AN: Sorry for the wait. I got busy, then sick and just did not have the time to write. Well really for anything but I hope you like this chapter. School has officially started which will limit my time in the coming weeks. I have been freaking out about applying for student teaching. I am convinced the process is designed to make prospective student teachers not want to teach. Anyway I am done with the whole thing until November. I promise I am not abandoning any of my writing but it may take me a while to get more chapters up. I am only planning a few more and there will be more time jumps coming just to warn you. This is a big chapter for them and lots of holiday fun with a little zest too. As always I want to know what you think. Please read, enjoy and review.
Chapter 16 Deep Fried Love
To say that Gran and I cook for Thanksgiving would be understatement. Seriously with the amount of food we prepared you would think we were cooking for fifty people. In reality it was more like fifteen. I had driven home Sunday on my own because Eric only had three days off verses my entire week. Gran and I had started on our prep work on Tuesday. Gran was working on her two day gravy while I made pie dough. Gran's two day gravy was just that two days of work and wait time for the most amazing gravy you ever tasted. She starts the long process by roasting vegetables and turkey meat. I know it sounds crazy to do but it made better stock which made better gravy.
With my pie dough in the fridge I started on the cornbread and croutons for the dressings. There were no short cuts in Gran's kitchen. Everything we made started from scratch. The complete menu for lunch was of course roasted turkey, a deep fried turkey that Jason and Daddy were doing on their own, both cornbread and regular dressing, roasted and raw vegetables, green bean casserole, baked beans, noodles, mashed potatoes with gravy, olives and pickles, rolls, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, various salads, blueberry, pecan, pumpkin, French silk, and lemon meringue pies, bread pudding, and finally baked apples with cinnamon ice cream.
I was exhausted and sore when I headed up to bed Wednesday night. Eric had driven up around noon and hung out with Daddy and Hunter most of the day. I had been surprised when Gran had Daddy take Eric's stuff to the room I was using. The look on Daddy's face as he took Eric's bag up the stairs was priceless. He did make a big deal out of the fact that he was right across the hall and telling us he knew just how thin the walls were. You sure as hell know that Bill never got to stay in the same room as me. I think it was Gran's way of saying she liked him. Then again maybe not because I had no idea how we were going to both fit in the tiny twin bed. The room had once belonged to my aunt Lynda and you could tell. It was very feminine and very small. Eric ever the great boyfriend offered to give me a back rub after my much needed shower.
"Remind me to ask you to do this at Christmas too." I muttered into my pillow as he worked my lower back with his huge hands. I let out a long moan when he found a knot of tense muscle.
"I will do it every day if you keep making those sounds." I could hear the smile in his voice. He leaned down to kiss my neck. I could feel how much Eric was enjoying the sounds I was making. "What time do you need to get up to finish everything?" He asked continuing his ministrations.
"OH OH… right there. Um Gran said she was letting me sleep in so we have till 8. She is getting up at 5 to start her turkey." I groan as sooths my tired back.
"Why so early?" He asks.
"The bird is massive and it gona need like 5 to 5 ½ hours to roast not to mention the amount of time she is going to need to season and brine it. Then it is going to need to rest for another half hour after it's cooked. She has got everything timed down to the minute for what needs to be finished before lunch at one." I explain. I was not kidding about the time. Gran had written up a time table for when everything needed to either be in the oven or on the stove top. I know for a fact that when I get my own place in the future I want to have double ovens like Gran does. It just makes it easier to cook for a crowd.
"How big of a bird is she making?" He asked rolling off me.
"Gran's turkey I think is around 20 lbs. The one Daddy and Jason are doing is only like 12 lbs. I am surprised they haven't roped you into helping them yet. That is their big morning activity well that beer and tv. They also put Gran's Christmas lights up after a late afternoon nap." I turn to stand up.
"Don't worry they are planning on making me and Hunter part of those traditions." The smile on his face had me hoping he would be a part of them for years to come. I was glad he was getting along with them.
"Good" I said putting my arms around his lower back to give him a hug. "Thank you for coming and for the back rub." I mumbled into chest.
"I was serious I will give you one any time you want just to hear you make those little moans." He smirked down at me. He kissed my check and then the corner of my mouth. His lips then found mine in a sweet kiss. One of the best things about Eric is the way he kisses me. I know how much he cares for me in one single kiss. He goes back to my neck and nibbles just behind my ear.
"I love it when you do that." I sigh as we back into the bed and lay down.
"Oh yeah what else do you love?" He asks before kissing down my chest taking off my shirt.
"That you hold doors for me and send me flowers. You are tall enough to reach the top shelf. Oh I know, the way your ass looks in well everything." I list knowing that is not what he was hoping to hear.
"Really do go on." I can feel the smile on his face as he moves to unclasp my bar.
"I could go for ages but I think it is just you. I love you." I feel him still and look down into his eyes. We had not said I love you yet but I had been wanting to for a while.
"I don't think I heard you right could you say that again?" He asks with a twinkle in his eye.
"I love you Eric." I smile at him as he kisses his way back up.
"Good, because I love you too Sookie." He replies with a smile that takes my breath away. He kisses me again as one of his hands slides down my side resting at the top of my shorts. I ran my hands up and down his back finally coming to rest in his hair. I had been a little sad when he had cut his hair but now I loved running my fingers through it and tugging on it. He grunted loudly when I tugged on his hair. His other hand cupped my breast and then pinching my nipple into a hard peak. He did the same with the other which elicited a grunt of my own. His hand at my hip slipped under the waist band of my shorts ghosting the edge of my panties. As frustrating as it was I had to agree when he said "I really want to continue this but not here especially not in this tiny bed." No sooner had I pulled on my shirt than Daddy was knocking on the door to tell us to go to sleep.
"Goodnight you two, remember what I said earlier. I don't care how much Mama likes you, if anything happens to my little girl just know, I know how to dismember a corpse." Daddy said ominously closing the door. I tried my hardest not to giggle when I saw Eric's face.
"Has he really taken a body apart?" His eyes looked like they would bulge out of their sockets.
"Only animals he has shot. He was joking I think." I try to sooth him. "Come on let's just go to sleep then you won't have to find out." We lie back down and try to get comfortable. I know that it is not nice to laugh but it was hard not to when his feet hung off the end of the bed. Sharing a bed with Eric was wonderful thing even if it was cramped. It was one of the best nights sleep I had in that tiny room. I never really liked being used as a teddy bear but for some reason when Eric was the one doing it I did not mind at all. I wanted to throw the alarm clock when it rang at 8. I was almost too comfortable. I extracted myself Eric's warm embrace and headed down to help Gran. The smell of bacon and sausage filled the house as I approached the kitchen. She was already hard a work over the stove.
"Sookie dear grab me the eggs from the fridge." She requested over her shoulder. I retrieved the carton of eggs from the fridge and handed it to her. "Get yourself something to drink while I make you a plate." I followed orders and poured myself a mug of coffee. The one thing you can always count on when you make bacon or sausage the smell will wake up anyone and everyone in the house. Slowly but surely Daddy, Hunter and Eric came down the stairs to investigate the smell and fill a plate. Jason and Michelle arrived not long after breakfast. The boys made their way to the living room to watch and drink. Well Daddy, Eric and Jason did Hunter was sipping on some apple cider. As the morning dragged on more of Gran's guests showed up. Gran and Michelle were both elbow deep in potatoes when the door rang.
"I'll get it." I said putting down my spatula. I made my way to the door just as Eric came down the hall. I smiled at him and opened the door. There stood Alcide with a pie and a nervous smile. Standing to his left was Debbie arms crossed and toe tapping. I had known that he would be coming but nobody had said anything about her.
"Are you going to let us in or are we gona keep standing here?" She sneered at me.
"By all mean come on in. I will take that for you. Your parents are in the living room with Daddy." I replied stepping back. Debbie pushed past stalking down the hall.
"Ahh… Hi Sookie here we brought a pie. You look nice." Alcide mumbled handing it over and pursuing Debbie. Never was I more grateful for Eric then in that moment.
"I think he must be a masochist. I don't see the appeal at all." Eric whispered in my ear hugging me from behind.
Daddy and the boys had a minor mishap with their turkey dropping the uncooked bird on Gran's gravel drive. After a rinse and patting dry and the turkey was good as new not that they would have admitted to anything being wrong with it in the first place. By one we had a full house and food on the table. As expected we had way more food then we needed and enough leftovers to send plenty of food with everyone. Eric and I curled up on one of Gran's sofas for a post meal nap. I gladly welcomed the rest falling asleep almost instantly. Eric roused me around four. We needed to get on the road to make it to his father's house for dinner. I changed clothes and redid my hair. I did not realize just how nervous I was about this evening until I was sitting in the passenger seat of Eric's Audi. I mean there really was no reason for me to be freaking out. I have met his family before and they liked me. Then again I was only a friend and not a "girlfriend".
"Sookie you will be fine. They already like you more than any of my past girlfriends." I leaned over and took my hand in his kissing the back of it.
"I know it just feels different this time." I mumble as we round the corner to Eric's childhood home. Johann greeted us at the door smiling like always.
"How is my favorite Sookie?" he asked pulling me into a hug.
"Aren't I your only Sookie?" I reply in kind.
"So that doesn't mean you can't be my favorite." He smirked down at me.
"Hey watch the my Sookie thing, you lost out on your chance she is all mine." Eric said possessively over my shoulder. I suppressed a giggle as they lead me in to the living room where everyone else was congregated. Johann sat down with me on one end of the sofa while Eric went to retrieve a drink for me. Pam and Amelia were cuddled on the love seat to the left and Jakob and Jonathan in wing backed chairs to the right. My nerves vanished after a few jokes from Johann. Dinner was lovely and I enjoyed having time to chat with Lizzie. After dinner Eric and his father went to his office to talk for a bit. I was rather curious what they were talking about away from prying ears and eyes. I would find out just what the conversation was about on my last day of student teaching.