed her hair, putting cream on her face. “Alright!” she nodded at Riku to hand her dress over to her. Smirking he got up from the bed, pointing at her suitcase. “Right on time, dear! I was about to go through your panties!” giggling he gasped when she nudged him with her fist.
“You are such a little...!” blushing she pushed him onto the bed and bent down to find a slip.
“Not the huge ones, dear!” Riku giggled from behind, making her throw a pair of socks at him. With a tiny thong in her right and a comfortable lacy panty in her left she turned around. “Ou shut yer big mouth for Christ’s sake! Which one?”
Grinning he folded his arms over his chest and sat up straight. “Well, depends... D’you wanna seduce me,” he pointed at her left hand. “Or your husband?” grinning he nodded right.
“I’d better say husband now, hum?” smiling she slipped the thong over her legs, trying to adjust them under her towel. “Alright, gimme that dress! Know what, you go and find some adhesive tape for my feet.” She pointed at her new shoes. “I’m going out with those incredibly high killing-shoes for the first time, so I will definitely need some. Come on, get up! I’ll be dressed in five minutes and quickly do my make-up. Go!” she shooed him outside, taking off her towel as soon as he had closed the door. Quickly she put a lot of cream and mousse into her hair, brushing it back with her fingers.
Her heart was beating in her throat, when she slipped into her dress. She couldn’t believe what she saw when she turned around in front of the mirror. Remembering the way she had been staring at the incredible tattoo for a few breathless minutes in the dressing room of the first shop they had entered today, Elena put her hand on her left shoulder. Softly she ran her fingers over the thin black and grey lines and the shadows around the flowers. The washed outlines of her first tattoo came to her mind, a Celtic cross she and her old mate from school had decided to get after smoking too much pot and that now bedecked her left bikini line in quite a profane way. If she had ever chosen to get another tattoo but the small one on her ankle and the two black and very old snakes around her wrists, it would have been this one. It was beautiful.
But there was no time to stare at her back tonight! She ran over to the bathroom to wash her hands and apply some tinted day cream on her face. Nervously she stared at her reflection in the mirror. The day cream wasn’t enough to cover some small pimples on her chin and she sighed in annoyance, rummaging around her cosmetic bag. Hurriedly she applied some liquid make-up on her face, grabbing her powder and a soft brush, flipping it open. She wasn’t too good with make-up, so she only took a bit of dark eye-shadow to accentuate her eyes, adding silver to match her dress. She heard a knock at the door, obviously Riku was back. Rushing over to the door she opened it a slit, running back into the bathroom. Mascara, perfume, deodorant, done! Sighing she leaned back at the wall before she made her way over to the bed room. “Close it please!” she turned her back at Riku, not even realising that she left him speechless for the second time of the day with her dress. “So what d’you say?” she turned around, smiling nervously.
He swallowed hard, gesturing her to turn around again before he nodded. “Perfect, dear!” he bent down to grab her shoes. “Adhesive tape’s in your purse already.” Again he watched her closely. “Something for yer lips?” he suggested, gesticulating the form of her lips into the air.
“But I already over-painted my eyes! You don’t think that’s gonna be too much then?” she turned back to the mirror of the closet, giving herself a close look before she stared at him through the reflection. “What? Why are you laughing now?”
“Well, dear, you are everything but over-painted!” giggling he stepped closer, adjusting his tie. “Just take some gloss.” He ran his fingers through her wettish hair. “You’re beautiful, dear.” Smiling at her he took her hand. “Now take this sexy-silver shawl of yours and your coat and come on! Samu called me before; he said he couldn’t reach you. The recording went well and he’s now waiting for us at the club.”
“So where are we going?” nervously Elena ran her fingers through her hair again, putting a bit of lip-gloss on her lips before she grabbed her purse and coat from Riku’s hands. “Thank you, Riku!” she smiled at him questioningly. “Please tell me that I look good!”
“You look stunning, dear!” he helped her into her coat and offered his arm to her. “Samu might faint!” he joked on their way outside. “The club’s quite new, I don’t even know the name, but they are having a huge party tonight and we are somehow the special guests, so.... well, let’s just see what happens and have fun, what d’you say?”
“Sound’s great!” Elena lied, swallowing down the lump in her throat.
Uncomfortably she wriggled in her seat in the back of the black limousine on her way to the club. Her feet were hurting already and she tried to bent down to loosen the straps and take them off to apply some of the tapes. “You’ve got to be kidding me!” she whispered through her gritted teeth. Her dress was too tight for her to even bent down and reach her feet!
“What’s wrong, dear?” Riku leaned over from the opposite couch of the limousine. Still cursing lowly Elena pointed down at her feet. “I can’t reach my feet! How am I supposed to put on the tapes?!” with a lot of effort she tried to tuck up her legs, making Riku burst into laughter. 

“Let me, dear!” he sat down next to her, putting her feet up on his lap. Playfully he tickled her ankles. “So gimme that tape and get down your stockings.”
“What?”
“Your stockings!” he repeated, pointing at her legs with a giggle.
“Oh my God, can it get any worse?” Elena blushed and started to roll down the thin silver stockings. “You take ‘em off.” Softly she kicked Riku with her foot. “As I said, I can’t reach my feet!”
“Woohoo!” he pulled them off her feet. “Gatherless, nice one, dear!” chuckling he watched her cheeks turn pink when he put the stockings around his neck. “I’m looking forward to getting them back on!”
“You pervert little son of a...” Elena couldn’t help chuckling in embarrassment. “Did I just say it couldn’t get worse? Well, it can!” leaning back she closed her eyes, trying not to giggle when Riku lifted her foot.
“Back here?” he asked and touched her heel, making her twitch again.
“Here and also on the sole of both of my feet. Can you also put some around my big toes?”
“You want a bandage or what?” laughing he started to apply the tape.
“Well, I wanna see you walking around with shoes like these!” hatefully she gazed at her high-heels on the floor, making him laugh again.
“But they are so sexy!” he mocked, squeezing her little toes. “Alright! We’re done! So...” grinning he took the stockings between his fingers and stretched them, raising his eyebrow.
“Take ‘em between your teeth and do a sexy dance for me!” Elena put her feet down and laughed with him.
“Come on.” Smiling he got down on his knees. “Let me help you with it!”
“Oh my.” Elena sighed and raised her right foot in his direction. “Don’t you dare staring or touching me, Riku!”
Still chuckling he slipped the stocking over her foot. “I won’t, promise! You might tell Samu and he’s gonna beat the crap out of me if I ever again touch you anywhere above your knee!” Quickly he put on the second one as well, watching her fighting both of them up.
“If this was a really bad slapstic sketch the car would now turn and you would fall directly onto me!” grinning he got up from the floor.
She giggled. “Right! And my dress would be torn apart and then the door would open when I am lying on top of you, half naked, my arse presented to a 1000 cameras!”
Chuckling he patted her knee. “I’d be dead before I’d be able to explain any of this!”
Suddenly the car stopped, banging their heads together slightly. “Outch!” Elena put her hand onto her temple. “Now that was slapstic as well, don’t you think?” Giggling and carefully rubbing her forehead she made her way over to the door right behind Riku.
He nodded in agreement and tried to suppress his own giggles. “Come on!” he took her hand and helped her out of the limousine. Instantly the flashes of hundreds of cameras hit her eyes and Elena had a hard time trying to keep them open. 

“Wow!” she grabbed Riku’s arm and almost stumbled across her own feet.
“Now would you please stop that slapstic, woman?” he whispered close to her ear and chuckled. “Come on, we can do this! Just keep walking and smiling! I got ya!”
With his arm around her waist Elena felt completely stabilized and started to smile into the cameras. Riku waved at the fans and quickly gave a few autographs before he slid his arm around her waist again. “Let’s go!” he whispered, guiding her over to the entrance door. They were shown to the VIP-area by a young woman in a very short dress. Elena saw Riku’s gaze running over her butt and nudged him with her elbow. “I’m the beauty-queen! Stop staring!” she whispered at him and snorted with laughter because he obeyed immediately, staring down at the floor. “I was joking, sweetheart!” she kissed his cheek. “Come on, stare!”
He blushed and slapped her bottom. “You are such a mean friend, you know that?” putting his arm around her shoulders he entered the VIP-area, peering around the room. “Here he is! Finally!” smiling he pointed at a man with broad shoulders that was standing at the bar. He had a cigarette in the corner of his mouth, leaning at the counter while he was talking to a girl that was standing right in front of him.
“Is my husband flirting?” Elena whispered over to Riku when the girl started to laugh about something Samu had said. “Ou please! He's so funny, isn't he? Cum ooon! No one’s laughing that hard!”
Riku put his hand over his lips and chuckled. “Maybe you should go there and tell her to get her hands off him!” he suggested with a little grin. “No, wait! Look!” he pointed at his friend again and Elena saw that Samu grabbed the girl’s hand when she put it on his chest. Soft but firmly he shoved her away, shaking his head, before he nodded at her, turning away from the bar with his beer in his hand.
He was indeed handsome and looked quite tall from a distance, especially for a small woman like her. Furthermore he was extremely sexy with his cigarette between his full lips and his dark pair of trousers that were tight in all the right places. His white shirt fitted perfectly and Elena couldn’t refrain from a little smile when she spotted that he had left open the first two buttons, making his chest show but only a little bit.  
A smile lit up his whole face when his eyes found her by Riku’s side. Quickly he made his way through the crowd on the small dancefloor, raising his eyebrow while he approached.
“You look stunning, love!” he whispered when he took her in his arms, kissing her lips with a smile.
She recognized his voice from his calls and now that she heard it whispering close to her ear she felt her legs almost giving in. “Riku’s pick!” a little out of words she stared up at him, finding him smiling at his friend. “So you took her shopping, hum? How did you manage?”
“Well, I think I scared the crap out of her and she eventually gave in after I bought her over with beer, fries and fried chicken.” Riku patted his friends back. “You owe me a fortune by the way! And at least one dance with yer wife!”
“You’ll have it! Thanks again for today, mate! Now come on, let’s get some drinks and sit down for a bit!” he pointed to his left. “Raul’s here already and I think that I have seen Osmo around as well.”
“Where’s Sami?” Riku asked surprised when they were ordering their drinks.
“Back in Helsinki with Juliane.” Samu grinned. “He took a flight with her earlier today, because she’s having kind of a family gathering and she has been frowning and bitching for the last week to make him join her.” Still grinning he sipped his beer. “What did your parents say by the way?” he slid his arm around his wife’s waist, swaying her slowly.
“About what?” she looked up at him.
He laughed in surprise. “Are you kidding? You didn’t talk to them? You are such a lazy bone sometimes!” handing a mobile over to her, he shooed her outside. “Do it now! I wanna spend Christmas at my parents’ place this year! Yours had the pleasure last year and I promise, we will be there on the 25^th to celebrate with them, ok?”
“Oh.” Elena stared down at the mobile in her hands. “Yeah, sure, I’m gonna call them!” she turned to walk over to the loo but he grabbed her and turned her around to face him again. Smirking he winked at her. “No kiss?” before she could even open her mouth to answer him he bent down, capturing her mouth completely. She gasped in surprise when he deepened the kiss, pinning her to the counter in her back. “God, I’ve missed you!” he whispered and nibbled her earlobe with his teeth. Dizzily she stared up at him, grabbing his shirt for support.

“Wow!” she whispered, touching her burning lips.

He winked again. “Wow indeed!” he bent down to brush his lips against hers. “Now go and call your parents and then let’s get this party started!” quickly he grabbed the cheeks of her butt, making her squirm.
“Public place, Samu!” Riku nudged his friend with his elbow, smirking at him.
“I’m not doing anything!” Samu smirked back, watching his wife walking over to the loo. “But honestly, I can’t wait!” leaning over the counter he ordered champagne and some more beer before he placed his arm around Riku’s shoulders. “So tell me, how was your day then?”
“Nice! We actually had a blast! I have no idea what has gotten into her, but we had loads of fun.” Even though he didn’t actually feel like it, Riku grinned and sipped his beer. “You’re one hell of a lucky bastard, Haber!”
Samu threw his head back and laughed. “Trust me, I do know that!”
 
They were drinking and dancing ‘til the early morning and Elena truly had a lot of fun. Ignoring the fact that it felt much too real to be touched by him, Elena sat on Samu’s lap after a while, sipping her champagne and returning his kisses whenever he pulled her down to rest his lips on hers. Dancing wild and close with him and Riku on the dancefloor, she felt her head spinning. This was so much fun! She wasn’t exactly a party-person but the music was good and she was already tipsy from the champagne Samu refilled her glass with whenever it was half empty.
It was almost four in the morning when they arrived at the hotel. Riku and Raul tried to hold each other in balance while Osmo was simply sitting down on the floor of the elevator because his legs wouldn’t carry him any longer. Stumbling and giggling along the corridor they waved each other good night, bursting into laughter again because none of them was able to open the door of his room right away.
As soon as he had finally managed to put the key-card inside the small slit above the doorknob, Samu slipped his arms around Elena’s waist, dragging her inside the room.

“No chance to escape, love!” he whispered, running his lips over her neck. “Get your sexy arse up on my lap right now!” pushing her onto the bed he started to unbutton his shirt. Tipsily Elena sat up, staggering over to him. “Would you help me with that?” she turned around and felt his hands running down her naked back as soon as he had opened the zipper. Quickly he turned her around again, kissing her deep and passionate while he opened his belt. “Now come here!” he whispered and pulled her closer, sitting down on the edge of the bed.
She could feel his kisses on her neck, his hands, cupping her breasts and his hot breath on her face. God he felt so good! Never in her life had she experienced a feeling like this. He was strong, tall, dominant and she gave in to his hungry kisses when he put her down on the bed, bending over her.
 
Breathing heavily she rested her forehead to his chest a few minutes later. Her mind was swirling and she couldn’t help running her fingers over his belly while she snuggled her face to his neck.
“I love you!” he suddenly whispered, placing a soft kiss behind her ear. Pulling her closer, he wrapped his arms around her and sighed.
“Love you too.” Elena mumbled, stroking his arm with a little smile before she felt her heavy eyes closing as sleep captured her body and mind.

Chapter 2 - Worlds Apart

Chapter Two

She awoke with a start when her mobile rang. Cursing lowly she felt her way over the bedside table.
“Hm?” she mumbled, putting her arm over her eyes.
“Hey babe! Did I wake ye up? Sorry, love, of course I did!”
“Rob? D’you have any idea what time it is?” she sighed.
“Rob, hum?” A husky chuckle resounded from the other end of the line. “So tell me, love, who else is calling you babe? Confess!”
Appalled Elena sat up, all of a sudden realizing that she was speaking Finnish as well as the man on the other end of the line. “Who’s this?” she whispered nervously, running her fingers through her hair.
Again he chuckled. “Deep asleep, aren’t we? It’s your husband speaking. I just got back to the hotel, we were out after the show and I kinda missed my little wifey. Wait a sec.” She heard him rummaging around for a few seconds. “Alright, luv, I’m back. Just needed to get my shirt off. So how are you?”
Completely out of words Elena swallowed and switched on the little lamp on the bedside table, gasping in shock. She was back in the room she had dreamed about the night before! The bed was huge and she kicked the soft silken bed sheet away with another gasp. How could that be? Was she dreaming again? Puzzled she rubbed her face.
“Babe? You still there?” his soft voice resonated from the speaker again, making her clear her throat.
“Sorry.” She managed to whisper. “I’m still here.” And I’m dreaming again! She added silently, trying hard to gather herself. “So how are you?”
“Well, besides a little drunk and hungry for my lovey I’m fine.” He chuckled huskily and she heard him lighting a cigarette. “The last show went good so far but I was hoping that you’d come to see me in London today.”
“Today?” she threw a gaze at the clock radio that was placed right next to the lamp. It was half past six in the morning and she suppressed a little yawn. “Well...I... I don’t know, you...”
“Don’t say no just yet, love!” he interrupted. “I will send a car for you at nine to take you to the airport and I will arrange everything with your flight and stuff. You’ll be picked up in London and brought to the hotel, everything’s settled, just say yes, will you?”
“O...Okay, so... maybe I should get up then and start packing.” Again she ran her hand over her face. That was impossible! Where were the strange colours, the odd lights, shadows, anything that could reassure her that this was nothing but a dream? Everything seemed so damn real!
“That’s my girl! Alright, so I will get some rest now and you, my dear, will get ready for your man. I missed you.” His voice became lower. “Damn it, I’ve missed you so much, Leni!” she heard him sigh. “Let the time pass quickly, I’ll see you this afternoon, ok? Love you baby!”
“Yes, see you. Love... you too.” She stared down at the mobile in her hands, ending the call. What the freaking hell was wrong with her? Where was she? Who was she in this dream? Now that he had called her, everything seemed even more real to her!
Like a sleepwalker she got up from the bed, randomly throwing pullovers and shirts into a suitcase she had found in a small storage room on the corridor before she took a long shower. It was the second shower she took in this bathroom but it felt equally odd. On her tiptoes she went downstairs into the kitchen, wondering a little why she tried to keep the sound intensity of her steps as low as possible. Soon she was sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee in her ice cold hands, gazing outside into the foggy and grey morning. She found a remote on the table, switching on the TV inside the gigantic living room to distract her thoughts. Zapping through the channels, she stopped after a while to watch the news.
“Good morning!” the newsreader smiled into the camera. “It’s chilly and foggy outside but what d’you expect, folks, it’s the 22^nd of December, two more days ‘til Christmas, I hope that all your gifts are already well wrapped up ‘cause shopping by now is disastrous!” again he flashed a big smile at his audience on their TV-screens. “So let’s get back to today’s news. The former minister of...”
Elena stared down at the remote in her hand. What the hell?
Yesterday had been the 22^nd.
Half-heartedly following the news, she wondered again, just how real her dream was. The news were definitely not helping to distract her, so she got up after a while, zapping to a music channel while she went over to the kitchen again to place her cup on the counter. Sighing she closed her eyes, fiddling with the cord of her bathrobe. Even if it seemed real, it was only a dream! She kept telling herself, heading upstairs to get ready.

The car was right on time and Elena still felt like a sleepwalker when she took her suitcase, thanking the driver and went inside the airport of Helsinki. The woman at the information desk appeared tensed. She took Elena’s id and put on a little face before she flashed a smile at her customer. “I’m so sorry, Madam, your husband called us but we have some delays because of the fog, so... would you mind waiting at the lounge until we can handle everything for you? You will be called up as soon as possible. I’m really sorry for the trouble we’re causing you!”
Elena shoved her comment aside with a quick gesture. “Nevermind, you can’t predict the weather, can you?”
“Thank you very much for your appreciation. Just follow the signs; the lounge is right over there.” She pointed to her left, thankfully smiling at Elena.
Sitting down on one of the comfortable leather armchairs Elena ordered a cup of coffee and a croissant from one of the waiters before she leaned back, closing her eyes. “Not real, not real!” she whispered to herself, sitting up with a start when she heard a man clearing his throat.
“I’m sorry, Miss, you were saying?” he put down his newspaper, resting his elbows on his knees to bend forward in her direction. Elena felt her cheeks blushing and quickly shook her head. “Nothing, I’m sorry to interrupt you! I was just talking to myself.”
He laughed, running his fingers through his blond hair. “Nevermind, I do the same. I’m also talking to my suitcase if it isn’t following me the way it is supposed to!”
His laughter was infectious and she felt a small giggle escaping her mouth. “I do that too. Most of the time I’m cursing her.”
“Her?” he raised his eyebrow, pointing at her suitcase next to the armchair.
She nodded with a smile, patting the small brown case. “I used it for the first time today and it is very petulant. Must be a girl!”
He laughed along with her and nodded at the waiter that was bringing their coffee. “So delay, hum?” he looked outside into the thick fog and started to stir his coffee although he hadn’t added any sugar.
She nodded with a sigh. “You too?”
He returned her nod. “I was actually supposed to have a private flight today and now I’m stuck.” He shrugged. “Well, could be worse!” he smiled at her a little ironically. “I was supposed to pick up some VIP for a flight but the company wants to wait for a bit. Can’t wait to meet that grumpy VIP though!” again he laughed. “I’m a pilot.” He explained when he saw the questioning look on her face. “Actually it was my day off, but they couldn’t find another pilot for today, so...” he sighed, sipping his coffee. “Here I am again!”
“I’m sorry to hear that! Press charges against your company! And the grumpy VIP!” laughing she offered her hand to him. “I’m Elena by the way.” She paused for a second. What was the name of this music guy again? Had she taken his name when they had gotten married? She should have checked her own id at the information before. Another giggle came over her lips. This dream was just too weird! “Elena Heikkinen... Heikkinen-Haber.” She added after a few seconds, still shaking hands with him.
“Well, I’m pleased to meet you, Elena Heikkinen-Haber. My name’s Richard. Richard von Richthofen.”
“Von Richthofen?” Elena repeated slowly. “Like this fighter pilot von Richthofen from the first world war?”
“Wow, you are quite well informed!” smiling at her in surprise he placed his newspaper aside. “His cousin was my great-grandfather. How d’you know about that?”
“Well, I...” Elena blushed again, quickly hiding her face behind her cup. “I’m actually quite a swotter when it comes to history.” She shrugged her shoulders, hoping that the normal colour of her face would return any time soon. “So you are a pilot as well, hum? Kinda family tradition, isn’t it?”
He grinned. “Well, kind of.”
The two of them started a lively discussion about the war, his family and the uselessness and environmental damages of private flights, completely forgetting about the time. After another two cups of coffee, chocolate frosted donuts and croissants he heard his name being called and frowned.
“Ok, I put this face for two reasons: First: I need to go and leave you and our lovely conversation, and second: They never manage to pronounce my name!” doing another grimace he got up. “Rhitshard voon Rickthoufin.” He imitated the voice of the woman, making Elena choke on her croissant. Giggling and coughing she got up as well, taking his outreached hand. “Well, it was a pleasure to meet you, Richard von Richthofen!”
“Thank God, you’re doing it right!” laughing he threw his head back. “The pleasure was all mine, Elena Heikkinen-Haber! Have a good trip!”
“Thanks, you too!” smiling she waved at him as he passed the glass door, heading for the information desk.
Only a few minutes later her name was called and she grinned a little. It was indeed  Heikkinen-Haber and she felt her smile growing wider. Obviously she had been stubborn enough to keep her family name and just add his. Still smiling to herself she got to the information desk. It was the same young woman, returning her smile in relieve. “Again, our deepest apologies for your delay and the inconvenience!”
“Please!” Elena handed her passport over to her. “How could sitting at the first class lounge, having coffee, snacks and a good conversation cause any kind of inconvenience?” she put down her suitcase. “So where do I have to check in now?” looking around the crowded airport she couldn’t help smiling again. She loved to fly. Everything about it. Even the airport itself made her feel excited like a little child.
“Patrick here’s gonna take you to your gate.” Again the woman nodded thankfully and pointed at a small man with a red uniform, sitting in a golf buggy.
“Alright then.” Elena tapped the desk before she took her passport. “Thank you very much!” swallowing down a comment about her two healthy feet, she turned over to the buggy.
Patrick gave her a quick smile. He was very young and turned red under his pimples when she returned his smile. He didn’t talk much but the way was short and soon he stopped the car in front of a door. “Mrs. Haber?” he lifted her suitcase from the backseat. “This way please.”
She followed him through the door, pulling up the collar of her coat when the cold air hit her. “Where are you taking me?” she asked the boy, trying to catch up with him on the landing field.
Astounded Patrick slowed down his pace. “That’s yer flight over there, Madam.” Pointing at a small airplane he stopped to let another car packed with suitcases pass. “Please follow me.” He quickly checked the landing field before he beckoned her over. “I’m sorry, I forgot the umbrella, Madam!” he apologized, waving at someone inside the airplane.
The pilot met them at the stairs, staring at Elena with a puzzled look on his face. Grinning Elena offered her hand to him. “You always meet twice in life, don’t you think, Mr. Von Richthofen?”
Bashfully he chuckled. “Well, you seem right Mrs. Heikkinen-Haber.” He stepped aside, taking her suitcase. “Please, come on board.”
He showed her to her seat, placing her suitcase in one of the drawers. “Please feel free to have a drink, there won’t be a stewardess on board for the flight, but everything in here is at your disposal, so get comfortable. TV is over there. We will take off as soon as possible.” Nodding at her, he turned around to head for the cockpit, but Elena stopped him.
“Would...” excitedly she swallowed. “Would you mind if I came to sit in the front with you later? I’ve never been to a real cockpit, so...”
He smiled broadly. “Well, if we can lower the uselessness of private flights and do you a favour with it, I’d be pleased!” he beckoned her over. “You can come and sit with me.”
“Ok, now I need a drink!” quickly Elena made her way over to the bar, taking a glass and a bottle of Scotch, pouring herself one inch of whisky before she added a sip of water. Slowly sipping her drink she leaned at the bar, watching Richard that looked at her with a smile on his face.
“So you are my grumpy VIP, right?” smiling broadly, he folded his arms over his chest.
“Just wait for a few more of these!” she raised her glass. “Then I might start smashing the furniture of the plane into pieces!” she promised with a wink, emptying her glass. “So!” she clapped her hands, sucking in a deep breath. “Let’s get this baby started, what d’you say?”

Far too quick the flight was over. Elena was still over the moon, when she shook hands with Richard in the snowy rain at the London airport. “It was a special delight to have this flight with you, Richard!”
“Again, the pleasure was all mine, my dear grumpy VIP!” smiling he pointed at a waiting car with a man standing next to it, patiently waiting for her to approach. “This must be your ride.”
“Oh!” Elena threw a gaze at the man in his dark coat. “I hope he has not been waiting here for over two hours in the rain! He looks a little too obedient from my point of view!”
Chuckling Richard squeezed her arm. “I hope we’ll meet a third time, Mrs. Heikkinen-Haber!”
“I hope so too! Wait! Can we get you somewhere?”
“No, I’m gonna be fine. There’s another private flight back to Helsinki in a few hours, so...” smiling he waved at her. “Take good care!”
“You too! Thank you for everything!”
“My pleasure!” he put his scarf tighter around his neck and nodded at her before he rushed over to the entrance door of one of the gates.
Quickly Elena made her way over to the waiting car. “Hey!” she smiled at her driver.
He only nodded hastily, getting into the driver’s seat after closing the door behind her.
 -----------------------------------------------------------
When she finally arrived at her hotel-room she lay down on the bed, closing her eyes. ‘What if I fall asleep now?’ suddenly came to her mind and she opened her eyes. ‘Would I be back at home?’
Getting up from the bed she went over to the bathroom, running her fingers over the glassy fittings that were attached to the wall after washing her hands and face. There was a toothbrush at the rim of the sink, a blue cosmetic bag with a silver label she didn’t know right next to it. Curiously Elena opened it, taking a deodorant and a perfume out to smell them. The cologne was musky and somehow smelled very male and she couldn’t help smelling it again, wondering how it would scent lingering on the neck of its owner. Suddenly her mobile rang, making her flinch. Hesitantly she picked up. “Hello?”
“Hey babe! Everything alright? Did you have a good trip?” it was Haber’s husky voice again and she felt the sound of it hitting her like a blot of electricity.
“Hey! Everything’s fine!” she felt caught red handed when she realised that she still had his cologne in her hand. Quickly she put it back, tossing the whole bag down to the floor unintentionally. “Sorry!” she started to collect his stuff and heard him chuckle.
“Clumsy as usual, aren’t we?”
“Sorry.” She mumbled again.
“So listen, love, I... actually I wanted to be back at the hotel at about four, but it seems that... well, it’s gonna take a little longer.”
She gazed at her wristwatch. It was only half past one and she had to admit to herself that she felt a little relieved that she didn’t have to face her husband just yet. “So what d’you think, how long’s it gonna take?”
“Well, I was told that I sucked at some of the latest recordings and they have to record some of my parts again. We’re starting in about an hour, no idea how long it is gonna take all in all. I’m sorry, love!”
“Nevermind, I... I’ll be waiting for you at the hotel, alright?”
“Actually I talked Riku into taking care of you. He’s gonna pop by soon, taking you out for lunch and maybe a little stroll around until I come back. I’m gonna call you as soon as I’m done ok? Gotta go now. Love you, baby!” he hung up, leaving her puzzled.
So who the hell was Riku? A bodyguard? One of his bandmates? Most probably another Sunrise Avenue-guy. Why hadn’t she asked Lilly for all of their names? Sighing Elena went over to the bedroom again, sitting down on the couch by the window. ‘It’s my dream, so let something happen!’ she thought, tucking up her legs. Right at this second there was a knock at the door, making her flinch at first. Then a grin crept up on her face. ‘Perfect dream-timing!’ quickly she got up to open the door, finding a smiling man in a blue t-shirt that somehow accentuated his eyes perfectly. “Hey dear!” he pulled her into a tight embrace. “Ready to go? Samu called me and asked me to take care of you.” Smiling brightly he stepped back, raising his eyebrow. “So are you ready to go?”
“I am!” she rushed over to the bed, picking up her purse.
“Hum.” He entered the room as well. “You wanna go like this?”
“What’s wrong with it?” she looked down at her jeans, the coat in her hand and her sneakers.
“Well, actually I was gonna take you to a fancy French restaurant, but... well you look more like grabbing a burger with some pals!” again he raised his eyebrow. “And actually.... I haven’t seen you like this for a long time! Know what,” he started unbuttoning his pants and went over to an open suitcase in a corner of the room. “Burger sounds a lot better than fancy-French!”
“What are you doing?” she asked astound when he pulled down his jeans.
He turned around and chuckled. “My suite case got lost, it will be brought here in a few hours, so I am right now borrowing something more casual and clean from yer husband! Stop staring at my knickers like you’ve never seen me like this before, I might tell someone!”
Laughing along with him she threw her free hand into the air, watching him pulling on a crumpled pair of jeans and a brown pullover. “Just do as you please!”
“Bit bigger than me, this husband of yours.” He suddenly stated as he sat down on the bed, starting to turn up the bottoms of Samu’s pants. Then he got up, hesitantly pointing at her suitcase. “But you have something fancier in there, right?”
She shrugged, remembering the way she had been packing this morning. “Well, maybe... Riku! What the hell d’you think you’re doing?” she shrieked when he took her suitcase to put it up on the bed, opening it to examine its contents. “Don’t get yer knickers in a twist, dear! I’m just checking...” turning back at her he held another pair of jeans and a casual sweater in his hands. “Are you kidding, dear? Where are your dresses? The skirts, shoes? Goodness! Did you even think about Christmas and new year’s eve?” he threw the clothes back into the open suitcase, grabbing her hand. “Samu is gonna kill you! Come on, we need to do some serious shopping right now! Ou would you please stop whining!” he interrupted her protest. “We grab some snack on the way, maybe a beer and then I’ll take you shopping for some dresses! There are too many occasions to attend, you hear me? So come on! Let’s do this!”
Smiling about his enthusiasm Elena let him drag her outside and into a waiting car. She hated shopping but the thought of food and a good beer lifted her spirits.

They stopped at a small pub on the way. Riku had asked the driver for the best shopping streets in town and she tried her best to memorize the instructions before they got out of the car, entering the pub.
“I’ll have...” studying the menu Elena felt her stomach growling. “The fried chicken with fries. Extra mayonnaise. And a Guinness please.” Smiling she closed the menu and leaned back on the wooden bench.
Riku looked at her a little confused. “Well, I... I take the steak, medium, with fries and a Guinness as well.” He smiled at the waitress. “Thank you!” leaning over the table he played with the salt shaker. “What happened to calories?” he mocked, making her snort.
“Technically calories are small and evil animals that shrink your clothes while you are asleep! So ignore them! If you ever see one though, try to kick its arse!”
He threw his head back and laughed until tears were running down his cheeks. “Damn it, girl! What has happened to you for fuck’s sake?”
Raising her pint in his direction she grinned. “I’m just having a pleasant dream and you are part of it! Here’s to you and our shopping day!”
 
Completely bushed she fell down onto the bed after a few hours of intensive shopping with Riku. The muscles of her stomach hurt because she had been laughing all day long. Lazily she kicked the bags with her new dresses off the bed, closing her eyes.
 

New Story up: Worlds Apart

As usual: All mine, my ideas and all made up completely :)

Teaser:

Imagine your life between dreams and reality... what's real, what's unreal? And how will it all be mixed up by some Finns in your dream and in reality? 

Sounds complicated?

Well, it is....

Chapter One

22.12.
 
„Breakfast, you bloody lot!“ her father’s voice resounded in the hallway for the third time and Elena turned around in her bed, burying her face in her pillow. Family gatherings weren’t as “sleeping in” as she had hoped. As usual. Especially with her family. Sighing she dragged herself up on her feet, rubbing her eyes.
On the corridor she bumped into someone, cursing lowly. “Damn it, Kilian!” she murmured still rubbing her eyes, staring up at her younger brother in his boxers.
“Sorry, Gigi.” He ran his fingers over his face, putting his towel around his neck. “Looks like we’ve lost the race against Lilly anyway.” Pointing at the closed bathroom door, he yawned.
“Lilly’s in the bathroom already?” Elena groaned in annoyance. Just perfect! Her younger sister took an eternity in the bathroom, so there was no chance for her to get a refreshing shower before breakfast. Sighing she turned over to the stairs. 
“Very well then, I’ll be downstairs. No chance to get in there any time soon!” over her shoulder she pointed at the bathroom again, running her fingers through her messy hair.
Grinning Kilian did the same. “I’m gonna try though.” He took a penny between his fingers, playing around with it. “Gonna open up, wanna join? Just a little catlick to annoy her, ou come on, Gigi! She’s gonna be sooooo pissed off!”
Elena returned his grin. “I’m in!”
Five minutes later the two siblings made their way downstairs, still giggling from Lilly’s complete outbreak in the shower. Their parents were awaiting them in the living room.
Andrew looked up from his newspaper, raising his eyebrow at them. “Late as usual! Pancakes are cold by now.”
“They’re good anyway!” Kilian climbed over the backrest of the huge corner seat, grabbing a pancake right away to stuff it into his mouth. “Morning folks!” he blew a kiss at his mother. “Lovely to be home!”
“How nice you’re still calling it home, dear!” Caitlyn handed the coffeepot over to him with a happy smile.
“Home’s where the people are, right?” he blinked his blue eyes, making his sister next to him snort.
“That one you stole from Christian Morgenstern, you little braggart!”
“Who the heck’s Christian Mogenstan?”
“Morgenstern, you nag! He’s a poet. Very famous. ‘Home is not where your house is but where the people that understand you are’. Sounds better in German though.”
“Now who’s the braggart, sis?” grinning Kilian sipped his coffee, dodging a blow.
“Know what?” Elena tried to change the subject. “I had the weirdest dream last night!”
“You always have weird dreams, Gigi!” her brother mumbled, half of his roll in his mouth.
“That one was different! It felt so real!” Elena tucked up her leg, putting down her foot immediately when she caught her father’s gaze. “It felt like I was there, you know?”
“Where were you?” Lilly had entered the living room as well, a towel wrapped around her head. “Coffee, Mum!” she begged, slumping down on the wooden bench. “God, traffic was so bad last night!” she sighed when she sipped the coffee her mother handed over to her.
“So, your dream, dear?” Caitlyn returned to the subject, smiling at Elena that was playing with the cereals in her bowel.
“I was married to this guy from a rockband, we had a huge house!”
Lilly giggled. “That Howard guy from Take That? Hell, he’s hot!”
“Nope, it was from a local band. D’you remember Sunrise Avenue? They started a couple of years ago, mostly rocky and mainstream music. We went to school with two of them, I think. There was this one from the old cafe downtown, he was in Cedric’s year or maybe one class above and another one in the year below him, I can’t even remember their names! They used to live somewhere in town but I was never friends with them and I really have no idea how they ended up in my dream!”
“So what happened? Were you rich and happy?” Lilly grabbed a roll.
Elena shrugged her shoulders indifferently. “Dunno actually. I was alone in the house, the huge house!” she corrected. “He was on tour I assume, but there were pictures of us all over the place. I had an enormous wand robe with hundreds of dresses and jewellery.”
Chuckling Kilian choked on his coffee. “You, and a wand robe and jewellery? I really wanna see that!”
Her mother laughed along with them before she reached out her hands over the table. “You wanna hear my opinion on this as a psychologist?”
“Spare me, Mum, please!” defensively Elena raised her hands and laughed before she put them into her mother’s. “Come on, Mum, wanna read my hand as well?”
Squeezing her hands, Caitlyn laughed. “I won’t need that talent right now! It’s too obvious!” chuckling she leaned back, grabbing her cup. “Well, dear, I assume you miss that boyfriend of yours around!”
Elena felt a little pain in her heart and nodded slowly. “Maybe I do.” She was still angry and a little disappointed that Rob wouldn’t make it this year. Again. He had to work over the whole Christmas holiday and she had to come to her parent’s place alone. Again. “So now I get married to a nice rockband bloke in my dreams, aye?” a little smile raised the left corner of her mouth. “He was a nice pick, though!”
Suddenly the doorbell rang and her mother jumped up. “That must be Cedric!” excitedly she rushed over into the entrance hall. “Finally we are complete again!”
With Cedric, his wife Lea and their son Jamie in her towline she re-entered the living, clapping her hands. “Now let’s have breakfast, kids!”
The breakfast turned into brunch and even into lunch because none of them wanted to leave the table. They kept chatting along, ignoring the passing time completely.
Although Elena enjoyed being home with all of them her mind drifted away to her dream every once in a while. It had been so real! As far as she could remember she had been completely aware of everything. She could walk wherever she wanted, prepare coffee and sit on the huge brown leather couch in the living room. She had tried on some of her dresses and even taken a shower, smelling the scent of the flowery shower gel she had used. There had been no strange things like pink mice or a huge Gorilla to tear down the house. It had been like... Quickly she shoved the thought aside. It hadn’t felt like a dream at all and the feeling of it sent little shivers down her spine. 

 ---------------------------------------------
“So tell me, little one!” Cedric put his arm around Elena and offered a small red paper bag with sugarroasted almonds to his younger sister while they were following their parents and siblings along the tiny alleys of the local Christmas market. “What’s new with you? Still with this doctor-guy? What was his name again? Terence?”
Elena nudged him softly. “It’s Rob! God damn it, Cedric! I know he doesn’t join me for family gatherings, but you could at least start memorizing his name after two years!”
“Just making fun, sis. So,” he pulled her closer. “Any plans? How’s work going?”
“It’s good, it’s good. I got this new project back home in London. It’s about the influence of different parasites on the digestion. Very interesting actually.”
“Very disgusting actually!” Ced laughed. “Well, as long as you’re happy, little one!”
“So how ‘bout you? How’s Lea doing?”
“Growing bigger and bigger every day! The baby’s gonna come in March.” Smiling he gazed at his wife that walked only a few meters ahead, linking arms with Lilly while the two of them were rummaging around a booth with woollen children’s wear. Jamie was trying to escape his mother’s grip when she started pulling different hats over his head.
“We’re actually quite fine.” Ced continued, a huge smile on his face. “As long as I always have something sugary in my pocket she still adores me despite the hormone float.” Still smiling he kissed her cheek. “So how ‘bout you, little one? You’re 27, any plans with doc Terrence?”
“Ced! Nope, we have no plans. Not just yet.” Sighing Elena loosened her scarf. “Maybe next year, You’ll be the first to know, ok?”
“Don’t let your mother hear this!” he chuckled and looked up when he heard their father calling out for them. He beckoned all of them over. “Food, kids!” smiling he pointed at one of the little huts, where grilled meat, sausages and roast were sold. Following her father into the small and completely engarlanded and decorated room Elena couldn’t help smiling. It was lovely to be home. And although she missed Rob a lot it didn’t feel bad as long as she was with her family. ‘The people that understand you’ came to her mind and her smile grew wider when she picked a few fries from Kilian’s plate, getting her hand slapped immediately. “Never do this again!” he said warningly, sticking two fingers into her mashed potatoes, quickly licking them clean. “Now we are even!”
Elena burst into laughter. “I’d have given you my fork!”
“This way it was easier!” smiling he licked his fingers again. “And a little more disgusting, I needed to make an example of you!”
“I’ll give you a tenner if you stick that mashed-potato-fingers up yer nose now!” Lilly offered, leaning over the small round table.
“Kids, behave!” Caitlyn giggled. “And stop picking into each other’s food with any part of your bodies!” 

 ---------------------------------------------------------
Lilly had fallen asleep on her lap later that evening and after a while Elena put her book aside, carefully running her fingers through her sisters long blond hair. All her siblings, including herself had darker hair, Lilly was the exception and often she was the target of her older siblings’ jokes that she had been adopted from a Norwegian chicken-farmer-family. Enjoying the softness of Lilly’s hair Elena kept playing with it, half-listening to her brothers that were discussing some political issues with their father. Looking around the huge room with its open fireplace, the dark couches and armchairs and the enormous library that covered two entire walls of the room, Elena sighed. It was the place all of them grew up in. She loved the old house with all the memories it had been keeping for her, even now that she had not been living with her parents for over six years.
Everything seemed to remain the way it used to be, the old house was a place to relax and to calm, nothing from the outside world could bother her in here. Smiling Elena bent down to kiss Lilly’s cheek. The younger woman wrinkled her nose. Sleepily she ran her fingers over her face and narrowed her blue eyes. “You’re comfortable, sis! Better than a pillow!” smiling she stretched her arms and yawned. “You wanna go sleep?”
Elena nodded, getting up from the sofa to shake her legs and make the numb feeling disappear by moving. “Good night, folks!” she rubbed Cedric’s back before she bent over to kiss her father on the cheek.
“Night, love!” her mother gave her a tight hug. “Sweet dreams!” she winked at her, making Elena poke her with her finger. “Don’t you be so saucy, Mum! It’s Christmas!”
“See you at breakfast, dear!” Caitlyn giggled. “I’m looking forward to a little dream talk!”
“Dream on, Mum!” Elena laughed. “Night everyone!”
 
Upstairs in the bathroom Lilly sat down on the rim of the bathtub, her toothbrush in her mouth. “So tell me,” she tucked up her legs and grinned. “Your dream-guy, who was it?”
“I told you, it was one of those Sunrise Avenue blokes.” Elena answered evasively, washing her face.
“But which one? There’s two dark ones and three blondes, which one was it?”
“Puh, I can’t even tell! He looked different. His hair was a little darker and longer and also... Well, I only saw the pictures in the living room but he seemed quite handsome.”
“Is he small or tall?”
“I have no idea, Lilly! It was pictures! As I told you, he wasn’t at home.”
“And you were with him in those pictures?”
“In some of them, yes.”
“So why can’t you tell me whether he was tall or not?”
“God, Lilly! Stop it! Look, I am actually quite small, so each guy that is over 5.9 is tall for me!” she kept brushing her teeth. “He was definitely taller than me. On those wedding-pics I found he held me close and my nose was pressed to the middle of his chest, so...” she shrugged. “Why are you so interested anyway?”
“Well, I kinda like those guys and... hum... you know I like dreaming around, so... it’s in fact quite funny that you have those dreams, because you are so not into bands and mainstream stuff!”
“I know!” Elena laughed and rinsed her mouth. “Maybe I can arrange a dream about Wolverine tonight!” winking at her sister, she dried her face and threw the towel at Lilly. “Sleep well, lovey! I’ll see you in the morning!” Elena was about to leave when she suddenly stopped short, turning back at Lilly. “So tell me, d’you know his name? I think that I remember finding a letter for Haber, d’you know his forename?”
“Well if it was Haber his name’s Samu. Samu Haber.”
“Sound’s weird, don’t you think?” Elena giggled. “God, I was Mrs. Samu Haber in my dream!” she over-enunciated the name, making her sister giggle as well.
“He is definitely one hot piece of Finnish-man!” Lilly winked at her. “Sweet dreams, sis!”
Still giggling Elena switched off the lights in her room, burying her face in her pillow. ‘Good dreams never come twice.’ She thought to herself and closed her eyes.