Chapter 2 Merlotte's

Sookie

I woke early that morning. I wanted to get moving as soon as possible. I didn't want to do what I had planned for today but I had to face the music sometime. More importantly I needed to let the people I cared about know that I was alive.

After getting ready as fast as I could I headed over to Merlotte's. Nearly everyone I cared about who didn't already know I was back should be there. I also needed to try to get my old job back, I needed one and working at Merlotte's was the best job I'd ever had.

It was almost as if I belonged there. Made more true by the fact that I was compelled to go there first. Of all the things I had to do to rebuild my life I wanted to start with Merlotte's and that meant something.

Thankfully my yellow bug was still outside my house. It started up without putting up a fuss which was nice but she did rattle a little, a sign of an impending problem.

Well one thing at a time. Old faithful wouldn't fail me today so I would worry about fixing whatever it was later. Right now I had places to be and the repair shop was NOT on that list.

A few minutes after I had pulled out of my driveway I was parking at Merlotte's, I used the customer parking lot. It felt so strange to not feel welcome to use the back lot but I guess everyone feels like that when they go back to their old job for the first time.

Walking inside I saw that not much had changed. If there was anything different it was so similar to what had been there before that it didn't register. That's why people like it here so much, myself included, welcoming and comforting it never changed.

Seeing Arlene out waiting tables I went up to her and tapped her on the shoulder. Luckily her pad was the only thing in her had when she turned around because as soon as she saw who it was she jumped.

Still in shock she asked me, "You're alive! Sookie is it really you? We thought Vampire Bill had killed you and gotten rid of the body. Oh Sookie, I'm so glad you're back and in one piece."

Then she pulled me into a tight hug, only releasing me when someone coughed to get our attention, Terry if I'm not mistaken. He said, "Hey Sook." as he too gave me a big hug.

The three of us stood there a spell as they filled me in on what'd happened to them over the last year. Their child had been born, a boy they named Mikey. They had also gotten married in her later pregnancy, all of which I felt horrible about missing. When I left they weren't even engaged.

Lafayette came up to see me. Hugging me he said, "Let me get my hug in real quick 'fore my gumbo burn. Missed you girl. Next time text a mo-fuck before you just up and disappear. Save us all a lot a worry." The last he enunciated with a snap of his painted fingers.

As glad as I was to see him there was someone missing from our reunion, someone I desperately wanted to see. I needed her advice. "Lafayette, where's Tara? Is she off today?"

A minute ago he had been as happy as he got seeing me, when I asked my question his face closed up and he looked down. Not good. "She not here, she move."

I was shocked to hear that she'd left town. "Do you know where?"

"Naw, sometimes she writes or sends a postcard. Last one I got was from Colorado."

Disappointed I said, "Well next time you hear from her tell her I asked for her ok?"

"You been gone a long time, a lots happened around here." Sam shot from the bar.

"Hey Sam!" I called out to him. Just the man I wanted to see. I walked over to the bar and asked him if I could talk to him in private. He responded, "Sure, come inta my office."

He headed toward the back of the bar where his office was and I followed. Stopping in the middle of his office, he just stood there. Once I was inside I closed the door.

"You alright?" He asked full of concern. Sighing I responded, "I'm fine Sam."

"That's good to hear. Gave us quite a scare, runnin off like ya did and you're not one to just disappear so naturally everyone thought the worst."

"Well I'm just fine, like I said. I was on vampire business."

"Vampire business, right. Next time remember, there's people here who care about you, who missed you. We all thought you were dead. Whatever you were doin I hope it was worth all the pain you caused people. I know you didn't mean to but you did all the same."

"I may not like working for them all the time but sometimes I don't have a choice. The..there's just one more thing. I know I don't got a right to ask but I'd like to have my old job back."

"Well sure you can have you old job back. You start part time, Arlene and Holly got kids they need the shifts. Come in tomorrow?"

"Sure thing Sam, you're doin me a big favor. I'll come in tomorrow for the lunch shift, no problem."

After that I left his office. I debated weather or not to sit and eat lunch here but I decided against it, I had too much to do today. Instead I stopped by Sonic and ate a burger and fries in my car.

Then I headed over to my lawyer's office to make an appointment. I managed to get a 2 o'clock appointment with Portia Bellefleur for the next day. Her secretary said she would be more than happy to come to Merlotte's to accommodate my schedule.

After that I headed to the library to get some books. I ended up taking 6 home, after that I had to stop looking or I would risk coming home with even more. 6 was plenty, I wasn't even sure I could read that many before they were due. I got some romances, a mystery, and a few suspense novels from my favorite authors.

My last stop was to the Piggly Wiggly to get some groceries. Their selection wasn't extensive but it was cheap and I could get enough basic essentials to last me a few days. With all the things going on I didn't feel like going full tilt grocery shopping.

Stuffing by bags in my car I headed back to my house. It was a few hours til dinner time so I sat down in the living room with one of the mysteries I'd just checked out from the library.

All the books on this trip had the same thing in common, nothing remotely supernatural in them at all. I was DONE with that shit, done with faeries, done with witches, done with shifter nonsense, done with vampires and all the grief they'd brought me. DONE.

I got really into my book and I was halfway through it several hours later when I finally put it down in favor of dinner. Getting up and stretching I was surprised to find that I was completely relaxed. A good old fashioned mystery was exactly what the doctor ordered.

I wasn't too keen on cooking right then so I decided to just make myself a sandwich and have some chips with it. Not like I had much to cook with anyway but I just didn't feel up to fixing what I did have.

When I was done fixing a plate I sat down in the living room while I ate. It wasn't something I usually did but I needed something to occupy me while I ate. I didn't want to think right now. If I did I'd probably break down.

I wanted a normal, relaxing evening and for once I got it. It was like a sign from the universe that I could be happy, have things I wanted every once and a while. A break from all the supernatural drama and constant danger did wonders for my mood.

I had hope now that I really could put my life back together and that eventually everything would be alright. I went to bed early that night for no other reason than I had nothing to do.

My dreams weren't that bad. I had one of those nasty wonderful dreams about Eric. It was just us, having sex, being together, it was kinda nice. I had gotten used to having naughty dreams about the vampires in my life and they no longer bothered me.

If anything I welcomed them because they were just that, dreams and anything could happen. I could do things, things I would never really do, things I wouldn't even admit to fantasizing about and no one would ever know.

*Forgetting*

Sookie went to sleep with no idea that something was happening downstairs. She had no idea that as she slept soundly, a surprise was being prepared downstairs by none other than Eric Northman. He would leave a note so she wouldn't be frightened.

He did this himself because he did not trust it with another, not even Pam. He also didn't want anyone to know that the house was no longer owned by a human.

Next chapter is an Eric chapter! Unfortunately that means that you won't find out about his little surprise for Sookie until Chapter 4. Hopefully it'll be worth the wait.