Sookie:
I stretch my limbs and yawn. I look towards the window. It was a beautiful bright morning.
Suddenly it occurs to me, the curtains were open. Hmmmm... I stare curiously at the window. I could have sworn I closed them last night before I went to bed. I shake my head, perhaps I didn't.
Just then I hear a knock on the door.
"Sookie? Are you awake?" Mikael asks as he slowly opens the door.
I was only in my underwear and tank top so I cover myself up with the blanket. It was ridiculous, I know. Soon he was going to be my husband and would see all of me, eventually.
"Yes I'm awake," I answer as he walks in the room.
He smiles and sits beside me on the bed. "I am making you some breakfast."
He rubs my arm. "Did you have a good sleep?"
"Yes I did. Thanks for asking," I answer.
He continues to rub my arm for a few more seconds. "Well I will let you shower and get dressed," he says. He gives me a peck on my forehead.
I smile at him as he leaves. I get up and go to the closet where I kept spare clothes. It looked hot outside so I grab a yellow floral sundress. Thank god it was Saturday. The kids in my class were getting so excited about the upcoming summer holidays and they were starting to become a handful to deal with on a daily basis.
Still only in my underwear and tank top, I peek my head out the doorway to see if there was anyone in the hall. This bedroom didn't have a bathroom so I was going to use the shower down the hall. Seeing no one, I quickly run down the hall and to the other bedroom.
I reach the bedroom, open the door and close it. I hear a groan.
"Please tell me I'm not dreaming," a male voice says.
I spin around quickly and let out a little yelp. It was Eric. He was lying on the bed with his hands behind his head. He was shirtless wearing only jeans. My eyes almost popped out of their sockets at the sight of his bare muscular chest. He didn't have any hair, at least as far I could tell. His skin wasn't pale either, just slightly tanned. God he was gorgeous.
"What are you doing in here?" I almost yell.
"I was sleeping, until a beautiful almost naked angel came in," he replies, giving me a lazy grin.
I look down and my face flushes. Horrified, I immediately cover myself with my dress that I was clutching.
"Can you please leave?" I tell him loudly.
He just stares at me, not moving, with that stupid grin on his face.
"You're being very rude!" I tell him angrily.
He raises his eyebrow, "How am I being rude? This is my room and you were the one who came in here half-naked."
I stare back at him with my mouth open. "Well I didn't know that you were in here and I always use the bathroom in this room as a matter of fact."
"What's wrong with the one in the master bedroom? Wouldn't you would be using that since you are going to be married to my dad?" he says crossing his arms.
"I, I...I...," I stammer. Yeah why wasn't I using that bathroom? Maybe because in some way I still felt like a guest in this house. I was still a guest since I hadn't moved in yet. That was another thing Mikael and I still hadn't talked about. When was I going to be in? Before the wedding? After the wedding? Oh my god. Just another issue I had to add to my growing list of unanswered questions regarding my fiancé.
I must have been standing there thinking for awhile because Eric now had a confused look on his face.
"Well I haven't moved in here yet," I say sounding unsure. "I don't sleep in there with your dad."
He looked taken aback. Why did I tell him that?
"Oh," he responds. He opens his mouth about to say something else but closes it.
He rises from the bed, picks up his shirt from the floor and pulls it over his head. I tried not to stare at his flexed biceps and stomach muscles.
"I will give you some privacy," he says as he glances at me before leaving the room.
"Oh Lord," I whisper.
I take a quick shower and head downstairs. I walk towards the kitchen and breakfast area where I could hear Mikael and Eric talking, speaking in another language, probably Swedish.
They stop and look at me as I enter the room. It was the first time I saw them together, almost side by side. They both smiled at me and it was the exact same smile. Their resemblance was uncanny. For some reason I felt a little uncomfortable.
"Hi," I say shyly.
"Good morning," they say in unison.
They sounded alike too. Things were getting weirder.
"Come sit Sookie. I have made you some strawberry waffles and sausages," Mikael says warmly.
They both stand up as I take my seat.
"Mmmmm it smells good," I comment.
For a few minutes we eat in silence only exchanging small glances at each other. Eric was sitting across from me.
"Eric decided to stay last night," Mikael says who was sitting beside me. He puts his hand over mine on the table.
"Yes I did. I just wanted to apologize to you again Sookie. I was way out of line with my comments. My dad has always been a good judge of character and from what I can tell, you are nothing but kind and honest. I should have trusted my dad's judgement instead of lashing out at you," he says sincerely.
I smile warmly at him. "It is okay Eric. I probably would have reacted the same way and I don't blame you. But believe me when I say that I truly love your father and I just want to make him happy."
He looks back and forth at us. "I want to see my dad happy as well."
"Good I am glad that you two have warmed up to each other. I hope that the two of you will become great friends," Mikael says squeezing my hand. I blush a little at his comment and I notice Eric shifting uncomfortably in his seat.
"So how long are you staying?" I ask Eric, trying to relieve the tension in the room.
"I don't know, maybe until my dad kicks me out," they both laugh. "But really, I think I would like to stay here until Pam arrives. I haven't seen her for a few months. Plus I would like to spend a little more time with him (pointing to his father)."
"Oh, that's great. I'm sure Mikael would love that," I say.
"Yes I would love for you to stay a little longer Eric. I have missed both you and your sister," Mikael says.
We continue chatting and eating our breakfast. Once we are done, I get up and start clearing the dishes.
"Let me, Sookie," Eric says. "It's only fair."
"No Eric, it's alright. I've grown up with the rule in the house that whoever does the cooking, doesn't have to clean up afterwards," I tell him.
"But Sookie I didn't cook anything. And you are the guest here," he states.
"You are the guest too," I say getting somewhat irritated.
"But...," Eric says, but Mikael cuts him off.
"I will clean up the table," Mikael says, trying to resolve the situation. "Sookie, why don't you show Eric the garden that you helped plant in the backyard."
I let out a little sigh. "Umm okay. Eric would you care to see the backyard?"
"Sure," he responds.
We walk quietly out the French doors and into the back yard. I lead the way toward the little garden that I was growing with the help of a gardener.
"Do you like it?" I ask. "I was thinking about adding roses later on."
He looks around at the various blossoms, daisies, petunias, and marigolds. "It looks nice."
Nice? I guess he didn't find my garden too interesting. I go to sit on the wooden garden bench and he joins me soon after.
Eric continues to look at my flowers as I gaze at his profile. He was very handsome alright; much like his father. He also looked deep in thought and a little troubled. He probably was still unsure of me.
"So how many clubs do you own Eric?" I ask him.
"Uhh, I own two," he responds.
"Wow, that must be exhausting," I say.
"Not really. I am a bit of a night owl and my clubs open on different nights. So I am able to overlook both of them plus keep my employees working full-time."
He finally looks at me. "Dad told me that you are a teacher?"
I smile, "Yes I teach grade one. The kids in my class are great. Even though it doesn't pay very well, it is rewarding."
"That's good. I have met people who make tons of money with their careers but are downright miserable people. Many of them I know work with my sister," he says.
"Oh," I respond. So he knows a lot of models. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised that he knew a lot of gorgeous, tall, thin women. His girlfriend must be a model. I try to suppress the jealousy that was building up within me. I had no claim over him.
"So Sookie what do people do for fun down here in the south?" he says trying to lighten the mood.
"Ummm well we spend a lot of time with family and friends. Plus there are many places to go fishing and hunting," I answer.
"But what do you like to do?" he asks moving a little closer to me.
My breath begins to shorten and my heart speeds up. I gulp. "Well, I like to read a lot and sunbathe. Plus I like to help out my Gran."
Eric inches a little closer. "You like to sunbathe? I enjoy that too but unfortunately it can get a little cold in Stockholm for that. Maybe I can join you sometime," he says, his voice almost like a whisper at the last part.
Was he trying to flirt with me? "I don't think that's a good idea."
"Why not? My dad did say we should become friends," he says in a husky voice.
What did he take me for? I stand up, cross my arms over my chest and stare down at him. "Listen Buster, I don't know how men treat women in Stockholm, but down here in Louisiana, gentlemen treat ladies with respect. So if that is what you are not capable of then I suggest you steer clear of me till until you leave."
He looks up at me with a shocked expression and doesn't say anything.
When he doesn't speak I turn around and start walking towards the house.
"Wait Sookie," Eric calls out behind me.
I stop and turn around to face him with a scowl on my face.
"I'm sorry for my behaviour," he says apologetically. "Look I do want to be friends with you, after all, you are marrying my dad. I promise I will not act inappropriately towards you from now on."
I bite my lower lip unsure of what to say next.
"Do you think we can be friends?" he asks.
"We should try," I say. "It would make your father happy if we got along for his sake."
"Great," he smiles.
For the next week Eric and I were on friendly terms. It was the last week of school and I spent most of my free time with him and Mikael. I couldn't help but continue to compare the two of them. Not only did they look similar, but they shared common interests. They liked the same foods, the same type of music and books.
Eric did keep his promise. He always kept a safe distance from me and never said anything inappropriate. He also made me laugh. He told me many funny stories about his father when he was growing up. He also told me about his mother. Every time he did, I could see the sadness in his eyes that just made me want to reach out and hold him.
I had just finished up the last day of school with my class and we had a little party. I gave each of them parting gifts and told them to behave during the summer.
I finish packing up my classroom and drive home afterwards. I start to think about what to do next. It was the beginning of my summer holidays and now that I had more time, I needed to settle many things with Mikael. We needed to set a wedding date, talk about when I should move in, children, and especially, we needed to talk about sex. I had just begun my birth control pills but still he nor I made no mention of sex. Was it normal in a relationship when a couple doesn't talk about sex? I didn't think so but I wasn't sure. I definitely wasn't an expert in sex and relationships. Maybe he was old fashioned. Maybe also because his son was staying in the house. We hadn't spent that much time alone since Eric's arrival.
I turn left down the dirt road towards my house. As I reach it, I notice Mikael's SUV parked in front.
I turn off the engine, step out and walk into the house. I could hear my Gran laughing in the family room.
"Sookie? Is that you?" my Gran yells.
"Yes Gran!" I yell back. I walk into the living room to find Gran sitting on the sofa and Eric sitting in the armchair.
He stands up and smiles when he sees me; I smile back.
"Oh honey, you missed Eric's wonderful humorous story," she says still giggling.
"Hi Sookie," he says.
"Hi," I respond.
"Eric has been here for about an hour entertaining me," she gushes. "He is such an exceptional young man. Why haven't you and Mikael brought him over sooner?"
Eric looks at me waiting for an answer too.
"Uhhh well Eric's only been in town for about a week and Mikael and I have been so busy with work that we..." I ramble.
"Oh Sookie, don't start up with any excuses," she scolds. "Eric is family and he should have been introduced to me and your brother sooner."
"You're right Gran. I should have brought Eric here sooner," I sigh.
"It's not Sookie's fault," Eric intercepts. "I just wanted to spend some time with my father first since we don't get to see each other often. Plus I wanted to get to know Sookie as well."
"Well now that you are a part of my family, I hope that you will be visiting Louisiana more often," she says.
"Of course, ma'am," he says sweetly.
"You can call me Adele," my Gran says. I swear she was blushing.
"Adele," he says in a charming tone.
"I should start up on supper. Eric you are more than welcome to stay," she says.
"That would be lovely, thank you, Adele," he says.
My Gran's face brightens up as she goes to the kitchen leaving me and Eric alone.
"So uhhh... what are you doing here?" I ask.
"Well I was sitting around the house doing nothing but watching American television, which by the way is insipid. My dad was still at work. I knew the address of your house and got directions here as I drove. I wanted to visit you and your Gran. I thought I would have arrived in time to catch you coming off of work," he says.
"Oh, yeah I was packing and finishing up my reports. It took me longer than expected," I respond. I feel awkward. "Would you like to sit outside on the swing in the front?"
He smiles, "Yes I would like that."
He follows me outside and we sit beside each other slowing swinging away.
"So you must be glad that school is out?" he says.
"Yes, but it's a little sad. In September the kids will be in grade two and in a different class. I am going to miss them," I tell him.
We swing quietly for a few more minutes.
"How is work going in Stockholm? Has everything still been running smoothly since you've been away?"
He nods. "They are handling everything fine over there. I called Henrik this morning and he said business have been better since you've gone away."
I laugh lightly.
"Pam can't wait to meet you," he says.
"Really? I have been getting more nervous about meeting her. I really want her to like me," I say.
"Don't worry Sookie. You are a kind, generous, great woman. I can't imagine anyone not loving you," he says, gently putting his hand on my shoulder.
I gasp a little when he touches me. I could feel tingles going through my body.
"Umm... hey I can show you what Bon Temps and Shreveport have to offer now that I am off work," I nervously smile.
"I would like that," he responds.
The tingles continue to sweep through my entire body as he smiles at me. What was I getting myself into?
Another week goes by and I spend even more time with Eric. This time we spent more time alone during the day while Mikael was at work. I got to know him a lot better and we were fast becoming good friends which pleased Mikael. He told me about his life during university and in Stockholm. He told me about his past relationships including his most serious one with a woman named Sophie-Anne. I shared parts of my life with him as well. I told him about my inability to find a decent man until I met his father. Though I didn't tell him about my virgin status, I suspected he figured that out on his own. He even came over to help out me and Gran. He fixed some of things that needed to be repaired even though I insisted that he didn't need to. The more time we spent together, the more closer we became. It seemed I knew more about Eric than I did of my own fiancé.
We sit outside Mikael's home on a lazy afternoon with the sun shining down on us.
"Your dad says he is going to put in a pool," I say, glancing at Eric beside me.
"Why? I think a pool would just ruin the landscaping," he states. "Besides I think he is allergic to chlorine water. Last time he got into a pool, he got a huge rash all over his back. My mom had to apply a special lotion on him for a week." He laughs a little and becomes silent. He always got a little sad every time he mentioned his mother.
"I think he said something about a pool not filled with chlorine water. Don't you think it would be nice to go for a swim in your backyard?"
He thinks about it for a moment. "Nah. I prefer going to the beach and swimming. There is just something more natural about that."
"Well we can go swimming at the lake near my house," I say. "Of course when your dad is off work," I quickly add.
He raises his eyebrow and lifts his sunglasses from his eyes. "Sure."
We sit back again in silence until we hear someone's voice in the house.
"Daddy? Eric? Where are you?"
Eric gets up quickly. "Out here Pam!"
A tall blonde haired woman emerges from the house followed by an equally tall woman with dark brown hair.
She smiles and removes her sunglasses. "Eric!"
He races towards her and picks her up in a hug.
I stand there watching them.
"I missed you so much. We thought you were arriving tomorrow," he says as he puts her down.
"We wanted to surprise you," she says excitedly. That's when she sees me and her smile falters.
"Pam, this is Sookie Stackhouse. Sookie, this is my sister Pam," Eric says.
"Hi, it's nice to meet you!" I say, plastering on my nervous smile, my voice higher than usual. I put out my hand for her to shake but she grimly looks down at it.
"Pam," Eric says lowly.
"Hello, Sookie, it's nice to meet you," the dark haired woman quickly says shaking my hand. "My name is Amelia, I'm Pam's girlfriend."
"It's a pleasure to meet you," I say.
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you too Miss Stackhouse," Pam says in a somewhat harsh tone.
"Pamela!" Eric says. "I'm sorry Sookie for my sister's rude behaviour."
"There is no need to apologize for me little brother," she says. "So you're the woman who is going to marry my father."
"Uhhh... yes I am," I smile.
"How old are you?" she says in a clipped tone.
"I'm almost 24," I respond quickly.
Her expression becomes even more darker. "So let me get this straight, you are only 24 years old and you are going to marry a man who is more than half your age? Tell me, what is it you expect to gain from this 'marriage'? Is it money? How much do you need? How much do I need to give you to get out of my father's life, you gold-digging whore?"
I stare at her shocked and shaken. I didn't know how to respond. Still trembling, I run inside, grab my keys and purse from the stand in the foyer, and run outside to my car. I could hear Eric calling out my name. I fumble with trying to open the door as tears blur my eyes.
Eric comes running outside, "Sookie wait!"
I don't pay attention to him as I start the ignition and drive off. I drive for about five minutes before stopping to cry more. Tears fall from my eyes. I lean my head against the steering wheel continuing to cry my eyes out.
Suddenly I hear someone tapping on the window. I look up and it was Eric. He had such a remorseful expression on his face.
I open the window, "What do you want Eric?"
"I'm so sorry Sookie. I knew Pam was still a bit angry but I didn't think she would act like that," he says.
"It doesn't matter Eric. Please leave me alone," I cry.
He opens the door and holds out his hand to me. I look at it not knowing if I should.
Finally I grab his hand and get out of the car. Immediately he holds me against his chest and I cry even more.
"Shhh..." he whispers gently into my ear.
I wrap my arms around his waist. This felt so right. Why didn't I get this feeling of completeness when my fiancé held me in his arms?
After five minutes, I finally start to settle down. I move my arms from his waist and place my hands gently on his chest.
"I got your shirt wet," I whisper, rubbing the wet areas.
"That's ok," he says softly.
He puts both of his hands on each side of my face as he gazes into my eyes. With his thumb, he wipes away the tears on one side of my face. "I don't like it when you cry."
I give him a weak smile. I knew what was going to happen next but I didn't want to stop it.
He slowly leans forward getting closer. His lips are barely an inch away from mine. Just as he is about to kiss me, we hear a car approaching.
Quickly, I break away from him.
It was Mr. Wilkins, the gardener who had helped me earlier.
"Good afternoon, Miss Stackhouse, Mr, Northman," he says. "Are you having some car trouble?"
"No," I say flustered. "I forgot something at the house and Eric was just giving it to me." I cringe at my words. "Giving it back to me. I left my purse at the house."
"Alright then Miss Stackhouse, Mr. Northman, have a good day," he says before driving off.
I breathe out deeply. Without looking at Eric, I get into my car, close the door and drive away from him. Thank god, he didn't try to stop me. What the hell was wrong with me?