AN: Thank you for the love and friendships! Enjoy part two!
Chapter Ten
August
(part-two)
"Ladies and gentlemen, we will now begin our final descent—"
"Into Hell," Calleigh muttered under her breath. Eric chuckled as the pilot continued.
"—please fasten your seatbelts and make sure all seats and tray tables are in their full upright, and locked positions. We hope you have a wonderful evening and thank you, once again, for choosing Delta Airlines."
Eric reached over and took one of Calleigh's fidgeting hands in his. "I'm fine," she said, caught off guard.
He shrugged. "Then hold my hand—I hate the final descent."
She rolled her eyes, secretly grateful for the feeling of his hand around hers. "You girl."
"You doing okay?" he asked, testing the waters. She'd been reserved and snippy the whole flight, hands and legs twitching anxiously, flipping through her magazine with such force she nearly ripped the pages out.
"Yeah," she nodded. "I'm fine."
"Anything you want to prep me on before we land?" he prompted, trying a second time.
"Aside from another warning that you're going into the snake pit?" she shook her head. "Nothing I can think of."
Eric rolled his eyes. "C'mon, Cal, everyone always thinks their family is terrible—it's human nature."
"You don't."
"Sometimes I do."
"Well you don't mean it," she huffed immaturely.
He brought their entwined fingers to his lips and kissed the back of her hand. "Easy, girl. It's only two nights, then we'll be back in Miami."
She sighed apologetically and squeezed his hand. "I miss Lucas."
"Calleigh, we dropped him off three hours ago. I don't even miss him yet."
She shrugged. "We've bonded—what can I say?"
Eric smiled. "I'm going to call as soon as we land."
"We could have brought him," Calleigh reminded for the millionth time. "He's a good ice breaker."
He looked amused. "It's a little much to explain all at once, isn't it? 'Mom, Dad, here's my boyfriend…and here's his baby.'"
Calleigh blinked. "My boyfriend?" she mused aloud, trying it out. It wasn't a word she used very often.
"Or…whatever," Eric corrected himself, sensing her tense up.
"No, no," she shook away his concern. "It's not that…it's just…that word. It seems so…not us."
"What would you call me then," he asked, teasingly. "Your man-friend?" She giggled so he continued. "Boy toy? Cheap thrill?" He raised his eyebrows suggestively. "Your sexy, Latin lover?"
Calleigh raised an eyebrow. "Think highly of yourself, do you?"
"Hey, if the shoe fits…"
She laughed. "Yes, I think that's it. That's how I'm going to introduce you to my whole family. 'This is my sexy, Latin lover—Eric.'"
"Sounds good to me."
She rolled her eyes. "I'm sure it does."
"But seriously, you don't ever think about titles?" he asked, adjusting his seatbelt as the flight attendant walked past.
She shrugged. "I don't know," she said honestly. "You're just…" she stopped and looked away.
"What?" he nudged her. "I'm just what?"
"You're just my Eric," her shoulders moved up shyly as a light blush took hold of her cheeks.
He leaned over and kissed her. "I'm okay with that."
0x0x0
He wasn't expecting the Duquesne home to strike him the way it had. He'd just hung up the phone after passing it back and forth to Calleigh while they listened to Lucas babble happily to the both of them from his mother's house. Not paying attention to the gravel road Calleigh had turned onto, the house took him by surprise as it emerged through the trees.
For one thing, it was enormous. An old plantation house, it was set far back from the main road, weathered white with black shutters, surrounded by magnolia trees, a sprawling porch and manicured yard with a well-tended garden out front and along the sides where he could see.
"Well," Calleigh put the rental in park and sat back in her seat, looking thoughtfully from her house to Eric and back again. "This is it."
"Wow," he managed, blinking a few times. "It's really nice."
She scoffed and unbuckled her seatbelt. "You say that now." Her eyes fell to the crowded driveway and the lights on inside the house. "I think we're the last ones here," she said quietly, pushing her hair away from her face.
"Good," he nodded, trying to keep her mood up. "We'll make an entrance."
She gave another mirthless laugh. "I haven't been home in eight years," she reminded. "I think we're making enough of an entrance as it is."
"Well I'm ready whenever you are," he said gently, watching as she kept her eyes on the upstairs windows, moving from each one to the next, counting. "Which one is yours?" he asked, hoping to stir some kind of reaction.
The corners of her eyes creased. "That one," she said finally, pointing to the last on the far right. "I think. At least it used to be. Knowing Mama she probably redecorated the whole thing." Calleigh shook her head and glanced at her watch, taking in the setting sun as she lowered her eyes to her wrist. "Guess there's no time like the present," she said finally, yanking open the driver's side door.
"That's my girl," Eric said under his breath following her to the front of the car where she stopped again. "Everything okay?" he asked, noticing she'd traded her impassive face for one of anxiety.
"I know it's silly but could you just…" she rolled her eyes at her own request. "Could you just hold my hand? Just until I calm down a little…I'll let go eventually, I swear. I just…I don't want to walk in there without you."
Eric took her face in his hands and kissed her tenderly. "Anything you want," he said softly, entwining their fingers once again.
Calleigh took a deep breath and started toward the house again, neglecting the front door and heading straight to the back, where the sounds of a party could be heard.
The backyard was just as impressive as the front with a large, detached garage and an expansive patio that branched off from the wraparound porch. Hung around the perimeter of the yard, Eric saw, were twinkling Christmas lights, giving the yard a welcoming, homey feel.
"Oh my God!" Eric felt Calleigh's grip tighten as a woman with a huge pile of red hair spotted them with a squeal. "The prodigal daughter returns!"
"My sister-in-law," she said quickly as the woman rushed toward them, stiletto heels clicking against the planks of the patio. "Penny," she greeted aloud, allowing the woman to wrap her willow arms around her neck. "How are you?"
"Just fine, sugar, just fine. Look at you!" she exclaimed, giving Calleigh the once over. "Don't you look just all grown up. And who," she turned her large blue eyes on Eric, "is this?"
Calleigh smiled and bumped her head against Eric's shoulder. "This is Eric; Eric, Penny Duquesne, my sister-in-law."
"Do I hear my sweet little lambchop over there?" Kenwall interrupted the introductions loudly and peered over the patio railing. "What are ya'll doin' in the driveway? Get on up here and join the party!"
By the time they reached him, Calleigh had no choice but to let go of Eric's hand as she was attacked by three individual men. One he knew—Duke, her father; the other two he didn't.
"Eric, these are my brothers, Jackson," she pointed to the large blonde man who had just mercilessly tousled her hair, "and Owen—oh my God!" before she could finish her thought, Owen had picked her up and spun her around.
"We ain't seen you in a minute Cal!" he exclaimed with the same enthusiasm as his wife. "What's it gotta take to get you to come visit every once in awhile?"
Calleigh looked grateful to have both feet back on the ground. She gave a pained smiled and straightened her hair. "Oh, you know how busy I am—and what's the problem on your end? Too important to schedule a little trip to Miami to see your big sister?"
Owen didn't have a chance to answer. The back door had swung open and a short, blonde woman in Spandex running pants and long, floral top strutted out, clutching a Bloody Mary in one hand and a cigarette in the other. "Oh. My. Merciful Heavens," she said the cigarette falling from her hand. Quickly, she stamped it out with the toe of her high heeled shoe. "Well if it isn't my long lost daughter."
Calleigh cleared her throat nervously. "Hi, Mama."
She stopped just short of a hug and appraised her daughter from head to toe. "You're lookin' kind of skinny, honey," she said finally, "you been eatin' enough?"
Calleigh's eyes closed for a moment longer than a blink. Eric noticed the muscles in her shoulders tense up. "Yes, ma'am."
"Well if you say so," Carlene shrugged and opened her arms. "Come give your mama a hug."
Calleigh stepped carefully into her mother's arms, allowing herself only a moment's embrace before pulling away. "Mama, this is Eric," she took a step back and rested a hand on his arm.
"Well how very nice to meet you in person, Eric," Carlene dropped a kiss in the air beside his cheek. "From the sounds of it, you're making my little girl very happy."
Calleigh felt her face heat up, but Eric slipped his hand back into hers and smiled good-naturedly. "Well, I'm certainly trying ma'am."
"Young man," Duke extended his hand. "It's nice to see you again," he smiled as they shook on it. "Can I get you a drink?"
"Yeah," Eric nodded. "That'd be great. Whatever you've got is fine."
"Follow me on inside," he gave a wave of his hand. "Let you pick for yourself."
"Cal," he squeezed her hand. "Do you want to come?"
She looked around at all the family she'd yet to greet. "I think I'm okay," she smiled, letting go of his hand for good this time. "Can you get me something to drink though?"
He nodded. "Of course. Any requests?"
She shook her head. "You know what I like," she said with a smile.
As her father led him inside, Calleigh was approached by another woman, this time a brunette—Denise, Jackson's live-in of almost ten years. "Do you believe this?" Denise asked by way of greeting, motioning to the chairs and flowers set up for tomorrow's event. "I'm never gonna get married and your fuckin' Mama and Daddy are doin' it twice." She rolled her eyes with a heavy sigh.
Calleigh couldn't help it—she had to laugh at Denise's trademark sarcasm. "Oh thank God you're here, Denny," she said with a sigh, looking around the back yard. "This is crazy."
"Of course it's crazy," she agreed, taking a long pull of her longneck. "It's this family, ain't it?"
She gave a resigned nod. "I guess that's true."
"So who is that hunk of tall, dark and gorgeous you have with you?" Denise asked, quickly changing the subject.
Calleigh rolled her eyes. "His name is Eric Delko."
"Mmm hmm," Denise raised her eyebrows suggestively. "If that's how they grow 'em down in Miami then I am definitely with the wrong man in the wrong city."
By the time the party was over, Eric had been introduced to most of Calleigh's extended family including Aunt Beulah, an eighty-six year old woman with slightly purple hair who drank her way through an entire bottle of Southern Comfort from the time they got there to the time she left. Calleigh assured him this was entirely normal and that at one point, she had had two sisters, both of whom could do the same thing. Eric hadn't needed to ask what had happened to them.
As they headed inside, collecting stray empty bottles and bits of garbage, Carlene was dolling out spare sets of sheets and bedroom assignments. "Owen and Penny, you'll be in O's old room. Now, are the girls staying here tomorrow?" she asked of Calleigh's twin nieces—April and May—who were spending the night at Penny's parents' in town.
"If that's okay," Penny tucked the sheets under her arm and raised her eyebrows hopefully.
"Of course it's okay!" Carlene exclaimed, gently whacking Penny on the arm. "The more the merrier—just remind me to put some sheets on Jackson's old bed for them.
"Calleigh, you and Eric are going to be up in your room, if that's all right," she dropped a stack of sheets into Calleigh's waiting arms. "There's fresh towels in your bathroom, Cal, and extra quilts in the closet."
Eric couldn't believe that in a heat so dense you could practically see it, anyone was able to talk about extra quilts. "I'm going to go make the bed," Calleigh said with a nod to the upper level.
"I'll go get the bags," he offered, taking the keys from her purse. When he returned, Calleigh had made the bed and was perched precariously on the edge of it. She glanced around the empty room—noting that only the picture that remained from her youth was that of Jesus that had always terrified her as a child. "Are you okay?" he asked, ducking his head to meet her eyes.
Calleigh shrugged. "This used to be my sanctuary," she said quietly with a sad smile. "I'd spend hours up here just…" she gave another nostalgic shrug. "Just dreaming up a whole new life." Her eyes toured the room again. "It's just weird that it's not mine anymore."
He nodded and looked around with her. "Want to get some air? It's really hot up here."
She smiled and pushed open the windows. "It might cool down by the time we come back."
They crept back down the creaking front stairs amid calls of 'good night, ya'll' and 'see you in the morning' to the front porch. Eric was pleased to see the swing waiting for them—glad the porch hadn't gone to waste.
"I kind of like 'em, Cal," he said after a few moments of rocking in silence.
Calleigh laughed. "Sure, you like them now. Everyone was in a great mood tonight—even Mama."
His smile faded. "But it's not always like that." It wasn't a question; it was the truth he'd just deciphered in her eyes.
"It certainly wasn't the way I remember," Calleigh took a long drink and finished the bottle of water he'd brought her from the car.
Eric nodded slowly, wondering if she would continue. This was the most he'd ever heard her talk about her family before she'd moved to Miami. "Well what do you remember?" he asked gently, waiting for the inevitable—the steely eyes, the tense shoulders, the change of subject.
Calleigh shrugged and looked out into the yard. "They were fun when I was little," she began quietly, keeping her eyes focused on the dark. "I thought it was just a big game, all the dancing and laughing and falling down…" she shook her head. "But then I realized, right around the same time everyone else did, that it wasn't. And then it was just a big cycle. Daddy would drink and Mama would run around and then they'd fight and make up and get back together and everything would be great for a few days before…" she dropped her eyes to her hands finally.
"Before something would happen?" Eric asked softly, not wanting to stop her, but not wanting to push her either.
"Or nothing would happen," she answered with a shake of her head. "And it would start all over anyway. It's just not a fun way to spend your childhood," she said resignedly. "Pulling your father out of bars, wondering if your mother's going to come home this time or if she's finally gone for good…" She chanced herself to look at him and gave another shrug. "That's what I remember."
He didn't know what to say, so he opened his arms and let her fall against him gently. He stroked her hair and waited for something to come to him. Nothing did and after a few moments, she yawned soundly. "Want to go to bed?" he asked softly, not letting her out of his embrace. She nodded against him and let him lead her back upstairs.
She was already changed when he came out of the bathroom and climbed under the covers with her. Despite the heat, she cuddled into him the moment he lay next to her. "Cal," he asked as his eyes adjusted to the dark.
"Hmm?"
"Why did you tell me all that stuff about your parents?"
"I don't know," she said softly after a few moments of contemplation. "I just thought it was something you should know."
Eric kissed the soft skin of her shoulder and pulled her closer to him. "Thank you for telling me," he whispered into the dark.
0x0x0
They were awoken early the next morning by a very strange sound: slightly melodic, mildly off-key, and most definitely baritone.
"I'm gettin' married in the morning!" it came bellowing from the bathroom across the hall. "DING DONG the bells are gonna chime!"
Calleigh groaned and covered her face with her hand. "Dear sweet Jesus…" she muttered, grabbing Eric's wrist and examining the time. "It's six-thirty in the morning."
"I thought we were on vacation," Eric mumbled. "Why is he singing?"
She rolled her eyes and turned to face him. "Because he's my dad," she said simply. "And that's what he does when he's happy."
"Do you think he's planning on being happy very often while we're here?"
Calleigh laughed and buried her head in his neck, pressing a kiss to his collarbone. "We can only hope not."
"Duke!" Carlene's distinct voice could be heard over the singing.
"Uh-oh, here comes Mama," Calleigh muttered, holding her breath.
"Duke!" she yelled again. "Do you have any idea what time it is? You're gonna wake the whole damn neighborhood!"
"They should be awake!" Kenwall hollered back, neither of them feeling any need to lower their voices. "It's a gorgeous day in Louisiana!"
"Well believe it or not, it's still a Saturday and some people—not crazy people like you—but some people like to sleep in on a Saturday!"
"I'm not one of them."
Eric laughed to himself, listening to this ridiculous argument. "Yes, Duke, I can see that."
"Do you know why, my fair Carlene?"
"Why don't you enlighten me?"
"Because I'm gettin' married in the morning! DING DONG! The bells are gonna chime!" he returned to his song, louder than ever.
Calleigh giggled and shook her head. "Whoever let that man watch My Fair Lady oughtta be shot."
"Is that what that's from?" Eric asked conversationally, running his fingers up and down the length of her arm.
"Yes," she rolled her eyes. "It was my Mama's favorite movie at one point—I guess it stuck with him."
"Here I was thinking he just made it up."
"And we're NOT getting married in the morning, you old fool!" Carlene yelled over top of the song. "We're getting married at sunset. You could at least sing the right song!"
"I tried it earlier," he yelled back. "Didn't have the same ring to it!"
Calleigh laughed again and pushed herself up, squinting in the early morning sunlight. "Well I'm up."
"I'm not," Eric yanked her back down and snuggled into her.
"Eric, he's just going to keep going."
"That song can't go on forever…he's gotta stop sometime."
"Trust me," she shook her head. "He'll just start singing something else."
"Like what?"
Calleigh sighed. "Like 'we're going to the backyard and we're gonna get married' or something ridiculous like that."
Eric sat up. "All right, I'm up. Anything's better than listening to your dad sing Bette Midler."
Penny and Owen were already sitting out on the patio when they made their way downstairs. "There's coffee, ya'll," Penny called through the screen door, motioning to the nearly full pot waiting for them.
"Thank God," Calleigh muttered under her breath, pouring a cup for Eric and one for herself before adding sugar.
They dropped down into the two remaining chairs and sipped their coffee in silence for a few moments before Owen glanced at his watch. "What got you all up?" he asked, squinting at the time.
"My Fair Lady," they muttered in unison. Calleigh rolled her eyes and took another gulp of her coffee.
"Oh, you missed the Alabama medley?" Penny asked, deeply surprised. "How the hell'd you manage to sleep through that?"
"I had myself convinced it was some horrible dream," Eric said, stifling a yawn.
Calleigh looked at the white folding chairs, flowers, and bunches of ribbons set up throughout the yard. "Can you believe their actually getting married again?" she asked with a shake of her head.
"No," Owen and his wife answered together.
"What time is the ceremony again?"
"Six," Penny answered, causing Calleigh to check Eric's watch again.
"Then what in the hell are they doing up so early? God," she leaned back in the chair, her blonde hair falling in a sheet behind her. "I almost miss them drinkin'…at least then you knew they'd be sleeping off hangovers until noon."
Owen chuckled and raked a hand through is own blonde hair. "Well I know why Dad's up…we're supposed to be going huntin' at seven-thirty, Jackson's meetin' us at the field." He turned his attention to Eric. "You're more than welcome to join us," he invited. "We just didn't know if huntin' was your thing."
Calleigh made a face. "Ya'll are huntin' on his wedding day?"
Owen shrugged. "It's what he wants to do."
"What do you guys hunt this time of year?" Eric asked, gulping more coffee, willing himself to be more alert.
"Feral hog mostly. Feel like joinin' us?"
Eric glanced over at Calleigh. "Do you hunt?"
"No, no," she shook her head with a smile. "I'm a girl—I was never allowed tag along with the boys. But you should go—it's a lot of fun."
"Yeah," Owen clapped him on the back. "Give us a chance to bond."
"Yeah, sure," he shrugged. "I'll go."
Calleigh looked up toward the upstairs again. "Well if they're all leaving at seven-thirty, I might be able to go back to sleep," she mused hopefully.
"Doubt it, honey," Penny shook her head, large crimson tendrils falling from her messy bun into her face. "From what I gathered your mama has beauty plans for all of us."
Calleigh groaned and dropped her head into her arms. "We don't have to get our hair done, do we?"
Penny laughed. "You know Carlene—it's not an event unless your hair is four times its normal size. The bigger the hair…"
"The closer to God," Calleigh finished with a roll of her eyes. "Yes, Grandma's wisdom lives on—I'm sure she's smiling down on us."
Eric chuckled. "You know, I'll bet my mom's up," he stood and pointed back to the house. "I'm going to give her a call—check in on the kid."
Calleigh smiled at the mention of Lucas. "Let me talk when you're done," she requested, finishing up her coffee.
"I'll be back," he promised, heading in.
Owen stood as well. "I'm getting refills," he stated, gathering empty coffee cups. "Another round for everyone?"
"Yes, please."
Penny offered her sister-in-law a raised eyebrow. "You're really quite smitten," she commented.
Calleigh allowed a playful look to pass over her face. "You saw him," she said. "Wouldn't you be smitten?"
"So what's the deal with this baby?"
"There's no deal," she shook her head. "His name is Lucas, he's four months old and he's great."
"So you're just a happy little instant family?" Penny asked, mildly unconvinced.
"I don't know," Calleigh gave an embarrassed laugh. "I love them, they love me…whatever it is," she shrugged. "It's working out."
"It must be," Penny mused. "Because something's making you just positively glow."
Owen returned then and Calleigh—glowing or otherwise—hid her smile in her cup of coffee.
TBC
"I'm Getting Married in the Morning" belongs to My Fair Lady
and
"Goin' to the Chapel of Love" is actually by the Dixie Cups...but The Divine Miss M made it famous
AN: Zen master has returned from Italy! Hooray! This chapter is way too long. I just realized. It needs to be split. Again. Sorry for the delay, but who really wants to read a 40pg chapter via computer? Not many people…and if you're one who would…well…just wait for part three. It's coming soon I promise! Cross my heart! It's all written out in my head, I just need to write it out on paper. Much love to you guys as always. Kisses!
