**************
Two weeks had passed since New Year's Eve, and to his knowledge, the ruby ring had never left Sookie's finger. She still wore Sam's plain silver wedding band on a chain around her neck, but the diamond had been put in the safety deposit box for Isabelle.
They slept together in his room now, with the baby monitor on the bedside table so Sookie could hear if Will or Izzy needed her in the night. Izzy seemed to sense something was different, but she said nothing until the day she caught them sharing a quick kiss in the kitchen.
"You ARE Mama's boyfriend!" She squealed. "You are. I know you are. Girls only kiss their boyfriends. Is Bill your boyfriend, Mama? Is he?"
"Izzy, stop jumping up and down." Sookie laughed. "Yes, I suppose Bill is my boyfriend."
"Yea!" Izzy screeched.
Bill pulled Sookie close. "I would hope I'm a bit more than a boyfriend." He joked.
"Are you gonna get married?" Izzy asked. "Bailey's mom and her boyfriend are gonna get married as soon as he gets divorced. Mama, what's divorced?"
Poor Bailey. Thought Bill. He waited for Sookie to answer.
Sookie sat in one of the kitchen chairs, pulling Izzy onto her lap. "Divorce is when two people who are married don't want to be anymore. It's sad when that happens." She paused to let Izzy absorb the information, then went on. "What would you think about Bill and I getting married?"
"Would we stay here with him forever?"
"Well, I suppose we would stay here for a long time. Until you grow up and move away to college."
"I don't want to ever move away!" Izzy said emphatically.
"Oh, I suspect you'll change your mind about that when you get older." Bill said, chuckling.
"So it would be okay with you?" Sookie asked. "If Bill and I got married?"
"I love Bill!" Izzy squealed. "He reads to me and plays games. He makes me laugh."
"Good. I'm glad." Sookie hugged her daughter close.
"Me, too." Bill said, he kissed the top of her head.
That night they were curled together on the couch watching Larry King interview a member of the FotS and the newly elected senator from New York who happened to be a vampire. Just as things were getting interesting, the doorbell rang.
"It's awfully late." Sookie noted.
Bill peered out the window. He turned to Sookie. "It's Eric."
"Oh. Were you expecting him?"
"No. I would have told you." Bill tucked in his shirt and went to answer the door. Sookie followed.
"Hello Eric," Bill said. "Won't you come in?"
Eric stepped forward and hit an invisible wall. He staggered back, surprised, staring at Sookie.
"Evidently," He murmured. "Although I'm not quite sure why, this is your house as well. You must also issue the invitation."
Bill could not keep the amused smile from his face. "Well, Darling, are you going to invite him in?"
"Why not?" Sookie said. "Come in, Eric."
This time he passed through the doorway unobstructed. "Thank you."
"To what do we owe this....pleasure?" Bill asked, slipping an arm around Sookie's waist.
"Well since you haven't accepted any of my invitations to Chicago's Fangtasia, I decided to try another personal request. I'm having a private party for some influential businessmen from Los Angeles, one of them is an old friend of yours, Bill."
"Who might that be?"
"Nicholas LaFollette."
"I wouldn't call Nicholas a friend." Bill said. The man had been Lorena's friend, not his, as far as he was concerned, and Eric knew that.
"Well anyway, I could use your contacts here in Chicago, and your presence, as well as yours Sookie, would be appreciated."
"When is this party?" Sookie asked.
"This Friday."
"I suppose if Mrs. Cartwright can come over to watch Izzy and Will we could come for a bit." Sookie smiled at Bill. "We haven't been out to celebrate yet."
Bill caught her meaning. "True. And we should celebrate." He was throughly enjoying the look on Eric's face.
"Am I to inquire as to the reason for a celebration?" Eric asked, a note of annoyance in his voice.
"Bill and I are engaged." Sookie held up the ring so he could see.
Eric said nothing for a long moment. Bill noticed a shadow of something in his eyes and then it was gone. "Well, then, we'll make a party of it. Congratulations. And now," He said, rising from the chair. "I must be getting back." He nodded to them both. "I'll let myself out."
"I almost feel sorry for him." Sookie said.
"Almost?"
"He lost me a long time ago. He should have known that."
"I thought I had lost you."
"But you didn't." Sookie said, snuggling against him.
"No, I didn't. And here you are." Bill kissed her tenderly. "Have I told you today how much I appreciate that fact?"
"I don't believe you have."
"Then come to bed and I'll show you."
