AUTHORS NOTE
So this is the new story. Just a warning, there is some old fashioned slang in here, so if you don't know a term, feel free to contact me and ask me what it means. I'm happy to help.
Chapter 1
"C,mon," Eric says to me, pulling slightly at my dress
"I'm gonna take you to a high class party. We're gonna go be-bop, Da-do-bop, de-be-bop-sha-bop!" As he says this, he dances around me in circles, showing off his 'moves'
I laugh at him, and shake my head
"Calm down you knucklehead, your stirring up dust. And I can't go, I have to work." I say, much to my dismay.
"Ooohhh, I'm sure old Miss Lanchester won't mind a bit. After all, your just a young, beautiful girl, going out to celebrate her engagement," he wraps his strong arms around my waist, a cheeky grin on his face. I push his arms away and roll my eyes at him
"We celebrated last week, and the week before, and the week before that," I say, counting the weeks on my fingers
"What can I say? I do love a good shindig." He continues to pull me towards him.
I tilt my head back and sigh with exasperation as he runs light kisses down my neck
"Fine, I'll go,"
"But it better be a hell of a good party"
PAGE BREAK
I sit in Eric's lap as we share a drink. He points out men dancing like the intoxicated idiots they are, while I continue to worry about what Miss Lanchester will say to me in the morning.
"Hey," Eric yells to me over the loud drumming and cheering
"Lets dance," I nod, with a smile on my face
As soon as we step into the mass of people, we are pushed and nudged around the entire platform, moving our feet as much as we can.
"Faster," Eric shouts, and suddenly the music changes. From the mild tempo it once was to a wildly quick paced beat.
We prance around, stumbling over our own feet, trying our hardest to match the rhythm. I laugh as Eric accidentally knocks into another man, but he just pats the lad on the back, laughs, and rejoins me in dance.
This goes on for 20 more minutes, until we're both sweat soaked and exhausted.
We sit in the same spot we were in, with me on his lap, both of us panting hard.
I take a gulp of the beer, and hand it to Eric, who chugs the whole thing in less than 5 seconds.
I lean back against his chest and wipe the sweat off my forehead
Suddenly, Eric shouts out
"Hey Tobias, m'man!" He waves over Tobias
As he comes over, I glance at him
"Hey, Tobias" I say with a curt nod
He sits down across from us
"Hey, how's the engagement going, huh?" It's obvious that he's drunk. His eyes are wide, his grin growing. He even stumbled a bit walking over here. Tobias only gets drunk on special occasions though.
Eric looks over to me and squeezes my shoulder
"Enjoying this dreamboat so far," he says jokingly, wrapping his sweaty hand around my knee. I slap at his shoulder
"You know you love me ya ol' fat-head," I say, my words slurring slightly
He chuckles deeply at this and says,
"That I do, dolly, that I do" he directs his attention back to Tobias
"You comin to the wedding chap?" Eric asks, a friendly look on his face
Tobias leans back in his chair and sighs
"Aaahhh I'm not quite sure,"
"Oh c'mon," I speak up
"Its not like a scallywag like you's gonna be busy any time soon. Come to the wedding!"
He smiles and then gives in
"Whatever the bride wants, the bride gets" he raises his glass to us as he says this, and Eric raises the empty bottle as they clink glasses
"Ain't that the truth, now," Eric says, bringing his hand higher up my dress
"Alright, well you two have a goodnight now," Tobias starts to get up
"Ah-ah-ah, Tobias, look at this rare sight," Eric points to the corner, where a cute blonde girl stares at Tobias
"Go get'm," they share a wink, and Tobias walks towards the girl, us laughing behind him.
As soon as he leaves, Eric turns to me. His grip on my thigh tightens, and I hold on to the collar of his shirt to control my hands.
"I think it's time for you to go to bed," he eyes me intently as I get up from his lap, and walk out the door, moving my hips from side to side
I can hear him whisper behind me
"Damn,"
PAGE BREAK
I lay in bed, still slightly sore from last night.
"Please just stay in bed with me," I plead to Eric, as he continues to slide on his pants
"I can't my sweet lass, I have a job" at this I sit up, and gasp at him
"I do too! But when you told me you wanted to 'celebrate our engagement' I agreed, and I still haven't talked to Miss Lanchester" I exclaim
He stares at me as he finishes tying up his shoes, a wry smile on his face
"You could've said no,"
I gasp yet again
"I did!"
He chuckles
"I love you darling!" He shouts as he walks out the door. I give out a loud grunt in response, and I can hear his laughter ring from downstairs
"Jack ass" I huff
PAGE BREAK
"This is the last time," Miss Lanchester puts a finger in my face
"No more missin' work!" She yells in her slight Scottish accent
"Miss, I'm very sorry about my absence, but Eric and I wanted to celebrate our engagement," I say
"Didn't you celebrate it last week? And the week before?" She asks suspiciously, and I put my hands on my hips, and raise my eyebrows
"That's what I said!" I say rather loudly, disturbing the current customers in the store
"Just get to work"
And I do
I spend the whole day cleaning the counters, putting merchandise in order, sweeping the floor, taking out the trash, making up for my absence.
At some point, I hear the bell jingle as I finish up sweeping the last bit of dirt
"We're closed!" I yell out
And I think there gone, until I hear loud footsteps behind me, and then the sound of a slam. I jump in surprise, and drop my broom.
"Who in the Sam hell do y-" I start to say, but my words are lost as I look up into the dour face of a man.
Into the dour face of a soldier.
"What was that, Miss?"
I stumble on my words
"Uhh-but-um...nothing, nothing... w-what can I do for you?" I swallow hard, and his smirk grows, making his fierce expression even more menacing.
I cross my arms, suddenly becoming overly confident
"I said, what can I do for you. Now your already causing me enough trouble with the store being closed-" I am cut off yet again by his loud voice
"Excuse me, but you have no right to speak to me that way"
"No right? No right? Sweetheart, I have every fucking right"
And I see his hand raise to slap me, but I never feel the blow
"Please excuse her, sir," I hear a deep voice say, and look up to see Tobias standing beside the man, a firm grip on the man's wrist, still in mid-air.
He yanks his hand away.
"You oughta teach your woman to be more respectful," he spits out, and I'm about to tell him that I'm not his woman, but Tobias nudges me hard in the shoulder
Tobias and the soldier continue to have an animated conversation in the corner until he finally decides to leave.
"You always have to pick fights don't you?" He shakes his head at me
"what was that talk about, huh?" I ignore his question
He stares at the ground for a few moments, before saying,
"Nothing of importance"
PAGE BREAK
I hear the bedroom door screech open, and listen for a moment. It isn't until I feel the bed tilt downwards until I sit up
I put a hand on his shoulder and pull him back slightly
"How come your so late? What happened at work?"
He continues to stare at the wall in front of him, not saying a word
"Eric?"
"War has started" he says solemnly, and I slowly take my hand off his shoulder
"What?" I say, my voice quivering slightly
He turns to me, and must see the worried look in my eyes
"Dont worry my dear, everything will be alright"
Without a word he removes his clothes and mine, and makes love to me until we're both utterly exhausted.
And it's like we both know what's coming.
The tragedies of war.
PAGE BREAK
"No, please, please don't leave me, please!" I cry out
He paces back and forth
"I-I don't have a choice, Beatrice"
He grabs my face in his hands
"If I did, I would stay here with you, I would. But I don't, and there's nothing I can do about that"
"But-but the engagement!"
He looks back at me, a dreary look in his eyes
"I'll come back for you Beatrice, I promise"
And so I waited. I waited for Eric to come back. I waited for his loving arms, his reassuring smile.
I waited for 8 months, and I was starting to lose hope, until one day, a military truck came by,
Filled with soldiers.
AUTHORS NOTE
Please let me know what you think of it so far in the comments, bye guys!