DISCLAIMER: Characters of Veronica Mars, the canon events of their storylines, and recognizable dialogue belong to Rob Thomas.
A/N:
I hope your holiday season has been filled with light, joy, hope, and peace!
[
Occurs early August 2007 through early January 2008. This is Fall semester her sophomore year of college (studying abroad in Spain) and her Christmas break at home in Neptune.
This chapter begins the morning after Chapter 3 … while Veronica and Eli are still in D.C.
Chapter 4
As my eyes opened, I took in the room around me and remembered where I was. Then an arm tightened around my abdomen, reminding me that I was not alone.
Eli pulled my back to his chest and then placed a kiss behind my ear. "Good morning, Mia."
Mia. Hearing that, I sighed. It had been so long since he had called me that.
Having that come from his mouth while lying in his arms … my mind couldn't find words to describe how right that felt.
I left the bed long enough to use the bathroom. Then he did the same.
When he returned to the bed, he climbed in under the covers and pulled me on top of him. One hand on my hip, the other on the back of my head, he kissed me as if he needed me more than air.
After I broke the kiss, I asked him, "So … what would you like to do today?"
"I don't think I want to leave this bed. Need to reacquaint myself with every inch of your body."
A smile spread across my face. "You do remember that Sean will be back here around one o'clock, right?"
"So, we'll leave the bed long enough to have lunch with her." His hands roamed my bare skin as he said, "Then we come right back here."
"I'm not entirely opposed to that idea, but we can't do that the entire time you're here."
"We can't?" His mouth shifted into a crooked smile.
I never could resist that crooked smile of his. "We did talk about doing some sightseeing while you're here," I reminded him.
"Sightseeing? In D.C.? What a bizarre notion." He paused before adding, "You got any stuff here?"
"Yeah, we got some stuff."
"Alright. But I vote we stay in bed today … well, most of the day. Later tonight, we can talk about what we're gonna do the rest of the time I'm here."
He rolled me over, landing most of his body weight on me. Damn, I'd forgotten how much I missed that feeling. A day in bed with him … all I could say to that was: "Your plan sounds amazing."
In between kisses, he said, "Is there … any place in particular … you'd like me … to start?"
My mind went hazy. "Mmm … here's good."
"Here?" He kissed my neck. "Or here?" Then my collarbone. "Or here?" Then down my sternum to my abdomen. "What about here?"
"Yeah … mm-hmm."
He took his time with foreplay. That was a statement, not a complaint. Because … wow! The sensations were so intense; I lost track of time. I couldn't remember the last time I let go like that.
Just as I floated back into my body, he shifted and reached down to get a condom from his pants.
Pulling on his arm, I said, "Get back here. You don't need that."
"What?"
"If you're clean, then we're good."
With a look of confusion on his face, he asked, "What are you talking about?"
"I've been on the pill for months."
Now, he looked surprised. "Again, I say … What?" When I didn't respond, he asked, "Why didn't you say anything last night?"
Shrugging, I replied, "I didn't want to get into it. Can we talk about this later?"
"Gonna need at least a short explanation now."
I hurriedly said, "Doctor thought it might help my migraines. Which it did. Now, get inside me."
"Migraines?"
"That's what you got out of all that?"
"But your head … you're okay?"
"Yes."
"You're sure?"
"Seriously. Eli, please," I begged him.
"There's the magic word."
Then, he entered me slowly. He stared into my eyes for a moment, not moving.
"Eli …" The word came out on a sigh.
And then, he began to move.
Sex with Eli had always been good, but this? … This was different. I could see in his eyes that he felt it too.
After he came, he buried his face in my neck. When his breathing slowed, he whispered, "Mi vida." Only then did he slip out of me.
After cleaning up, we got back into bed. He pulled me into his side, my head resting on his chest. I began to process how different it had felt without a barrier between us. It wasn't just that the physical sensation was different. I felt like we were more connected emotionally – even spiritually.
[
We finally got out of bed around eleven. After having a late breakfast, we showered together, taking turns washing each other. While I ran my hands up and down his back, something caught my attention. My hands stilled. Apparently, he noticed.
He turned his head to look at me over his shoulder. "Mia?"
As I ran a fingertip around the new ink on his back, I said, "You … um, this is new."
Turning to face me, he wrapped his arms around me. "It was time."
Where it had once said Lilly, it now said Letty. And the red ink that had previously formed a heart was now a group of roses.
"Partially removed it but ended up having to cover over what was still visible."
"It's beautiful … but you know you didn't have—"
"Yeah, I did. Long past time."
I didn't know what to say to that. I knew where I stood with him. It didn't bother me that he still had the tattoo. But now that her name was gone, I had to admit … I was glad.
[
Shortly before Sean arrived, we were fully clothed. Finally.
While she started packing up her things, I ordered food from the Chinese restaurant down the block. When it was delivered, she took a break, and the three of us sat at the dining room table to eat.
"So, Eli, I've got a question for you," Sean said.
He finished chewing; then he laughed as he replied, "Just one?"
"Okay, I probably have more than one. But we'll start there."
"What would you like to know?"
She looked between the two of us, finally asking, "Why do you call her Mia?"
I was a bit surprised. I hadn't realized that he had called me that in front of her. But I can see why it would confuse her.
He had started calling me that the first time we had sex. We were at the B&B. That had been before Felix was killed, before the fake breakup and everything that followed. That felt like such a long time ago.
He explained to Sean that he had started using that nickname about six months after we started dating. "Not sure I remember everything I said that day, but I told her that my heart was hers— mi corazón es tuyo—and then said eres mía—you're mine. After that, I don't know. It just seemed right to call her that."
Sean considered what he had said before responding. "In a way, that's kinda sweet. Also kinda possessive. But I don't get that whole possessive asshole vibe off you."
"I'll admit that I can be possessive at times, but mostly … I'm protective of her." After a brief pause, he added, "And she owns me as much as I own her."
She nodded thoughtfully and then smiled. "Yeah, I can see that about you two." Then, pointing a finger at him, she said, "But she's my friend now, and that means I will protect her if necessary. You need to know that about me. Don't make me come after you."
Eli looked her straight in the eye. "Got it. But you should know, you're gonna have to stand in line behind other people who have made similar threats over the past couple years."
"Good. Then we're all on the same page." She nodded her head and took a bite of her eggroll.
[
A few hours later, she was gone, and we had the place to ourselves. Before she left, there were hugs and promises to keep in touch. The thing is … I honestly believed that she would keep in touch. And she was definitely a friend I wanted to have in my life for years to come.
As Eli had suggested, we spent most of the day in bed. In between rounds of amazing sex, we made our sightseeing plans. He listed off things he was interested in seeing—things he had heard about or seen in movies. Then we looked at a map and plotted out where things were. Finally, we whittled down the list to what we could reasonably fit in before we flew home on Tuesday, which meant we had three days.
The next two days went like this: Late nights followed by slow, lazy mornings. We would sightsee in the afternoon, start to make our way back to the apartment, stop somewhere for dinner, and then as soon as we got home, we would tear each other's clothes off.
Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
It was wonderful to have this time alone—away from friends and family—to get reacquainted. If I had previously been unsure about us, any remaining uncertainty fell away while I was in his arms. I could not imagine my life without him. I could not imagine another person's presence filling my heart with love or flooding my being with peace this way.
And even as those thoughts went through my head, I wondered how I would survive two semesters away from him.
[
[
On Monday morning, I texted Dad to make sure he still planned to pick us up at the airport the next day. He replied yes, but then asked if I had time to talk. So before we left the apartment for the day, I called my dad.
The reason he wanted to talk surprised me—and yet it didn't.
Apparently, he and Alicia had been talking about moving in together for a while now. Although they did not want to ignore my feelings or Wallace's, they were most concerned about Darrell since he still lived at home. Their initial plan was for Dad to move into the Fennel house—with the possibility of later picking out a new place together. When not staying in the dorm, Wallace agreed to bunk in with his younger brother, which would free up a room for me (or rather my things, since I'd be gone for almost a year).
Although these were the tentative plans, they wanted to have a "joint family meeting" within a day or two of my return. Dad and Alicia thought the three kids should have an opportunity to ask questions, voice concerns, and listen to each other.
As our call concluded, Dad said, "If all goes smoothly, we'd love it if you were able to have your things boxed up before you leave for Spain. I would plan to move in early October. Darrell can get into his school routine before that, but I'd be settled in well before the holidays."
It was a lot to take in. So, I didn't respond.
"Honey, you okay?"
"Yeah, it's just … well, a lot. But not completely unexpected. Trying to figure out how to get everything done before I leave."
"As long as you pack up the stuff you don't want someone else going through, I can handle the rest."
Even an hour after we had said our goodbyes, I felt the news spinning around in my brain. I considered calling Wallace, but I decided to wait until after I had had time to process.
In the midst of my swirling thoughts, Eli volunteered to store my things at his place if there wasn't room at the Fennel house. That spun my head too. Not exactly like he asked me to move in with him, but still … I wasn't sure how I felt about that … on top of what Dad had said on the phone.
[
That evening, Eli insisted that we get dressed up and go to a nice restaurant. It wasn't until we were on our way to the restaurant that he told me he intended this to be my birthday celebration since my time would be limited once we got back to Neptune.
When we finished our dinner, the waitress brought out a dessert that Eli had secretly ordered for me. They didn't have cake on their dessert menu, but the chocolate cheesecake was a delicious substitute for birthday cake.
After we left the restaurant, we walked through a shopping area until we reached a park where a classic movie was being shown on the side of a building. We watched for a while and then walked back down the street, doing some window shopping along the way.
As I stood looking at some beautiful pottery pieces, Eli stepped up against my back. I could see his reflection in the window, and I could feel what his eyes were saying before he spoke.
"Mia … your perfume … this dress … watching you eat … everything about this night …" He sighed and then kissed my earlobe. "I need you … naked … now."
Laughing, I said, "Can you at least wait until we get back to the apartment to tear my clothes off?"
"I'll try, but no promises."
[
[
Even though we had been up late the night before, I woke up early. After getting a cup of tea, I returned to the bedroom, sitting on a chair in the corner. I watched Eli sleep for about an hour. There were so many thoughts flying around in my head, and none of them seemed ready to land.
Finally, he stirred, reaching out for me. When he found the other side of the bed empty, he opened his eyes, finding mine across the room.
Stretching out his hand, he said, "Come here, mi vida."
I set down my empty mug and walked over to him.
As I curled into his side, he hummed contentedly. "Mmm. Love waking up with you, Mia. Don't like it when your side of the bed is empty." After a few minutes of silence, he said, "I know your mind is busy with everything you and your dad talked about yesterday. But can you handle another semi-serious conversation?"
Lifting my head to look into his eyes, I said, "That sounds a bit ominous."
He rubbed his hands over his face and head; then, he put his bent arm under his head. "I was gonna wait until we got back to Neptune … but it sounds like you're not gonna have much free time the next couple weeks."
"Okay … go ahead."
"I hesitate to use the phrase 'define the relationship' … but there's not really a better way to say it. I just want to be clear where we stand before you get on a plane headed for Spain."
A light laugh escaped my lips. "I thought I made things pretty clear the past few days." Watching his face, I realized that quip was not going to satisfy him. "You need the words?"
"Yeah, I do. I think you do too. I don't want any miscommunication."
"Obviously, we're together."
"Officially?"
"You think we would have spent so much time naked the past few days if I didn't consider this official?"
"Just want to make sure there are no misunderstandings. I don't want to leave anything unsaid."
"How about you tell me what you want, what you're thinking."
"I think you know what I want, Mia. I want us to do everything we possibly can to make this relationship work long-distance … until we're both living in the same place again. Wherever and whenever that is."
I didn't have words to respond to that, so I kissed him. There were times it was easier for us to communicate without words.
But apparently, he wanted words. Hesitantly, he asked, "Mia … is that what you want?"
"I'm not sure what all that means—or will mean or how we exactly do that—but yes, I want this with you."
Visibly relaxing, he sighed and pressed his forehead to mine. Then he whispered, "Thank God."
He walked over to his suitcase to get something. Returning to the bed, he placed a small box between us.
My first thought was: it's not a ring box. Still probably jewelry, but not a ring.
I picked it up, wondering how much this gift was connected to the conversation we'd just had. Then, I opened the box to find a silver cuff bracelet.
As I started to put it on, I said, "Thank—"
He interrupted, "I had it engraved."
Turning it, I read these words: Mi corazón es tuyo.
"My heart is yours, too." Meeting his gaze, I put the bracelet on my wrist. "Thank you, Eli."
"Wish we could have celebrated on the actual day … but happy birthday, Mia."
A few hours later, we were all packed up and ready to leave. He held my left hand the entire drive to the airport. I'm not sure if he was conscious of it, but he kept playing with the ruby ring on my hand.
[
[
The flight went by quickly, and before I knew it, the plane had touched down on the runway. We pulled our bags from the overhead compartment. I texted Dad to tell him that we had landed. We got off the plane, made our way to baggage claim, and met up with Dad.
We dropped Eli off at his place before stopping to pick up dinner at Mama Leone's. It was clear that Dad intended this night to be daddy-daughter time. And I was completely okay with that. I had missed him more than I realized.
It was gonna be a long school year.
[
[
The next morning, I woke to a text notification.
Eli: Don't like waking up alone. Wish you were here.
My reply: My bed feels empty too.
As soon as the message sent, my phone rang.
"Good morning, Mia."
"Morning, yes. Good? Jury's still out."
"Why is that?"
"Family meeting later today."
"Ah. So when will I see you?"
"Not sure. I should probably get started on packing—for Spain and for the move. I need to see how big a job it's gonna be. Then I'll have a better idea how much free time I'll have the next couple weeks."
"I'd love it if we had time to go to the B&B, but I'll settle for you sleeping over here a couple nights."
"The B&B. Yeah, that would be nice. I'll get back to you on that. But I think I can promise at least one night at your place before I leave."
"Just one?"
"I said at least one night. Which also leaves the possibility of daytime hours."
"I like the sound of that."
[
After I got off the phone with Eli, I texted Wallace. I figured he and I should talk before getting together with everyone else. He was pretty much where I was with all of it—surprised, but not.
"You and your dad have felt like family for a while now. I guess it won't be too weird to have us all under one roof."
"Well, really, you'll just have Dad … and all my boxes."
"Yeah. My room—well, my old room—will basically be your storage unit until you get back. Hope you don't mind if I occasionally use the bed while you're gone."
"Not at all—considering that you're giving up your space to make room for me."
"So, I'll see you and your dad in a few hours?"
"Yeah, just wanted to talk to you one-on-one before then."
[
That afternoon, the family meeting was held at the Fennel house. Even Backup was in attendance. He seemed perfectly at home—food and water dishes in the kitchen, a doggie bed in the living room corner, and a few toys strewn about. When Darrell gave him commands, he obeyed almost as well as he would for me or Dad. Clearly, Backup had been spending a lot of time with the Fennels.
The meeting went smoothly. The result: The plans Dad had laid out would move forward—which meant that I had lots of packing to do. Wallace had already started to move his things into the room he would share with Darrell. Alicia asked if I wanted Wallace to remove posters and awards from the walls, but I said that wasn't necessary. At least not right now, since I would be leaving soon.
Alicia gave me a formal tour of the house, showing me where linens and other items were kept; she wanted me to feel at home. Strangely enough, I kind of did. Still, it was weird to think that this was the house I would "come home to" for Christmas.
We transitioned from the tour of the house into family dinner time. Collectively, we prepared the meal and set the table. Gathering around the dining room table to break bread together, I realized something: Somewhere along the way, this had become my family. I had "adopted" Wallace as my brother long before my dad started dating Alicia. But Dad and I had both chosen these people as family. I certainly had a lot to be thankful for.
[
After dinner, I thought that Dad and I were headed home. But he insisted on some daddy-daughter time. This night, it was in the form of surveillance. He didn't really need me there, but he wanted the company. And I couldn't say no to him.
As he watched through the lens, we joked about how he would describe tonight's events in his report to the client.
I suggested this: "Mutual oral explorations confined to areas about the face."
After he finished laughing, his response was: "You just might have a future in the biz."
[
[
The next couple days, I didn't see much of Eli. He was busy catching up on things at work, and I was sorting through my room. My belongings went into three categories: things I was getting rid of (which went straight into garbage bags), stuff I was keeping (which got packed into boxes), and things I would be taking with me to Spain (which went into my suitcases).
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At the beginning of my last full week at home, I had scheduled a meeting with my academic advisor at Hearst to talk about my plans for junior year, after I returned from Spain. We had an open, honest talk about the fact that I wasn't sure I would be comfortable coming back to Hearst. I would need to wait and see if the unwanted attention related to the video faded away or not.
My advisor said she would be happy to help me investigate possible options. Before I left her office, we scheduled another meeting for when I would be home during Winter Break.
[
Eli came over to the apartment that night to see how my meeting went. We talked while I continued to sort and pack.
We took a break to watch TV and have a snack. As we sat on the couch, he held my left hand, playing with the ruby ring the same way he had in the car when we were leaving D.C.
I didn't say anything. I wasn't sure he noticed he was doing it.
But then he lifted my hand to his lips and said, "I like seeing this on you."
When we returned to the piles in my room, he again offered to store my stuff at his place, saying, "There's plenty of room in my apartment. Plus, there are secure storage areas in the building."
For a moment, I avoided eye contact.
"Mia?"
Without looking up, I said, "That might be moving a bit fast."
"For your dad? Or for you?"
He had given me an out, and I took it. "My dad. Not sure he'd like the idea. To him, it would probably look like we were moving in together—no matter how much I might insist that it was just because you have more storage space."
[
[
That weekend, I stayed at Eli's place. He had requested that I bring Backup because he missed spending time with him. Eli even joked about talking to my dad about visitation rights or dog sitting when Dad and Alicia went out on dates. Between Eli's apartment and shop, the B&B at the beach, and the Fennel house, Backup was definitely living his best doggie life; he had more homes than most humans.
Although Eli still had some work to do on his apartment, he had gotten a lot done on the renovations while I was away over the summer. He had put in new flooring and lighting. And he had built out the kitchen—complete with beautiful counters and appliances. He had chosen to leave most of the brick walls exposed. Next up: expand and update the bathroom and build a wall dividing the sleeping area from the rest of the space. He hoped to have that completed by the time I came home at Christmas.
"That's a pretty ambitious goal, don't you think?"
"With you away, I'm gonna need something to keep me busy when I'm not working. Otherwise, I'll spend all my time thinking about you."
"Are you saying that if you stay busy, you won't think about me at all?" I was teasing, and he knew it.
He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to his chest. "Mia, thoughts of you will occupy every square inch of my brain—waking and sleeping—the entire time you are gone."
"Just checking."
After giving me a quick kiss, he assured me, "No need to check. You own me, Mia. Heart and mind, body and soul."
[
[
Mac and Wallace planned my goodbye bash, hosted at the Sinclairs' house. They had it two nights before my flight. I spent that night at Eli's apartment.
Then my last night in Neptune was at home with my father. There had been a lot going on; it was nice to slow down for an evening of daddy-daughter time. Dad had set aside this night to acknowledge my birthday in the midst of the busyness—internship, packing for Spain, moving into the Fennel house. It was nice to know he hadn't forgotten about it.
The morning of my flight Eli came to our apartment to say goodbye. While Dad packed the car, Eli and I just held one another while lying on my bed. Looking at the clock, our last minutes together dwindling away, I sang these lines to him:
"I'll be home for Christmas. You can count on me."
Eli replied: "I can't promise we'll have snow, but I can probably guarantee mistletoe."
We walked down to the parking lot, and he kissed me one last time before getting me settled in the car.
As Dad started to pull out of the parking space, I looked over where Eli sat on his motorcycle. I watched as he wiped his eyes with the heels of his hands and then covered them with sunglasses. That just about did me in. I hadn't cried before that moment. Then, everything came crashing in at once, and I started to bawl.
Dad reached into his shirt pocket and handed me a travel packet of tissues. "I thought you might need these."
Taking them from him, I said, "Are you sure you don't need these for later?"
"I've got another pack for myself."
[
By the time Dad and I said our goodbyes, I was out of tears. But it was still hard to walk away from him. Leaving for the FBI internship had been a practice run. But that didn't make this any less difficult.
Sitting on the plane waiting to take off, I replied to texts from Sean, Mac, Wallace, Alicia, and Eli.
Staring at Eli's name on my phone screen, I realized that two weeks hadn't been nearly enough time with him. I also finally admitted to myself that I was nervous about trying to do a long-distance relationship. Although we kept saying it was for one school year, we both knew there was a good chance that it would be longer.
But what was the alternative to the long-distance thing? I loved him, and I couldn't imagine my life without him in it. So, I played the hand I had been dealt.
And I would also try to enjoy the new experiences I would have in Spain.
[
When I had responded to Sean's goodbye text, I mentioned how hard it was to say goodbye to Eli. Her reply involved the old adage, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder."
So, I had the song "Along the Road" playing in my head for much of the flight.
Along the road, your path may wander
A pilgrim's faith may fail
Absence makes the heart grow fonder
Darkness obscures the trail
The words rolled over in my mind. I spent a lot of time pondering the lyrics. Would this year apart make our love stronger?
As I drifted in and out of sleep, this question—and many others—swirled around inside me. But by the time the plane landed, I still had all the same questions without any answers.
[
[
I had a week to settle in before the semester started. Immediately, my host family had a long list of places and people they wanted to introduce me to. They did give me the option to say no, but I could tell they would have been disappointed if I had just wanted to stay home.
They were terrific, and I enjoyed spending time with all of them. The husband and wife, Diego and Maria Velasco, had a great relationship—not just on the surface; I could see it when I would catch them in private moments. Their son, Javier, had graduated from college the year before. One of their daughters, Bethania, who they called Ania, was a year older than me and was a student at the University of Seville, where I would be attending classes. The younger daughter, Zoraida, who they called Zora, was in high school.
Zora moved into Ania's bedroom so that I could have my own room. I told them that wasn't necessary, but the entire family insisted.
No matter how many questions I asked, it was never clear to me what Javier did for a living. He would travel a week or two at a time, and then he would be at their house for at least a week in between projects before leaving again. Although I did not get to know him as well as the rest of the family, I still saw quite a bit of him.
[
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I took the minimum number of credits to be considered a full-time student. I thought about taking additional credits but decided that I would rather use that time to explore the city and experience the culture.
As an international student, I had the option to take classes taught in English with other international students. But I also took some courses taught in Spanish, which provided an opportunity to practice my language skills. After all, part of the purpose for this year abroad was cultural immersion. And although I got lots of that living with a host family, I enjoyed getting to know new people.
My art history course focused on Spanish works of art and included field trips to museums in the region. I also took a course about the history of Spain from 1900 to the present. Other than that, my schedule was filled with standard core classes that would fulfill elective requirements for my degree.
When I mentioned that I loved watching flamenco dancers, my host family encouraged me to learn, and they found a local teacher who offered a class for beginners. That took up one evening each week. On other weekday evenings, I would spend in the kitchen with my host mother, Maria, learning her recipes and cooking techniques.
They would eat dinner late in the evening. It was a smaller meal than they had at lunchtime, which was a longer midday break than Americans generally take.
There were many cultural differences, and I was happy to soak it all up.
[
[
The first couple of months I was there, Javier—who went by Javi outside their family home—flirted with me a lot. Mucho flirteo. He tried to use the Vegas argument, saying, "What happens in Spain, stays in Spain." He teased that he didn't think I actually had a boyfriend. I considered introducing him to Eli during one of our video calls, but Javi was … in a word: hot. Muy guapo. So, I decided it was a bad idea to introduce them. Because although it might get Javi to stop his teasing and flirting, it would do no good whatsoever for Eli to see Javi, who slept just down the hall from me when he was at home between business trips.
Being away from Eli was more difficult than I could have anticipated. This study abroad opportunity was an incredible experience, for which I was grateful on a daily basis. But I missed him terribly, especially when one of us had to cancel our scheduled calls.
When we were able to talk, I was glad that I had a room all to myself. We didn't exactly have phone sex. However, there were more than a few times when our conversation got so explicit that I had to take a shower immediately after ending the call. I can only hope that the sound of the water covered up any sounds I made.
[
[
I was able to keep up with all the happenings at Hearst—or at least the ones I wanted to—via social media. MySpace had some new competition as I finished high school and started college. Most of my friends had jumped over to Facebook, and Mac insisted that I create an account. Even when I didn't feel like chatting with folks from back home or posting anything of my own, I could look at their pictures and read their posts—including Sean. In a way, it was nice to know what was going on with everyone, but it also made me a bit homesick. Not for Hearst or even Neptune. But I definitely missed my friends.
[
[
When the calendar turned to November, and everyone from home was talking about their plans for Thanksgiving, I started to crave turkey and stuffing. I asked my host mom if she would mind me taking over her kitchen for a whole day the weekend before Thanksgiving. With some help from Ania and Zora, I made the full traditional holiday meal, including pies. They all complimented my cooking and thanked me for introducing them to these traditional American foods. Hearing that was just icing on the cake. The best part was getting a little taste of home … even though I couldn't be there with family and friends.
On Thanksgiving Day, I spent several hours on my computer. There was one video call with my dad and the Fennels, one with the Navarro family, and a separate call with just Eli.
[
[
Throughout that first semester, I would catch myself enjoying the comparatively slow pace of my life abroad. I just got to be a student, which gave me time to enjoy the sights and culture—including weekend trips to Madrid and Barcelona, even Lisbon. My host family started to talk about options for travel in the spring: Morocco, Paris, and more. I began to realize that as much as I had enjoyed the adrenaline rush of being a P.I., I did not actually need to work cases to experience that rush.
The last week of classes, I worked on a project with Sally, another American student in Seville for the year. As we worked, we chatted more than we had earlier in the semester. I found out that she attended a small private college in Virginia, somewhere in the area Sean and I had driven through on our way back to D.C. after our weekend with her family in West Virginia.
One semester away from Hearst was enough for me to know I didn't want to go back. From what Mac and Wallace had told me, people still made comments to Piz about the video. But the words that would be said to me would be much worse. Why would I subject myself to that?
I wasn't sure where I would end up, but the way Sally described Sweet Briar College, it sounded idyllic. I remembered how I had felt driving through those mountains, how beautiful the landscape had been. After practically interrogating Sally about Sweet Briar, I put it on a mental list of schools to consider if I did decide to transfer.
As I prepared for final exams, I found myself looking forward to going home. It was a strange sensation. Neptune was still Neptune, but I needed to see my family and friends.
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During the weekend before finals, I managed to find more than fifteen minutes for a call with Eli. I couldn't wait to see him in person. Video calls were better than nothing—and honestly, I don't know how people did long-distance relationships before video calls. Or cell phones and texting, for that matter. I have difficulty imagining the "dark ages" before email and answering machines. I can't fathom a time when people only communicated via landline phone calls and handwritten correspondence.
That Saturday, Eli and I talked for about an hour. He was on his lunch break, and I had just finished dinner with my host family. Almost immediately, he started talking about Christmas gifts. Ugh! I had so much to do when I got finished with my exams. In addition to packing for my trip home, I still had some shopping to do.
"So, I was thinking, Mia." He seemed hesitant to continue. Finally, he said, "Remember last Christmas … I kinda—but not really—joked that I had been thinking about paying for you to get a tattoo?"
"Yeah … Why bring that up now?"
"You seemed interested at the time. Wondering if you still are."
"Yeah. In theory." I wondered where he was headed with this.
Then, he proceeded to fumble his way around an explanation: He liked seeing the ring on my hand, but he had a strong desire to mark his territory. In ink.
"What if I want to mark my territory too?" I asked.
"What did you have in mind?"
"Matching tattoos?"
By the time we ended the call, we had agreed to get rings tattooed on our right hands. Because my left hand should be left open for other rings—like an engagement ring and a wedding band. He didn't come right out and say that, of course, but it was strongly implied.
As we were saying our goodbyes, he said. "I'll make the appointments. All you have to do is show up."
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When my plane landed at San Diego International Airport, I wasn't sure who would be picking me up. Eli had wanted to, but he had to finish up work on a custom bike for one of his best customers. Dad had to go out of town on business and wasn't sure if he would be back in time.
As I waited at baggage claim for my suitcase to appear, my phone buzzed. A text from Wallace let me know that he was at the airport to pick me up. Although I would have been thrilled to see Eli or Dad, I smiled at the thought that I would get some one-on-one time with my BFF, who might be my stepbrother sometime in the future.
During the drive to his house—our house—he got me up to speed on all the recent happenings among our friends and family. It was a little strange when he pulled into the driveway and said, "Home sweet home."
He helped me take my bags up to my new room. His old closet was now full of my clothes. Boxes of my things lined the walls—which were still covered with his posters, certificates, pennants, and other memorabilia.
"The linens are fresh from the laundry. Darrell and I made space for your things in the bathroom. And I made sure that my mom bought all your favorite foods."
He watched me as I took in my surroundings. The house was familiar, as were my clothes and other belongings. But the feelings I was experiencing were completely unfamiliar.
For such a long time, "home" meant just me and Dad in a small apartment. Now, we were in a house again. And I had gained two brothers in the process.
"Veronica? You okay?"
Giving Wallace a reassuring smile, I said, "Yeah. Just getting my bearings."
"Well, make yourself at home. In case you need to go anywhere … your car is in the garage. The keys are on a hook in the kitchen."
"Thanks." I turned to look at him. "You know … it's not as strange as I thought it would be … coming home to this house." I had prepared myself for it to be monumentally weird.
"I'm glad to hear it. Our parents will be too. Be warned: my mom will go overboard while you're here. She would only let us put lights on the tree until you got here to help put ornaments on. She wants to make sure that there are some of ours and some of yours."
And with that, he left me alone to get settled.
I texted Eli to let him know that I was home and asked him when he would be finished with work.
He called about an hour later to tell me, "You have dinner plans with me."
When I said I'd have to check to see if there were plans for a family dinner, he said he'd already checked with my dad.
"I get you for an early dinner. Then when you get home, he said you'd be decorating the tree as a family—as long as you weren't too tired."
There was a time I might have been upset at other people making my plans for me, but after traveling, I was glad not to have to make any decisions. "What should I wear?"
"Wear whatever you like. Comfy clothes are fine. Easy access is even better."
That made me laugh. "Where are you taking me?"
"Mi casa."
"Is that a new restaurant?"
"No, I figured we'd order food and stay in. I need you to myself." When I didn't respond, he asked, "Is that okay?"
"Actually, that's perfect."
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About an hour later, Eli showed up at the front door. Darrell answered it. I could hear them talking, and then Backup decided to greet him as well. When I came down the stairs, Eli turned to look at me. I had on a new dress. It had a long flowing skirt, belted at the waist, and hung off one shoulder.
I watched as Eli swallowed slowly. Apparently, he liked what he saw.
When I greeted Eli with a kiss, Darrell groaned and left the room.
"You should really warn a guy. Damn, girl. You look incredible." Lowering his voice, Eli continued, "And this would definitely qualify as easy access."
While he drove across town, he had me call in our food order. A few minutes after we picked it up, we pulled up to his building. He had told me about the work he had been doing on his apartment. He had even sent me a few pictures. But seeing it in person was a completely different thing.
There was now a wall between the sleeping area and the rest of the second floor. There was a large opening where he would eventually put a set of doors to separate that area fully.
He had expanded the bathroom and seemed to have spared no expense in doing so. The fixtures, the counter, the shower—everything was gorgeous.
I noticed a few new pieces of furniture. When I mentioned it, he told me that he still needed to buy a few things and wanted my input. "Are you up for a shopping trip?"
"Not in the next few days. But sure, we can do that while I'm home."
After eating dinner, we moved to the couch and curled up in front of the TV. I couldn't tell you what he put on—partly because I didn't pay attention, partly because I fell asleep shortly after we sat down.
"Mia … time to wake up." He nudged me. "I've gotta get you home. Don't want your dad pissed at me your first day back."
"But I like it right here."
"I agree, it's a comfortable couch, but—"
"Not the couch." I moved my hand to his chest. "Right here. With you."
When I lifted my head, the look in his eyes said everything. It was no surprise when he pulled me into his lap. As he kissed me senseless, his hands found their way under the skirt of my dress. In minutes, I was falling apart around his fingers.
He lifted me and started to carry me to his bed. But my ringing phone stopped him in his tracks.
"You should check that. Could be your dad."
And it was. "Hey, Dad."
"Hey, sweetie. Just wondered when you'll be heading this way."
Eli spoke loudly enough for my dad to hear him. "We're about to walk out the door now."
"Great. See you soon, honey."
After I ended the call, I studied Eli's eyes. "You sure?"
"Yep. Let's get you home. But please wear this again. Soon."
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That night, we decorated the tree together. My father did his annual ranting about making sure that his Padres ornaments were evenly distributed on the tree. Alicia found this hysterical. She also enjoyed hearing the stories that went with our ornaments, particularly the handmade ones—some of which were strikingly similar to Wallace's and Darrell's.
While decorating, we listened to Christmas music, drank hot cocoa, and ate cookies. And I had to admit, Alicia could bake. It made me look forward to spending some time with her in the kitchen.
In the past few months, I had done a lot of cooking with my host mom, Maria. It made me realize how much I missed cooking with my mother. Now, I would have the opportunity to share a kitchen with Alicia.
There was a time that the thought of sharing my dad with someone was upsetting to me. But seeing the look of joy on his face as he handed another baseball ornament to her and hearing the laughter that came from her lips as she listened to his directions about where the diamond-shaped ornament should go—well, all I could say was: This felt more wonderful than any family holiday celebration I could have imagined.
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In my short time home, I was able to confirm that the "sex tape" still hadn't blown over. Considering that, I would not be comfortable coming back to Hearst anytime soon.
Thankfully, I had scheduled an appointment with my advisor. We discussed my options. She understood why I would consider transferring, but she still did her duty as an employee of Hearst, expressing that she would be sad to see "a student like me" leave the college and asking if there was anything she could do that would make me comfortable returning. I left the door open because I hadn't entirely made up my mind. However, most of our discussion centered around transferring next year, probably to Sweet Briar College in Virginia.
Visiting Virginia and West Virginia during my summer internship, I had the opportunity to see that part of the country. I had felt safe nestled among those mountains. Although I had not set foot on Sweet Briar's campus, I could remember what that region was like. And from the photos on their website, the campus was as idyllic as Sally had said it was.
While I was in the office, Selma Hearst Rose dropped in. She immediately recognized me—I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. But when she found out that I was considering going to Sweet Briar College, she offered to contact some friends of hers who were in administration and on the board at SBC.
By the time I left, my advisor had helped me begin the paperwork necessary to transfer next fall semester. As I drove home, it started to sink in that I would be attending another college—likely Sweet Briar—for my junior and senior years.
Obviously, Eli and I would need to have a conversation at some point. But I was certain that this would not come as a surprise to him. I mean, he had brought up the possibility multiple times, and we had talked around it for the past several months. Still, this conversation would make it real.
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That evening, he invited me over for dinner. We cooked together while telling each other about our days. He was much more interested in hearing about my day—in fact, it was the reason he wanted to eat in the privacy of his apartment. He knew that I had a meeting with my advisor earlier in the day. And although he didn't know the details, he knew it could affect the next couple of years. I was glad that he suggested we cook rather than order food; it gave me something to do with my hands while we talked.
As I expected, he was not surprised, but the evening took on a heavy quality as soon as I said that the paperwork had been started.
"Nothing is set in stone. Just that if I'm going to transfer, I need to start the process. And that's easier to do while I'm here." I couldn't look up at him as I said this. I kept my focus on what I was doing—transferring food to a serving dish.
He came up behind me, wrapping an arm around my waist and placing a kiss on the side of my neck. "I get it, Mia. Not gonna lie … not thrilled about spending more time apart. But I already told you … I knew this was a possibility."
We stood like that for a moment. Many unspoken—and previously spoken—words hung between us.
Finally, I said, "Do we need to talk about it?"
"You mean hash out the options? List the pros and cons?"
I turned around in his arms—searching his eyes, waiting for him to say more.
"Veronica. We can talk it through if you want. But ultimately, it's your decision."
We put a pin in the conversation and moved the food to the table. We ate in silence, other than the music he put on. As we finished eating, he stood and reached for my hand. He helped me to my feet and took me in his arms. There were a few slow songs in a row, and he seemed content to continue holding me. I decided to let him lead—not just the dancing but the direction of the evening.
A short time later, he carried me to his bed. For what seemed like hours, he made love to me; it was slow and sensual. All the words he was holding back, I felt them all the way down to my toes.
As he held me afterward, he joined his right hand with mine.
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The next morning while we were still in bed, he brought up our previous discussion of getting matching tattoos and confirmed that he had made appointments for us. While he was talking, his tone of voice conveyed as much as his words. This wasn't just something he wanted to do; he needed this. He needed there to be a reminder of our commitment in indelible ink.
Later that day, we each got a band tattooed on our right hand middle fingers—a pair of interwoven lines that looked like a series of infinity symbols. Then, he took me shopping for a wide silver band that would cover the ink when I didn't want it visible.
When I asked him if he would be wearing a ring over his, he said, "Hell no."
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During the week leading up to Christmas, Wallace spent all his time with the Mars-Fennel family. The following week, however, he would spend much of his time with Jackie and her son, Thommie, who would be visiting her dad. This meant that most of our family events would happen before she arrived.
As Christmas approached, I had to split my time between multiple homes, multiple families. Dad was insistent that I spend Christmas with him. So Eli claimed Christmas Eve.
Bri and Ben hosted the entire Navarro family at the B&B. After dinner, everyone opened gifts. Then, the kids went to bed, and most of the adults went to midnight mass while a few of them stayed behind to assemble gifts for the little ones.
Most of the gifts I gave to friends and family were either prints of photos I had taken during my first semester in Spain or gifts I had picked up during my weekend excursions. Although my Spanish was pretty good before I left, a couple of Eli's relatives commented that it had improved during the past few months. While that was probably true (and nice to hear), I noticed that I had to make adjustments, just as I had when I first arrived in Spain—since Castilian Spanish is slightly different.
After attending mass, Eli and I said our goodbyes to Letty and the others who were still awake. Then, we made the drive back to Neptune. My dad had suggested that Eli stay on the couch so he would be at our house for breakfast. So I wasn't surprised to find sheets, a pillow, and a blanket waiting for him on the couch.
As we shared a heated goodnight kiss, I wished we had gone over to his place. Finally, I said, "Goodnight, Eli." Then, I snuck up the stairs, trying not to wake anyone.
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The next morning, Dad and Alicia made a huge breakfast. They insisted that we eat before opening presents. Darrell inhaled his food and tried to clear the table before the rest of us were finished. It was fun to be around that level of kid energy on Christmas.
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were both wonderful—different, but equally delightful. It would be difficult to return to Spain. Although I would not miss Neptune, I would miss these people so much.
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A few days before I was scheduled to board a plane, Mac hosted a party at the Sinclairs' house. In addition to being a New Year's Eve party, it felt a lot like the goodbye bash before I had left in August. Although Mac and Wallace didn't ask, I'm pretty sure they suspected that I would not be returning to Hearst. And as I sat enjoying the company of my friends, I realized that there would probably be at least one more goodbye party in my future.
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When I had told Dad that I would probably be transferring, he had asked how Eli had taken the news.
"About as well as you might expect. But he didn't try to talk me out of it," I had replied.
"Smart man." After that, he had suggested that Eli should be the one to take me to the airport this time.
When Eli arrived at the house that day, he took my bags to the car while I said goodbye to Dad and the Fennels.
Since we left a little early, we had some extra time. So, Eli drove us to the beach. As I sat there watching the waves going in and out, we talked.
"Mia, you know I never want to be apart from you, but ..." He brought our right hands together, putting our tattoos side by side. "When the time is right, we'll be together in the same place again."
Something about the look in his eyes and the sound of his voice as he said that got me all choked up. All I could do was nod and give him a weak smile. Words wouldn't come, and I didn't trust my voice.
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The goodbye kiss at the airport was smoking hot. Hours later, I could still feel his lips on mine. Part of me wished that I had changed my flight and stayed a few extra days. But the new semester started in less than a week, and I needed to get back.
In the middle of the flight, I awoke from a dream:
It was Christmas morning. I was in bed with Eli, but I didn't recognize the room. He woke up and started kissing down my neck, seeming intent on continuing down my body. Just then, the door opened, and two kids came running in. They bounced on the bed, asking if it was time to open gifts. The boy, who had blonde hair, looked about five or six years old. The girl was around three and had dark curly hair. Eli scooped them up, telling them, "Let's go eat breakfast while Mommy gets a little more sleep." Looking at me, he said, "I'll start the coffee. Take your time."
A/N:
I borrowed some dialogue from the 1995 movie Forget Paris ("Sightseeing? What a bizarre notion. You got any stuff here?" "Yeah, we got some stuff.").
Veronica's description during surveillance with her dad ("Mutual oral explorations confined to areas about the face.") is a line from Moonlighting #3.12 "Sam & Dave" (1987).
During their goodbyes in Veronica's apartment before she leaves for the airport in August … lyrics from "I'll Be Home for Christmas" (1943).
On the flight to Spain in August … lyrics from "Along the Road" by Dan Fogelberg (1979).
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Hope to have another chapter for you in about a month.
Until next time …
~Jen
29 December 2021
Mia = mine (as nickname / term of endearment)
mi vida = my life (term of endearment)
mi corazón es tuyo = my heart is yours
eres mía = you're mine
mucho flirteo = a lot of flirting
muy guapo = very handsome
