Summer 1975, Stockholm
It was a hot sunny day in the capital of Sweden. Benny, Björn, Anna and Frida went to the beach to write some music, it was such a beautiful day to waste in the four walls of the studio. Maybe some fresh air would have brought some fresh ideas. Björn sat on the white blanket on the ground with his guitar in his hand and strummed a melody that had come to him.
His mind worked while the sun made him sweat, but not an unbearable sweat, rather a pleasant sweat. The warmth of the sun. Agnetha was laying on her stomach with her sunglasses on, resting with her eyes closed, enjoying her husband's creative process. Her golden hair caught every inch of every ray of sunlight in the sky. It was spectacular.
On the other hand, Benny had a piece of paper in one hand and a pencil in the other, working on some lyrics for some songs he had already finished. That day was illuminating for their minds, they thought so clearly. Frida had her head on her husband's lap. She also had her sunglasses on and listened to the soothing sound of the sea waves. Benny looked at her affectionately and kissed her forehead.
"God I need a break from thinking so much" Benny laughed and put the paper aside. He focused on his lady and cuddled with her passionately. They kissed and exchanged caring touches.
"Yeah me too" Björn placed the guitar in the case and ran his fingers on his wife's spine. Her muscles relaxed at that delicate touch and a smile formed on her face. He kissed her cheek and when he was about to lay beside Agnetha, he lifted his gaze and saw a beach volley camp. He didn't think about it twice and asked his mates.
"Hey guys, want to play some volleyball?" Björn stood up and waited for an answer.
"Right now?" Frida looked at him with a somewhat numb expression. "I don't see why not, I haven't played for years" She sat and slowly stood up.
"Okay I'm down too" Benny needed to move his muscles and that was just a perfect idea.
"Anna, you need to come too. Come on" Björn caressed her head.
"Where, where are we going?" She was completely absent from the conversation.
"To play a beach volley game, it will be so fun"
"I haven't played since I was a little girl, like... 9 years ago. I don't remember a thing" Agnetha rubbed her eyes.
"Do you think that we do Anna?" Benny joked to reassure her.
"Come on, you'll play with me!" Björn picked her up from her back and her legs and transported her till the court.
"Geez Björn!" Anna fussed a little, she didn't expect that at all.
"So couple against couple, you and Anna against me and Frida" Benny said while unbuttoning his shirt a little, it was hot, very hot.
"Hope you'll be ready to lose, me and Anna are going to make you eat the dust" Björn grimaced to them and took off his shirt. Agnetha liked his optimism and smiled at him, and he winked back to her.
"So, who serve?" Frida asked.
"The youngest serve?" Björn said it hoping that nobody will challenge what he just said.
"Nice try man. You tried to use Agnetha didn't you? You played your jolly" Benny snapped at him making him lose his hopes.
"Okay fine I tried, sorry my darling you know I love you I wasn't using you" Björn kissed her lips, feeling a little guilty for what he tried to do. Agnetha rolled her eyes and couldn't help but smile at his sudden innocence.
"Why don't we just do odd or even? I think that's the best choice. I say even, Anna come over here and throw out a number on three" Agnetha did as she said and on three she threw 5 and Frida threw 2, so odd. Ball to Agnetha and Björn.
Agnetha started with a marvelous jump serve. A little run-up from the outfield and a slap to the ball. The game was on. Benny setted it and Frida lifted it slightly back, so Benny had to run behind and with a powerful forearm pass threw it to the other side of the net. It was extremely difficult to move through the sand.
Björn dove in, catching the ball and sending it towards Agnetha. She passed it back to him with a wonderful high pass. Björn quickly got up and with great strength slammed the ball. What an action! Frida couldn't catch it in time and it hitted the ground.
"Yes! Great job baby!" Björn exclaimed by high-fiving his wife with both hands and then a tender kiss on the lips.
"Don't give yourself too much credit, we're only 1-0" Benny warned him.
Agnetha returned to the serving spot and served again, this time with a top spin hit. It was powerful but Frida caught it beautifully with a forearm pass. Benny divinely lifts it to her, and with a feint, Frida lobs a light lob that Agnetha doesn't catch in time.
"What a point ma girl!" Benny high-fived her right hand.
"Now I'M going to serve. Prepare to receive an Ace" Frida emphasized with a mischievous smile. She was about to serve, but wanted to play a little dirty, so she hit a skyball, a very, very high underhand serve that was very difficult to control because of its height. Because of the strong sun, Björn covered his eyes with one hand, like a visor, and as soon as the ball came down, he didn't see it coming and so it skipped away without the slightest attempt to control it.
"I said it was going to be an Ace" Frida turned shamelessly and served with another skyball. This time Björn caught it better than before but the ball still moved behind his back, out of the court.
"Fuck!" he exclaimed after another failed attempt. But Agnetha didn't want to lose it; she ran towards the ball and dived with her arms outstretched, trying to retrieve it. And she succeeded; the ball returned perfectly to the court where Björn also managed to attack with some difficulty.
"Yes Anna!" Björn shouted as soon as Anna came back near him.
Benny was very impressed with that action but still controlled the attack with a little struggle. Frida lifted the ball to him with a set. Benny tried to attack it still with a powerful strike but the ball met Björn's massive block and fell in Benny and Frida's pitch.
"No way through here!" Björn screamed while putting an arm around Agnetha's waist as she gently hid her smile behind her husband's neck.
"We'll see that, clown" Benny said while helping Frida to clean the sand from her clothes.
The match continued, serve after serve, attack after attack, block after block and point after point. Björn and Agnetha were ahead but soon Benny and Frida caught up and even overtook them. Benny blocked powerful attacks, Frida received flawlessly while in the other court Björn was attacking with absurd force while Agnetha was diving, recovering every ball that seemed lost.
What a contest it was! An unprecedented spectacle, so much that many people had lined the sides of the field to watch that exciting match. Applause and whistles came from all sides and the four protagonists seemed to be playing at a competitive level. It seemed as if the world cup was up for grabs.
It was 7 p.m. After about an hour and a half of grueling play, the entertainment was almost over. The score was 25 to 24 for Björn and Agnetha. This meant that they were one point away from winning, whereas if Benny and Frida got the point, getting to 25 to 25, they would have to get to 27 and so on.
The serve was for Benny and Frida. Benny served this time with an underhand serve. The ball flew high with a "rainbow" trajectory. Björn caught it without difficulty. With a bump Agnetha lifts it up to him as close to the net as possible, perhaps a little too close, Björn struggled to hit it but succeeds with his fingertips and the ball reaches the other side.
Frida catches it with one arm and Benny with a second touch spikes it back towards Björn and Agnetha. With a ready move Agnetha catches it almost close to the ground, Björn gets to it and lifts it as high as possible. With a rhythmic run, Agnetha jumps and hits the ball perfectly, but Benny's wall interrupts it.
A second before it falls, Björn manages to retrieve the ball, diving and hitting it with his right fist. Agnetha doesn't want to risk it and with a long set she pushes the ball at the end of the other side of the court. With a huge effort, Frida gets there, rolling in the sand, Benny manages to lift the ball only with his knee, and with a very powerful bump Frida hits it over the net. Björn rocks it with difficulty and the ball goes even further behind. By now it's over, the ball is unreachable. The game must come to 27...or not.
In some incredibly inexplicable way, Agnetha manages to get there with her foot. With a perfect kick, the ball lands near the net; Björn lifts it spectacularly to wait for Anna's, hopefully, final attack of the game.
"Come on baby let's take this win!" He shouted to turn on his wife.
Agnetha arrives near the net. With perfect steps and a divine arm movement, she achieves a unique momentum. Her feet come off the ground and her slim figure seems to soar into the sky like an eagle. Björn watches her with his mouth wide open; he could not believe his eyes.
Anna hits the ball with all the force she can muster, the sound of her hand on the ball emits a deafening thunder. The ball crashes on the opponent's floor with a flawless trajectory. Benny and Frida stare at the ball crashing to the floor. The game is over. Björn and Agnetha have won. The score however speaks for itself: 26 to 24, it will surely be a match to remember.
"Look at that last point!" Björn shouted while lifting his wife from her hips and kissing her on the lips.
"I have to admit, that was a hell of an ending" Benny said while catching his breath.
"Thank you Benny, I don't even know how the hell I did that" Anna giggled shyly.
"And you said that you didn't remember how to play. You liar!" Frida said and everybody laughed at that comment.
"My God I need a week of rest after this heavy exercise" Benny joked while sweating still.
"Are you tired for doing some other exercises when we get home?" Frida murmured into his ear while kissing his neck.
"Who says I'm tired? I'm not tired at all!" Benny added and everybody laughed joyfully.
There is nothing better than spending a day with your best friends, having fun and laughing and, why not, some healthy competition. They weren't just a band that's for sure. They were a family.