DISCLAIMER: Characters of Veronica Mars, the canon events of their storylines, and recognizable dialogue belong to Rob Thomas.
A/N:
I can almost hear all of you exclaim: "Finally!"
I've heard from several of you during the past several months—new readers who binge-read this entire series in a couple of days, as well as long-time followers who re-read the entire series while they waited patiently for a new chapter. I'm flattered that you feel my writing is worth your valuable time.
I swear to you that I never intended the hiatus to be this long. I got through the past year and a half with my health and sanity intact, but in order to maintain balance in the midst of all the craziness, I had to take some things off my schedule and my "to do" list. Unfortunately for all of you, this series was one of those things. I hope you can forgive my absence.
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Chapter 3 occurs summer 2007, during Veronica's internship at the FBI. In canon, the internship was 12 weeks, but I have shortened it to 10 weeks to allow a couple weeks before she leaves for her year abroad in Spain.
Much of this chapter reads like short diary/journal entries interspersed with a few scenes/dialogue.
Chapter 3
As soon as I arrived in D.C., I texted Eli. I kept it short and sweet, just letting him know I had arrived safely. Then, I immediately put my phone away.
By the time I got to the apartment, Seanna Lyn had already settled in. She had taken the larger of the two bedrooms, which was fine with me. Having my own room—of any size—was enough to keep me happy.
While I unpacked, she sat on my bed, and we chatted. In no time at all, it seemed we had known each other for years. She was smart, bubbly, funny, … and intimidatingly attractive—with long, toned legs, flawless mocha skin, and black curls hanging past her shoulders. She was incredibly easy to talk to. Over the years, I had not had many close female friends, but I immediately felt like Sean and I would be good friends for a long time to come.
As we talked, I found out that she had just finished her sophomore year as a forensic science major at West Virginia University. Her dad worked for the FBI in Clarksburg, WV. So, we immediately bonded over the fact that our fathers' career choices had impacted our interest in law enforcement.
We compared stories of attending two very different schools—small private college vs. large public university. I also learned some things I did not know about West Virginia. (Honestly, I knew almost nothing, other than the fact that it became a state when it separated from Virginia during the Civil War.) Apparently, there were several well-known West Virginians (natives or long-time residents): singer Bill Withers (who recorded "Lean On Me" and other hit songs), Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton (who won five medals), pro basketball player Jerry West (whose silhouette is in the NBA logo), NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson (who integrated the grad school at WVU), actress Jennifer Garner (who grew up in the state's capital city), and many more.
Sean loved to talk about her home state. Even when we went to dinner and I asked questions to try to steer the conversation to other topics, she found a way to bring it back around. When I asked if she was dating anyone, she talked at length about the WVU football team—and the fact that her boyfriend was a running back.
Eventually, she moved away from the topic of football and talked some about their relationship.
"He's ... I mean, he's great. We've been dating a little over a year. But I don't know if he's long-term material. Plus, there's already talk of him going pro. Not sure I want that life—being a player's wife and all that." She paused before saying, "So tell me about your love life." Then, she filled her mouth with food, as if to signal it was now my turn to talk so that she could eat.
I told her the basics of my on-again, off-again relationship with Eli. I left out a lot of details, including how complicated things presently were.
Before I got into completely uncomfortable territory, I shifted the conversation to our internships. We would be working in the same building but in different departments and on different floors. That seemed perfect to me. If we were together all day, we'd probably get sick of each other rather quickly. And I did not want to ruin a good thing.
When we were on our way back to the apartment after dinner, my phone buzzed. It was a text from Eli. He was hoping that I would have time to talk. Since I had to go in first thing in the morning to fill out paperwork and have a photo taken for my ID, this was my reply to his text: Have to be up early. Heading to bed soon.
Time and space. I needed both at the moment.
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Week 1 of FBI internship
Eli and I texted back and forth a few times that first week. He said he understood that I was busy getting settled into my new schedule. Honestly, I could have found more time to talk to him. But I was using that time to think.
One day, a few of us went to a retro diner for lunch. As we sat there eating, music from the 1950s and 1960s played through the speakers. The lyrics of one song hit particularly close to home.
Walks in the rain, warm summer nights
Remember the kisses and not just the fights
One foolish moment drove us apart
If there's a spark still left in your heart
Think of the good times, only the good times
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Your lips on mine, where they belong
But this time we won't let our good times go wrong
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That Friday evening, I was expecting a video call from Wallace. I had left my laptop in the living room, but I was down the hall when the call came through.
Sean yelled from her seat on the couch, "You want me to answer this? Says it's Wallace. You got another boyfriend you didn't tell me about?"
"No. That'd be my BFF. Answer it. Tell him I'll be right there."
From down the hall, I heard Sean say, "Hel-lo, best friend. Veronica will be with you in a minute. In the meantime, let me ask you a few questions. First … do you have a girlfriend?"
I heard Wallace laugh and then say, "Yes."
Sean sighed as she replied, "Damn. So how'd you and Veronica become best friends?"
"Biker gang was making my life hell. She rescued me."
"You're joking, right?" Sean asked.
"I wish."
"You're not exactly the stereotypical damsel-in-distress, Wallace."
"Thaaaank … you?"
Walking into the room, I called out from a few feet away, "Hey, Wallace. I see you met Seanna Lyn."
"Well, she didn't tell me her name, and we didn't so much meet as … she was interrogating me."
"Girl, did you really save him from a gang?" Sean asked me.
"Yes."
"You know you have to tell me that story."
Wallace laughed as I replied, "Someday."
Then, he and I had a good catch-up. Mostly he talked about the fact that he was leaving the next morning to go see Jackie.
Some things he said were still rolling around in my head after we ended our call. My thoughts swirled, connecting seemingly disconnected ideas. Specifically, I was thinking about how Wallace and Jackie were able to get past their issues. They were able to repair their relationship, and they began to trust one another again.
Eli and I still had some things to work through in order to rebuild our relationship. And I continued to ask myself if it was worth the risk of opening my heart to him again.
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Week 2 of FBI internship
Most days were the same: long periods of some boring, repetitive task followed by scurrying around to complete something that was "urgently" needed. Then, once we were home, Sean and I would have dinner and watch a little TV before heading to bed. I tried to email or text my Dad at least every few days. I usually sent something to Eli at the same time, just to keep communication open—we hadn't scheduled time for a video call yet.
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Week 3 of FBI internship
In the middle of the week, I got a package from Eli. It was a special edition re-release of the same album he had given me the night of Alterna-Prom. This CD contained one new song "Solo para ti," which had been in a movie that we went to see back in January.
I had planned to send a quick thank you text, but I got sidetracked and forgot. Listening to the CD while getting ready for work the next morning, I knew that a text would not suffice.
My mind translated the lyrics as I listened. A few lines of "Solo para ti" stuck with me:
I know that my place is with you
You're everything that I've ever asked for
Everything I've never known
Yet I've discovered in you
Between the songs I remembered from the original release and my memories of seeing Cansada de Besar Sapos with him … plus hearing the song "Think of the Good Times" in the retro diner the other week … there were many memories and emotions being triggered.
In the end, I decided to wait a day or two before calling him. I needed some time to process the thoughts and feelings that were surfacing: him pushing me away, him putting up walls between us, how all of that made me feel. There was also the ongoing debate with myself: After going through that with him twice—this school year and last—was it worth the risk of being hurt again?
This got me thinking about the conversation with my dad on the way to the airport a few weeks ago. He had said: "Love involves risk. When you truly give your heart to someone, it's a gamble. You never know what the outcome will be. But if you hold back, you'll never find out. At some point, you have to decide if it's worth the risk."
My father is wise … but even he can't solve this one for me.
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A couple days later, when everyone else was heading to lunch, I found a quiet corner where I could make a phone call.
The new receptionist at Eli's shop seemed prepared to take a message, explaining that the owner's day was full. But when I gave her my name, she said. "Just a moment. I'll go get him."
I should not have been surprised that he would have given her instructions to interrupt him if I called. Still, it made me smile.
Only about a minute passed before he was on the phone. "V, what's wrong?"
I laughed. Of course, he would think something was wrong if I was calling him in the middle of the day. "Nothing's wrong. I got your package. I listened to it and … I just wanted to tell you … well … thank you … for sending such a thoughtful gift. It brought back a lot of memories."
He didn't reply immediately. Finally, he said, "That was my intention … or at least it was my hope."
"I figured … which is why I didn't want to just send a text … even though I'm not quite sure what else to say now that I've said thank you."
"How much time do you have to talk?"
"Just a couple minutes," I lied because I would rather have a short conversation that went well than a longer one that got awkward.
"What about tonight?" Eli asked, clearly taking advantage of the opening I had given him.
"Probably not. But text me. I'll try to find a time … sometime soon."
I was glad I had decided to call. There was still a lot to resolve, but it was good to hear his voice.
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Over the next few days, Eli and I texted more often than we had been—just random thoughts throughout the day—and had another short phone conversation. It felt like progress, the slow and steady kind.
That weekend, I spent almost an hour on the phone with him while we told each other the big and small events of the week.
I didn't tell him everything, though. There were some things he would not want to know about. Like the fact that I had already had to turn down dinner invitations from two other interns—one was about to start his senior year of college, the other was in grad school.
Eli and I had not "defined the relationship" before I left, but we promised to try to work things out. So even if I had been interested in these other guys—which I wasn't—I would not have felt right about going out with them.
The thing is … they didn't seem to believe me that there was someone in my life. So, I started wearing the ruby ring and made a point of talking about Eli. But when a couple people asked Sean, all she could verify was that I spent a lot of time texting someone from back home.
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Week 4 of FBI internship
At the end of the week, a group of interns were making plans to spend the weekend sightseeing and possibly hitting some non-touristy places recommended by the locals. They tried to convince me to join them, but I decided that I didn't really need additional hours with my coworkers.
Sean stayed home too, because she had been to D.C. so many times with her parents that she had no desire to see things she had seen numerous times.
Eli and I hadn't talked much that week. Our biggest step forward was that we finally set a time for a video call. We had previously talked about it in theory but hadn't followed through.
That Saturday morning, I had been sitting at the dining room table with my laptop, waiting for Eli to call. Finally, I had to get up to use the bathroom. While I was out of the room, I missed his call. I could hear my laptop notifying me that I had an incoming call. Sean yelled to inform me, just in case I had not heard it.
As I walked back out to the table, she said, "Do I finally get a formal introduction? I could confirm his existence … and get the guys to stop hassling you about it."
Even as I rolled my eyes at her, I knew she had a point. As my computer called his computer, I was giddy as a schoolgirl.
When he answered with his normal "Hey there, beautiful," everything seemed right with the world.
"Hey there, handsome."
He was wearing a black V-neck T-shirt that fit oh-so-well. Some of his tattoos were visible, but I knew all too well what was underneath that fabric. I wanted to crawl through the screen … and I was a little surprised by my response to seeing him.
We made small talk for a little while, which was mostly him telling me why he was delayed in calling me: Business was booming. He, Mac, and Logan were working on some big deal which would not only expand the business but should provide steady predictable cash flow.
While he was talking, Sean was waving her arms at me from the other side of the kitchen island.
"V, something wrong? You seem distracted."
"It's just my roommate. She's been pestering me about meeting you. And now she is either trying desperately to get my attention, or she's trying to land a plane in our apartment."
"That sounds entertaining."
His face gave no indication whether he was okay with it or not, so I had to ask, "Do you mind?"
He shook his head and smiled. "No, not at all."
Sean jumped up and down excitedly.
"Come on over here." She landed behind me as I said, "Eli, this is my roommate, Sean."
Looking at the screen, then at me, and then back at the screen, Sean finally said, "Hel-lo, Eli."
"Nice to meet you, Sean."
"Well done, blondie. Not at all what I was expecting." She giggled.
"I think she gets that a lot," Eli replied.
"Well, now that I can confirm that the boyfriend actually exists … I'm going for a run. I'll leave you two alone." After she walked to the other side of the table, she looked at me with wide eyes, and then she mouthed the word "hot" as she fanned herself.
It made me laugh.
"Did I miss something?" he asked.
"Yes. Her commentary on your appearance."
"Did I pass inspection?"
"I think it is safe to say that she gives you two thumbs up."
The door clicked closed as she left the apartment.
"So … boyfriend?" His voice was even as he asked the question.
I dropped my head and sighed. "I know we left things … open-ended … but a couple of guys asked me out and even when I turned them down, it didn't seem to deter them. I made a point of talking about you and wearing the ring on my left hand. It was the simplest way to put an end to it. I hope you don't mind."
"Me … mind you calling me your boyfriend? I don't care what you call me … as long as you call me." His tone was light and flirtatious.
We talked for over an hour about everything and nothing. It was good just to hear the sound of his voice—better still to see his beautiful, expressive eyes.
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Week 5 of FBI internship
The following Monday, Sean made a big deal of announcing to the other interns that she could confirm that I did indeed have a boyfriend. When people were asking for details, she looked at me, silently asking for permission to tell a secret she was dying to reveal.
I rolled my eyes and shrugged.
That small movement set her mouth in motion: "He was totally not what you would expect. Not the buttoned-up country club type you'd picture for our girl here."
I could almost hear them all singing, "Tell me more, tell me more." I felt like I was in the "Summer Nights" scene in the musical Grease.
She continued, "The most amazing dark brown eyes. Lashes that can't possibly be real. Beautiful brown skin. Shaved head. And if you're into ink … wow! … From the little I could see … that boy's body is a work of art."
By now, I was blushing. And everyone was looking at me to confirm what she was saying.
One of our coworkers asked, "What's he doing for the summer while you're away?"
"Doing what he always does, running his business," I replied.
"His business?"
"He owns an auto body shop. He doesn't do as much of the hands-on work anymore. He's got minions for that. But his specialty is motorcycles, and he's got some loyal clients who will only let him touch their bikes."
Sean interjected, "I assume he has his own motorcycle … and you two ride up and down the coast … all romantic-like. Please, don't ruin my fantasy."
I just nodded and smiled.
One of the other females shook her head as she said to the two guys who had asked me out, "Yeah, you two are definitely not her type."
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During that week, Eli and I were in almost constant contact by text. Most days, we talked on the phone a couple times a day—a few minutes at lunch and at bedtime. And there were also a few video calls—longer than our phone conversations.
It was nice, but also a little overwhelming. And distracting.
It was like being swept up into a new relationship. Because it was new—and different. Hopefully, different enough. If we were going to survive my year abroad, we would need to do a much better job communicating than we had this past year.
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Week 6 of FBI internship
By the beginning of the next week, I realized that we would need to set aside a chunk of time for a serious talk. So I sent him a text message telling him that I would be busy for a few days and would probably not have time to text or call until the weekend.
He would be busy with work on Saturday, but he would be available Sunday afternoon—which I figured was when we were least likely to be tired and/or rushed. When we set up the time for our call, I did not tell him that it was anything other than a normal catch-up call. It was possible that this conversation would go smoothly, but there was an equal chance that this conversation could go sideways.
The more I thought about our relationship—the good, the bad; the present, the past—I realized that although I loved him, I still had trust issues. I knew that before we moved forward, I would need to explain those trust issues—and my relationship conditions—to him. I needed to be sure that he clearly understood my perspective.
That Sunday, Sean had plans, and I had the apartment to myself. I set up my laptop on the dining room table.
When he answered my call, he was sitting at his office desk. He told me that he had hoped to be upstairs by the time I called, but he had been doing some paperwork the past couple hours.
"Actually, that's perfect," I said. "I need you to look at your calendar."
"My personal calendar? Or the appointment calendar for the shop?"
"I guess both." I told him to look at the last day of my internship and the following week. Then, I asked, "Is there anything on the calendar, any reason that you would have to be there?"
"Doesn't look like it. That could change, but right now, no. Why?"
"I'd like you to come here at the end of my internship … spend a few days. It would give us some time together before I leave for Spain."
"We'd have time when you get home."
"Yeah … but here in D.C. we'd have time alone … without me being distracted by packing … or spending time with other people."
"Okay," he said. "I like the idea of spending time alone with you … but I get the feeling there's something you're not saying."
"There is something I haven't said … yet. But I'm getting to that. I wanted to cover this first." I paused before continuing. "This is sort of a 'good news first' kind of conversation."
"So, the good news is you want me to visit you in D.C. What's the bad news?"
"These past few weeks … we've had a chance to talk. And things have been going well."
"But …?"
"But I've been really distracted lately. And I need my head to be here, not in Neptune. I need to focus on my internship."
"Meaning?"
"I can't spend so much time on the phone, texting and calling as much as we did last week. I'm not saying we won't talk at all the next few weeks, but I … need to drastically reduce the amount of time."
"I can't say I'm happy about it, but I get what you're saying."
"And we'll see each other in a few weeks."
"So, that's the bad news? You wanted to warn me that if you don't answer my calls and texts … you're not ghosting me?"
"Well, yes. But there is something else."
I could tell by the look on his face that he had noticed my tone of voice. This—this right here—was the reason for this call. And it was bigger than anything else I had said so far.
He stood up from his desk and took the laptop over to the coffee table. Then, he sat on the couch. "I'm listening," he said.
"I have a confession to make … my schedule was not overloaded this week. I just needed some time and space to think. The past few weeks have been overwhelming." I paused before continuing, "I've been doing a lot of thinking the past few … well, months really. Some of my thoughts have changed during that time. So, as I tell you this, it may seem like I'm going in circles. Please let me get all this out and then if you have any questions, we can talk about it."
He leaned back into the couch and said, "Okay."
"I know we've talked through a lot of stuff … starting that day at the beach when you gave me the letter. We talked then, and we've continued talking. We've made progress. And I want to try to rebuild our relationship. But there's something I need to make clear." I held his gaze for a moment to make sure that I had his attention. "You hurt me, Eli … You pushed me away, broke up with me. Twice. In less than a year. That makes it hard for me to trust you. I mean, I trust you with my life. That hasn't changed. Never will. But even after sorting stuff out, all the conversations this summer … I'm still a little hesitant to trust you with my heart. I'm not sure I could survive the pain if you did that to me again." I paused before continuing. "I'm not saying this to hurt you. I just need to be honest with you. And I need you to know that if you do it again … we're done."
While I had been talking, he leaned forward, resting his head on his hands. When I finished, he let his head drop, so I couldn't see his face.
"Eli? Do you underst—?"
"I understand." His tone of voice had an edge to it. When he lifted his face to look at me, it was clear that he was upset.
"I'm sorry to drop all of this on you at once, but I wanted you to know how I'm feeling … before I see you in person. And if I'm not gonna have time to talk to you in the next few weeks, I needed to tell you now."
"I guess I should thank you for inviting me to D.C. at the beginning of the conversation." He let out a sad laugh. "It would have been harder to hear that last part first."
"I wanted you to know that I want to spend time with you. It's not that … well, I'm not … waiting for you to fail. This is not an ultimatum. It's just that … you shattered my heart. And I really don't want to go through that again."
"Me neither."
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After that conversation with Eli, I returned my focus to other things in my life, primarily my internship. I was able to talk to a few women in the department where I was working, asking their advice about career paths. I didn't tell them that I had not decided if I would remain a criminology major. I let them assume that I was fully committed to pursuing this line of work, so that I could pump them for info that would help me make my decision.
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Week 7 of FBI internship
Our group of interns in D.C. made a two-day visit to the FBI location in Clarksburg, WV, where Sean's dad worked. She and I spent some time with her parents, and they showed me around the area. Since the visit was at the end of the week, she suggested that we take a weekend road trip.
She claimed there was a not-to-be-missed annual event in the state capital, Charleston. Her mother had grown up there, and some of their family still lived in the area. So we would be able to stay with a cousin of hers.
The drive down I-79 late that Friday afternoon was beautiful. The small city was bustling with every kind of art you can imagine—visual artists showing their work in galleries and selling pieces in booths on streets that were blocked off for the week; theater productions in seven theaters; street performers and strolling minstrels; concerts in multiple venues around town, including a jazz festival and NPR's Mountain Stage. The slogan for FestivALL said it all: "A City Becomes a Work of Art."
That Saturday morning, we drove about half an hour west of Charleston to visit the Blenko Glass factory and then continued west to Huntington. Sean asked me if I had seen the movie We Are Marshall. When I told her that I had gone to see it when it came out last Christmas, she had rattled off all the local landmarks in the movie and insisted that I see as many as possible. I got some beautiful photos of the memorial fountain on the Marshall University campus.
That afternoon, we drove back to Charleston to meet some of Sean's friends for dinner. Then, we walked along the river, hearing part of a concert on the riverfront stage. We continued along brick streets and visited the cutest independent bookstore and coffee shop which was right across from a homemade ice cream shop. Dessert was the perfect way to top off the amazing day.
On Sunday morning, we attended church with some of her family and then went out for lunch with them before heading back to D.C. That afternoon, we drove back a different way—east through the mountains into Virginia and then north to D.C. The scenery was breathtaking. I don't think I can explain it, but even though the terrain was quite different than where I had grown up, those hills and valleys felt familiar somehow. Strangely, it felt like home.
Without a doubt, that weekend with Sean's family was one of the highlights of the summer.
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Week 8 of FBI internship
After getting some pestering texts from Wallace and Mac, I scheduled a time to catch up with them. The three of us had a lovely two-hour video conversation. I missed them more than I realized. As difficult as it was to be away from Eli, it was also difficult to be separated from my friends.
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Most days, my schedule did not line up with Dad's, so we didn't talk very often. But I had gotten in the habit of jotting down notes throughout my day and then sending him an email every other day. As long as he felt like he was included in my day—that I didn't forget about him—then he was happy. I wasn't sure if I could keep that up throughout the school year, though.
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Weeks 9 and 10 of FBI internship
By this point, we interns had fallen into a rhythm, which was really just: work as quickly, efficiently, and accurately as possible. Although we were there to learn, they relied upon us to do our jobs well so that they did not have to waste time redoing something they had delegated to us. Some of our superiors were better than others at mentoring and teaching. But I'm sure that would be the case in almost any internship in any field.
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Before we knew it, the summer internship was coming to a close. I would have about two weeks between the end of my time with the FBI and when I would leave for Spain. The sub-lease that Sean's parents had worked out went a week past the end of our internship. She would be heading home within a day or two of our last day of work, but she had said I was welcome to stay since it was paid up—which was the perfect opportunity for Eli and me to have some alone time. We would be able to get reacquainted. Of course, Dad was less than thrilled when I told him, but he understood. It just meant that I would have to spend some highly concentrated daddy-daughter time while I was home.
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Eli's plane was supposed to arrive the night before my last day, but he had to delay his flight due to something going on at work. He had said he'd explain when he saw me.
I had planned to meet him at the airport, but since he would now be getting in on the last day of my internship, I asked if he would mind meeting me.
The interns had planned to go out to celebrate. When we got to the bar and grill, I positioned myself so I could see the door to watch for Eli. Everyone was chatting, both happy and a bit sad that their summer in D.C. was over.
One of the guys noticed me checking my phone and looking at the door. "Don't tell me that your biker prince stood you up."
"He's on his way. His flight was delayed, but he texted when his plane landed," I said, trying to keep the annoyance out of my tone.
"So, we actually get to meet the man, the myth, the legend?"
Shaking my head, I thought to myself: There's an obligatory jackass in every group.
I was distracted by the heckling and missed Eli coming through the door.
Sean elbowed me, saying, "I do believe your man has arrived." She stood and waved at him before I could react to what she had said.
When I turned to see him walking toward us, I swear he took my breath away. He often did, but tonight more than usual. In part because I hadn't been in the same room with him for ten weeks. In part because of his wardrobe choices: he was wearing a black dress shirt with gray slacks.
I stood as he got to the table. He gave me a hello kiss that was considerably more tame than our kisses were in the past. Nonetheless, it said more than words about how much we had missed one another.
He leaned his forehead into mine, saying, "Hello, beautiful."
"Hi," was all I could manage at the moment.
He whispered into my ear, "You better be wearing that dress for me. 'Cause if that's how you normally dress around these guys …" His breath tickled my neck.
"It's new. I went shopping last weekend." I had wanted something new to wear since we hadn't seen each other in months. Fortunately, I was able to find something that would also be appropriate to wear to work—a jersey knit shift dress that hit just above the knee, 3/4 sleeves, the fabric had a subtle pattern in charcoal and light grey.
"Ah … so it is for me." Pulling back to look into my eyes, he added, still speaking softly, "It looks great on you, but honestly, I'm imagining how it would look on the floor."
Sean cleared her throat loudly to get our attention, "Hi, Eli. Nice to finally meet you in the flesh."
He separated from me and gave Sean a quick hug. "Likewise."
He tucked his carry-on bag under the table as he sat down beside me. I introduced everyone to him. I should not have been surprised that someone made a snide remark that his tardiness was beginning to make them doubt his existence again.
"I had some business to attend to," he replied, more politely than I would have. Leaning toward me, he whispered in my ear, "I hired another full-time guy, and that deal I told you I was working on … had a meeting earlier today. We got it. We got the contract." His smile was wider than I had ever seen. "That's probably gonna double our income."
"That's amazing! Completely understandable why you had to stay to finish that up."
The waitress came over to deliver a second beer to one of the guys at the table and also to take Eli's order.
Eventually, someone asked above the chatter, "So how did you two meet?"
We exchanged looks and laughed. He gestured that I should take the lead on fielding that question.
"We've known each other since we were kids. Grew up in the same town. Went to school together. Didn't start dating until the end of junior year of high school."
"And you've been together ever since?"
"Well, there was a little on-again, off-again. But yeah, most of that time," Eli said.
Cameron, one of the guys who worked in Sean's department, spoke up. "I realize this is gonna make me sound like a stalker, but I googled you, Veronica. You went to high school with billionaires' kids. I also read about you and your dad solving that murder."
Sean asked, "What is he talking about?"
Cameron addressed the rest of the people at the table as he continued, "Any of you remember the Lilly Kane murder? Heiress to a software empire murdered by movie star Aaron Echolls. It was on Entertainment Tonight and the cover of People Magazine." There were several heads nodding around the table. Pointing at me, he said, "Her dad was the former sheriff turned P.I. who solved the case … apparently with quite a bit of help from Veronica here, who is also a licensed P.I."
All eyes were on me. I didn't mind answering these types of questions, but if he had found all of that, then he might have also found the video of me and Piz. Fabulous! Would I ever be able to get away from that? Thank God I'd be in Seville this coming school year.
When I responded, my voice was more calm than I felt. "All true. She was my best friend … so I was determined to see her killer brought to justice."
Apparently, Cameron had no intention of letting this go. He turned his attention from me to Eli and asked, "You're the one who was with her when Aaron Echolls ran her off the road to get the tapes, right?"
That silenced the table pretty fast. I felt Eli tense up. He was on alert, trying to figure out what this guy was up to.
I responded before Eli could. "Wow, your Google search was thorough! You managed to find one of the few articles with his name in it. Yes, we were on his motorcycle at the time. And when Aaron tried to attack me, he intervened."
"Were you really in a gang?" Cameron asked Eli.
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see a smirk form on Eli's lips. You could have heard a pin drop when he finally answered: "I was the leader."
One of the girls asked, "But her dad was the sheriff. How did he feel about that?"
Eli answered this one immediately. "He wasn't sheriff at the time. But yeah, he and I go way back. By the time she and I were dating, he and I had an understanding. It's a relationship built on trust. He trusts me with his daughter, and he trusts me to fix his breaks. So, I think he's okay with it." He laughed, but it was clear a few people weren't sure if that was something to laugh about. "Besides, that's not my life anymore. Hasn't been for a while now."
It always amused me to sit back and watch him play with people. Several of them were genuinely curious, not so much about our relationship, but what it would be like to live in a school district that included billionaires and motorcycle gangs. After we had rehashed the Aaron Echolls thing for a while, the resident asshat brought up the bus crash.
Then, someone asked, "Probably a stupid question, but did you know anyone on the bus?"
"Yes, stupid question." Cameron responded. "Of course, they did."
Eli bristled at the direction of the conversation more than I did. But neither of us had a chance to address that first question before someone else asked another one: "Did anyone survive?"
I looked away; Eli looked directly at Cameron.
Ever my protector, Eli stated firmly, "He knows the answer to this question. Maybe he'd like to share with the class … since he was so eager to talk about all the fun times in Neptune."
Everyone at the table looked back and forth between the two of them.
Sean broke the awkward silence. "What am I missing here?"
Cameron said, "One person survived the crash. Was in a coma for a couple weeks."
Again, everyone looked around trying to understand the subtext. Nobody seemed to notice when Eli had subtly reached under the table to take my hand. However, it did not go unnoticed when he glanced over at me, and I looked down.
After hearing a few soft gasps and muttered comments, I stood and excused myself from the table.
Eli stood up with me, kissed me on the cheek, and whispered in my ear, "Take as long as you need. I got this."
Sean followed me to the restroom. She didn't say much, just let me know that she was there for me if I needed her. It's not often that I find a female friend who would rather support me than tear me down. It was a nice change of pace.
When we returned to the table, Eli was raving about his grandma's cooking, after apparently having taken issue with the plate of nachos and quesadillas the group had ordered. In the few minutes we were gone, he had changed the mood of the table. And I was grateful for that.
On my way back from the restroom, I had stopped to talk to the DJ. A few minutes after I sat down, the song I requested began to play. It was the title track from the CD Eli had given me the night of Alterna-Prom.
A few notes into the song, he leaned over and asked, "Care to dance?"
We didn't even say anything to the others. We just got up and walked to the dance floor.
After the first verse, he noticed the DJ give me a little nod. "V, did you request this?"
I didn't answer the question; I just leaned into him.
All was right with the world when I was in his arms. Nothing else mattered. There were other things that would have to be dealt with at some point, but the weight of other concerns lifted as soon as he touched me.
As we danced, he nuzzled my neck while he softly half-sang/half-spoke the lyrics, which I translated in my head.
Everything changed when I saw you
My world changed from black and white to color
…
Everything trembled inside me
…
It was so easy to love you so much
…
You are the love of my life
The contact of his lips on my skin caused a moan to escape from my throat. "I missed you so much," I admitted.
"Those weeks just flew by," Eli said.
I assumed he was being sarcastic, but I couldn't help my reaction. "No, they didn't. They took for-e-ver. All those weeks of thinking about you. And missing you. And all those pent-up feelings. What am I ever gonna do with all of them?" My tone was equal parts sarcasm and flirtation.
"I have a couple million suggestions." His tone of voice made my knees weak.
Somehow, I managed to find my voice. "What are these suggestions? Does it involve me being naked?" I asked flirtatiously.
"It does."
When we walked back to the table, their facial expressions were priceless. I momentarily wondered if we had done anything inappropriate while dancing. I had been a little lost in thought, and I was not entirely sure of my actions.
Another round of drinks and several minutes of sparkling conversation later, Eli whispered in my ear that he'd completely understand if I wanted to stay, but he was ready to go anytime.
Conspicuously looking at my watch, I said, "Well, look at the time. I think my carriage is about to turn into a pumpkin." Standing to walk around the table to give a few goodbye hugs to the ones I had gotten close to, I added, "It's been lovely. Stay in touch." When I got to Sean, I lowered my voice to say, "Feel free to stay out as late as you want."
She laughed and said loud enough for the whole table to hear, "No worries, Veronica. I already made plans to stay elsewhere. I don't think I'd get much sleep tonight if I came back to the apartment. And I'm pretty sure you won't be getting any at all … if that dance is any indication."
I blushed as the implication of her statement hit the rest of the group.
Eli stepped behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. He kissed my shoulder as he looked Sean in the eye and said, "Sleep is highly overrated."
Within a minute, we were out the door.
[
On the way back to the apartment, I got a text from Sean: Unless it's a problem, I'll be back at 1pm tomorrow to pack up. Would love to do early dinner with the two of you before I head home.
My reply was simple: Sounds good.
[
As bold as I had been an hour earlier, I began to get nervous when we walked into the apartment. I set down my keys and purse on the entry table. Then, I walked to the kitchen to get a glass of water. I began to ramble, "If you're tired … I'd understand if … well, I mean, Sean won't be home until after lunch." Not facing him, I leaned on the counter as I said, "We could get some sleep and still have time together in the morning before she—"
Eli walked up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. "V, I'm never that tired. If you want to sleep, just say so. But for the record, I don't plan on sleeping anytime soon."
"What do you plan on doing?"
"Taking care of all your needs. For months, I've been imagining you naked and underneath me. But there are other things on my list first."
"Such as?"
He turned me around so that we were face to face. "I miss having the taste of you on my tongue … I miss the sounds you make just before you come … and the dazed look on your face after."
He took my face in both his hands as he leaned in to kiss me. It started as a series of short, soft kisses. But once he felt my lips respond, he deepened the kiss. Then, he began to walk us over toward the dining room table. He sat down in one of the chairs and pulled me into his lap so that I was straddling his legs.
We sat there for a few moments, just staring at each other as our breathing slowed. His eyes were asking me several questions, but I wasn't sure how to answer him.
His hands rested above my knees, and he drew circles on the insides of my thighs with his thumbs. When he began to play with the hem of my dress, my breathing began to speed up again. Then, my eyes closed as I shifted position on his lap.
"V, need you to tell me what we're doing here." He paused and then asked, "What do you want?"
Looking into his eyes, I gave the only answer I could: "You."
As a smile spread across his face, his hands slid the hem of my dress until it was up around my hips. Then, he slipped two fingers under the edge of my panties. The moment he made contact, my nerve endings felt like they were on fire. It only took a few minutes before he brought me to orgasm number one.
Then he put me on the dining room table, saying, "Time for my dessert." After slowly removing my panties, he slid my body toward him so that my butt was right at the edge of the table. He moved the chair over, and after sitting down, he positioned my legs on his shoulders.
I'm not sure how long he had his face between my thighs, but he had continued to work with his tongue and lips until he brought me to orgasm number two.
After that, he lowered my legs and helped me sit up. He put a finger under my chin to lift my face to look at him. "I wanted to make the point that for me, being with you isn't about fulfilling my fantasies or any of that other stuff you talked about back in the spring. It's about—"
"You made your point. Multiple times. Now, get inside me."
He nodded and said, "Yes, ma'am." Then, he wrapped his arms around me, lifting me off the table. "Which way to the bedroom?"
When I pointed, he quickly carried me down the hallway.
As soon as he placed me on the bed, he began to undress. He maintained eye contact with me the whole time. Then he moved toward me to peel off my dress and remove my bra.
"Damn. How is it possible that you're even more beautiful than I remembered?" Tenderly touching the side of my face, he said. "Missed you so much, nena." Then, he rolled in the direction of his pants to get a condom.
A moment later, he entered me. As he filled me, I moaned, and my eyes closed. For a few seconds, he remained still.
"Need your eyes, V."
Once I complied with his directive, he began to move—excruciatingly slowly. There was so much he was trying to say with his eyes. Some of those thoughts were immediately clear to me; others I would need to suss out in the coming days.
For months, there had been an ache inside me screaming for attention. Spending this time rediscovering each other was much needed. We hadn't had sex since before Valentine's Day. Now, my body felt at peace, completely sated.
After he had cleaned up, he returned to the bed. Watching as I yawned, he said, "Go to sleep, cariño." Then he pulled me close, tucking me into his side.
With my head on his chest, the beat of his heart was the last thing I heard before falling asleep.
A/N:
I pulled/adapted some dialogue from Piz and Veronica's conversation in #3.19 "Weevils Wobble But They Don't Go Down": from "Those weeks just flew by." to "It does."
The song on the radio in the retro diner: "Think of the Good Times" by Jay and the Americans (1965). (Amazing lead vocalist Jay Black, also heard on the song "Cara Mia," passed away last month.)
The song that Eli and Veronica danced to: "Todo Cambio" ("Everything Changed") by Camila. Camila's music has shown up a couple times in this series. Chapter 19 of Process (Along the Road – Part 2) = early May 2006 = Eli played Camila CD after Alterna-Prom. Chapter 14 of Commence (Along the Road – Part 3) = early January 2007 = They saw the movie Cansada de Besar Sapos (Tired of Kissing Frogs) which contains another Camila song, "Solo para ti" ("Only for You"), that is on the CD that Eli sent to V in this current chapter. I included the translation of a few lines.
[
Considering how the past year and a half has gone (around the world and in my little corner of it), I am hesitant to make promises about when the rest of this series will be posted. However, I have blocked out some time on my calendar this month (before the busyness of the holidays takes over) … which hopefully means that you should get a couple more chapters by the end of this year. Keep your fingers crossed that nothing messes with my plan.
ICYMI: About two months ago, I posted another one-shot pulled from my "Ideas" folder (Weevil's Secret Girlfriend).
Until next time …
~Jen
7 November 2021
nena = baby
cariño = sweetheart / darling
