3
Sookie Stackhouse was different from the other folks of Bon Temps, LA. Since the discovery of her mind reading abilities at the tender age of six, people looked at her differently. They tried to hide their inner most embarrassing secrets, usually failing perilously every time. From an outsider's perspective, Sookie was a threat. She was a threat to the Rattray's when they failed trying to drain Bill of his blood to sell illegally. She was a threat to Rene when she cracked the case of the dying women in Bon Temps and his true anti-vamp, murderous identity of Drew Marshall. And now she was a threat to her own best friend Tara. But Tara didn't know it yet; no one did.
Tara had been spending all her time at Maryann's estate healing as Maryann instructed. Why wouldn't she? After being kicked out of her recently sober mother's house and spending a night in jail, she had no place to go. She had no money. She was desperate. Maryann was nice to her, gave her clothes, food, a luxurious place to reside. She thought that anyone would have to be crazy to give up this life. But deep down inside, she knew something wasn't right. She had lived a life of misfortune, betrayal, and disappointment. Miracles like this didn't happen to people like her. As much as she tried to convince herself otherwise, she knew better. She wasn't stupid. And as much as she tried to deny it, she missed Sam.
One night after work, Sookie was cleaning up the bar and doing her side work when her boss Sam came up to her.
"Do good tonight, Sookie?" he asked.
"I do good every night Sam. Every night is a fine night to be waiting on the good people of Bon Temps at this wonderful establishment, Sam" she flirtingly replied with a huge grin on her face.
Sookie was known for her unfaltering optimism; she meant every word that she said. Especially after Rene's attack and subsequent death, she had an unusually high outlook on life, blessing everyday that she lived as a good day to be alive.
"Umm, have you talked to Tara recently Sookie?" Sam asked hesitatingly.
"You know what Sam, I haven't. We kinda went through a lit'l rough patch there for ah bit, but nothing that we can't fix. I figure that I've been friend with that girl for so long that nothinh can get in the way of our friendship. 'Best friends for life'...that's what she always told me when we were lit'l girls".
But the benefit of being Sookie is that she can read peoples minds, but no one could touch hers. Truthfully, her and Tara had had a huge falling out; they fought and hadn't spoken for days, which was very unusual for them. She was worried, but tried to conceal it with her toothy, southern smile. Sam was one to worry at just about everything, so she didn't want to ignite him just yet. She needed to not only make up with Tara, but first needed to find out where she was. This little detail, one that would soon determine so much, was what had consumed Sookie that entire night at work. Although she was happy, smiled, and thought that she gave every table her best service, she unknowingly forgot napkins, many beverage refills, and mixed up table orders from her internal distraction with the unknown whereabouts of Tara.