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Returning to the city, they fell into the habit of breakfasting together every morning. He would then drive her to university and pick her up from hospital after he finished work at the bank. Annika never understood how a person so creative and artistic could work in a bank. It was one of those mysteries she could never fathom.
During their time together Annika started to suspect that Stefan might have health problems. She began to notice different symptoms and was scared to find out whether she was right. One evening Annika went to an internet cafe and with trembling fingers googled “haemophilia”, although she was certain she knew the answer. She just wanted to find out more details so she could understand him better, be prepared emotionally and know what she was getting herself into.
“Haemophilia symptoms
Symptoms range from easy bruising to prolonged bleeding. Bleeding can occur spontaneously (without an external cause) or as a result of injury.
How easily or badly a person bleeds depends on the severity of their deficiency. Minor cuts and grazes don't usually cause any significant problems, but internal bleeding can be life threatening, while repeated bleeding in the joints typically leads to arthritis or long-term joint damage.
Mobility problems may also result from this spontaneous bleeding. Haemorrhages into the brain are particularly difficult to manage and can be fatal. There is no cure for haemophilia and....”
The words began to swim in front of her as tears filled Annika’s eyes. Her hands were trembling and all she could think was, “Why? Why him? Why is there no cure?” But what she didn’t consider even for a second was life without Stefan. So all she could do was gather her courage and accept the fact that if she wanted to live with Stefan, she had to live with the haemophilia too. She had only known him for a few days but already felt that, no matter what happened next, she would love him forever.
The next day, just two weeks after their first meeting, Annika and Stefan went out for dinner.
For the first time that week there was some slight tension between them. Stefan felt nervous and, although Annika could not put her finger on anything specific, she knew that the day was going to be significant.
Stefan parked the car in front of Annika's building and turned off the engine. Annika realised that he was going to say something extremely important. From the very first day they had had coffee together, they had been able to communicate with hardly any words. They could feel each other’s thoughts and sense every slight movement in the other's soul.
Stefan looked at Annika. He took her face in his hands and stared straight into her eyes. His look was filled not only with warmth, love and tenderness. There was something else. Something like fear, anxiety or worry.
“Babe, I've got something to tell you. Something really important,” Stefan coughed nervously and continued, “I adore you, I love you, I am mad about you and I really want us to be together. I no longer want to take you home every evening and go back and feel the loneliness at nights even stronger than before, since now I know how it feels to be with you. I would like you to move in with me, but before you decide there is something extremely important you need to know. Living with me will be very difficult because...”
He did not get any further. Annika put her finger to his lips and made him stop. She knew what he was going to say. She had already read everything in the internet article.
“I know and I’ll move in first thing tomorrow morning.”
That was the only time they almost pronounced the name of the terrible disease. After that it was never ever mentioned again.