Author's Note: This story is set in the fictional country of Nordland, a small island nation in the North Sea between the UK, Norway and Denmark.
This story is a work of fiction. All characters, events, and places described in this narrative are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
All comments and feedback is welcome.
HF
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The soft morning sun streamed through the bedroom window as Astrid Bjornsdottir's blue eyes fluttered open. Slowly stretching her arms, she yawned and rolled over, snuggling next to the warmth of her husband, Erik, still snoring peacefully next to her.
She lay there next to him for a few moments, listening to his soft rhythmic breathing, as the sounds of Nordland waking up starting to filter in from outside the window. Wishing she could have had a bit longer to sleep, her mind drifted back to the work that had kept her up late last night. Astrid sighed again; she'd always been an early riser. A result of her dedicated fitness regime started in her youth, with running and swimming keeping her 37-year old body trim and taut despite the demands of motherhood and a challenging corporate career.
With a slight sigh of regret, Astrid rolled herself away from Erik's warmth and, giving her still sleeping husband a quick kiss on the forehead, she swung her body silently out of the bed. She wriggled her toes in the plush carpet beneath her feet as she padded her way towards the bathroom. No running session this morning, she had a flight to catch; but she promised herself a session in the hotel gym in New York that evening.
Closing the bathroom door behind her, Astrid used the toilet before slipping off her pajamas and dropping them in the dirty clothes basket. As she did, she glanced at her reflection in the mirror. Sparkling azure-blue eyes, framed by locks of sun-kissed blonde hair, gave her an air of quiet elegance. Her fair complexion of her face, covered by a faint trace of freckles, gave testament to her Nordic heritage. He trim body, pale but toned by hours of exercise, was a source of pride for her and she hoped that her daughter would inherit her love of exercise.
As her gaze travelled down her body, she reflected that despite her outdoor exercise activities, her skin still held a pale, soft tone. She knew this was partially due to her Nordic heritage, been born and, except for a few years in London and Stockholm for work, having lived in Nordland for her entire life. She enjoyed living in the small island nation in the North Sea; despite the cold seas that surrounded her homeland, the country had a warmth and strong sense of culture that kept her connected.
As she stepped into the warm water of the shower, she acknowledged that the other reason her skin was so pale lately was the long hours she'd spent in her office, illuminated not by the sun, but fluorescent lighting. As a senior executive for the government-owned North Sea Oil and Gas Corporation, she had been spending way too long at work lately and not enough time focused on her family or herself. She hoped that this would soon change.
As the Vice-President for Strategic Initiatives, she had been working on a comprehensive long-term partnering agreement with Horizon Energy Solutions, a key US-based energy conglomerate. This agreement, months in the making, was reaching its culmination. Today she would be flying out to New York for a series of meeting with senior Horizon executives, hopefully to hammer out the last few details for the agreement before presentation to the Board.
Stepping from the shower, Astrid wrapped herself in a plush towel as she dried herself and moved towards the bathroom vanity. Opening the cupboard behind the mirror, she reached for her Yasmin birth control pills, a daily ritual she had undertaken for years. With a sip of water, she swallowed today's pill and placed the packet away. She had Erik has discussed other forms of birth control over the years since the birth of their daughter, Astrid, and they still held open the idea of another child. Putting the packet away, Astrid reflected that perhaps they should revisit this once she'd gotten the Horizon agreement over the line.
This routine, but necessary, task completed, she reached for her hairdryer, the electric hum filling the room as she meticulously dried her blonde locks. After a few moments she was satisfied with the result and turned her attention to the rest of her morning routine. As she brushed her teeth, her mind went through what else she needed to do that morning before leaving for the airport. She would be gone for several days to complete the meetings, not like the usual short, sharp business trips that she usually undertook. The previous night, she and Erik had discussed what would happen with Ingrid's activities over the next several days.
Rinsing her mouth, she turned her attention to the array of skincare products neatly arranged on the counter. The first was her moisturizer, which she applied with practiced efficiency as she studied her face in the mirror. Her fair complexion quickly absorbed the hydrating formula, giving her a subtle glow. She knew that she would be stuck in a plane for most of the day and wanted to give her skin as much hydration as possible.
Given she would be travelling, and not in a corporate environment, she opted for a more subdued makeup palette that accentuated her features without being too flashy. A few swipes of mascara enhanced her azure yes, and a touch of blush imparted a rosy hue to her cheeks before she finished up with a soft pink lipstick. The image that reflected in the mirror was one of professionalism and understated elegance that reflected her roles in life as both a dedicated professional woman and a loving wife and mother.
Returning to the bedroom, she saw that the bed was empty. Erik had awoken and she knew he would be downstairs in the kitchen, cooking up a storm. A talented and in-demand architect, his secret passion was cooking and, given the unpredictable nature of her work and long hours, had been a life-saver for her on more than one occasion, greeting her as she arrived home from a long day in the office with a glass of wine and a cooked dinner waiting for her.
Moving to the wardrobe she selected her clothing for the day, each item meticulously chosen for her trip to New York and the challenges of sitting for most of the day. Despite the luxury of travelling business class, Astrid still opted for clothing that would complement her appearance during the day as well as being comfortable and easy to wear.
She slipped into an Equipment silk blouse, its neutral tone giving her an air of relaxed elegance. Over this she draped her Loro Piana cashmere cardigan, a long time favorite of hers for travel given its versatility and ability to ward off the in-flight chill in the cabin.
Eileen Fisher's tailored trousers adorned her athletic legs, ensuring comfort without compromising style. Swiftly, she slipped into a pair of Tod's slip-on leather loafers--fashionable yet practical for navigating the airport routine.
Underneath, a set of La Perla lingerie in muted tones offered a seamless foundation for her outfit while a pair of Wolford's Satin Touch 20 Denier nude pantyhose embraced her legs with a sheer, velvety softness and completed her ensemble.
Withing moment, Astrid had been transformed into the epitome of executive poise, ready to take on the challenges of the day. Slipping her wedding rings onto her finger and delicately attaching a pair of simple gold earrings, Astrid collected her phone from the nightstand next to her bed and slipped it into her purse. Collecting her bag and luggage she had packed the night before, she left the room to join her family for breakfast.
