This chapter feels like a filler as well, which is why it's shorter and was posted before Friday. There'll be another chapter soon!
"Is that a tattoo?!" Violet yanks at my top, almost revealing the breasts beneath it. I hold onto the collar and laugh.
"Yes, calm down!"
Eric smirks from the driver's seat, making a U-turn on the cul-de-sac near Violet's school.
"Are you getting another one? What does it say? Are those birds? Can I have one as well?"
"Violet, when we get out of the car, I'll show you," I say, putting on my seatbelt and looking ahead at the road. The girl does the same behind me, and I feel her staring out of the window of the car.
"Where are we going?" she says after a while, "Home is that way."
I imagine her pointing behind her shoulder as she says this. Eric glances at her through the mirror and steps on the gas, "We're going out for dinner."
"Oh… where?" the excitement in her voice is evident, even if she tries to conceal it. Eric and I exchange humorous looks.
"There's this forest themed bar I think," Violet leans in to listen, "We'll have dinner there and maybe go for a walk afterwards?"
"How was school?" Eric pipes in, using one muscular arm to stir the wheel while the other one focuses on changing the gears.
"It was fine," there is paper rustling near my shoulder, and I take it to have a read, "School trip."
I rest the letter on my lap and scan through it. My eyes widen slightly, "For three days?"
Eric glances at it too, clearly interested.
"And it's $300 dollars! To Ohio!"
"Oh, please, everyone is going!" she begs, grabbing the back of my seat, "we're supposed to meet Abby Lee Miller from Dance Moms! And Cathy."
I have another scan through the letter and it's then that I realize the trip is aimed at the dance group Violet is in, and which she attends every Friday.
"Why three days?" Eric asks.
"We're going to a dance competition… seeing everyone perform," she smiles, "It's supposed to inspire us to become these great dancers."
"And the deposit?" he asks. I look at him in disbelief.
"Wait, we haven't talked about it yet."
The pair of them create a tense silence in the cramped space, and I begin to feel like a party pooper.
"I mean, it's far away… in Ohio. And for three days?"
Eric makes a sharp turn and we stop at the traffic lights. He releases a big sigh before turning to face her, "You're allowed to go."
"Yes!"
"But you have to promise to behave."
"I will! I promise."
I furrow my eyebrows, shoving the letter into the glove compartment. I'm guessing I get no say in anything.
There is a buzz coming from Violet, creating a vibrant atmosphere all around. I decide not to say anything, in case I upset her somehow or make myself look like a complete grumpy bitch.
We arrive at a restaurant/bar shortly. I take Violet by the hand to find a table while Eric stays behind to look for a parking spot. She looks up at me, pointing to a secluded area near the window, "There."
"Oh, honey, I think that's reserved."
"Daddy will take care of it," she reassures me. I smirk and follow her to the table that looks like a massive tree stump. We sit opposite each other, receiving a concerned look from the nearest waiter. Soon enough, Eric shows up and slips him a few bills before joining us. He sits next to Violet.
They talk about school and the upcoming trip as I flip through the menu, deciding what to get. Most of the menu consists of venison, vegetables and some sort of organic drinks. I go with venison. Eric does too. And Violet chooses a mushroom dish from the kid's menu. We are both surprised.
"My teacher says mushrooms will make me smarter."
SHSHSHSHSHSHSH
"Got a photoshoot," Eric says casually, dropping a letter onto the bed. I look up at him and away from my laptop, in slight shock. He grins at my reaction, "What?" his hand goes behind his head to idly itch a patch of hair, "It's an annual thing. I was wondering if you wanted to come."
"When is it?" I shut my laptop, sitting on both legs.
"Next week," he leans down to peck my lips, "With Business Magazine. They'll be taking an interview as well."
My jaw almost hits the floor, "What the fuck?"
Eric raises an eyebrow.
"That's like a proper magazine. That you can buy and look at."
"You're insulting me," he smirks, taking the laptop off the bed and placing it onto his desk.
"No, I'm just…" I think back, trying to remember whether I've ever seen his face in other magazines, "You'll be famous."
He looks unfussed as he sighs, "Are you coming or not?"
"Yes!"
"Nobody reads the Business Magazine anyway- "
"But everyone knows about it," a wild idea hits me, "Can I invite Christina?"
He furrows his eyebrows, lifting a part of his shirt to itch his abs, "Why?"
"I think she'll be so excited," I place my hands into the praying position, "Please, please, please…"
He is hesitant at first, but my puppy eyes win him over.
"Oh, my God, I'll call her now," I try to run out of the room, but Eric scoops me up with one arm.
"Hey, calm down. It's just a photoshoot," he clarifies as if that will somehow downgrade my enthusiasm, "Most of them are boring."
"Oh, don't be such a downer," I poke his hip and jump out of the room, going straight for the phone.
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