Perfect Valentine Chapter 10
SPOV
When my eyes opened, I was greeted by bright sunlight. Eric was still snuggled closely beside me. Glancing at the clock on the bedside table, I noticed we'd slept in--way in! It was nearly lunch time. Oh, well, that just meant I only had to cook once today, because family dinner was tonight. when I stirred to stretch, I remembered one reason I may have slept so long. My arms ached with even the slightest movement. It had been a hard day, first moving several boxes of Eric's things, then Bill's unexpected visit. I gingerly turned to my beloved and smiled at the peaceful sleeping face. I tucked my head under his chin and closed my eyes. The day could wait a few more minutes.
The next time I woke it was to the sound of Eric's phone. He still slept, so I reached over him to retrieve the buzzing device, "Hello, this Eric's phone."
After a pause I heard, "Oh, you must be Sookie? This is Inge Northman. How are you, dear?" By this time Eric was awake and waving his fingers for me to hand him the phone. I gave him a look and held up one finger in the 'wait a minute' sign.
"Oh, Mrs. Northman, I'm great. How has your trip been?"
"Wonderful, dear, but I'll be glad to get home. Is that son of mine handy?"
"He's right here. Good to talk to you…" Eric snatched the phone from my hand before I could finish my sentence or hear her reply. He earned another look with that action. the conversation with his mother was a short one, about next weekend's plans, I gathered, although the grunts, yeahs, and uhn huhs were fairly cryptic. I'd woken up with Eric many mornings, but this was the first time I'd seen him with this morning mood. I slipped out of bed to put on a pot of coffee. He needed it more than I did, apparently.
When I heard him say "good-bye," I went back to the bedroom. He wore a scowl under his delicious "bed hair."
"Grumpy, much?" I teased as I walked to the bed.
"Ugh, I hate sleeping so late. It does make me grumpy. I'm sorry I was impatient. Is there coffee?" he asked pulling me to him. If he noticed my wince, he didn't acknowledge it.
"Ready in a few minutes. What did your mom want?" I was nuzzling his chin, attempting to brighten his mood a little.
"Just details about next weekend. They're excited to spend time with you too," he said as he got up, pulled on some boxers and went to the kitchen for our coffee.
Too? Does he mean spending time with me as well as spending time with their son? Or does he mean they are as excited as I am? I really gotta get over these nerves at being around them. It'll be okay. They were perfectly nice the one time I'd met them. Of course, at that time, they didn't know I was going to be a permanent fixture in their lives. Maybe they were just being polite, maybe after we left they…. Stop it, Sookie! Stop whining right now! They will like you. Why shouldn't they? Eric does.
My lip-chewing, hand-wringing, self-doubting reverie was broken by Eric handing me a mug of steaming, aromatic coffee. I had used the beans he'd gotten at the store and his coffee maker this morning. Taking a sip, I realized it was well worth the trouble to set it up! This was great. I smiled up at him with approval.
"Makes a good cup of coffee, doesn't it?" he said as he seated himself at the foot of the bed. "What were you contemplating so seriously when I walked in?"
"Oh, nothing, just thinking about next weekend. You said we'd be going to the country house. Tell me about it. What kind of things will we do? What should I pack?"
"I'm glad you asked," he smiled at me with a scheming look on his face, "I thought we'd go shopping this afternoon. I looked through your closet last night, and you don't have much of anything in the line of rugged gear. Some parts of the land are pretty untamed. If we explore those areas, you'll need good hiking boots, and heavy duty jeans. We'll go to Cabela's if that's okay with you."
I hoped my mouth wasn't hanging open. I wondered how big this "country house" place was, "Sure, fine with me. So, we'll be hiking. Anything else?"
"Whatever you like, Sookie. It'll be too chilly to swim, but there is a hot tub. Or we could fish in the lake, or row across it, if you want to. There's a tennis court, a putting green. We'll just wait until we get there and see what you want to do. It's a great place to just relax, if that appeals to you," he spoke with obvious pride, and I wondered why he hadn't told me more about this place before. I knew his parents owned a place an hour or so away from the city as well as their house here, but didn't know any details.
"Wow, now I'm really getting excited!" I told him with a wink, "Need more coffee? I do!" He followed me into the kitchen for the coffee, and sat down at the table. "Want me to fix some breakfast?"
"Naw, let's get dressed and go to brunch, then we'll go shopping. You need to take it easy. I saw that I hurt you this morning when I reached for you. Sorry, I'd forgotten about your arms, I guess. How bad are they?" His eyes were apologetic and full of concern now.
"I haven't even looked, but they are sore," I said pulling up the sleeve of my t-shirt. I was shocked to see bright purple marks on my upper arm, perfectly mimicking a neatly gathered set of fingerprints. "Ooh, wow, no wonder they hurt."
"Fuck, I should have killed him when I had the chance. I'm so sorry, Sookie," he soothed as he stood and gently hugged me to him.
"You defended me perfectly, Eric. You scared him off, too. I'm sure he's long gone from our lives." Famous last words.
EPOV
I was really looking forward to next weekend. Not only was it a chance for Sookie and I to get away, but I'd finally be showing her parts of my world she didn't know yet. She knew I, well, my family had money, but not how much. She knew they owned a place outside town for relaxation and recreation, but not how big it was. It was time to introduce her to the whole Northman family experience, as well as to Mom and Dad. I knew they were going to love her, and if Dad could behave himself, she'd love them too. He was sometimes aloof and high-handed. That turned some people off, of course. While Sookie showered and dressed, I thought about today. I wanted to take her somewhere special for brunch, then shopping. She needed appropriate outdoor wear for our trip. I grabbed the Sunday paper and browsed the ads.
"Decided where we're going?" she asked, wrapped in one towel while she dried her hair with another. "How should I dress?"
"Upscale casual," I answered, "or just the way you are would suit me!"
She stuck her tongue out at me, "Upscale, huh? How upscale? Where are we going?"
"The Renaissance Hotel. They have a fabulous brunch. We can just take our time, relax, and then head over to the sporting goods place. You ever been there? It's a treat in itself," I answered, rising to get myself cleaned up and ready. "You'll look beautiful no matter what you wear." I stopped by to kiss her on the cheek.
An hour later we left the house, Sookie wearing dress pants and a long-sleeved silk blouse. Her hair was loose and wavy, the way I like it best. I helped her into the Corvette, feeling pride swell within me.
We were going to see two sides of the Ft. Worth life style today. The Renaissance Hotel was fancy, pyramid shaped and a little snooty. Cabela's was a world apart with it's wide assortment of hunting, fishing, and camping gear, so many displays it doubled as a natural history museum, and guns of all descriptions and eras. I wanted this to be a happy, relaxing day for Sookie. After yesterday's drama with Bill, she needed it. When we'd driven to the Sundance Square area, Sookie had reached over and patted my thigh, no doubt remembering our recent eventful evening here.
The Brunch buffet was somewhat crowded, but we found a table for two near the windows overlooking downtown Ft. Worth. We took our time, eating our fill of the numerous offerings, then walked around the outdoor courtyards and pool areas for awhile before going back to the car.
We drove north to the large sporting goods complex. Sookie was immediately impressed with the waterfalls and sculptures marking the front of the building. This would be much more than just a shopping trip for her, since she'd never been here before. In fact, we did spend over an hour just wandering around, taking in the sights. Finally I steered her over to the little coffee shop, ordered us each a cup, and found a place to sit and people watch while we rested and refreshed ourselves. Looking at her face, I saw Sookie was enjoying her day. Mission Accomplished.
Next, we tackled the main reason for our visit. Heading for the women's section, we shopped for rugged outdoor wear for my adorable lover. While Sookie was well toned, and exercised often, she didn't regularly participate in activities such as we might at the Northman property: hiking, fishing, hunting in season, so she needed appropriate gear. I had as much fun as she did picking out shirts, pants, and shoes for her to take on the trip. We laughed, teased, and taunted delightedly throughout the experience. I had to grab things away from her quickly to keep her from comparing prices. Always the frugal one, she would have settled for less than the best, or something other than her favorite, if she'd seen the tag. When we decided on the items we'd buy, we checked out and went to the car. By this time, it was only an hour before we were expected at the Stackhouse residence for the fabled family dinner, so instead of going home, we made our way there. Knowing Jason would be there, and knowing he was now supportive of our relationship, made me anticipate it all the more.
SPOV
As we headed across Ft. Worth toward my parents' home, I smiled to myself at the day we'd had. I loved the rugged clothing Eric had helped me pick out for our trip to the country. I tried not to be worried about the cost. He kept snatching things out of my hands before I could check the tags, and had sent me on an unnecessary errand while we stood in the checkout line, knowing he'd be through by the time I got back, thus keeping me in the dark about the amount of our purchases. The rest of the experience was great. I never dreamed a retail store could be such a treat, I mean beyond the whole shopaholic thing. It had been a relaxing day, just what I needed after yesterday's drama.
"Thanks, again, Eric, for today," I said as I patted his leg, "I had a lot of fun, and I love my new things."
"You're entirely welcome, lover. I'll never get tired of spoiling you," he smiled. "I'm looking forward to family dinner. You?"
"Oh, sure. It'll be interesting to see how Jason reacts this time, now that he knows the truth about Bill, maybe you and he can be friends. Plus, I'm getting hungry, and nothing hits the spot like Mama's cooking!" I looked out the window the rest of the trip, trying to decide whether or not to mention Bill's showing up to Jason, "Eric, I think maybe we shouldn't tell anyone about yesterday. About what Bill did, I mean."
"I'll abide by whatever you decide, Sookie, but I think your parents and especially Jason need to know how he has treated you, is still treating you. You know, bullies survive because people don't challenge them, don't expose them for what they are. That's not a healthy situation, but, like I said, I'll do what you want." We were pulling into the driveway of my parents' home by this time, and Eric reached over and cupped my chin in his hand, "I've always thought honesty was the best policy."
Everyone was happy to see us when we arrived. Even though we were a little early, Jason was already there, and he and Daddy greeted Eric loudly, even before acknowledging my presence, with tales of new acquisitions for the car. They headed straight for the garage.
"Come on Sookie, dear, you can help me finish up," Mama said, turning to go back to the kitchen, "tell me what ya'll did today."
"Oh, Mama, we had fun. Eric is taking me to his folk's country house next weekend, and we went to Cabela's to buy clothes. That's a really cool place. Ever been there?" I chattered as I prepared a salad.
"Me, no, but your daddy and Jason go there a lot, I think. Where is their place?" she asked, checking something in the oven.
"Somewhere southwest of here. Eric says it takes about an hour or so to get there. I knew they owned a place, but, from what I've just learned, it's a lot bigger deal than I'd thought. I guess they are wealthier than I'd realized. I'm a little nervous about spending time with them, and about telling them about the engagement. What if they don't approve of me, Mama?" I bit my lip as I looked at her for the support I knew she'd offer.
"What's not to like, baby? You are beautiful, sweet, smart, and Eric's obviously crazy about you," she put her hands on my shoulders, turning me to face her, "what kind of parents would deny their son the love of his life?"
"I guess you're right, but they're just so different from me, us, so much money, and all," I got back to the salad.
"Sookie, money doesn't automatically make people different. They may have different experiences, more possessions, but they're just people like the rest of us underneath it all. Besides, if they are all that wealthy, that means Eric grew up with it. He's not so different is he?"
"No, but Eric's pretty much Eric. He's so self-confident and all, he just is what he is, he's not worried about what others think. I could never be that way!" I shook my head, thinking of all the insecurities that had plagued me for years.
"Baby, I hate it when you put yourself down. I don't know why you do it. Come here," drying her hands, my mother led to a mirror in the hall. "Now, look, what do you see?" When I shrugged my shoulders and tried to turn away, she continued, "I see a lovely girl with a winning personality, who should hold her head high and walk into every room like she owns the place."
Before I could answer the guys came loudly through the back door. "How long 'til we eat?" asked Jason, sampling the salad greens still on the cutting board, "I'm starving!"
"Ten minutes, if you'll get out of here and let us work," my smiling mother answered. Eric looked at me and winked as he passed through the kitchen to the couch where Daddy was getting settled. I wondered if that had a meaning behind it, or was just an affectionate gesture.
As promised, supper was on the table in ten minutes' time, and the three men were ready to dig in. So was I, actually. Everyone was concentrating on the delicious chicken cassarole for the first few minutes, so no one spoke. Finally Mama offered, "Eric took Sookie to Cabela's today. Bought her some clothes."
"Cool, Sis," Jason said between bites, "what'd you get?"
"Shirts, pants, boots, stuff for hiking. Eric's taking me to his family's country place Friday," I explained.
"Hiking, huh? Any fishing there, Eric? Dad and me love to fish. Hunt, too," he managed to say, even though he shoveled in food as if he hadn't eaten all week.
"Sure, there's a great lake stocked with Florida bass and catfish. The creeks are full of native fish, too. As for hunting, there's anything you could want in the way of natives: deer, turkey, dove, quail, ducks, even, unfortunately, the occasional hog. You should come some time," he looked up at Jason from his own plate, which was quickly being cleaned.
"For sure," Jason answered, reaching for seconds. I smiled to see that my brother could bond with my new boyfriend so quickly. Maybe Bill was in the past for him too.
After dinner we sat and talked, and teased the way we'd always done when it was just the four of us. Eric couldn't have seemed more at home. At one point he made a comment that brought my breathing to a halt, "When I was trying to find room for my clothes in her closet…" Seeing my reaction, Eric stopped mid-sentence. I guess neither of us had thought a thing about our new living arrangements being a problem for our parents, but mine did tend to be old fashioned when it came to their daughter sometimes.
All eyes were suddenly on me, so I calmly stated, "Eric's lease is up next month, so we decided he should go ahead and move in with me now instead of waiting." Understanding nods all around dissolved the knot in my stomach.
"My sainted little sister living with a guy?" teased Jason giving me what he meant as a playful punch on the arm. When I winced and pulled away reaching to rub my arm, while Eric halfway stood from his seat, Jason asked, "What gives, Sookie? I didn't hit you that hard."
Tears sprang to my eyes, which sought out Eric's. He nodded at me, indicating I should tell Jason the truth. "Bill came to the house yesterday, while we were moving Eric's stuff in. I didn't lock the door behind me, because Eric was supposed to be following, and he came into the house." I pulled my sleeve up to reveal the deepening bruises.
"Son of a bitch!" Jason hissed, slamming his fist into the soft cushion of the chair where he sat.
"Has he hit you before? We'll press charges!" my father spat as he rose from the couch.
"Are you all right, baby?" Mama sobbed.
Eric was at my side, on his knees with his arms around me, "He'd never physically hurt her before. She told me that, so I believe her. If he knows what's good for him, he won't do it again, either. I came in shortly after he grabbed her by the arms, so the bruises there are the worst of it."
"I hope you kicked his ass!" Jason seethed.
"Let's just say he didn't leave unscathed," Eric answered.
Tears were rolling down my face, but I managed to say, "Eric was wonderful. He put Bill in his place, while staying calm enough not to beat him to a pulp. He took wonderful care of me afterward too. I am very lucky he came when he did."
After the emotional toll our revelation took on the evening, I was suddenly exhausted. I don't think I was the only one. We all solemnly, gently hugged and said good night.
The ride home was again a quiet one. My tired brain couldn't form thoughts beyond climbing into bed when we finally arrived, save one, which I just had to express, "I love you, Eric, more than you'll ever know."