When Ava woke from her nap, the family gathered on the back patio for dessert and gifts. Eric and Andrew loved the paintings Tris and Ava made for Father's Day. They even made a small one for Caleb, or 'Uncle Bub-bub' as Tris called him in his card.
Tris also gave Andrew a card, and a pair of photos from the photoshoot in a double frame that he could display on his desk. The photo on the left featured Tris, Eric, and Ava together. Tris chose it because she remembered Andrew working to get Ava to smile for that photo, so she knew that the big, genuine smiles on all three of their faces were due to Andrew's antics. The photo on the right was a close-up of Ava.
"My granddaughter is very photogenic," Andrew commented.
"Bud complimented her too," Tris bragged. "He said that she was really easy to work with."
"Six months old and already an artist and a model," Natalie joked, smiling at the baby bouncing on her lap.
"I can't believe she's six months old already," Tris said. "In some ways it feels like she's always been here, and in other ways it feels like just yesterday that I first held her in my arms. I swear I'm going to cry at her first birthday."
"Spoken like a true mother," Natalie said. "I remember crying when you took your first steps. That feels like only yesterday, and now you're the one raising a baby."
Eric put an arm around Tris and pulled her close. He agreed with Natalie, but said nothing. After all, he had agreed to not call Tris 'mommy' until after the election. But he liked the words Natalie used; Tris might not be Ava's 'real' mother, but she was the baby's 'true' mother.
Tris had more than just the painting to give Eric, but she saved the rest of her gift and gave it to him when he was packing Ava into the truck to go home.
"Happy Father's Day, Warrior," Tris said, blushing as she handed him a fat envelope.
"What's this?" Eric asked, cocking an eyebrow.
Tris shrugged. "Just a little something for my baby daddy," she said in a teasing voice as she placed a hand on Eric's broad chest.
"Why Duchess," Eric said as he wrapped his arms around his girlfriend. "Should I open it now?"
"Nope," Tris said. "Wait until you put your daughter to bed."
"Will you come over tomorrow?" Eric asked in a husky voice.
"I work until four o'clock," Tris said, kissing the underside of Eric's jaw. "If you offered me dinner, I might make it work."
"You're kind of flirty tonight, aren't you, Duchess?" Eric said. Tris only shrugged in response. "Makes me wish I was taking you home with me. You need to be tickled."
"And spanked?" Tris suggested, affecting an innocent face and fluttering her lashes at Eric.
He groaned. "You're very tempting," he said, and kissed her forehead. "I love that you're mine," he pecked her cheek, "and I'm very eager to explore more ways to love you." He pecked her other cheek, then pulled away when Tris tried to kiss his lips.
She stuck out her bottom lip in a pout, and Eric swooped in and kissed the protruding lip, sucking it into his mouth. Tris gasped, and Eric slipped his tongue in her mouth in a searing kiss.
All too soon, Eric pulled back and winked. "Good night, Duchess," he said.
"Hmm," Tris hummed. "Good night, Warrior."
Eric gave her one last quick peck of a kiss and climbed into his truck as Tris ran back into her parents' house.
Inside, Tris found her dad sitting alone in the living room.
"Sweetpea?" Andrew said. "Do you have a minute?"
"Of course," Tris replied.
"I've been thinking about what Eric said about Marcus," Andrew told his daughter. "What do you think?"
"Well," Tris hesitated as she gathered her thoughts. "I don't know Tobias. But I know that Eric certainly believes what he was told. He has to protect Ava, so he's not going to agree to meet with Governor Eaton. On top of that, Eric wants to protect me, and you, too. He broke his friend's confidence to tell us that story. He did it so we can make decisions with our eyes open. Eric isn't asking you to investigate or make claims against the governor; he just wants you to be aware, so you can protect yourself. If even half of what Eric said is true, the fallout would be devastating."
Andrew thought about Tris' words. "I'm having trouble believing all of this," he finally said. "I've known Marcus for years. The idea that he abused his wife and possibly caused her death is unfathomable. That he abused his son, sold pardons, and bought prostitutes? It's unbelievable. I'm not saying Eric would lie, I'm just not sure we can trust his source."
Tris nodded. She believed Eric. He was smart, and didn't easily fall for things. She also knew Four, a little bit at least. She didn't take him for the vindictive type. He had stayed to himself when he was at Factions. From what Tris had seen, he worked hard, got along with the other trainers, and kept an aloof, professional distance from the students.
But she could also see why Andrew was reluctant to believe Eric's story. Her father had worked closely with Marcus for a very long time, and this new allegation came second- or third-hand. It was hard to suddenly accept that a man you thought you knew well wasn't the selfless public servant you thought he was.
"I get it," Tris finally said to her father. "We all have to do the best we can and weigh things from our perspective and our sources. I need to respect Eric's wishes about this. He and Ava won't meet the governor, and I won't either. If I see him at a function I'll be as polite as ever, but that's it. You have to keep working with him, but I'm sure you'll be more vigilant now and keep an eye out for anything troubling. That's all we can do."
"That's fair," Andrew said. "I won't ask you or Eric to meet with Marcus, and I'll keep my eyes open."
"Will it cause problems that we won't meet with him?" Tris asked.
"Matthew and I will figure it out," Andrew assured his daughter. "Marcus is a very busy man. His office will ask, we'll make excuses, and the window for his attention will close quickly. Once your story isn't the hot, new topic, Marcus' office will quit asking. Fame is fleeting, Sweetpea."
"Thank God," Tris said, laughing.
.
A while later, Tris was watching TV with Caleb when her phone buzzed with a text from Eric.
E: Duchess. You are a very naughty girl.
T: I try
E: To kill me?
T: Poor baby. Are you dying?
E: Maybe. I need to search online and find out if blue balls can be deadly.
The card Tris had given Eric as he left that evening contained a set of homemade coupons Tris called their "Countdown to 30 Days." Each paper had one thing that she wanted to do with or for Eric to get her more comfortable with intimacy. They had to be used in order, and included things from "give your hands free reign to touch me over my clothes while we make out," to "watch you touch yourself with the option to join in and participate."
Tris had been anxious just making the little coupons, but she was also turned on. She loved the idea of the "take turns giving each other back massages" coupon, but was nervous about the one at the end of the month that said "take a bath together without swimsuits."
Their thirty-day moratorium on intercourse was down to about twenty-five days, and Tris made just twelve tickets. She knew there would be busy days, and that some things might be too anxiety-inducing for her to progress every day, but all in all she thought it was a good idea. Apparently Eric enjoyed reading her ideas as well.
T: Is it too much for you?
E: That depends, how soon can we start?
T: I'll be there after work tomorrow. We'll have dinner, put Ava to bed, and start on coupon one.
E: I can't wait to let my hands roam freely. Will you wear yoga pants and a tank top for me?
T: I'll wear jeans and a black tee to work, but I can throw another outfit in my car if that's what you want.
E: Don't bother with a bra, either.
T: Eric…
E: Too far? I was going to ask if you had a bikini you could wear, but I scaled back my request.
T: I think you need a cold shower.
E: Baby, I'm way beyond what a cold shower can help with. I noticed there's no sexting coupon.
T: I'm much braver via text. I didn't think that coupon was necessary.
.
Monday morning saw Tris back at Flapjacks bright and early. Jim put her on as runner, knowing all the regulars would want to chat with Tris after her magazine and news appearances.
Tris was relieved that no reporters tracked her down at the cafe that morning. It seemed that the official stories had killed the paparazzi quest for details. That didn't make the public less curious. It seemed that every regular in the neighborhood had come in to give Tris a hug, handshake, or a word of encouragement. Tris sent her parents a text, and the Priors came in, ostensibly to eat breakfast at their daughter's workplace. Andrew had the chance to visit with many of his constituents about his Senate run, though many just wanted to talk about his daughter.
Tris was exhausted by the time the breakfast rush gave way to the lunch crowd. She smiled, thanked her well-wishers, and handed out heaping plates of food until she thought her arms would fall off.
Katie appeared at Tris' side as soon as the runner could be spared. "Take your break," Katie ordered, handing Tris her favorite smoothie.
"Thank you," Tris said, hurrying to the relative quiet of the breakroom.
.
When Tris arrived at Eric's after work, she was worn out. She let herself in, and was greeted by an eager squeal from Ava.
"Hey Babe," Eric greeted her, stepping away from the stove to give her a kiss. Ava screamed angrily at being ignored, and Tris went to where she was playing on the floor to give her some love as well.
It felt good to lay down on the floor and rest, so Tris relaxed and let the happy baby crawl on her.
"Tris?" Eric's voice gently lifted Tris from her sleep. "Duchess? Dinner is ready."
"What happened?" Tris asked as she stretched.
Eric chuckled. "You laid down on the floor and passed out while Ava used you as a jungle gym. Are you okay?"
"Yeah," Tris said around a yawn. "Work was crazy. It wore me out. How long was I asleep?"
"Less than an hour," Eric said as he stood and offered Tris a hand up. "Are you ready to eat?"
The couple sat down and enjoyed the dinner Eric had prepared for them. They worked together to clean up the kitchen, played with Ava for a while, and got her ready for bed. Once again the three of them sat together in the rocker and Tris read a story while Eric fed the baby her bottle and held both of his girls in his lap.
When Ava was down for the night, Eric guided Tris out of the nursery. "Are you too tired to cash in that first coupon?" Eric asked thoughtfully.
"Not at all," Tris replied, turning to slide a hand up Eric's bicep. "That nap hit the spot. How about you?"
"I've been looking forward to this all day," he said as he leaned in for a kiss.
"Couch or bed?" Tris asked.
"It's up to you," Eric said.
.
Eric and Tris slipped back into the rhythm they had established before the drinking incident. They went running in the mornings, usually together, with Ava in the jogging stroller. Tris worked at Flapjacks while Eric took care of his daughter, home, and errands. Most afternoons Tris went to Eric's after work, and they had dinner together and family time until the baby went to bed.
Once Ava was down for the night, they worked on the intimacy coupons. Eric was endlessly patient with Tris, though it took many cold showers and solo sessions to keep it that way. But he knew that it was worth it. Every day she grew more confident and comfortable with his touch and his intentions.
Eric's favorite coupon was the "fully-clothed private yoga demonstration." Yoga made Tris feel confident, and knowing that Eric was enjoying the show but not allowed to touch her was empowering. She dressed in a pair of shorts and a sports bra for the demonstration, and Eric thought that it was better than a striptease or a lap dance - not that he had experienced either of those in person.
.
The Fourth of July landed on a Sunday that year. The entire Prior family, including Eric and Ava, traveled around Illinois together for the weekend. They appeared at a fair on Friday night, and walked in parades and appeared at fairs on Saturday and Sunday. They shook hands with people and passed out campaign literature and stickers.
Naturally, there was a lot of attention on Ava, Eric, and Tris. People asked them to pose for photos, and a few people even asked for autographs. The family worked together to keep Ava out of the spotlight and on as normal a schedule as possible, but the long drives that lulled her to sleep at the wrong times and the loud noises that kept her awake during naptime presented a challenge.
The Independence Day event in the state capital of Springfield was the last part of the weekend. It was scheduled to end with a huge fireworks display, and the Priors planned to stay that night and drive back to the Chicago area on Monday.
By the end of the afternoon activities, Ava was an inconsolable mess. She had missed her afternoon nap and was overtired, overheated, and overstimulated. All she could do was cling to Tris as if begging her mommy to put everything back to normal again.
"We need to take Ava home," Tris announced as the family returned to their hotel between events.
Eric nodded. He felt the same way, but hadn't wanted to say it. Andrew's campaign loved having his whole family at events.
"I think that would be best," Natalie agreed, trying and failing to get the crabby baby to come to her.
"I can go," Eric suggested. "You can stay with your family, and I'll take her home."
"No," Tris argued. "I'm tired as well, and I'd rather stay with you and Ava."
"That's fine," Andrew said, putting his arm around his daughter and granddaughter while they waited for the elevator.
Ava's angry cries reduced to whimpering and mournful-sounding fussing. She continued to cling to Tris as they rode the elevator, walked down the hall, and entered their suite of rooms. Eric tried to take his daughter so Tris could pack, but the baby refused him, too. When she practically peeled the little one off her sweaty body so that she could use the restroom, Ava began screaming angrily again.
Tris hurried in the bathroom, packing up her toiletries while she was in there. When she walked out and Ava saw her, the baby's volume increased even more, and Tris felt that she had no choice but to pick her up again.
Eric ended up doing most of the packing while Tris changed Ava's diaper and fed her a bottle. As soon as they were ready, Tris and Eric said their goodbyes to her family and began the two-hour drive home.
Ava slept all the way, and Tris and Eric ate fast food while Eric drove. "Will you stay with us tonight?" Eric asked as he stole one of Tris' french fries.
"Hmmm," Tris said, pretending to think hard about it. "On the one hand, I could go home alone to a dark empty house. Or, I could go home with you, sleep in your arms, and wake up with my two favorite people. How ever will I decide?"
Eric and Tris didn't get a lot of sleep that night. Ava's schedule was messed up, so she woke several times in the night. Each time, Tris insisted that they give Ava a few minutes to see if she would self-soothe once she realized that she was home in her own bed. It worked once, but the second and third times she woke, she cried until they came to her.
"It's a good thing I have tomorrow off," Tris groaned when Ava woke them for the third time.
"I'll bet you're wishing you had gone home tonight," Eric said, rolling toward Tris to wrap his arms around her.
"Not really," Tris replied. "Parents don't get to go home when its it's tough. I learned that lesson during Ava's first three months. I mean, I always knew that, but experiencing it is different."
"I think it's your turn to go get her," Eric said. "I'm old and I need more sleep."
"You're twenty-one," Tris argued. "You're supposed to be having wild, sleepless nights. You're not old."
"I'll be twenty-two next week," Eric argued. "I'm aging rapidly."
Ava's cries grew in intensity. "You have to let go of me if you want me to go to Ava, old man," Tris teased.
Eric released her, and Tris went to soothe the baby.
On Monday morning, Andrew called Eric.
"The governor was at the event last night," Andrew told Eric.
"Then I'm glad I missed it," Eric said.
"He was quite put out that the three of you skipped out on the reception and fireworks show."
Eric grunted, unsure if he was being scolded or if Andrew was working up to something.
"I explained that it was too late for Ava to be out, and that she was a bit out of sorts from the weekend campaigning." Andrew hesitated before he continued. "I, uh, I've been paying more attention to Marcus since we talked. He's a charmer, and good at playing a role, but I don't know. Since we talked I've been seeing little things - the lascivious looks he gives his assistant, the barely contained anger when he gets bad news, especially when someone doesn't do what he orders."
"I trust Tobias," Eric said. "I know him, and I trust him. He didn't start rumors; he didn't talk about his family at all. He has nothing to gain from that. He just wants to be free of Marcus, to separate himself so he can live a normal life where he's not the governor's son."
"I understand," Andrew said. "Without Tobias being willing to press charges, though, I have no evidence of anything. All I can do is try to distance myself from Marcus and pay attention."
"That's all you can do," Eric confirmed.