I woke when Mike came home. It was three in the morning. Eric wasn't next to me so I got up and threw my robe on. I headed to the door when I heard voices. "Why do you stay here and work?" Mike asked "She needs her rest, and right now I don't have a home of my own. Rasul runs Fangtasia now so I'm not needed there as much. Most of my business I do by phone or email now. Just like any CEO. Pam has her own business interests now. She wants to create her own fashion line. She's been meeting with designers, and buyers, and such for months now. She hopes to launch it at the Summit." Eric explained. "How many business ventures do you have?" Mike asked. "I have investments all over the world. Actual businesses, oh I'd guess around three dozen or so. Any vampire in my area who wants to work can come to me and ask for money to help them get started, I get stock in their business, a kickback and some say in decisions that they make. Then there is my business as Sheriff of Area 5. I oversee all undertakings of vampires, were's, witches, little squabbles that need to the dealt with, new supes that want to come into the area, approval for certain acts or events, and then I have to continue to work with the other Sheriff's and of course Felipe as King. Since Victor was killed he hasn't been able to find someone to help him oversee Louisiana." Eric answered straight forward and with an air of respect. "So what's your net worth?" Mike asked curiously. "I have no idea, I've been making money for too long to count, I have stores of money all over the world in every country I've ever lived in, under multiple names. I've only been using Eric Northman for the last century or so here in the states. Now that the IRS is taxing our incomes, I have learned to hide money any way I can. They could bankrupt me." Eric laughed.
I walked out into the living room then and both men looked up at me. "Well there is my little minx now." Eric said smiling, "so you want prime lease space for less than its worth, $10 an hour, that's insane for me to agree too." "When do I get the keys?" I smiled back. "They'll be delivered in the morning." He smirked. "Did you actually tell my agent that you were sure that I'd agree to it? He said he laughed at you and told you to look elsewhere, when I told him I liked your fire and to let you have it he just guffawed." Eric laughed. "I'll be a destination shop in two years, mark my words. That will make the value of that strip mall rise and you'll be able to get better prices from the surrounding tenants." I told him. "I love it when you talk business." He growled. "I guess that means you'll start working this week Sook." Mike spoke up. "Yes, I'm meeting with my first two employees tomorrow. I'll have tons to work on. I think I'll ask Claude to come and watch the kids, then tomorrow afternoon I meet with the preschool and get Aidan set up to start. I think he'll be excited. In four days we'll have all of our stuff, and we'll need to store or sell, or donate much of it. So I'll probably take Thursday and Friday just to work on going through our house." I explained. "I'll see if I can do the same, the two of us together should make light work of it." He told me. "I'll leave you to alone, I'm beat, Bill and Pam sure no how to whip my ass into shape." I saw the vision in his head of Bill tossing him across the room, and then he and Pam fucking in Eric's car. Son of a bitch, he fucked Pam, and he enjoyed it. I couldn't help but grin. "Get out of my head Sookie, NOW." Mike hollered at me and then slammed his door.
"What did you see, my telepathic lover." Eric asked. "Oh nothing, just Mike getting tossed around by Bill, and then Pam." I smirked. "Pam must have shown him some of her favorite positions to attack." Eric stated. "Oh she showed him some favorite positions all right, and he showed her some." I giggled. "My lover what is so funny, I know Pam really enjoyed the fight tonight, but she couldn't have had that much fun, or else he'd be hurt." Eric stated not understanding my mirth. "Eric, I hate to have to be the one to tell you this, but your child just fucked my husband in the back of your car." I couldn't help but laugh at the fact that Eric's eyes got large and that I had just told him something he didn't expect. "Pam, and Mike, you must have read that wrong." Eric spoke sternly. "I didn't read it I saw it straight from his head, her riding him like a bucking bronco and deriving a lot of pleasure out of it in the front seat of your Corvette." I took pride in telling him something he didn't already know about Pam. "This is quite unexpected I had no clue she was interested in him sexually, she usually prefers women, she'd love to have a taste of you for instance." Eric explained his bewilderment. "Well, my Viking lover, she enjoyed herself, and I'm guessing it will happen again, it seems Mike is like vampires, he gets aroused when there's a battle." I smiled.
"I will have to speak to her and lay down some rules for this new coupling." Eric stated. "You will not, interfere, if Mike and Pam want to become lovers you let them, if she makes me being with you easier then so be it. I would much rather he be with Pam than someone I didn't trust with our secrets. Pam is the perfect mate for him." I told Eric firmly. "I would like nothing better than to fuck you in the front seat of my Corvette myself, but I have much business I need to attend to tonight. If you don't go back to bed soon, I won't be able to concentrate on anything but the fact that your nude under that robe, and I can smell me on you." Eric told me as he ran his hand under my robe to find me wet and wanting. He moved his fingers into place and moved them quickly against my nub. He had me peaking in no time, and then threw me back onto the couch. I unfastened his pants as fast as I could. His hands were working quickly on me again. "Eric, stop, we need to take this into the other room." I breathed heavily. Eric picked me up stepped out of his pants and carried me to the bedroom. I felt his love for me, the one thing that always weakened his resolve, my requests. We lie silently afterwards for several minutes. "I need to finish my work, I'll come back in later to check on you before I go down for the day." He rose and went back out to the living room.
That was the last thing I remembered until Aidan came in the next morning. "Mom, Mom, Mom, someone is at the door." I sat up then and acknowledged my son. I put my mind out to see who was there. I didn't recognize the person. I got up and went to the bathroom. After I brushed my hair and teeth I went to the closet and grabbed an oversized top and some leggings. I answered the door then. "Mrs. Northman I presume." The man on the other side said. "Yes, I'm Mrs. Northman." I answered still not sure who the man was. "I'm Tommy, Eric's day man. I've brought you the keys to the space, the lease papers for you to sign, and a new copy of your divorce decree along with the new house plans. Eric has asked that I wait for you to sign all the documents. He said that he'd like for you to go over the house plans and make notes of any changes you'd like to make since they want to break ground by the end of the week." Tommy explained. "Ok, well it's a pleasure to meet you Tommy, I'm sure we'll see much more of one another. I appreciate you bringing these over so early this morning. If you'll just have a seat on the porch I'll go over everything and sign the documents. Everything seemed in order. All the details just as we'd discussed the night before. I signed the lease agreement, made a call to Sasha & Corynne that I had the keys and that they could meet me at the new location instead of my home. Then I looked over the divorce decree. Eric and Mike's changes were made, I signed it, and then knocked on Mike's bedroom door. He was sitting up with his laptop. Aidan was watching cartoons next to him, and Adele was in the bassinet. I smiled at him and brought over the papers to him. He looked them over and then signed them. I left the room without a word. When I opened the front door Tommy was sitting on the steps on his cell phone. I could tell he didn't know what to think about me, he'd overheard much talk about me, but I wasn't what he was expecting. I handed him the documents and thanked him. And then went to the kitchen to fix breakfast for everyone.
Mike and the kids joined me after smelling the bacon frying. We ate quickly. "I've got the keys, so I'm going to go into the shop and design a layout. The girls are going to meet me after lunch and I'm going to walk them through set up. I've arranged for delivery of racks and other supplies all week, so I'll be in and out of there a lot the next couple of days. Luckily there won't be any build out necessary since it used to be a store. I'm going to take the kids with me, but ask Claude to meet me there to help with them until I meet with Aidan's preschool. Do you want to meet me there at 4 to see what its like?" I asked him. "Yes, I do, I'll be there and leave from there to go to work. Claude's last manager left a lot of paperwork undone, so I have some work to take care of before the night starts." Mike explained. "I'll come back with the kids after our meeting. I need to go over the house plans before Eric wakes up for the night." I told him.
I packed the kids up for the day. Called Claude but he didn't answer so I left a message. On the car ride over to Shreveport I called the papers and told him to go ahead and run the help wanted ad and the advertisement for accepting consignors starting next week. I then called the phone company and made an appointment for them to come and install the two phone lines and the data line tomorrow morning. Aidan was excited about seeing Claude. He'd brought him baseball mitt and ball to play behind the strip mall. I'd remembered to pack the stroller, and pack n play so I'd be set with Adele. My excitement for my new venture was bubbling inside of me. I made a call to a local sign man, and then the city county building. I'd need a business permit, when the secretary came to the line she told me that they had gotten my fax and payment this morning and that my new permit would be mailed to me. Eric must have had Tommy take care of that for me. Sookie's Sassy Selections be open for business by next Monday. All of my tagging guns, tags, barbs, bags, mannequins and display pieces would be delivered this week. The computers and software would arrive on Wednesday. I'd just need to hire my staff and train them to use the software program.
When we arrived at the strip mall it was already busy. I parked up front, and opened the door. I got Aidan and Adele unloaded and then got out my pad and paper. I gave Aidan some coloring books and crayons, and he sat on a stool at the cash register and drew pictures for my new office. I grabbed the phone book I took from home and looked for furniture stores nearby. I'd want to buy some interesting mirrors, vases for flowers, and couple tables and chairs to in dressing rooms, and around the store for people to relax in while they shop. I'd want a place set up for water, coffee, tea, and lemonade and cookies available every day. I'd see if I could cut a deal with a local bakery. I worked on my cell phone for a few hours while Aidan played and Adele slept. I heard my tummy growl and realized it was getting late and we needed to get some lunch before the girls arrived. I hollered for Aidan, and the three of walked down the strip mall to the Chinese restaurant. Aidan wanted sweet & sour chicken, I got cashew shrimp. Where was Claude? I thought. Mom did you try calling Claude again. No but I will when we get done eating. Aidan and I talked about him starting preschool again next week. He asked about when we would move, and I explained to him that we had to build a house, so it would take several months, but that he could look at the new house plans with me tonight and tell me if there was anything he really wanted the house to have. He told me he wanted a playroom that he didn't have to clean up with all of his toys in it, and that he wanted a tree that he could build a fort in. I thought both of those sounded like reasonable requests. We then talked about what Adele might like and Aidan thoughts she'd want a bathroom of her own one day, and that a big walk in closet for all of her clothes. He agreed to share the big playroom.
We walked back to my shop and Sasha & Corynne were walking up as I unlocked the door. I let them in and then called Claude. I got his voicemail again. I was starting to worry. This wasn't like him at all. I introduced myself to the girls again. Sasha was spunky and Corynne had been around retail for awhile, they were both going to work out great. I could tell that they both were excited about helping from the ground up and learning the back end of the business too, but I also got a little apprehension about working for someone with the supernatural ties that I had. But they had to trust their pack leader, and Alcide trusted me. I told them about all the deliveries we'd be expecting this week, and that I'd need one of them here from 10am-6pm every day this week as we got set up. That I'd be in and out until I got an office set up and that I'd put the ads in the paper. Neither one of them really understood consignment so I explained to them how it worked. Recommended that they take home a copy of the contract for our consignors so that they understood it really well. I told them that next week I'd train them on the computer system, and how to take consignments. I showed them my layout design and they both made some suggestion to improve it. This was going to be a good working relationship. I then invited them to go with me to pick out the paint and floor samples so that they could be taken care of by the end of the week, and that if we had time we'd pick out some furniture. They were excited about me making them apart of the design and feel of the shop.
I took care of Adele's needs, and then we all loaded into my car. Having a third seat came in handy today. We went to the hardware store first. Aidan thought we should paint everything red and yellow like a fire truck. But we decided on a cool lavender and steel grey, with some goldenrod thrown in as accents. We picked out the hard wood floors and hired the store contractors to do the work on Friday. Sasha said she didn't have school that day so she could let them in and stay and work on homework until they were done. It was only 3 so we got in the car and headed to the nearest furniture store. We saw a ton of furniture but couldn't agree on what we wanted so we agreed we'd try a different store in the morning. Corynne would meet me at 9 at the store. Sasha had classes until 2 but then would head over to see what she could do. I dropped them off at their cars and drove to the preschool. I called Claude again, this time he answered the phone. "Sookie, sorry I couldn't help earlier, Niall summoned me for a report. He said that he heard of the attacks on you and was upset that it had come to that. He also wanted to remind me that you were under his protection, and that I needed to have more control over decisions that were made in this battle with Felipe. He's going to try to do what he can from his end to put things in Eric's favor. So do you still need me?" Claude explained. "No, I'm meeting up with Mike at the preschool, and then the kids and I are going home. You're welcome to join us for dinner, but if not that's ok, I would love to have you tomorrow though." I told him. "How about I come to your house in the morning? I'll keep Aidan for the day, and you can just take Adele." Claude said. That sounded like a plan to me so we firmed up our plans just as I turned into the preschool. Mike was already there waiting for me.
The visit with the preschool went well. Aidan got the grand tour, and then met the woman who would be his teacher. He was excited about starting now that he'd seen the other kids. We went to the office to fill out the paperwork and Mike and I talked in lengths about Aidan's ability, our fears, and concerns. Michelle the witch from the other night said she understood, and that they would care for him and went into lengths about what precautions, wards, and spells were in place. I wrote the check for the first months' care and we left. Aidan was disappointed that Mike had to go to work, but I promised him that we'd go over the house plans, and make cookies when we got home. That soothed him over a bit, and we headed home.
When we got there he ran inside excited about the cookie making. I put Adele in her crib for an afternoon nap then fixed Aidan and I some chicken quesadillas. Once we were done we cleaned up together we started making the cookie dough. Aidan had flour everywhere. We made sugar cookies, and he made different shapes of them, and then we made some oatmeal raisin. When we put the cookies in the oven and cleaned up the mess I laid the house plans on the rickety kitchen table. I reminded Aidan not to put to much weight on the table. The timer went off for the cookies, and I took them out to cool. Then I sat down with Aidan and explained to him what he was looking at. It was a ranch style house with a full basement. The main floor had a sunroom, a playroom, a large kitchen with eat-in kitchen and a half-bath on one side, and then the two kids bedrooms adjoining bathroom, and an office on the other side. Aidan said he didn't want to share a bathroom with Adele when he got older, so we started our list with each child getting a bathroom. Each child had a walk in closet so that should be fine. The office and living room were in the center so that gave space for large floor to ceiling windows across the center of the house. There were plans for a large patio and pool area too. He'd thought of everything. I added a couple of details to the kitchen like a double wide refrigerator, a blood warmer, garbage compactor, dishwasher, things men didn't think about. Also I noticed there wasn't a laundry room so I put in that I wanted a laundry room off the garage, 1 washer 2 dryers, a large sink, and cubbies for shoes and coat rack so they don't get traipsed and dragged all over the house. Aidan added the big fort tree, a swing set for the back yard. Then we moved to the last page with the basement. The basement was divided into four areas with a relatively open floor plan. There was another office that must be for Eric, it had a half wall that led into a sitting room where a fireplace was along the wall. Then off the sitting room was a large bathroom. It had a closet attached to it that was as big as a bedroom, the bathroom had a large stand up shower and a sunken bathtub that dimensions read 6ft x 3ft. It was like a baby pool. At the other end of the closet was the doorway for the bedroom. The other entrance to the bedroom was in the sitting room. The bedroom was going to be Eric's light tight room. It was in the basement with no windows, and it had walls that were three feet wide. This would be our room.
Aidan had lost interest in the house when I moved to the basement so he had gone off to play in the living room, I had just finished up when Adele woke up. I went up the stairs to get her. It looked like it was going to rain again. I heard thunder in the distance. I checked the clock remembering what happened the day before when the sky got dark before sunset. I realized that it was sunset. I then felt Eric stir. He was awake. I nursed Adele, and then came back downstairs. I heard the shower on and went to the kitchen to heat up a bottle of True Blood, I was going to have to go to the store tomorrow to get more I made a mental note. Aidan came into the kitchen bouncing, he wanted some cookies. I put a few of each on the plate, and poured him a glass of milk. He sat down to eat when the rain started. There was thunder and lightning too. I walked to the backdoor and opened it. "Bubba, Bill, if you can hear me, come on in from the rain." I was just about to shut the door when the two men came out of the woods and with lightning speed made it to the back door. "Thank ye kindly Miss Sookie, I don't like the thunder and lightning." Bubba told me as he shut the door. "That ok, Bubba, you can stay in here tonight until the rain stops." I told him. He sat down at the table. Bill remained standing leaning against the refrigerator watching me. "How have you been Sookie?" Bill asked. "Good, Bill, thanks for asking, my business it taking shape, Mike and I will be divorced in 30 days, and I had Aidan enrolled in preschool today." I shared with Bill. "Mike is working really hard in his training. He's very adept and picks up things fast. One more session with me, and I won't be able to teach him anything new." Bill told me trying to maintain the conversation.
Eric walked in then and looked at the other two vamps suspiciously. "Has there been trouble?" Eric asked as he came over and kissed me, and picked up the bottle of True Blood. "No, Eric, no trouble. It's storming hard outside and Sookie invited us in out of the rain since Bubba is afraid of thunderstorms." Bill quickly explained. "Very well then. Sookie did Tommy stop by today." Eric turned his attention to me. "Yes, he did, I signed all the paperwork and spend the majority of the day at the shop. Aidan and I went over the house plans this afternoon, and we have a few changes we want to make." I told him and went to get the plans and the list of changes. I laid the plans on the kitchen table and showed Eric what Aidan and I thought would make a better change. He agreed to the bathrooms, and the kitchen improvements. When I got to the laundry room he argued that it was unnecessary, that he had all the clothes sent out to the 24 hr dry cleaners. I told him that was silly with kids clothes, and he agreed and made the change. He would turn over the plans that night, and they'd break ground this week. Next week he told me we'd have to pick out some of the fixtures and features. I noticed that Bill watched us closely, you could see the pain in his eyes watching Eric and I interact so intimately, it amazed me that Bill still felt so strongly for me after all this time. Bubba stood then and walked into the living room. I talked to Eric some more about my day and then went to check on Aidan and Bubba. I found them both in Aidan's room playing Old Maid. Bubba sat in one of the children's chairs that go with the matching table. It was truly a sight.
I walked back down stairs satisfied that Aidan was in good hands. Eric was sitting on the couch with his laptop. Bill was sitting in the armchair. Adele was in the crook of Eric's arm. "Can I get you something to drink Bill?" I asked. "No, Sookie, I ate before we came." He answered. "Are you still sole owner of the vampire database?" I continued the conversation. "No, Sookie, the US government came in 2 years ago and bought it, and all the rights to it, they said that I was selling a database that could put their vampire citizens at risk, and it fell into the control of homeland security. Another words they wanted the information to use against us, but they wanted it to look legal." Bill explained. "Bill, you know that they've tried many things in the last 10 years to get control over us, nothing so far has worked. They just have a hard time accepting us for who and what we are." Eric interrupted. "Do you have a new partner?" I asked Bill. "No, Sookie, I take a lover now and then, but no one I've truly partnered with in some time." Bill answered longingly. "That may change soon though. If Felipe keeps attacking and killing the vampires in my area, I might have to order all in my command to make a child, a willing participant of course, but it might come to that soon." Eric again interrupted clearly not liking my interest in Bill. "Eric, surely you would not make me take a child if I had no desire to do so?" Bill questioned. "Bill, this is a numbers game, and if this keeps up numbers will not be on our side, so yes, I'm seriously considering it, I will ask for volunteers first, but if that's not enough then everyone in my area will be required to make one." Eric said using his Sheriff's tone. "Eric, you shouldn't do that, it should be both the vampire and the humans choice, they can't be glamoured, or taken under duress, that's not right, I couldn't bear it." I told him. "Sookie, I would only do it as a last ditch effort, I'm hoping Mike's friend that I'll meet with tomorrow night will have a better idea." Eric explained honestly.
The conversation stopped as Bubba came down the stairs. "Miss Sookie, Aidan's asleep, I sang to him and he was out in no time. He's a good boy Miss Sookie." Bubba told me. "Its stopped storming Bubba, we should go. Eric will be here the rest of the night." Bill said and they both walked to the door. "Thank you for the hospitality Sookie." Bill said and then kissed my hand. Once they were gone Eric sighed. "I don't understand him, he just tortures himself, he should find a lover, or make a child and be done with it." Eric stated talking about Bill. Eric then took Adele to bed. When he came back downstairs I had my own laptop out. I was working on some graphic design work for the shop. The classes I took while I was away really helped me in my business. Eric and I both worked side by side for several hours. It reminded me of a normal family. I shut down my laptop and set in on the coffee table and stretched. My shirt lifted from side baring my skin. I felt his fingertips brush the skin sending a cold chill over me. He shut his laptop then.
"Why don't you go to bed my lover? You have had a busy day, and the rest of the week will be the same. I'll wake you before I go to bed for the day. I still have much more to do." Eric said stroking my hair. I kissed him goodnight, and rose to go to my room. "If you're up when Mike comes in, tell him Claude will be here in the morning to watch Aidan." I told him. "I'll relay the message." I went to bed, Eric was right, I was exhausted, I heard Bubba singing outside and drifted to sleep.