HEJ, MY LOVE

DOG DAZE

The couple arrived late in Stockholm at 10 PM. Despite the hour, they directly went to Jonas' parent's house.

"Sorry for the bother, Sigrid. I know it's late."

"No, don't worry, it's no bother."

Sigrid was used to it. Her son and daughter-in-law were always eager to fetch their son no matter the hour.

"Is he sleeping?" Jonas asked.

"Papa?"

All heard the hurried steps. The boy was already out of the room and sliding down the stairs.

His grandad laughed, "Leone, my boy. Look at him taking those steps like a combat course."

Jonas advanced, opened his arms, and his son ran to them, "come here," he grasped Leone tightly, "oh, how I missed you."

"Papa, papa," Leone cried."

"You'd think he had a hard time here," Anders said.

Tears of joy streamed down the boy's face. He began to think they would never come back.

Sierra hobbled to where they were, "bisous, mama."

Jonas lifted Leone, who leaned to kiss his mother. The boy grabbed Sierra's cheeks and planted a kiss on her lips in a scene that would have given Ms. Gauthier a heart attack.

From caregiver, Sierra became Leone's mother. In the boy's eyes, she was the most beautiful and most important woman in his life.

Leone forgot his plan, which consisted in being a bad boy. Every day he repeated to himself, wait and see mom and dad. I won't tidy up my room, and I won't finish my plate. What if I'm hungry? Dad's food is good. I'll eat, but I won't tell you I've finished. We'll stay at the table till 8:30 PM, that's a long time. My hair could be waist length by then. I'll only hug you once a day, no, once an hour. Oh, but I love hugs, though. No, I'll make you ask for them. Yeah, wait and see.

There Leone hugged them and gave out kisses while thinking these kisses were freebies; enjoy them while they last.

"He did it go?" Jonas asked.

"As usual, cousins were here every day; otherwise, Leone just sulked. He ate well, though."

"We can see that," Sierra said and pulled on his pulped cheeks.

"I can feel it," Jonas added as he adjusted his son's position in his arms.

"How did it go for you?"

Jonas and Sierra exchanged glances.

"Jonas wanted to hear the verdict. I couldn't. I'm just relieved; it's as though a page of my existence has turned. "

Sigrid nodded.

"How was it here?" Jonas returned.

His parents decided not to cloud their thoughts with things back in Sweden. On the phone, they only spoke of Leone. Now the Gauthiers were out of the picture; they could fill Sierra and Jonas in with the latest news.

"That Bertrand fella is still making headlines," his father said.

The Swedish press continued to relay the information. Bertrand's story fascinated the population. It wasn't every day one saw someone charged with that many crimes.

"Rut's hearing was this week."

"What happened?" Sierra asked.

Her question made Sigrid stammer, yet she answered, "well, they concluded she's a victim. Since she has no criminal recordㅡ."