Eric's birthday came during the last week of the couple's self-imposed thirty day moratorium on sex. They had gone through most of the coupons that Tris gave Eric on Father's Day, and Tris had become quite physically comfortable with Eric. She found that her worry was greatly eased, and that his once anxiety-inducing desire was something she could now admit that she shared. The only coupon they had left to cash in was to take a bath together without any swimwear as a barrier.
After work on Eric's birthday, Tris went home to her parents' house instead of going to Eric's as had become their custom. She carefully wrapped Eric's birthday gifts. One she hid in her overnight bag, ready to go. She planned to surprise Eric with the gift, a sleepover, and the fact that she had taken the next day off to spend with him and Ava.
Tris put Eric's other gift on the dining room table at her parents' house. Natalie had insisted on preparing a birthday dinner for Eric. She made lasagna, one of his favorites. With the legislature off for the summer, Andrew was home more often. He arranged a night off from campaign business, too, so all four Priors would be in attendance.
Eric arrived on time, and Natalie gave him a warm hug before taking Ava from him. Tris hurried down the stairs to greet the birthday boy with a hug and kiss. Ava squealed and squirmed when she saw Tris.
"Ma-ma-ma-ma," the baby chanted.
Tris raised an eyebrow, and Eric smirked. He had promised not to push the title on her until after the election, but that didn't stop him from working on Ava when Tris wasn't around. He often showed the baby pictures of Tris while he talked to her about "mama." He knew this was coming because lately Ava babbled the title without prompting whenever she saw pictures of Tris.
"Do you want your mama?" Natalie asked the baby. Ava responded by reaching for Tris and whining.
Tris took the little one in her arms and Ava grinned her bright baby smile, revealing the two bottom teeth that had recently appeared. Tris smiled back at the little one, and Ava reached her chubby little hands out to Tris' cheeks. "Ma-ma-ma," she said happily.
"I think it's official," Eric said. "You should put it in the baby book."
"It's your birthday," Tris moaned. "She should have said 'dada' first, especially today."
Ava let out another squeal as Caleb and Andrew came into the foyer. Andrew shook hands with Eric, then took Ava from Tris.
"Ma-ma-ma-ma!" The baby protested, reaching for Tris.
"Sorry, Papa," Eric said. "Ava learned a word, and she's quite attached tonight."
Andrew reluctantly handed the little one back to Tris, and Ava dove in with enthusiastic but slobbery baby kisses.
"I just saw you yesterday, Sunshine," Tris laughed.
"She's gotten used to our schedule," Eric said. "She's been looking for you since she got up from her nap. When I put her in the car seat to come over here she got fussy and just kept babbling about 'mama'. I think she was worried that she wouldn't see you."
The Priors and Coulters enjoyed a relaxed and light-hearted dinner together. They talked about the upcoming school year - what classes Eric would be teaching, when Caleb would go back to Baltimore, and Tris' freshman orientation weekend. Natalie offered to watch Ava on the Friday when Tris started orientation and Eric had to be at Factions.
They also talked about Ava starting daycare. Eric and Tris had looked at several places, but in the end had gone with a friend of Hana Pedrad's, Melanie Russell, who ran a daycare out of her home. The woman was licensed to take more kids, but preferred to keep her daycare small. She had a pair of two-year-old twin girls and one other baby in her care, and was happy to take Ava, especially since she would only be there part-time. Tris and Eric had been pleased with Melanie's references as well as her home. She had been very kind and encouraging to Eric and Tris, who were nervous about leaving Ava in another's care.
After dinner, Tris served the chocolate cake that she had prepared for Eric. By that time Ava was willing to be held my someone other than her "ma-ma-ma," and the family happily passed her around the table so they could all get a turn with her smiles and snuggles.
Caleb tried in vain to get Ava to say "Bub-bub." He even tried bribing her with a little dollop of chocolate frosting from his cake. She smacked her lips and drooled heavily over the sweet taste, but the only sound she made was "Mmmm" and grunting as she reached for more cake off his plate.
Tris' parents gave Eric a very nice watch for his birthday. It was obvious that he wasn't expecting such a generous gift, nor the thoughtful card that accompanied it. Natalie and Andrew had written about how proud they were of Eric and how they loved having him and Ava in their family. Eric swiped at his eyes with the heels of his hands as he passed the card to Tris. She read her parents' words then put her arms around Eric and pressed a kiss to his cheek.
"I'm next," Caleb said, "but I doubt you'll cry."
He slid a gift bag toward Eric, and Eric reached in to find a coffee mug that read, "Being my brother-in-law is really the only gift you need." Eric laughed, then opened the accompanying card, which contained a coffee shop gift card. He thanked Caleb, then moved on to the gift Tris was handing him.
Eric removed the wrapping paper to find a plain cardboard box. He started to shake it, but Tris stopped him. When he opened the box, the first thing Eric pulled out was a Chicago Blackhawks wall clock. It had a rustic look to it, red stained wood with the team's logo in the center and big grey and white numbers around the outside.
"I thought you could put it on that blank wall in your gym," Tris suggested.
Eric's eyes lit up. "That will be perfect," he said. "It'll be nice to have a clock in there, and you know how I feel about the Blackhawks."
Tris indicated that Eric should look in the box again, and he pulled out a jacket. It was an insulated windbreaker-type that partially zipped in the front and would be perfect for hockey practices. The body of the jacket was black, and one side of the chest had an embroidered Factions High School logo, a dive-bombing eagle with five ribbons in his talons representing the five factions. The other side of the chest was embroidered with "Coach Eric" in white letters.
"Thank you, Baby," Eric said, leaning over to kiss Tris.
"Hey!" Caleb feigned objection. "I didn't get a kiss."
"Do you want one?" Eric teasingly offered, puckering his lips at Caleb from across the table.
Tris took the jacket from Eric and showed him that there was more embroidery on the cuff of the left wrist. "My Warrior," it said in small blue letters. Eric grinned at Tris and pressed their foreheads together.
"I love you, Duchess," he whispered.
"I love you too, Warrior," she whispered back. "I have another gift for you, too, but you can't unwrap that until we get back to your place and put Ava to bed."
Eric raised an eyebrow. "You're coming home with me tonight?" he said, still whispering.
"I took the day off tomorrow," she whispered. "I'm all yours."
Eric kissed Tris. Ava screamed, and the couple looked up to see Caleb trying to cover the baby's eyes.
"We just ate, you two," Caleb whined.
Eric kissed his girlfriend again, just to annoy her brother. Tris smiled at Eric, then got up to take Ava from Caleb.
"Is Uncle Bub-bub being mean and covering your eyes?" she asked the baby. "You like kisses, don't you Sunshine?"
"Ma-ma-ma-ma," the baby replied.
Soon after the cake and gifts, Eric packed up Ava to take her home. Tris threw her bag in the truck and went with them rather than driving herself. On the drive back, Eric started asking questions about his other birthday gift.
"When can I see what else you got me, Duchess?" the birthday boy asked.
"I told you," Tris replied, "after Ava goes to bed."
"Can I have a hint?" Eric pleaded, reaching across the console to stroke the exposed skin between Tris' knee and her skirt.
"Well," she said a little nervously, "I thought that once Ava is down for the night, you might want to unwrap me, and we can use that last coupon."
"The bath?" Eric asked, squeezing Tris' thigh.
Tris could have sworn that Eric drove home faster than usual. They went through Ava's bedtime routine, including story time in the rocker. Eric usually lingered when he got both girls on his lap in the big chair, but tonight he was eager to get Ava in the crib so he could get Tris in the bath.
"Slow down, Warrior," Tris laughed as Eric hurried them out of the nursery and across the hall to the master bedroom.
She dug around in her overnight bag, looking for Eric's other gift. "What are you doing?" Eric asked, already pulling off his shirt. "I thought you weren't wearing a bathing suit this time."
"I'm not," Tris said, pulling out a small wrapped package. "I just wanted to give you your other birthday gift now."
"I thought you were my gift," Eric said, reaching out to run his hands up and down Tris' sides. "Can't I unwrap you instead?"
"How about both?" Tris offered, reaching toward Eric with the gift.
He took it from her hand and made quick work of the wrapping paper. "Condoms?" he asked. His eyes sought out hers with a million questions. Tris blushed and bit her bottom lip, waiting for his reaction.
"Really?" Eric asked in a husky voice.
Tris nodded. "I thought maybe you could unwrap me, and we can take that bath together, then, you know…"
"I want you to say it," Eric prompted. "I want to know you're not afraid to say it, and to ask for what you want. I will never laugh at you, and I'm not going to reject you, Duchess."
"Eric," Tris began in a quiet but resolute voice as she stroked her hands down his neck and across his bare broad shoulders, "I want to make love with you."
.
Tris was the first one to wake up the next morning. Her bladder was desperate for relief, but she was trapped in Eric's arms. She tried to wiggle free.
"Duchess?" Eric asked sleepily as he drew her closer still.
"Eric," she pleaded, "I have to go to the bathroom."
Reluctantly, Eric loosened his hold on Tris. He watched her carefully as she crawled out of bed and walked gingerly to the bathroom. He could tell that she was a bit sore, but she was trying to hide it.
When she returned from the bathroom, Eric drew her close again, her back pressed against his chest, as seemed to be their preferred sleeping position. "I love you," he said, pouring all his emotions into three little words.
"I love you, too," Tris replied shyly.
"Do you want to talk about last night?" Eric asked.
Tris shrugged, and he understood the gesture to mean yes, but that she was uncomfortable, too.
"You're very beautiful," Eric began, hoping to combat her anxiety with the truth. "I enjoyed having unlimited access to your gorgeous body."
"I… I'm not… I mean, I don't have curves," Tris finally managed to say.
"Yes you do," Eric said, trailing his hand over the curves of Tris' waist, hip, and shapely butt.
"I mean, I'm kind of flat-chested," Tris said.
"Some guys are all about big boobs," Eric admitted. "The bigger the better until it gets ridiculous. But I'm not into that. I'm into you, and your perky breasts are perfect for your petite height and toned, athletic body."
Tris relaxed at his words. Eric kissed her shoulder and held her close. "I know the first time for a woman is somewhat painful," he said in a soothing voice, "but you should know that for me it was absolutely incredible."
"Yeah?" Tris asked nervously.
"Duchess," Eric soothed. "Making love to you was everything I dreamed that it would be. My only regret is that your first time was painful. It was unavoidable, but I hate that I caused you pain. I promise that it gets better - much better. A soak in the tub will help with the soreness, and you can take some Advil if you want."
"What about, um, other stuff?" Tris asked.
Eric kissed her shoulder again. "What other stuff?" he questioned.
"You know," Tris said shyly, "like different positions, toys, stuff like that. Are you going to handcuff me to the bed?"
"Only if you want me to," Eric chuckled.
"Don't laugh at me!" Tris said in distress.
"Duchess, I'm sorry I laughed," Eric placated her. "You're worried about nothing. Porn and erotic books show a lot of extremes, but most couples aren't so kinky. I'm sure we'll try some more things once we've gotten some practice, and when you're not so sore, but we won't do anything you don't want to do. You are always free to ask for what you want, and you're always free to say no. We're partners, Duchess, you will never be a victim in this relationship."
Tris visibly relaxed at Eric's words. She snuggled closer to his chest and grabbed his arms, wrapping them tightly around her. She felt safe like that, surrounded by Eric's strong body, and soon drifted back to sleep.
When Tris woke again, Ava was on the bed. The seven-month-old banged on Tris like she was a bongo drum and chanted "Ma-ma-ma-ma."
"Hello there, Sunshine," Tris greeted the baby. "What time is it?"
"After nine," Eric replied from his position on the side of the bed.
"Really?" Tris asked. "Someone must have really wore me out last night; I never sleep this late."
"I know," Eric said smugly. "But you had a big night last night, so I thought I'd let you rest."
"Daddy's a gentleman," Tris said to Ava. "When you grow up, you make sure to find one who will take care of you like that."
"Da-da-da," the baby mimicked.
.
The three of them enjoyed a low-key day together. Eric needed to run to the office supply store in preparation for the new school year. Tris and Ava went along, and Tris got her own supplies for her college classes.
By the time they finished buying their school supplies, it was lunch time. They sat down at a sandwich shop together, and Eric fed Ava her baby food while the little one sat in the restaurant highchair and got distracted smiling at all the strangers.
Their next stop was the mall. Ava was outgrowing her six-month clothes rapidly, so Eric wanted to pick up a few larger items for her. Tris put the baby in her carrier wrap, and in no time Ava was sound asleep on Tris' chest.
"Is there anything you would like to look at while we're here?" Eric asked Tris. "Ava is asleep, so we might as well take advantage of that and wander around for a bit."
"I would like to look for some picture frames," Tris suggested. "We have all those nice pictures Bud gave us, and it would be nice to put some of them up on the walls."
"Where?" Eric asked.
"I was thinking that bare wall to the right of the front door," Tris said. "That way we would see them every time we come down the stairs, and guests would see them when they first come in."
Eric smiled as he listened to his girlfriend talk about his home as if it were her own. He loved having Tris with him and Ava, and his once-bare townhouse felt more like home with her in it. He happily steered them to the home store where they wandered the aisles together and talked about paint colors and decorative accessories.
"I've been thinking about putting down more of the wood laminate flooring," Eric said hesitantly.
"Why do you do that?" Tris asked.
"Do what? Is that a bad idea?" Eric asked.
"Why do you act like I'm going to bite your head off any time you suggest something for your house?" Tris elaborated. "Do I give you a hard time? I know I've teased you about everything being beige and your affinity for large wall-mounted TVs, but I don't really question your taste. You know that, right? Your house was all beige because you had just moved in. You've added life and color to the place, and your choices have been good. I'm sorry if I've hurt your feelings and made you doubt yourself."
Eric thought about it for a minute. "Actually, you haven't," he concluded. "You teased me a little about all the beige, but I didn't pick that, and we both knew it. Every time I've suggested something, you've liked it, or at least you haven't complained."
"It isn't about you," Eric said, continuing to think out loud. "It's about my mom. She was great, and I miss her like crazy, but she was fanatical about decorating. One of her best friends was an interior designer. I couldn't put up a poster in my own room without her getting upset about it. If she were still alive, she would have been in my house before I even moved in, and she would have painted walls, changed out light fixtures, probably gutted the place. Every time I look at the family heirlooms in my house I wonder if she's rolling over in her grave to see where they ended up."
Tris stopped right in the middle of the aisle of down comforters and put an arm around Eric's back, resting her head on his shoulder and chest. "You bought a terrific townhouse," she said. "It's comfortable, and clean, and it meets your needs. You're putting your own mark on the place one day at a time while working and raising a baby - who, by the way, has the cutest nursery and bathroom. I think that putting down more laminate flooring is a great idea. Where were you thinking?"
"The master bedroom," Eric said more confidently. "And maybe the vestibule-loft area at the top of the stairs. And the foyer. That linoleum has seen better days."
"I think that would look very nice," Tris complimented Eric. "You'll want a big rug for the bedroom if you do that, and maybe one for the loft, too. I would suggest you pick up some extra flooring in case you ever want to to Ava's room. It might be odd if that's the only room that doesn't match upstairs. As for the foyer, the wood look is nice, but will it stand up to all the traffic, wet shoes, and such? And please don't do wood stairs; they're a death trap! My grandma had polished wood stairs and I swear everyone in my family fell down them at least once."
"What if I left the loft and stairs carpeted, tiled the foyer when I redo the bathroom floors, and put the laminate in the master bedroom. I could buy the extra flooring to do Ava's room eventually, or leave that carpet like the loft."
"That would be great," Tris encouraged.
As they continued to walk through the store, Tris noticed that Eric carried himself a little taller. They found frames for the pictures Bud gave them. Eric picked one white frame to hang a picture in Ava's room, and the others looked like brown leather. Tris knew they would look good with Eric's brown leather sofa in the living room.
Eric wanted to look at rugs for the master bedroom. He found one that was large, a grey and ivory geometric design, and Tris agreed that it would look great on wood-look floors. They talked about painting the walls in a similar light grey color.
The faux-wood flooring that Eric and Caleb installed in the home gym had a light oak look which matched the trim in Eric's home. The dressers and nightstands in his bedroom were cherry in color, with a solid, masculine feel. The set had a wide dresser, a tall dresser, and one nightstand.
"Do you have a headboard for your bedroom set?" Tris asked.
"There was one," Eric replied, "but it doesn't fit my king-sized bed. It's still in my storage unit."
"What else is in there?" Tris wondered, curious about what other family heirlooms might be stored away.
"Um, let's see," Eric thought for a minute. "There's a formal dining room set with a china hutch that matches the credenza in my living room. The headboard and footboard for the bedroom furniture. My mom's good china is back in storage after I bought my own dishes. Oh, and my dad's big cherry desk. Plus some odds and ends."
"And you're paying a monthly fee to store all that?" Tris asked.
"No," Eric said sheepishly. "I kind of, um, own the storage facility."
Tris was dumbfounded with the sudden realization of how little she knew about Eric, his family, and his finances.
"Tris?" Eric asked when he realized that she had stopped in the middle of the aisle.
"I just… We just… I mean… Wow," Tris stammered.
"What's the matter?" Eric asked, genuinely surprised and concerned by her reaction.
"Nothing," Tris said. "I was just realizing that, you know, last night and everything, and there's still so much I don't know about you. Like your family and everything. We've been so caught up in Ava, the campaign, school, all of that. I just… I don't know."
Tris looked down at the baby sleeping on her chest. She took deep breaths as she stroked the little one's warm back and tried to soothe her own suddenly jangled nerves.
"You're suddenly realizing how much you don't know?" Eric guessed. "And in light of what we did last night, that alarms you?"
Tris nodded, but kept her eyes locked on the sleeping baby in her arms.
"I understand," Eric said gently. "We've had so much to do just to keep up with now that we haven't talked much about the past that isn't part of our every day."
"And, I mean, your finances and stuff," Tris said, trying to sound relaxed and unphased since they were in a public place, "that isn't really any of my business anyway."
"I don't mind sharing that with you," Eric said, "but maybe not at the mall."
Tris laughed, a dry, self-conscious sound. "Sorry," she mumbled.
"Don't be," Eric said, putting an arm around Tris' shoulders as he led her to the furniture section. "I have no secrets from you. If there's something we haven't gotten around to talking about, just ask."