AN:

www(dot)youtube(dot)com(forward slash)watch?v=MY-a4QbfT7U

(change the word "dot" to the symbol, etc.) I'll try entering it here, but I'm sure it is wasted effort: .com/watch?v=MY-a4QbfT7U

Charlaine Harris: You know the drill, girl! You own E/S. I'm only licking the surface.

Santa Cruz & Woodside & Sonoma c 1979 Part II

P1 The Retreat

As Sven raced away from the debacle that his life had threatened to become in a few brief minutes, turning from the sublime to the shits, he replayed the entire scene looking for something he could have done to prevent the shock he had seen on Sookie's face. He was confused and hurt by her reaction. It wasn't typical of the Sookie he had come to love. Shit, Sookie had insisted they don mock BDSM-leathers and walk in the Gay Pride parade downtown last summer with one of her professors and his lover. He was very proud of her tolerance of sexual diversity. No, something specific Eric said had triggered that response. He'd have to sort it out with her somehow.

Traffic was light on 280 this morning and Sven did not need to concentrate on his driving. He had grabbed a pair of shorts and a jacket as he headed out the door, in his haste forgetting shoes and his wallet. Thinking it over as he headed the Porsche north, and the rote actions involved in shifting gears serving to help calm him, Sven decided he had avoided telling Sookie about Max not because of the gay overtones. Really, it was because he did not want to share the depth of his feelings about Max with her. He thought it inappropriate if not hurtful to speak of former lovers in any context, and certainly not to one's heart's desire, as Sookie was to him.

Sven's earlier pain was nothing compared to what he had seen in Eric's face. He was certain Eric had lashed out at him in jealousy and anger because his own marriage, loveless from the beginning and engineered by their father for the perceived beneficial connection to the Theriots, was coming to its natural conclusion.

Eric being maneuvered into marriage by Ander had been another example of Eric being cast as the sacrificial lamb for their pater familias' ongoing ambitions, a case of 'wrong place at the wrong time'. Sven loved Eric as much as he loved Sookie, if not more. He was beyond surprised that Eric, who had been self-medicating for years even before Selah, with the dope, the drinking, and the intense physical activities endured to exhaustion, had finally exploded. This morning, he'd had thrown in his face what he'd lost by his inhibitions about pursuing Sookie because she wasn't in the L.D.S. fold. Sven had never believed the religion angle really mattered to anyone in the Nordman clan except maybe Grandpa Alrick. Look at the unorthodox choices made by their own parents.

Sven reasoned the shouting at him had been an instinctual reaction from Eric more than a deep-seated need to hurt him. Most of what he had blurted in his hang-over induced rage was inaccurate, anyway. Sven had lived with Max for multiple reasons, including because it was convenient and he'd enjoyed the sex. Yeah, he'd enjoyed the sex a lot, as he briefly remembered the multiple, intense deep penetrations by Sven that Max had favored. If they could be spied by someone else while doing the dirty, that made the whole experience even better for Max. Sven didn't share that predilection and was glad Sookie didn't as well.

With some distance, Sven had realized that Max had been like Selah in more ways than the similar physical coloring and height, minus the boobs of course. Max would try anything, felt the basic emotions only superficially, and craved the dominance games that Sven also favored. Plus, Sven's trust fund, while extremely generous, could not fuel the sloop, the dinners out, and the multiple homes with expensive cars lifestyle he craved during the first few crucial years he'd been building his client base. Max and his endless buckets of money had been the means to an end, pleasant enough when Sven wasn't being dumped every six months for some imagined slight. He'd hurt when it was finally over, but Sven had a tender heart.

Sven gratefully reminded himself that he hadn't felt like being anonymously blown by the Park denizens since he'd met Sookie. It might look like a mess now, but later today after lunch when everyone had cooled down, he would drive back to Woodside and start rebuilding his relationship with his wife and their life together. Putting the best spin on it he could, which he always did very well, he was actually relieved his past was out of the bag and they could move on. They'd be able to have the celebration party now. He wouldn't need to be on edge wondering if something would come out that he'd have to cover for until he could speak with her privately. He'd call his mother Mia this afternoon as well.

By the time Sven reached the City, he'd resolved to stop in at his condo off of Market for some food and a quick shower. He'd kept it for just for such an emergency as this; it was his bolt-hole. Sven now had the basic outlines of his plan mapped out for recovering his wife. He would turn around and drive back to Woodside. Give her another hour or so to calm down before he got back.

He'd also have to work on consoling his little brother; he'd need to tell Mia to warn off Ander about trying to manipulate Eric's marriage any further. He did not want Ander to undermine his efforts to extricate Eric from the FW when Eric ran to him for guidance as he always had, much to his detriment. Monday he'd place a call to Marvin Mitchelson's firm. Marv was a friend from L.A. whose divorce practice recently had expanded into disentangling the assets of unmarried couples. Marv had made his split with Max much less painful than it might have been. His high profile work on palimony cases had increased his divorce practice tenfold, plus he owed Sven a favor for getting him out of a sticky situation with a girlfriend by sham-acting as his lover. Just getting Marv on board as Eric's lawyer would put Selah's family on notice that Eric was serious. There would be no trouble from the Theriots.

Sven began to feel almost normal again. Dropping his keys on the table, he stretched and felt a bone-weariness creep over him. Maybe he'd take a quick nap as he still was exceptionally frayed after the travel and all the sexual activity he and Sookie had engaged in, skimping on their sleep in favor of play. He grinned to himself; honeymoons were an exhausting business. He dropped his shorts by the side of the bed and snuggled down under the comforter, intending only to close his eyes for about fifteen minutes, then gather his things and drive back. He'd be there in less than an hour and he'd shower with Sookie. Maybe Eric would be gone by the time he got back.

P2 The Talk

Eric looked up to find Sookie had left the room. He knew she had gone to Sven's bedroom, probably to dress and leave the house. It was totally the wrong thing to do, but he followed her because he realized he was desperate to speak with her. He had so many unanswered questions. He respected the relationship she obviously had built with Sven. He loved Sven and would not consciously set out to undermine his marriage, even if he had married Sookie knowing how Eric had felt about her. It was a betrayal of sorts, but he also knew Sven was very impulsive. The marriage must have been an impulsive decision that had seemed right at the time to Sven. Perhaps he did not truly love her?

And, since he had left without an explanation, Eric decided it was acceptable to do some probing of events leading to present circumstances. How had she come to be married to him? No one in the family even knew he was dating a woman… no, scratch that, it wasn't fair. How had Sven kept her hidden from Ander, Mia and Celia long enough marry her? He also wondered if she thought it was strange she had not met any of Sven's family. He felt a faint stirring of hope. He might redeem himself in her eyes if he could help ease the transition into the Nordman clan for her. At best they had a family secret of sorts to hide. He felt it was better to get it out in the open so she would not be shocked when the time came. It was one of the reasons his family was so private, not tolerating outsiders very well. Their practices were accepted by certain members of their faith, but the modern world was much less forgiving.

All of these thoughts were filtering through his head as he made his way down the hallway off the kitchen leading to where he now could hear Sookie moving around. She was pulling out drawers; could she be packing to leave? He had to stop her; it was his fault and he would not ruin what Sven had built, real or not, nor permanently hurt Sookie. He opened the door without knocking to find her still in the filmy gown, her face red and splotched with tears, her former shocked demeanor now given over to sadness and despair. She had a pile of bras and panties stacked on the bed, but no clear indication she was packing.

"Why did he leave me here alone with you?" she had asked him, plaintively.

He was stunned into silence as he contemplated her fully, lovely and clearly hurting. Any thoughts of modesty she had had earlier had been left behind as she sought answers from Eric. In spite of the circumstances, he unfortunately could not help noticing that his twin was a very lucky man indeed, definitely more so than he remembered. She was advancing on him, unthinkingly seeking comfort from someone she recognized and had trusted in an earlier period of her life. Plus, he looked familiar, just different coloring, and he smelled safe. Her feelings for Sven were so jumbled, she wasn't thinking what it might do to Eric to seek physical contact with him in the form of a hug, pressing herself against him and laying her head against his bare chest.

In spite of his own emotional upheaval and the pleasant sensations engendered by her closeness, Eric was able to gently disentangle himself and move them both to sit on the edge of the bed. Before he could say any soothing words to her, she startled him by reminding him of events of that night several years ago between them.

"What it is with you Nordmon men? How is it you now have both walked out on me, albeit under vastly different circumstances? You do know I never did figure out why you abandoned me in your bedroom that night at the Lake over the 4th. Are you both determined to rip my heart out and feed it to the wolves? That first time you did it to me, for nothing I had done, just wasn't sufficient for the two of you; you have to make it a double?"

Before he could respond, she added: "Is Sven coming back soon, do you know? Where would he have gone? Why'd he leave?" she said again.

Eric's thoughts were tumbling over themselves as he tried to make sense of her remarks. She thought he had abandoned her? What about her note to him? He made to speak, but didn't get the chance.

"I'm so confused. What did you mean "a divorced man on the rebound"? Who was he married to before I met him? I know I should be asking him, but hiding from me he was divorced? That hurt more than you can know, Eric. Why did I have to find out from you, of all people?" She stopped, fixing him with a gimlet eye.

Taking a depth breath, Eric confessed: "Sven was never married. He has never been divorced." He was feeling major guilt now. What had he been thinking?

Sookie gave him a narrow look. "Are you protecting him?"

"No, I would never lie to you. Sven has never been married, but…." He might not be telling her everything he knew, but he what he was telling was true.

However, before he could finish the sentence, she stopped him by letting out a small squeak of relief and pulled him into another hug. In her distraction and coming off the emotional shock that proved to be unwarranted, as Sven had not lied to her as she had feared, she pressed her body into Eric's. He pulled her tighter into him, first draping his arms over her shoulders, and then dropping them to her waist. She felt so good, he didn't want to stop. He buried his face in her soft hair, the pulse in her neck visible to him between her locks.

He felt her stiffen and gently shift her shoulders. He did not release his hold on her. She made a small protest of movement to signal to him to let her go.

"Eric, I want to place a call to Sven. Maybe he has gone to his office and I can reach him there." Her voice was a little breathless.

"Sookie, I think there are some things you aren't telling me."

P3 Sonoma

Mia and Celia were sitting outside underneath the cabana, enjoying the fresh fruit, orange juice, and the hot scones they had ordered for breakfast. After the holidays at the Ranch with all the children and Ander's dad and step-mom, the three of them always booked for a week or more into The Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa for some pampering. The Inn once again provided a secluded, beautiful and spacious two bedroom suite for the Nordmon's use after the New Year's holidays. The staff was very discreet and knowledgeable of their preferences. If there were three adults staying in the suite and only one of the oversize king beds had been used for the last week, none of the maids would be carrying any tales to the National Enquirer, or the San Jose Merc for that matter. The Nordmans still owned vast stretches of coastal and ranch lands in Northern California. It was highly desirable land in most cases, bordering protected parks and reserves that would never be developed. The value of their holdings was difficult to assess, as the properties had been held for so long and were so far-ranging, there often were no realistic comparables for anyone to use. The county governments' assessment offices a few years ago had hatched a joint plan to impose generous tax hikes on the properties, citing improved land clauses in the tax Code. The Nordman accountants quickly had disputed the assessments. The lawyers for both sides had become involved and the Nordmans had prevailed. No one had tried anything similar since that expensive failed attempt that wasted large sums of taxpayer monies.

Celia, a natural redhead who was careful to stay out of the sun as she burned easily, always enjoyed the yearly family holiday gatherings. She gladly brought Joran to spend it with his half-brothers and sister. However, she preferred the confines of her own peaceful home in Sandy, Utah, situated as it was on a knoll overlooking the Sandy River. She was five years younger than her older half-sister Mia. She was comfortable in her body, which had begun to become soft around the edges. She had a full figure, and the extra ten pounds had gone to all the right places, or so Ander assured her.

She stood and stretched, bored with the inactivity this morning as they waited for Ander to return from his meeting. She had been gone from home long enough; it was time to return to the comfort of being around her neighbors who shared similar interests and pursuits. She knew she was always welcome, as was Joran. But each year she dreaded seeing Alrick, Ander's father, and his latest wife, Mimi. They did not approve of the lifestyle Mia and she embraced with Ander.

Mia moved from the table where they had been served to stretch out on a lounge chair in the sun, scone in hand, dark hair pulled into an elegant chignon. She shaded her eyes to watch her younger sister. The two of them were so close, she recognized Celia's pensive attitude for what it was: a sense of dread about their lunch plans later in the day with Alrick and Mimi in Healdsburg. Mia herself had selected the restaurant in favor of Celia's preferences, casual without the pretentious overtones Mimi favored that always left she and her sister somewhat disgusted. They'd take Joran with them, which would help. Although he was now twenty-three, he had never developed a close group of friends in the area and tended to stay with the adults when not off riding his Harley over the coastal hills.

She called to Celia to distract her. "Would you be averse to running down to the lobby for the latest People magazine? I've become addicted to it over the last three years. You could knock on Joran's door and make sure he doesn't sleep the day away."

Celia gave her a grateful look for devising something useful for her to do. "I think I'll walk over to the spa to pick up some sunscreen as well, maybe walk the exterior of the grounds. I'll be back in about an hour or so. Unless you would like to walk with me?"

Mia shook her head. She wanted some time alone with Ander when he returned to their room. He'd been gone too long for comfort. She felt that familiar ache for him. After nearly three decades with him, she still couldn't look at him without wanting him.

Once Celia had left, while she waited for Ander, Mia's thoughts returned to Joran. Just like his father, Joran was an amazingly attractive young man, well over six feet tall with great muscle definition, delicate features and straight auburn hair he wore in a neat ponytail that snaked between his shoulder blades. He had the same long narrow waist and jutting hip bones ending in a sensuous "V" the twins also possessed. That combination, which was often on display she noted with amusement, seemed to send the young women around him into a feeding frenzy. Seeing him standing next to Eric and Sven, the family connection was unmistakable. He might have been mistaken as a triplet with her two sons had he been older.

She thought again with satisfaction that her sister's son had graduated magna cum laude from Brigham Young, as smart as either Eric or Sven. Celia had let slip that he was taking some time to decide if he wanted to start on an M.L.A. at Stanford or do some travelling in northern Europe for a few months. Ander always hoped at least one of his sons would join him in his various enterprises; he wouldn't be pleased about the M.L.A. plans when he found out.

Even so, she was glad Sven had quietly offered him a spare bedroom at the house in Woodside if he entered Stanford's M.L.A. program. Joran had been leaning in that direction. He adored Sven and would often follow him around in unconscious mute older brother worship when the three of them got together. Eric's marriage to Selah and research commitments in Hohn had made him less available to Joran. Mia had noticed Joran and Sven's sibling bond had strengthened in response.

Since he'd clearly missed Sven at the Ranch this year, she would have Celia encourage him to take the bike south to see if Sven would be ready to receive family yet. He should be back from Barbados by now. 'Was he involved with a man or a woman this time?' she mused, lazily turning over and untying the top of her champagne-colored suit. In her mid-forties, she stayed in shape and limber with Hatha yoga. She never wanted to see photos of her with Ander in hand on the society pages of the Salt Lake Tribune looking like a frump. With their money, she had always had a lot of competition for Ander's attention. Ander's appetites were legendary and she and Celia were kept equally busy seeing to them. They never let him travel alone, for one thing. The occasional hooker wasn't anything that worried them, though.

Members of the L.D.S. community, they had enjoyed a little leniency on some of their issues. For one, Ander had determined that Celia would be introduced to those outside of their circle as the unwed sister-in-law, being taken care of by family. Now, no one really cared if she stepped in for Mia when Ander wanted to take her with him to certain events or on some business trips. Their relationship was accepted for what it was in Salt Lake and other centers they frequented in the West. The three of them weren't interested in trying to convert others to their lifestyle. It worked for them; that was sufficient.

And in Sandy, where Celia lived alone with Joran when Mia and Ander were travelling, it just wasn't an uncommon practice. Mia would have been surprised to learn that several of the women they knew expected Ander eventually would tire of the two of them and wish to bring on a third companion someday. There was a lot of speculation about who he would choose.

P4 Continuation

Sookie was thinking furiously. Eric didn't seem to have any intention of releasing her and she needed to put some physical distance between the two of them. He was married. She hoped she still was. Taking this any further would just be hurtful to all involved.

"Eric, I agree we need to talk." She struggled a little more vigorously against his snuggling and felt his grip loosen a fraction. She thought she had his attention now.

"I'm sorry, but you could use a shower. I don't know what sort of debauchery you enjoyed last night, but the day-old smell of sour beer isn't pleasant." He looked up into her face at her words. Darn it, he still had the most incredible sparkling eyes, even in their blood-shot state.

"What? I smell bad?" He lifted an arm, sniffed and then gave her a sheepish look.

Your hair is dirty, Eric. I'm sorry, but your breath could knock down…. I know you were sick to your stomach. Your probably had too much alcohol last night." She needed to get some space, right now. She was able to gently pull away from his other arm wrapped around her waist and stand, moving to the door in an invitation for him to leave.

"Go get cleaned up, please? I'll fix us some eggs and more bacon while you grab a shower. Okay?" In her charged state, she slipped back into the regionalisms of her youth she had strived to eradicate from her speech patterns.

She was hoping the need for food that had originally drawn him to the kitchen would resurface. Eric in their bedroom when Sven returned would be a recipe for disaster. Been there, done that.

Eric stood slowly and made his way to the door. Brushing past her, he mumbled that he still had questions, but he was feeling some ill effects from last night and would see her after his shower. He looked a little pale but Sookie did not wish to put a comforting hand on his shoulder. She did not know what else she might do if she did. The thought of him alone in the shower, which space she knew quite well from her escapades with Sven, was distracting enough.

There was an odd, metallic smell in the kitchen when she returned to begin preparing a breakfast for the two of them. She'd ask him about it later. It almost smelled like blood. She thought about Eric, showering alone, and wished Sven would hurry back. She didn't like the idea of being in the house with him. Sookie was crystal clear that she no longer had any feelings for Eric. Seeing him in the kitchen today when she wasn't expecting it had just been a shock. She wondered why she had not dressed when she knew he was still around. She couldn't help but notice he had been enjoying the view before the situation deteriorated so rapidly, and again later in the bedroom. She had felt guilty about the pleasure that knowledge had given her, but she still hadn't managed to put on a robe. The eggs were done and she heard the sound of the shower door echo down the hallway to his room. She hoped he did not leave his wet towel on the floor.

P5 The Spurned

Clancy had not been a satisfying lay. He was a ginger-haired man with a lot of body hair. Selah had almost changed her mind when he removed the shorts he had worn back to his university office after finishing the dive with Eric that morning. She had been waiting in his office with an excuse about some expense paperwork that she didn't understand. He had been pleased to see her. Selah had decided to fuck him out of boredom. Or, maybe because she hoped it would get back to Eric and embarrass him. Although if nothing she had done to date had had any effect, maybe she was wasting her time with this tactic.

After their sweaty sex on the couch in his office, which in itself was rather vomit-inducing, she had driven directly back to the house for a long shower with some strongly scented soap. She would have to wait for Eric's return. God knows where he had taken off to today. She'd quizzed Clancy but he had no idea and seemed surprised she was asking him about her husband's plans. Fuck him.

Selah dried her hair and then moved to her favorite blue chintz chair in the great room to wait for Eric's return. She put Mozart's Piano Concertos performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy album on their stereo to help kill the time. She and Eric had met him and his pianist wife Sofla Johannsdottir in Reykjavik many times and seen him perform in several venues. She was eventually forced to turn on a reading lamp as night fell, leaving her sitting in the only pool of light in the dark silent house. Eric did not return that night and did not call. Even he usually let her know if he had made other plans.

When she realized he would not be returning that evening, she examined carefully the reasons she was waiting for him. Was it because she was still pissed that he had cut short their time with her siblings in Tiburon? The two of them had a deal: no outward show of any problems in front of the families. They were meant to be together and it was important that their families retained their good relationship. Her dad Alcide had been so pleased when she told him she would be marrying into the Nordman family after all. He had lusted after their coastal lands for his own residential development schemes for years. She knew he had already begun trying to work the connection to his advantage. Okay by her.

Eric had been a cipher to her since before they married. She liked him well enough and he had been just as good as Sven at many things she enjoyed, including the various bedroom games he had willingly agreed to play with her. He had displayed a strong, ongoing interest in spanking. It was their favorite form of foreplay.

Selah had to admit Eric was definitely a mouth-watering spouse of whom one would not easily tire. Incidentally, they also shared many professional goals. She wouldn't call him the best fuck she'd ever had, but he was definitely number two. She thought of the size of his member and a small smile played over her lips. The association had made her realize where he was tonight—up at Sven's house in Woodside. She would sleep in tomorrow and then drive up to see Eric and the faithless bastard she'd almost married. She wondered who he had been screwing in the Caribbean. She bet Max would be interested in the information as well. Max. Max, who looked so much like her it would have been funny if it didn't make her feel so sad.

With her plans made, Selah was able to crawl into bed and sleep the sleep of the innocents.

P6 Desire

The door to the suite flew open as Ander made his usual dramatic entrance. He was pulling the tie from around the collared shirt he been forced to wear for the meeting with his father Alrick this morning. He was pleased to see Mia already on the lounge on the balcony with her top off. This wouldn't take too long. He ran his fingers through his longish coarse dark blonde hair, a nervous habit, and then unzipped and stepped out of his tan linen slacks. He was already hard and eager after having slept between both his wives and not gotten any this morning. That would have to change, he told himself grimly. If they were going to cut him off, he would find his release elsewhere, dammit.

He saw Mia look up as he pulled back the glass door to the balcony and the recognition of his desire flooded her features. Before she could sit up and pull off her swimsuit bottom, he was standing right beside her, pulling down the shiny fabric to expose her backside as she lay on her stomach facing the door through which he had just come. Using two fingers, he began massaging her entrance and then quickly plunged his fingers inside her. He was holding the back of her neck in his other hand, uncertain whether he wanted to twist her head around to take him or simply push it into the pillows so he would not see her face as he took her from behind. His need for release won and he gave into the desire to feel her mouth on him. She always choked up and said he was too large for her to swallow, but he knew better.

Up until recently he had enjoyed a very long-standing arrangement for blowjobs with an outrageously expensive call girl in the Oakland Hills, which was half the fun. Six weeks ago she'd let him know she was quitting the business and moving back to Minneapolis. There were too many scary diseases surfacing in her line of work with no apparent cure. Arlene did not wish to fall victim to them. Since she had left a few weeks ago, Ander had been more insistent on oral satisfaction from Mia. Celia had always refused him and he'd just put up with it from her, as he was so pleased with the son she had given him in Joran. He would soon be joining Ander in one of his commercial property management businesses. Ander was eagerly anticipating teaching him; one day he could retire knowing that his efforts would not have been wasted. He wanted his reward for everything he had sacrificed.

AN: For anyone who cares, lifestyle choices noted herein are not condoned by doctrine. Elder Alrick doesn't approve of Ander/Mia/Celia. I adhere to the philosophy of 'live and let live', as you might guess from this story.

I'm also truly fascinated by the forces that shaped the development of the Western U.S. (Water, gold, religious freedom, murder, sex—it just doesn't get any better.) The L.D.S. and their survival skills in exceptionally unforgiving environments were instrumental in making this region I love both accessible and habitable. I admire those early pioneers their amazing fortitude.

Ok, the next Chapter is short and sweet. I feel only slightly guilty for what is going to happen.