AN: youtube(dot)com/watch?v=yhxmPrQ3Q0s Change out the phrase (dot) for the symbol; add www. to the beginning of the string. youtube(dot)com/watch?v=yhxmPrQ3Q0s
You are warned—very mature content. Skip this chapter if you are not interested.
CH owns all rights to her characters. They do a lot of talking in this chapter. Multiple POV.
Mariaterese had kindly reviewed and corrected my errors. Thank you!
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Woodside c. 1979 Part VI
P1.
Sookie drove slowly, heading the car into the open garage door that Sven had thoughtfully taken care to ready for her.
It was dark, but then she and he often stayed up late. She was certain he would wish to speak with her about Eric. She could almost feel him, waiting inside the house. What would she say?
Yes, the lights were on in various rooms, signaling he was still roaming around. She crossed the courtyard, resolved again to begin telling the truth.
"Where are you, husband?" She called out to him in a cheery voice. Faintly, the sounds of Vivaldi's The Four Seasons drifted down from their bedroom. It sounded as though 'Summer' was just starting on the stereo in their room. Did he just put it on when he heard her drive up?
"Upstairs, my wife. Join me. Lock up and turn out the lights downstairs first."
She swiftly did as she was told, then climbed the stairs to find him in a long ebony silk robe with quilting on the sleeves, sitting propped up on their bed with the covers neatly turned down as he preferred. She crossed to him directly, irrationally glad to see he was behaving so normally.
"How was Eric when you left?"
"Drowsy. No more visitors for the evening. He needs to rest. They'll release him tomorrow. He's off the pain meds. I'm not sure where he'll stay. Did he tell you about it all? About him and Selah separating?" She was uncertain now, but had removed her blouse, kicked off her shoes and was now on her side on their bed, her arms wrapped around him and her leg thrown over his knees. He was stiff in her embrace and had made no movement to kiss her or return the embrace.
Without turning his head, or moving his mouth much as he spoke, he said: "I've made arrangements for him to stay with you and me, for as long he likes." She felt a cool breeze drift up her back. Eric? In the house with the two of them? Indefinitely?
"Why would you do that?"
"Do you truly object?"
It was impossible to answer that question without a lot of time to sift through all her conflicting emotions. Yes, she wanted to see him again. No, she did not wish to continue to risk harming her marriage to Sven. Yes, it would be agreeable to have him safe with them. No, she wasn't sure how Sven would really react to Eric, who might not be able to mask his desires. Yes….oh, it was just so very screwed-up.
"I didn't think so." His tone was clipped and he continued to face straight ahead, still not touching her. Her normally sensual, tactile-oriented husband was holding himself as aloof as he could.
"Should we be having this conversation in bed? You don't seem very happy."
His voice broke as he answered. "I don't want to fight with you two any more. I cannot stand it. I don't want us brutalizing each other."
"You and I are so not fighting, and if we were, it would not be over Eric."
"He is your former lover. Or maybe after today, not so former."
Without thinking, she started to ask: "Did Joran…" and stopped, but not in time. She tried to recover.
"Sven, I don't want to have this conversation in our bed. I'm not one hundred percent sure where you are going with this, but it is making me really feel sort of sick to my stomach. Can we stop for a minute?"
Pushing up on his elbows and moving away from her, he made to stand up, obviously complying with her request to leave the bed. Unfortunately, that wasn't really what she wanted, either. Rationally, she realized she wasn't being fair to him. If she wasn't sure what she wanted, how could he give it to her?
"Come back to bed. It's you and me. That hasn't changed. Let's focus on that tonight. In the morning, we can have breakfast and then talk. I'm feeling sort of dizzy, or just off-center, maybe."
"No. I need to know where I stand."
"Meaning what, exactly? What?"
"Do you want him back as your lover in our lives?"
"What!?"
"Just answer the question, Susannah." His tone was harsh, the tone he liked to use when he was in control of her, her body and her desires his to own.
"It is way too late to know how to answer. Right now, I'd just say 'no' so we could try to get some sleep tonight." She paused, but couldn't stop herself now. "All crazy questions aside, I'd like to know why you've kept me a secret from your family. I'd like to know, does your family have some secret you are keeping from me? Why didn't you tell me you had another brother in Joran? You just have a lot of secrets, Sven. We need to come clean with one another."
"So, did you fuck Eric yesterday?"
The stark question, stated in the unadorned fashion so typical of Sven when he was truly angry, still was unexpected. She sucked in a breath.
"No."
"Is that all you have to say?"
"Is there more you wish to hear?"
"What did happen? You began to tell me."
"Sven, I don't wish to hurt you. I'm getting the strong message that you are a lot more, I don't know, vulnerable, maybe, than I would have thought. I love you. I do love you. That hasn't changed." She repeated it slowly, carefully, watching his back, shoulders straining under the thin, silk robe he still wore, perched on the edge of their bed.
"It's worse not knowing." Each word bitten off, fists sunk into the sheet.
"Ok, I stopped because I thought of how much I loved you. Do love you. Eric stopped as well." (Not entirely true, but close enough.)
There followed a long silence. The absence of music was marked by stillness in the room that seemed to suck all the air from her lungs.
"Are you dumping me for Eric?" It was unexpected and so unlike him.
"Never. Never." Did she feel a small twinge? Of what, exactly? A shiver attributable to a time-space shift to an alternate universe where she was free to be with Eric?
"If you could be with him, would you?"
After another pause, she answered. "That's not going to happen. Can we stop with this conversation, now?"
Sven shook his head, 'no'. "If Eric were to live here with us, would you be happy? Stay with me?"
"What do you mean, live here with us?" She was mystified by the change of direction. He was going to stay with them until he was well and could find his own place.
"I've made some decisions. I'm not giving you up. That hasn't changed."
His face, hidden to her, might have given her some clues. She could only go by his tone. Not helping, though.
"For now, let's get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a revelation for all of us, I think. Tonight, I want to sleep next to you. Disrobe, now. No more conversation. I need you." He shrugged out of his robe, and flipped over to face her. She was reluctant; once again he was turning to sex rather than talking it out with her. She began to protest, pushing ineffectually against his warm, naked chest, but feeling the traitorous beginnings of her body to respond to the evidence of his desire. Giving in as he took her lips, sucking them into his mouth, and then running his tongue over them, she had begun to unhook her bra, knowing him to want to suckle on her flesh. Again, he surprised her by ripping it in half in the front and releasing her lips, falling on her nipple, mouth eager and hot. Tonight would not be their usual build-up.
His fingers began teasing her, pinching and pulling the soft, sensitive pink bud standing high on her rounded, oft-admired breast. She moaned, and began shifting her hips to pull her skirt down her hips, but the movement seemed to excite him. He shifted on top of her, not loosening his grip on her, but using his other free hand to join in removing her skirt, his strongly muscled thighs now gripping her tightly as he straddled her. Squash was such a wonderful sport, she thought to herself.
Sven now eased up on the sucking pressure on her nipple, only to begin lightly biting her. His fingers worked their way over to her sensitive spot between her legs, and felt the wet evidence of her arousal. She yearned for his control, for his arrogance, his stroking, and his male strength, so evident in their lovemaking. It was so very satisfying to surrender to him. It made everything else bearable, in so many ways.
Entering her with his fingers stiff, he stroked her several times until he found her pleasure spot and she began writhing underneath him. He stopped the biting, and gently moved up to her ear, never stopping his rhythmic penetration of her, to whisper, "Show me when you are ready for me." Feeling the head of his erection pressed into the crease of her thigh, his juices wetly warm against her skin, she was ready to slip over into ecstasy, but made to spread her legs further apart for him.
"No, not like this. Turn over on your stomach when you want me."
Knowing now what he wanted, she still reveled in the sensation of it. It was exciting to give in when sometimes she didn't really want to do so.
She concentrated on what his hand was doing, and was soon jerking, making small groaning sounds as the pleasure travelled deep into her core. Her insides clenched, hard, and the buzzing between her legs travelled up her body, leaving a stinging sensation as she felt it at the base of her skull.
Now, without waiting for her to move, he pulled up just enough to flip her over. "Okay?" He asked, voice quiet, but eager.
"Always." She lied a little, but the sentiment was true enough.
Stroking over her soaked folds, up and down, pushing just a little to take advantage of the softness of her skin, Sven took his time to maneuver his firm tip completely over her sensitive nub and swollen, red, parted opening. When he was satisfied with her response, and shuddering himself, he moved his strongest arm beneath her to push up her hips, demanding by his touch she give him easy access. He moved his own fingers into his mouth and sucked on them, eyeing her as he moaned his pleasure at their mingled tastes, then cupping his hand to capture his excess saliva. Watching his hurried preparations over her shoulder, she saw him pinch his fingers together outside her tight opening, releasing the captured moisture to fall in a long drizzle into her, and then gasped as he began teasing her open with his fingers, his breathing now broken by the pull of his emotions again.
"Now, now, I'm ready for you." Did she say that, or did he? She was feeling her usual drugged self after the high of her release.
This time, he was a little more forceful than usual. He too was swollen, very erect, and did not need to guide the tip in by hand; pushing in only enough to prevent a misfire. She held still, moaning his name as he liked, waiting for him to take her completely. As soon as he did, he would begin his frenzied movements, forcefully sliding in and pulling back out. She knew, large as he felt, it would only be a few minutes before he lost it.
One hand fastened possessively around her hip, his other hand was also busy, his fingers splayed over her mound, gently caressing her, two fingers spreading her, while his middle finger was massaging her aching center. She arched into his hand, pushing her cheeks against him more firmly. She knew he could not resist fitting his inner thighs firmly against her, his sac pressed as closely into her warmth as he could get it. It was the closeness that spurred him to pound harder, then sent him over the edge. That, and perhaps his hand that seemed to now consistently find its way to the back of her neck in this position, holding her head down.
This time was no exception, and he shouted, he squirmed, trying to stop himself, but it was done. He jerked now, hard, several times as he released into her, sunk as deeply into her as he could go, then softly groaned his satisfaction as he pulled out. He pushed up, and spreading her as if to check his handiwork, he kissed and nuzzled her backside, soothing away the raw feeling from his too-quick taking. She was not sure if she was going to let him continue doing this part, but for now, tonight, after so much turmoil of the last few days, she made no protest. When he was finished, he wrapped himself around her again, and held her as he toppled over on his back. His fingers found her, sunk into her yet again, and he spoke quietly into her hair. "The real world isn't going to go away, no matter how much I wish it would. We two are going to have to make some adjustments. We will start tomorrow, but know that in this time, you are mine, my love. I love you. We are complete together, and will remain so." If sheer force of will could prevail, she knew he would keep it so.
Tomorrow, she would start the conversation with him about using sex to solve everything. Tonight, after the drive alone back from Santa Cruz in the dark, the relief she felt when she found him waiting for her, and not gone, and the mind-blowing sex, she let it go. Let it all go.
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P2
When Sookie woke the next morning, Sven had already left, presumably to go collect Eric from the hospital and bring him back to their house. She stretched, wondering if the three of them could work it out.
She immediately had another thought. Would she finally meet some more of the Nordmons, now? She hadn't really met Joran (so not going there this early in the morning), and what about their parents? She wondered if their mom would like her. Relationships with mothers of the husband, and ah, his brother, could be very difficult. She hoped she'd like them all. Surely they would come by today to see how well Eric was recovering? She'd probably need to cook. Maybe she should head out to stock up on groceries; they could end up with a lot of hungry people. They still hadn't had time to get back on track after their return from their trip; she'd correct that.
Beginning to feel somewhat settled by the return of normal routines, she quickly showered, made her list, stopped and wrote up a second list of tasks she needed to accomplish to complete the move into Sven's, now their, house, and finally made a list of items she'd need to do to start the next quarter at Stanford. She really had no time to sit around thinking about the events of the last few crazy days. She gathered it all up, left a note on the door when she'd return if family did stop by, and made her way to Petrini's, her favorite grocer. She and Sven both loved Italian food, and they offered some of the best selections in the area, along with the staples she'd need for family visitors.
She luxuriated in the food shopping, enjoying the odors from the bakery, savoring the smells of the cinnamon and fennel breads they offered, making several selections from their generously stocked meats, and choosing from the exotic pasta shapes and flavors. She lavished too much time and attention on the large, succulent vegetables and fruits, grown locally and so different from the produce that seemed to make its shrunken, sometimes misshapen way to the bins in her home state. Just another reason she loved California.
As she stood in line, she felt quite happy with what she had acquired. In her experience, you either loved buying up foods to prepare yourself for those you loved, or you didn't. No one was ever ambivalent on the subject.
She'd also selected several bunches of cut flowers, as Sven liked the scent of stargazer lilies in the entry and Petrini's was rarely without them. She had also found some heavily scented roses in a pale yellow, along with some mixed bouquets she could place around the house. Finally, she'd picked-up a sentimental card for him and thought she would have just enough time to zip into the Stanford Shopping Center to buy him a chocolate brown silk shirt from Brooks Brothers. She would be able to replace one of his favorite, now missing all the buttons after their trip to Barbados. Easier than sewing on new buttons, she thought with a mischievous smile on her face as she'd paid at the counter.
In the back of her mind, she knew Eric would be coming back with Sven. She was both excited and anxious, silently praying that this time, the fireworks that seemed to ignite whenever the three of them were together could be contained.
No, they all would have to be calm, for Eric's sake. He didn't need any more upsets; he couldn't handle the pressure. She wondered if he would be able to get through his pending divorce without another medical episode. She did not want to quiz him about Selah's reaction, but she could not believe the woman she had met, however briefly just a few days ago, would easily give up such a prize as Eric.
She amended that thought. Would he be a prize to have around if he wasn't happy in his role as husband? She had a feeling he could be a very bitter thorn in one's side. Maybe Selah would not put up much of a fight. Well, she'd find out soon enough. She expected them to be waiting when she arrived, or at least to arrive within a half-hour of her. Maybe some of Sven's other family would have arrived at their house by now, too.
Finally, she thought guiltily of climbing up on his hospital bed yesterday, and the deep, endless kiss he had given her. He didn't seem to have any sense of Sven's ownership of her. It was curious that when she was alone with him, the old feelings for him emerged. She felt safe when she was close to him. She wanted to be close to him. It might not be right, but she could not deny her attraction to him. Yes, now that she had seen more of him, there was no denying she was attracted to the same physical attributes in both men. It appeared that Selah had been as well. Again, she thought about how confusing being with nearly identical twins was as a premise. Well, she had and was flesh-and-blood proof it severely messed with your head.
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P3.
Sven had made the drive to Santa Cruz in record time that morning. He'd done ninety whenever possible, letting the Porsche go and savoring the smooth handling of the curves, the power under his seat, his stereo blasting Van Morrison's Brown Eyed Girl from the Live in Santa Cruz 1978 performance album. It made him think of Selah and wonder how she was swallowing being divorced by Eric. "So hard to find my way. Now that I'm all alone…. Do you remember when we used to sing?" The lyrics made him more than a little melancholy. She may have always been the FW, but he was willing to bet she was feeling the loss of his brother this morning. He expected a call from her any day, but already knew he would not be drawn by her into her drama. His sentiments were with Eric all the way.
He shook off the melancholia; the fog was beginning to lift and the hills were that winter green they assumed just before spring arrived, early, in his part of the world.
Spring would never have the pull for him that it did for others, though. It was a time when nature embraced new beginnings; new life burst forth in the form of offspring, a celebration of the recreation of the world. It would never happen for him. He'd made that decision when he was with Max, and he still did not regret it. What he'd said to Eric in the heat of the moment was an empty promise. He was now by choice rendered sterile, a painful decision borne of his deep commitment to his decade's movement for zero population growth. He'd read Paul Ehrlich's 'The Population Bomb' a few years after its 1968 publication and its arguments had resonated. He'd never looked back until now.
But this was not a secret he had shared with Sookie. It had been the main reason for his hesitation in talking about 'Las Vegas'. Yet, if his heart could stand it, the plan he had begun setting in motion would mean he would never have to reveal this last and final secret to her or his family. She could still have the children she wanted. He just had to be strong enough to stomach the means of achieving them. Nope, he didn't see any conflict between his principles and his desires. He was the master of spin.
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P4.
Eric's paperwork completed and his discharge final, he and Sven swooped over to the house to gather up what he would need. Eric had called ahead to advise Selah when he would arrive should she wish to be gone. She had not answered, so he'd left a message. When the two of them arrived, the house was deserted.
Eric packed swiftly, not wanting to think too much about the finality of his actions. It signaled the end of six years of his life. He wasn't immune to the implications. He'd be alone in the world again, so to speak. Sven hadn't said much so far, but he had been adamant that Eric would be staying with him and Sookie, indefinitely. He did not want Eric to start agitating that he needed to find a place immediately. Both of them would welcome his addition to their household.
"But Sven, you two are just married. I'm grateful for the offer of shelter, but I'm going to be a third wheel for you both." He stopped, trying to phrase exactly what he meant.
"I'm down with the divorce. But, I'm going to be a lonely MF at times. I don't want to be a wet blanket spread over your happiness. I don't want you two to feel guilty because you are happy and I'm not."
"Little brother, it will not be like that. You are staying with us and that's it." Sven had that stubborn look that Eric knew well, going back almost thirty years as they did. He gave up, relieved actually that Sven was taking charge on this one.
The last act he did in the house, and it was more than symbolic, was to remove his wedding band and leave it on the white china bathroom sink. His hand felt naked, the skin clearly showing a line where it had been covered for so many years. He knew it would fade out soon, but for now, it was definitely a beacon signaling his freedom from his servitude to duty and honor in the absence of love.
He exited the house, locking the front door behind him. He hadn't checked the back yard for any remaining evidence of his bloody episode. It felt like it had happened ages ago; he didn't care if the blood had been washed away or not.
He turned; Sven was sitting impatiently in his car, the luxury vehicle crammed with Eric's bags and books and other implements he'd need to get started on his new life. He felt lighter, happier, and ready now.
He and Sven had been mostly silent this morning; he now resolved to force him to talk to him about Sookie. They'd also need to work out a strategy for telling Sookie about Mia, Celia, and Ander's marriage, and how Joran came to be. He knew at least some of the family would come by Sven's later today, and Sookie deserved to know the truth before they all arrived on her doorstep.
He'd start it off. Sven helped by suggesting they take the long way back, going through Half Moon Bay and the other coastal towns and stopping for a casual, mild lunch that would not upset Eric's system. He felt stronger than he had in a long time, and after they were too far gone to turn back, recalled he hadn't grabbed a single bag of weed in his scramble. He wondered if he could survive the withdrawal when it hit. He wasn't going back if he could help it.
They both seemed reluctant to speak, though, driving the first ten miles in mostly silence, commenting only on the weather and the lack of traffic, attributing it to the hour. They'd drive until they saw a likely place for lunch.
Sven actually started the conversation first, after Eric had dived over the back of the seat to pull out a favorite album from their youth. Shoving the CSNY tape of '4 Way Street' into the deck, he was not surprised to hear the soft strains and slinky bass line of David Crosby's Triad begin spiraling through the cramped car. He wondered if the gods were truly against him.
"So, finally you have come to your senses. I'm sorry for the FW…." Sven stopped, wondering if he'd ever called her by that name in front of Eric before this slip.
Eric took it in stride. "FW? Would that stand for 'faithless whore'? Not too far off the mark. You know she was screwing everyone she could convince to take her. I think she was only disappointed that I kept missing the festivities." What had prompted him to phrase it just like that?
"Yes, an apt tag for her. I loved her once, you know." Sven stared straight ahead while making this admission.
"Did you love her? As much as you loved Max, or more?" Eric did not mention Sookie.
"That is all past now. For us both, I hope." Sven clearly did not want to travel down memory lane with Max just to satisfy Eric's curiosity.
They travelled together in a more comfortable silence now, the miles flying by. Eric wasn't certain, but this might be the longest stretch of uninterrupted time he'd had with Sven in many, many years. He wondered what other new, good things would continue to come his way now. He thought fleetingly of Sookie, but didn't want to disturb the peace he was sharing with his brother just yet.
"Eric, we need to tell Sookie about our family, yes?" Sven finally brought up the subject.
"Yeah, man, not going to be easy."
"Sookie isn't a prude, you know. I have a feeling she won't be shocked by it, at least not after she's had a chance to understand it."
"Well, she might be getting the shock treatment sometime today if they all show up at your house with Joran."
"Yeah, with you there, little brother."
"Let's stop and make a call to mom, suggest dinner later tonight at your house. Would that be okay?" He wasn't comfortable volunteering Sven's house for a family gathering yet, although he was going to be a temporary member of the household.
"Yes, good idea. I'll also give a call to Sookie; ask her to pick up some items. Anything you need, while we are making plans?" Now, they had brought up the hot potato herself, both were more than little unsure about where or how to begin.
And still they avoided the main topic both were the most interested in exploring. They finally stopped for lunch, not having resolved anything about revealing their parent's unique living arrangements, or what Sven wanted from Eric.
Pulling into the busy parking lot, they stopped in Pescadero at a small country grocery storefront, knowing they could get a decent sandwich and Eric could coddle his stomach, as that was what the physicians had advised him to do.
Sitting at a corner booth, the wooden tabletop scarred from years of visitors with itchy fingers and time on their hands, they placed their orders and looked up to find themselves face-to-face. Their phone calls already having been made at a pay phone in the parking lot using Sven's company phone card, including leaving a message on the machine for Sookie, their easy conversation abruptly ground to a halt.
"Did you know how I felt about her, all those years ago?" Eric asked.
"Better question. Did I believe it was still relevant?"
"Did you?"
"Not for a long time, and you were gone."
"You could have told me when I called you at Thanksgiving." Eric looked at him, sadly. "I guess you spent the holiday screwing her silly, right?"
Sven also had a pained expression on his face. "I did make a decision to not tell you, yes."
"So, you knew…."
"I suspected."
"Can I tell you something? Max showed up in Hawaii at Thanksgiving." Sven just looked askance. "Simplest answer, he wanted me to help him get you back, you know."
"Never going to happen."
"That's what I told him… He was very broken up. Said you would not return his calls. Told me he thought you'd found someone else."
"Guess he was right, as were you about how I spent the holiday."
Their sandwiches arrived, along with Eric's order of cottage cheese and a glass of milk. He grimaced when he tasted the milk. Schoolroom food again.
Munching in silence, both brothers tried to regroup from what had been a raw few minutes so far. Neither wanted a replay of the escalation of tempers that had led to the last few blow-ups.
"How did you come to marry her? Was it always meant to be a secret? Why not tell the parental unit about it? I don't mean to be accusatory, but they cannot be pleased you didn't share this with them. Me, I can maybe understand."
"They found out when we got home. I called the Ranch and spoke to Grandpa. It still surprises me that he took the news so calmly. Said he would tell them. When I saw Mia and Celia yesterday, they wanted a few particulars, but they were very happy for me. It was brief, as I needed to get back to the office, but they were looking forward to meeting her." Sven's expression was hard for Eric to read. Was there something more he wasn't saying?
"What about Dad?"
"Don't know. Haven't heard from him. Don't expect good things, though."
"You and me both, brother." Eric smiled. "I think Joran likes her well enough."
"Yeah, he would, the little opportunist."
"Don't get down on his shit. He's just like you and me at that age."
"Don't remind me. That is where and how this whole mess started."
"Let's find him a woman so he stays away from ours." Eric joked, but he wasn't smiling any more.
When Sven did not respond, Eric returned to his original batch of questions. "So, you married her without telling us. It was your right to do that. Had you been planning to ask her?"
Sven looked at him, eyes narrowed. "Did you see her ring, the golden sapphire? I picked it out for her in a shop down south several months ago. The asking and the timing were more spur of the moment."
"Why?"
He hesitated. "I wanted to be certain of her."
"So, you do truly love her." Eric felt both relieved and a little forlorn. There could be no going back now.
"How do you want to go forward?" It sometimes seemed he and Sven were on the same wavelength. Must be the twin connection working.
"What's open to me, Sven? Nothing, really. I'll be a divorced man here soon. Do you think Max would have me?" He joked, not very happily.
Sven's look wasn't a pleased one. "Don't joke about that. We don't need another fucked-up switch-off. You are not a strong-enough dominant to satisfy him for very long, anyway."
"So don't want to go there." Eric grinned at the thought. "Remember when we did share off, back when we were first starting out?"
Sven was quiet, suddenly. He seemed reluctant to continue, but eventually picked-up the thread.
"Yes. We didn't really think much about the fact we were just mimicking what we'd seen at home with our own parents. Ever thought about living that lifestyle, brother?"
About to obtain his Ph.D., Eric did not need a concrete block dropped on his head to catch Sven's meaning. He was silent for a long time, however.
"I wondered if you'd get to the same conclusion." He finally responded.
"Not there yet. Just thinking about the possibilities." Sven offered.
"How does Sookie feel about it? About me?" He finished uncertainly.
"Tried to ask her. She gave me no definite answer." His reply was bitten off. Sven was feeling it.
"I'd be open to it."
"Yes, didn't really expect you to turn down the chance to screw her again, with my blessing, of course." The haunted look on Sven's face just about stopped Eric from ever mentioning it again. He resolved to wait for Sven to continue. He was a latecomer to this party, after all.
"Eric, I'm thinking about it as the best solution. I've never been a conventional man when it comes to the physical side of things." Well, there was a euphemism if ever there was one, Eric thought.
"Yeees." Eric finally spoke.
"I'm open to exploring the idea with Sookie."
"I'm interested, yes. But what do you get out of it, brother? You are more possessive than I've ever been, and I have a strong possessive streak. Even thinking about it again, I never wanted to share Selah with you. Why would you do this?"
The question didn't stop Sven. He even offered a plausible answer. "I won't be worrying about policing you and her. I'll be giving my permission for what happens. Of course, I will be setting the rules. There will be some things, certain things that she has offered me that I will not allow you to do with her. Ever."
"I agree to that, if I can have the same concession. What would my role be? I cannot be her husband, legally. Even Celia is not recognized legally as Dad's wife. He's had to make special provisions for her, although they did have the ceremony in the church, but that was in Sandy, years ago."
"I'm not really sure. You would be her lover. I would remain her husband. We could have a ceremony for you two, if that would be something you'd both need."
"Are we planning a future to which she'll never agree?" Eric felt a little queasy again. It might have been the dairy products, which he wasn't accustomed to ingesting, or just the subject under discussion. He downed the remainder of the water in his glass and called for a lemon-lime soda, delivered instantly by a young waitress in too-tight jeans who smiled fetchingly at him. He did not smile back.
"Feeling alright? You look a little pale again. I'm forgetting you just were discharged. Let's drop this topic for now; it's too soon. I'll get you back to our house, yours too if you choose. You can sleep for the remainder of the afternoon before the horde arrives. I bet Alrick and the lovely Mimi show as well."
Sven left two twenties on the table, helped Eric stand and assisted him to the car.
He sped off, knowing that he had made progress. He also missed seeing Sookie this morning and felt that urge again for her naked, yielding form. If Eric slept, maybe they could get in a few hours of bed before they'd need to start dinner preparations.
He was only forty minutes from home and his wife. Maybe he'd break out the new spiky-tipped vibrator he'd bought in Bridgetown but hadn't had a chance to try yet. Definitely the black vinyl studded gloves, though. She'd look great in them.
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AN: Okay, back by popular demand, E/S/N next chapter. What would E/S/S/N look like?
All remaining errors are solely mine.