The clock showed 11 AM local time. Lisa immediately laid down her still limp body on the mattress when they arrived at the hotel. It's past a day but her sleepiness and aches from long-haul flights still lingered on her.

After spending a night at the Petersson residence and meeting Oscar's grandmother; Brigitta, who still looked fresh and young at heart, while talking at length about life and the future, the anxiety in her heart gradually faded. There was a lot of support for Lisa not to be afraid to face Greta though the woman hated her. Moreover, the support did not only come from Oscar but from Brigitta Oscar's grandmother, and Oscar's father Peter.

The sky outside the window still looked cloudy even though the clock was pointing at number 12. Staring at the dark gray sky in the silent Stockholm afternoon made Lisa even less eager to move before she and Oscar return to Indonesia tomorrow.

"Lisa, we still have one night in Stockholm. Do you want to come with me around town?" Oscar invited her as he lied down beside the sleepy Lisa.

"Oscar, I'm so tired. I think one day sleep is not enough to restore my strength. How about we just stay in the hotel while cuddling?" Lisa replied languidly. Her eyes flickered very slowly.

The man climbed on top of Lisa then breathed his warm breath right on her neck. He groaned, hugging Lisa's waist on the bed. "Are you sure you just want cuddling? Or.. Do you want something else?" Oscar asked a little mischievously.

"Gosh, Oscar please! I'm not in the mood. It's better if we just lie down while sharing the temperature so we don't get cold," Lisa replied flatly. Her face looked irritated when Oscar was about to ask her to make love.

The man immediately got out of bed, giving Lisa time and place. "I'm sorry, Lisa. You just rest this afternoon. I'll go around for a while outside," said the golden haired man while wearing his leather jacket.

***

Dusk had manifested its form on the West side, but the orange glow that Lisa usually saw in Jakarta seemed to be mopping in the sky that enveloped the cold and quiet city of Stockholm.

Lisa was still lying languidly on the bed. The darkness of the evening in Stockholm made her lazy to move from where she stayed. She wondered why Oscar didn't look sluggish or lazy in this blue twilight.

Not long after, Lisa heard the sound of the hotel door opening. Oscar had returned from his casual walks around the center of his hometown. The man brought two bags of groceries and placed them near the table.

"Still not awake?" Oscar asked as he took off his leather jacket.

"Just a day here and I still don't know how to make my body quickly adapt to the cold climate of your country..." Lisa replied languidly. She turned to face the window.

"Want a coffee? At least warm yourself so you don't get sluggish like this," Oscar asked as he unwrapped the coffee he had just bought when he toured downtown.

Lisa groaned, she was too weak and lazy to speak. The temperature was too cold and the cloudy sky was making her even more sleepy.

At the desk, Oscar reached for the coffee maker and put a fine, blackish brown powder and poured water into it. The clink of the hotel cup echoed into the corner of the room as the man took it from behind the desk's cupboard.

The aroma of coffee that came out of the coffee maker immediately filled Lisa's sense of smell. Instantly, her drowsiness slowly disappeared. The fragrant aroma of coffee revived her spirit, which was buried in the cold temperature in the city of Stockholm.

"It smells so good," Lisa said as she got out of bed. She leaned over, looking at Oscar who was turning her back.

Click!

The sound of the coffee maker rang, a sign that the coffee was ready to be served. Oscar immediately poured the dark brown liquid into the cup then stirred it slowly. He turned to face Lisa and took the two cups to bed.

"Enjoy it," Oscar said, handing her a steaming hot cup of coffee with a fragrant aroma.

He sat on the edge of the bed while leaning closer to Lisa's side. He looked at her face from the side while smiling sweetly from behind the coffee cup he blew.

Without Lisa realizing it, the man rubbed her back affectionately then brought her body closer to his broad shoulders.

"Still not used to cold air and cloudy skies huh?" Oscar asked, breaking the silence. He stared straight at the window where a gloomy view of the evening sky laid before him.

"I think so," Lisa replied briefly. She took a sip of the steaming coffee cup slowly.

"Tomorrow afternoon, we will return to Indonesia, so take it easy. I know it is difficult for you to adapt in less than 3 days. I too, when I first arrived in Jakarta, felt like my body was hot and melting!" Oscar said softly. He leaned his head on Lisa's shoulder.

"I don't know if I want to go back home or not," Lisa said spontaneously.

Hearing that, Oscar was a little surprised. "Why? Is there a problem?"

"I'm still not ready for the future. I've been thinking too much lately. Marriage, work, Mother, Bella, Greta. As if these things were destined to always haunt me," Lisa complained while staring at the window gloomily.

"You don't need to worry. We just need to enjoy the view of my hometown city while we are still here. Too bad you didn't come with me around the city. I'm sure you will be very happy," Oscar said, comforting Lisa who looked so bored and lackluster.

"Too bad I'm not doing well with the weather, I'm sorry." Lisa looked away, staring into Oscar's clear blue eyes that were as clear as the cloudless morning sky. She looked at those blue eyes for a long time. From the first time she met Oscar until now, Lisa had never been bored looking at the man's pair of beautiful blue eyes.

"Hey, take it easy. Besides, I also feel a little guilty about taking you to Stockholm so suddenly. If it weren't for Grandma's request, I'd have planned it a week earlier so that we could spend the night longer and enjoy the beautiful side of my hometown," Oscar said at length. He brought Lisa's face closer, now the distance between their noses was only two inches.

Without much thought, Oscar kissed Lisa gently. Their lips knit together in the silence of the somber twilight in quiet Stockholm. The deeper he kissed her, the more passionate they got as they harbored their feelings for the past few days.

Lisa was reluctant to make love at first, but now she moved to make love to this European-blooded man with her long fingers. She put her coffee cup on the nightstand, along with Oscar's coffee cup. Immediately, the man laid her body on the bed, kissing her neck.

Oscar stripped off the black shirt he was wearing, throwing it in any direction. Underneath, Lisa was busy removing the belt Oscar was wearing. "Lisa, are you sure you want to do it now?"

The question Oscar asked just now made Lisa pause for a moment. She removed her hand from the belt still attached to Oscar's waist. "I don't know, how about we just cuddle?" She replied a little doubtfully.

The man then stood up, laying his athletic and seductive body beside Lisa. His sturdy arms embraced her tiny body, protecting her from the cold air piercing her thin skin.

Lisa embraced Oscar, then stroked his thin cheeks that never ceased to amaze her.

"Oscar.." Lisa called suddenly. "When do we get married?"

Oscar was silent for a moment. He hadn't thought about the right time to bring the conversation with her. He stared at the ceiling while clearing his cloudy thoughts. "As soon as possible, but I still haven't set an exact time. Maybe we will immediately reconcile before new year," Oscar replied softly.

"I will always wait for you, Oscar.. As long as you stay beside me, I won't run away," Lisa replied, leaning her head against Oscar's chest.historical