Another story for the song challenge, this time inspired by Östen med Resten's Ge mig en kaka till kaffet. It translates to "Give me a cookie to the coffee" in case you wondered. And even though the title is in Swedish the story itself is not.
The story is about Pastor A, who I named Agatha because she needs a name. And my first thought when I saw her in the comic was "Well, her name has to be Agatha, because she looks like a ragata." Ragata is Swedish and apparently shrew or termagant in English according to Google Translate. Anyway, it's about Agatha and... maybe three months before The Rash happened.
Warnings: Cake, people eating, soccer, Swedish soccer players, small discussions about God and immortal souls, a very light curse word, Danes. Oh, and a car!
Did I forgot something?
Agatha looked at a blackbird that was looking for food beneath one of the bushes outside of her church and smiled. It was a nice summer day, the sun was bright, the few clouds white and fluffy and the flowers were blooming beautifully. She picked up a small round table and carried it outside, placed a couple of chairs next to it and put a white table cloth over it. It was almost three in the afternoon and her friend would arrive soon. She went back inside, started the coffee machine and took the freshly baked cake out of the oven.
She heard the sound of an old car that had seen better days arriving outside and said a short thank to her God for keeping the driver from crashing into the wall. She put the coffee and the cake in a basket together with two cups and some biscuits and went outside again. A man her age waved at her, almost dropped the laptop he was carrying and she put the basket down, hurried to his side.
"I've told you to be careful, Gunnar."
"No roses were harmed this time either, don't need to worry about me. Look what my niece lent me."
"How nice of her."
"We can watch the game and still enjoy the sun now. We're facing Sweden today, wouldn't want to miss it for the world! But you still don't care much, do you?"
"You know I enjoy a good game now and then", she took the laptop from him and he hooked her arm with his. "I have a mission that's bigger than a few games of soccer though."
"Know all about it, dear", he sat down on one of the chairs. "But Sweden – Denmark! I bet even your God is watching!"
"He could be your God too, you know."
She made room for the laptop on the table and poured coffee for the two of them while Gunnar tried to figure out how to get the game to play. Agatha watched the flowers and the bees while he worked, hushed him whenever he cursed. He just laughed, told her to lighten up and continued.
"There, it's working!"
"Good job!" she took a biscuit and leaned back, looked at the clouds. "How has the week been?"
"Same old, store's pretty dead. Everyone's on the beach or getting drunk in Germany so there's not much for me to do. Wife's talking about taking a week off and going to Spain, but..." Gunnar gestured to the sky. "Your God has blessed us with this weather, would be wrong not to enjoy it while it lasts."
"Truer words have rarely left your mouth", Agatha smiled. "When does the game start?"
"In half an hour", he closed the lid and drank some coffee. "How's stuff in church?"
"We had a wedding."
"Someone I know?"
"Alex and Jytte. They're from the capital, but they met each other here a few years back."
"Ah, yes, I remember them."
"Gunnar, don't lie."
Gunnar laughed and accepted the cake Agatha offered him, gestured to a pile of dirt.
"Moles again?"
"Yes, sadly. Luckily no one has gotten hurt this year."
"Want me to get rid of them?"
"No thank you, they also need a place to live."
"If you say so."
Silence fell and they listened to the sounds of the garden, of the town. A couple stopped for a few minutes to talk with them before continuing to the hospital. At half past three Gunnar opened the laptop again, nudged Agatha.
"Wanna bet on the outcome?"
"Betting is a sign of greed and is just another sin." She smiled. "2-1 to Denmark."
"Alright, loser has to make dinner. 2-1 to Sweden, they have Zlatan."
"I was under the impression that you didn't like him."
"Well, he's a Swede, but he's still one hell of a soccer player."
"Gunnar, please do not curse on God's doorstep."
"Sorry, sorry. Will he smite me now?"
"Only if you do not ask for forgiveness."
"I bet God curses all the time."
"I'm not taking that discussion again."
She poured them another cup of coffee and they watched the beginning of the game in silence. Sweden made the first goal and Gunnar did a small dance around the table. Agatha laughed, told him to sit down before he broke something and he did so.
"Will you be coming to church tomorrow?"
Gunnar looked at the sky, then back at the laptop before shaking his head.
"Nah, you know I don't believe in the big guy up there."
"You might not believe in him, but he believes in you."
"Yeah, have you asked him to stop that? He's got more important stuff to worry about."
"I thought you didn't believe."
"I don't. I'm not dismissing him though."
Gunnar waved at the sky and laughed.
"God and me, we're pals like that."
"It wouldn't hurt you to come to church every now and then."
"I'm here now, aren't I?"
"True", Agatha smiled. "No need to worry about your immortal soul then."
Denmark scored and Gunnar lifted his hand for a high-five, but Agatha didn't comply so Gunnar high-fived himself and continued watching the game. A small bird landed on the table and served itself some crumbs and Agatha watched it until it flew away.
"One of this year's kids", she said.
"Very cute. Watch the game, Zlatan's gonna do a penalty kick!"
They watched as Zlatan placed the ball, backed away and then...
"GOAL!" Gunnar shouted. "Sweden 2-1, I told you!"
"It's not over yet. And stop with the gloating, it doesn't suit you."
Gunnar laughed, leaned back in the chair again. The game continued, came to an end, but Denmark didn't score a second goal.
"Dinner's on me tonight then", Agatha said and got up, started putting everything back into the basket. "Will you bring your wife?"
"She'd love to, she complained yesterday that it had been too long since she saw you."
"She is always welcome here, tell her that."
"You know how it is. Lots to do at work, family who won't let her breathe."
"How is she doing?"
"She has gotten worse again. It takes a lot of her."
"If there's anything I can do..."
"Keep praying to the big man up there, put in a good word for her. She doesn't deserve this."
Gunnar closed the laptop, bowed before Agatha.
"Thanks for coffee and company. I'll bring her around in... two hours? Sounds good?"
"It sounds perfect, I will see you then."
She watched after Gunnar as he walked back to the car, waved when he drove away and went back inside. She noticed the blackbird from earlier and smiled as she put the basket down. In that moment, life was everything she could ask for.