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Chapter 7
Mikael and Lisbeth had established a schedule in which they both had responsibilities around Mikael's apartment; it was very domestic. They had reached a stage in their relationship where they were aware of each other's shortcomings.
She was completely disorganized and did not care for anything that required cleaning or culinary abilities. Mikael was pretty much the same; they had decided to hire a cleaning person that would come twice per week. The cooking situation was arranged in a way that they both would have to cooperate and cook at least once a week. He had argued that they needed to eat healthier so she had caved in and agreed. She put her foot down on smoking; she would not quit. He could do whatever he wanted with is lungs and she would do the same.
It was Sally's turn to cook, she had tried to make lasagna but it ended up looking like crushed meat and pasta. She shrugged her shoulders as if to say I told you. He bravely took a bite and was surprised to say that it tasted delicious even if it looked like a mess.
They both washed dishes and then went to sleep. He finally asked the question that was burning him whenever she slept in her apartment. He knew he had to use practical arguments to lure her into saying yes.
"Move in with me, you practically live here and it would help if we share expenses for this place." He was waiting for her response. She seemed to ponder the question.
"Yes, but with one condition, I want to keep the apartment just in case." Ouch that hurt, but he would accommodate her needs. He had to wait for her complete trust, he had time and he planned on having his Sally around for a very long time.
They agreed that she would move some of the things she had in her apartment. Apparently she just wanted her coffee machine, well that might have been Mikael's suggestion.
The arrangements they had made were working almost perfectly. They fought but every couple had fights. Whenever they fought they would spend two or three hours glaring at each other and then they would forget they were fighting and talk to each other.
He would find her doing dishes when he came from work and would embrace her from the back nuzzling her neck and then biting her. She would ask if they were still not talking to each other. Mikael usually shut her up by kissing her and taking her to the bedroom.
Time passed quickly; Mikael and Lisbeth had been together for almost a year when things got even more serious. They went public with their relationship, well Mikael did. Lisbeth did not really have anyone close who would care about her love life. Palgren knew about her relationship with the journalist, as he called him because she had given him Mikael's number in case of an emergency. She then explained that she was living with him.
Armansky had no idea but he had discovered that Lisbeth had a relationship with Mikael at an "idiotic table" meeting. Mikael Blomkvist had actually presided over the meetings. Their relationship was officially out in the open when the rest of the idiotic table minus Giannini had decided to surprise Mikael for his birthday. Armansky had a set of keys from when Milton Security secured Mikael's apartment. The policemen and Armansky had silently entered the apartment when they heard noise coming from the bedroom. They realized Mikael had company when suddenly Mikael had yelled "LISBETH."
The "idiotic table" members left the apartment and promised to keep quiet until Blomkvist gave the information himself. As it happened it took Mikael another two months to come clean.
Now that the public knew about their "affair" as the media had dubbed it everything was easier. The Swedish media had forgotten about Lisbeth Salander, she seemed to be doing well and was not causing any type of news.
They went to the movies, ate at restaurants and occasionally visited Mikael's friends at social gatherings. She remembered the first time she went to one of those. She had been extremely nervous. Of course some of Mikael's friends thought he was crazy for brining her to a social event but Lisbeth also had allies. One of them had been Giannini and the other Malin Eriksson who had befriended her. It turned out that they liked each other and occasionally exchanged emails and chatted on the net.
It was pretty much a couple's life until Lisbeth Salander disappeared again.
It all started three months after their first anniversary as a couple. They decided to go on a December trip to Aruba; they would spend a month there and then return to Sweden the first week of January.
It was paradise, Lisbeth had been there before but it was a first for Mikael. They snorkeled, bathed and went dancing. They also spent ridiculous amounts of time in their bedroom suite. It was the best experience Lisbeth had; Mikael had been attentive and pleasured her in every way.
She fondly remembered the walks on the beach and the long passion filled nights they spent. Mikael and her gained beautiful tans. He looked even sexier, his blue eyes and blond hair blending perfectly with his tanned skin.
She remembered Mikael chasing her around the beach and splashing water when she did not want to go into the ocean with him.
When they got back to Sweden things went back to their routine. Two months and three weeks after their trip Lisbeth came down with flu like symptoms. She woke up every morning nauseous, she was tired and her breasts ached. Another woman would have added these symptoms to the fact that she had not had her period for two months and would have come up with the explanation. She was pregnant, but to Lisbeth Salander who knew nothing about pregnancy the realization did not come until she visited a doctor. She visited a clinic located near Stockholm and gave a fake name; they ran down some tests and gave her the news.
The ground shook for her; she could not be pregnant. She had never thought about having children, ever. She would not tell Mikael he would surely not want a child. She would get an abortion and continue as if nothing had happened. It was not a human yet right?
In the next week she convinced herself to have the procedure. According to the doctor she would be approaching her second month in a week so if she wanted to terminate the pregnancy it would have to be as soon as possible. No matter how many times she thought about it she could not even imagine going trough an abortion. She left Mikael that weekend; she would not saddle him with a child or trap him. She was not that type of person, which was why she fled.