She was already at the gate, when I reached her after searching for my phone all over the hotel room. The weekend burning nostalgia and melancholy in my chest. Separation anxiety amongst them. 

“Honey! I miss you already!” she answered.
“The bracelet!” I managed to blurb.
“Fuck!! Shit!!! Fuck… I´m boarding in 20 minutes. I have to have that bracelet. She´s gonna flip out.”

I check options for express courier services, while she keeps listing all the reasons she needs the bracelet. It´s Sunday. Everything is closed in Germany on Sundays.
I start checking flights, my work calendar, and finally noticing several unanswered texts and calls from Ben. 

“Ok, calm down honey. We´ll figure this out.” I tell her.

One of the search engines spews out a cheap ticket. 

“There´s a flight for 40 euros. Tomorrow morning early as fuck. Right in time for the wedding”.
“Wait, what? Is that an option?”
“Let me call you right back, ok babe. Give me a second, I´ll figure something out.”

I call my boss, saying I´ve gotta take some personal days. In Norway, you get three sick days without a doctor´s note, no questions asked and I´ve never used mine. I book the ticket and call Lena back.

“You think there´s room for me at your sis´ wedding?” 
“What? If you come, of course there´s a place for you!!  My family loves you.” 
“Well, I´m coming! Just booked the ticket”.
“Are you serious? What about work, and.. What about Ben?”
“Yeah… I´ll have to call him now. This is an emergency,
I´m gonna get the bracelet to you. He´ll just have to get it”.
“Well, I will be forever in your debt, thank you so much. I can pay for the ticket!”.
“Are you kidding? Coming to Lisbon will be amazing, no debts. I already miss you.” 
“Ok, flight-mode. Gotta go. You´re amazing!! Thank you, thank you. I don´t know what to say”.
“It´s my pleasure, babe. Another adventure, see you soon”. 

Hang up and a text ticks in “You can already check-in for your flight from SFX to LIS”.

I check in, hoping to get a good seat, but the flight is kind of full. 20 F. Window seat. I like the aisle. Easy getting in and out, and not dependent on anyone to go to the bathroom. 

I look at my phone. Have to call Ben, but decided to go down to the reception first to see if I could stay another night which was “no problem at all miss”. 

Too late for breakfast I went outside, walked down Torstrasse towards Ackerstr where I make a left and look at all the espresso machines in the corner window, before going into Röstståtte. 

I grab a seat outside, close my eyes and smile at the sun, until one of the baristas comes out with my order. They nailed the rosetta, and I get round, bitter, sweet and light notes as I take my first sip. Tear of a piece of the croissant, which was crispy, fluffy and a just the right amount of dense. Ben’s not a fan of butterdough, which I just can’t get.

Type “Hey, can you talk?”, to which he responds by calling. 

“Hello…?” I answer.
“Hey baby! How was your weekend?”
“It was great, so much fun”.
“That’s awesome honey, can’t wait to hear all about it. What time do you land?” 
“Yeah, about that…” 
“What’s up?” 
“So, we were out last night, and Lena lent me her Grandmother’s bracelet -which is supposed to be the “something borrowed” in her sister’s wedding tomorrow in Lisbon. Completely forgot in all the fun and now I’m still wearing it, while she’s already on a flight”. 
“Oh, no.That sucks. Is there any way you can send it there?” 
“I checked, but everything is closed on Sundays” 

I take a sip of my coffee, and rip off another bite to chew. 

“Where are you?”
“Oh, I’m at that little cafe Röststätte”. 
“Flat white and croissant? 
“Yup. You know me! So good here” 
“So, what are you going to do about the bracelet?” 

I look down at it, pointing an upside down V, towards my engagement ring. 

“Well, I checked flights and found one really cheap. Spoke to my boss and he said it was cool to take a few extra days, so I’m staying here another night and taking a flight there really early tomorrow morning to go to the wedding”. 
“But what about dinner tomorrow?” 
“ Yeah, I know. But my parents will understand”.
“Well I guess we´ve already waited this long telling them…”
“I know. I’m sorry. Just didn’t see another way. I felt so bad for Lena’s sister. She really wants this for her wedding and you know how anal she is. It´s just really important that I get this to..”

He interrupts.

“it’s ok baby, don’t worry about it. We’ll just tell them when you get back then”. 
“Ok. Yeah. I´ll call them and tell them that we´ll reschedule”. 
“What are you going to do in Berlin today then?”
“Probably take a little stroll, order takeout from La Pausa, that little pizza place and head back to the room and Netflix, probably”.
“That sounds nice, well have a great day. Maybe we´ll talk later?” He asked. 
“Yeah, call me whenever” I replied.
“Cool. I love you!”  
“Yeah, thanks for understanding baby. Love you too”.

I hang up, and remember the kiss from last night.