Hold Back The Dawn ~ The Continuation
[Hello every one! On the eve of the final season of True Blood ~less than eight weeks away now~ I am reprinting the continuation of this story, first posted on another sight. What you are about to read is the product of the urgings of a very dear friend, who had read the first 5 chapters of Hold Back The Dawn and then informed me that they loved it, but the story had ended 'just too sadly.' There had to be more, my friend insisted. But… there really wasn't any more. So I decided to write on.
And ^this is where the story led me…
After coming to an understanding and a declaration of their true feelings for one another in the first 5 chapters of HBTD, Bill and Sookie had to part ways, due to vampire business, yet again, at the end of Chapter 5. But the story was not over for them.
Several weeks later, Sookie receives an invitation in the mail. An exciting invitation that will change her life again, in so many ways. And bring her even closer to her beloved Bill.
I hope you will enjoy my further story of Hold Back The Dawn ~ The Continuation, told in the first~person prose by Sookie herself. This is a journey where Bill and Sookie will discover that, without a doubt, they are 'made for each other.'
Overall, there is mature content, language and situations in this story. Although, not in every chapter.
As always…no copyright infringement is intended. I own nothing. These characters are the express property of Charlaine Harris, Alan Ball and HBO. I am only borrowing them for a time, to tell a little story…]
Chapter 6
I had never received a certified letter. Not ever. Of course, that's probably because I had never known anybody who had a need to send me a certified letter. You know…because in my whole life, I did not know anyone who lived inside or outside of Bon Temps who actually knew how to send a certified letter. And there wasn't any reason to send me one. A certified letter is a pretty big deal. The only person I know in Bon Temps who would know what to do…how to actually send a certified letter to somebody is probably… most likely Mr. MacIlwain. And he used to be Gran's lawyer. He would have occasion to do that all the time. Send certified letters to various and sundry people in other cities. Anyway… I got one. I never expected it to happen.
The mailman, Mr. Brewster, who always brings my boss Sam his mail over to Merlotte's, was looking at me with a keenly curious expression on his face, that afternoon. The day he handed me the bulky, over-sized envelope with its official green-colored seal plastered across it. He was surprised as I was that I had received such an official letter.
Mr. Brewster also had a red and tan receipt slip and a ball point pen for me to sign for the letter. I had never got anything in the mail but unpaid bills before that. Or a come~on from a Sweepstakes that I knew I would never win. Mr. Brewster had walked straight up to me while I was just standing at the bar. I was between customers, and I was trying to make sure I had all of my lunchtime receipts in order for the last couple of hours. It was my only day to work a double shift that week. When he came up behind me, he startled me, actually.
"Hey Sookie! I just brought this letter over here, 'cause I know you work the 3-to-11 shift tonight," Mr. Brewster said. Receiving a certified letter wasn't the only thing in Bon Temps that everybody would find out very quickly about you. Another unique distinction of living in a very small town- at any given hour, on any given day, most everybody knows where you are and what you should be doing.
"Thanks, Mr. Brewster, I appreciate it," I said. I didn't want him to know how surprised I was. I acted like I expected the certified letter all the time. That was dumb, but for some reason, I just pretended. I dug down into the little apron I was wearing and handed him a couple of dollars for his trouble. He really didn't have to bring my mail over to Merlotte's. That was very nice of him. Of course, he knew I was at not home. Because everybody knew where I was supposed to be that time of day. "Where do I sign?"
He pointed his finger to the first line at the top of the one-and-only page he had for certified letters. No one else had received a certified letter for that day. Probably not in the last month. I scribbled my signature on it and handed the clip board back to Mr. Brewster.
"Have a nice evening, Sookie," he said.
He placed the huge envelope on the bar in front of me. Then he collected his postal knapsack back over his shoulder, tipped his little blue hat at me and turned and left Merlotte's.
There I was, standing at the bar, thinking about taking my next break, ready to dive into the unknown letter. I noticed Sam standing at the other end of the bar, watching me. And Arlene and Lafayette were moving around the main room from table to table, pretending not to notice that I had received this huge certified, official~looking envelope from Mr. Brewster just then! Sam was definitely keeping his eye on me.
It was 1:45 in the afternoon on a Friday. Merlotte's would pretty soon be filled to the rafters later on that night. I hated a split~shift with a passion. But, I hated a double shift even more. At least it kept me busy. And not a lot of time to mope around, thinking about Bill. Although, Bill was never really too far away from my thoughts. No matter what I was doing. We had just patched things up between us, then he was suddenly called away. I thought Bill might only be going to New Orleans. But he was going away a lot further than that.
All the usual locals were there for lunch. A few new faces here and there. Everything was in a state of flux on Friday afternoon. It was one of our busiest days, of course. I would take a little time to eat supper, then start back working my double, continuing with the 3 to 11 shift, knowing full well, I probably wouldn't actually leave Merlotte's until after 1 a.m. on Saturday morning. That's just the way it is for waiters and waitresses. But I didn't mind it so much. Especially since Bill was not in Bon Temps these days…
After lunch, the crowd would slowly start to change. The customers would stop being families and business folk. Heading towards the evening, there are always more single people. And a lot more rowdy customers. Soon, I would be completely busy again… sending orders to Lafayette at the kitchen pick~up window. The laughing, joking, playing pool customers would start flowing in as the sun set down in the trees behind the back parking lot. The sound of clanking glasses, and the rumble of muted voices over the jukebox would begin, again. Song after song would be playing…some of the songs reminding me of Bill… and how much I missed him.
Somebody was sure to drop a glass beer mug, as usual, punctuating the familiar feel of another ordinary evening. Although, nothing could ever be really ordinary about how much I wished Bill would come back home soon. He had been away on vampire business for nearly a month now.
If there was anything good about working more shifts [besides the extra income of course] it was as time went by, I was getting better and better at filtering out the noises at Merlotte's and pulling myself back from listening to every voice that passed through my head. People's inane conversations and such. Conversations they were having inside their own heads. Things they never wanted another living soul to know. Crazy stuff. But, I could hear their thoughts. Because of my gift. Maybe it was just because I was growing older, but I was more able to control how much of someone's thoughts I wanted to hear. I don't know. I was getting better at controlling it. And I had promised my family and friends that I would keep out of their heads, at least. it wasn't always easy to do.
Everything about that day was familiar and routine, except for the green and white envelope I held in my hand. I turned toward the counter, pretending not to notice all the eyes of my co-workers and my boss staring at me. I knew they were all dying to ask me about it. I looked down at the crisp, white over-sized little treasure. There was something so special about getting a letter from someone. Especially in this day and age, I thought. You know…the age of computers, internet, twitter accounts, iPads… Being sent something through the mail was actually becoming quite special.
I studied the envelope for a moment, just enjoying the fact that it was especially for me. That it had traveled, such a long way, just so I could hold it. Up in the left-hand corner, there in small, square black lettering, was stamped the words, "New York Borough of Manhattan. " And then the strange, new address and zip code. My stomach fluttered. It was just as I had thought. There was no doubt about it.
This letter was from Bill!
Because the letter was certified, Bill was making absolutely sure that I would received it.
Personally!
It was very exciting to know that he had sent this just for me. Bill Compton always had a way of bringing something exciting and extraordinary into my life. Starting from the night we first met. Bill Always made his presence felt. Whether he was physically with me or not. He was there. Giving me a little, unexpected lift. And changing things forever…
It had only been a little over a month since Bill left for his very secretive trip to New York. But, I had talked to Bill on the phone last week. Bill was very busy these days, so we could not talk very long. He told me, he just had to hear my voice. That was so sweet. Made me feel so good. And he never said anything about sending a certified letter to me.
Bill's very first cell call to me had been when he landed in New York, just as he had promised. It hurt, so much, to know we were hundreds of miles apart. And we wouldn't see each other for a long while, because Bill had told me, he had no idea just how long he would be in New York City on his American Vampire League business. He could not make me any promises as to when he would return home. Bill admitted, he couldn't tell me anything about the trip. Nothing specific. Or, rather, Bill thought it best that I did not have any details. That made me kind of nervous. Anyway, the second time he called, about a week ago, we had 'phone sex.' I swear, it wasn't planned.
We didn't start out that way. I was just happy to hear his voice. Bill was just asking me how I was doing? What was going on at work? He asked about Jason…and Tara... He told me how much he missed me...he said, again, it was so great to hear my voice.
I just wanted to hear Bill say my name...
Well… we couldn't talk about what he was up to in New York. And it took me all of five minutes to tell Bill about what was going on here in Bon Temps. So the conversation started drifting back into how much we missed each other. And needed each other.
Bill said he wished he could touch the softness of my skin. I asked him… what part of my skin did he wish he could touch?
Bill said he wished he was home so he could touch my cheek and kiss me on the lips and put his arms around me and hold me tight. I told him that sounded so, so good and I wished he could. I told him I wanted to feel his arms around me once more. That would be heaven. My heart started pounding as I listened to his whispers…
I asked him if there was anything else he wanted to do to me?
Bill said he wanted desperately to smell me and taste me. Bill said… he wanted to lick my skin…
I asked Bill… what part… of my body did he most want to taste… to lick?
He said he wanted more than anything to taste my mouth, my nipples, to draw his tongue down along my soft tummy, under my navel, until his tongue was deep inside my cl*t…and he craved with desperation to suck the sweet honey from my body!
OH! Oohhh.. I could not help but moan into the phone…I told Bill… hmmm! oh I could just imagine his wonderful tongue, darting in and out of me… his lips closing over my pleasure bud …and all the delicious sensations Bill is so damned skilled at making me feel! Bill said, thinking about us, thinking about me ... was driving him crazy!
We both knew it was madness to talk to each other like that over the phone. Bill was hundreds of miles away! I was lying in bed as he talked to me and I had to pleasure myself just to make it through the night! His descriptions of how he wanted to make love to me with his mouth, was so erotic. I just couldn't help myself. Later, before we hung up, he said the sweetest thing to me. Bill said, if he could …if he had the time and wouldn't be missed, he would have blazed a trail at vamp-speed back to Bon Temps from New York, just to hold me in his arms! Even if it took all night to get here.
God, we made a vow not to have phone sex again, but... we did it, again, anyway. Even though it was just so damned frustrating!
Finally, I took the envelope, holding it casually at my side. I caught Sam's eye again [he was watching me like a hawk!]
"I'm gonna take a break now, Sam, before my second shift!" I called to him from across the bar. He nodded back at me. No surprise to him, I'm sure.
I didn't take the hallway past Sam's office out to the back door. I left from the front door of Merlotte's. It just seemed quicker. I picked up my pace, hurrying around the side of the building, dodging a couple of customers as they were on their way inside. I darted through part of the patron's parking lot and came to stand just under the back portico, by the kitchen door. I was too excited to even sit down.
I could not hold back the grin I had. Smiling to myself, like a little idiot. This certified letter was a part of Bill. I could feel the sense of excitement building in me, like a child on holiday anticipating opening a Christmas present! I turned over the envelope, grasped the green tab and pulled it back from left to right, stopping before the strip broke away from the edge and fell off. I reached inside and found two smaller envelopes. One with a red and white watermark seal across the back of it. The distinctive 'C' pressed into the overlapping crease across the top flap. The other envelope was larger but much plainer. Not even sealed. I opened the unsealed envelope first. I pulled out an airline ticket. 'FIRST~CLASS' seating: Destination NEW YORK CITY ~ ROUND TRIP.
I gasped. Nooo!
My hands were trembling now. A First~Class ticket to New York City? My brain could not process it for the moment. I impatiently tucked the ticket under my right arm, giving all my attention to the smaller envelope. I carefully as possible opened the smaller one, minding not to break the perfect red seal. I reached in and unfolded a single piece of fine paper, so exquisite, that I could see the shadow of my fingers through it. There was Bill's beautiful, swirling handwriting in dark blue ink staring up at me.
My eyes drank in his message:
My Sweetheart ~
I certainly hope this letter finds you very well. Surprise! I would love to have you join me in New York some time in the very near future. Very soon, Sookie. I hope Sam can spare you! I have assessed the situation up here and things do not appear to be quite as pressing as when I first arrived. I am willing to give it a chance…if you are, my darling. Please find enclosed a ticket that you may use at any time. Just call me and let me know your flight number, date/time of your arrival. I will arrange everything else.
Sookie…please say you will come join me for a few days, as soon as you are able to do so. There is so much I want to show you! I miss you terribly. Call me when you receive this.
I love you ~
Bill
I had to be grinning from ear-to-ear as I read Bill's letter. It was a wonderful surprise. I had no idea he was going to do this, or that it was even going to be possible! I was giddy! I was light~headed. And light~hearted. And beside myself with joy, receiving such a lovely gift from Bill!
I must have stood there, under the portico, and re-read Bill's letter at least ten times! I pulled out the First-Class airline ticket from under my arm and stared at it, again, my heart in my throat. New York City. New York City. And Bill! What could be more perfect?! It had always been my dream to go there someday! What could match the bright lights, the unstoppable energy of the 'Big Apple?'
I closed my eyes. I imagined me and Bill, walking hand-in-hand at midnight through Central Park! Or taking in an off-Broadway show! Or going down a flight of stone steps to an out~of~the~way cellar…a blues-y jazz-soaked bistro...a sexy saxophone playing in the background…
The two of us… me and Bill ... slow~dancing together in the moonlight on a terrace located on the Lower East Side near the river. Bill holding me tight against the brisk night air…telling me over and over again, how much he loves me…
It was almost too much to bear! A dream come true!
I was going to New York to be with Bill!
I ran back inside Merlotte's and straight into Sam's office where I kept my little change purse and cell phone in a drawer in Sam's desk. I quickly retrieved my cell, found Bill's number. Two rings and he picked up.
"Sookie!"
"Hey! I just got my certified mail...oh, Bill!" I was out of breath and almost dizzy.
"Say you'll come." The tone of his voice was so rich and warm.
"Of course I will! Are you sure...it's alright?"
"I think everything will be fine. I miss you so much, Sookie."
"OH, I miss you too, Bill. I can't wait!"
"When will you arrive?"
"Well...I-I don't know...I haven't asked Sam for time off yet."
Bill laughed. "What? I thought you had talked with Sam already."
"No. Not yet. I~I'm goin' to ask him right now! Right this very second!"
"Alright, sweetheart." There was happiness in Bill's voice. "Just… call me back with your flight information. And Sookie, don't you worry about anything."
"Bill... I love you so much...thank you for this!"
"I am the luckiest man in the world " Bill whispered; "...cannot get you here soon enough...I love you, Sookie."
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Sam gave me a week off. A week! Seven whole days! I still cannot believe he did that.
I had never had seven days off in a row. Not ever. Not since I started working at Merlotte's right after high school. Sam had said he felt guilty about that. And that nobody could go to New York City for 2 days or whatever. A person needed at least a week to see everything. And a week really wasn't enough time. But I was so grateful for his generosity. I appreciated it very much. All I really wanted was as much time alone with Bill as we could manage.
And I promised Sam that when I returned from my trip, I would never be late to work, ever again. I hoped I could keep that promise!
Other than me going to Jackson the time I searched for Bill - and the Dallas trip of course ~ I had never had so long a break from work. OH, my stars! Everything was coming together. It was scary. I was almost afraid to feel too happy. I felt like pinching myself to make sure I was not dreaming.
I called Bill and gave him all my flight information. I was leaving Shreveport on Thursday afternoon at 4:45 pm. There was a short lay-over in Birmingham, Alabama. Then non-stop to NYC. At first, Bill said he really preferred me on a no lay-over flight. He said he wanted me on a direct flight. But , I had googled it. And if I had booked a direct flight, then I couldn't leave until Monday. Bill said that would be like torture! I agreed. He wanted me in New York on Thursday night! And so did I. Bill said, again, he would handle everything after my plane touched down...and I knew he would.
I had so many things I wanted and needed to do before I left. I needed to go shopping, like crazy. I needed new shoes! I needed at least two formal dresses, that didn't look like they belonged at last year's prom, because Bill had said that there were evening events sponsored by the AVL that I needed to be prepared to dress up for. This was New York City, for God's sake! I had to make a list of things to do, so I wouldn't be so unorganized.
I needed to get my pink short-sleeved sweater set out of the cleaners. I needed to get my nails done! Bill would object, but I wanted to go to Victoria's Secret, in Clio County across the river, and get myself new underwear. Bill always said, what's the point ? He would have me out of my panties before he even knew what color they were! But I just wanted to have everything new in the lingerie area. It just made me feel better.
Another reason I wanted to get busy with shopping and such...just didn't want to hear the objections from my brother Jason. He did not want me to go all that way to New York to be with Bill. At least not alone. I told him to stop that shit. I am going and there is nothing he can do about it. Besides, I am not alone - Bill will be there when the airplane lands. I just had to get away from my brother's nagging for a few hours. So I went shopping.
Jessica was a God Send. She met me for dinner on Wednesday. Well. I ate. And Jessica listened. She was so excited for me! And Jess was such a big help with picking out my clothes and matching my accessories to pack for the trip. Bill had not told Jessica a whole lot about what he was doing in NYC, but I figured she knew more than I did, being a vampire, his progeny and all.
I did not give two hoots about the AVL stuff. Or give it a second thought while I was getting my luggage ready. It had nothing to do with me, I thought.
I was going to be with Bill in New York, for a whole week, and that's all I cared about.
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FLIGHT 4441 to LaGuardia International. Departure time: 4:45 p.m.
I would arrive in NYC at sunset. How perfect was that?
Going through all the Security really was not that bad. Placing my car in long~term parking was more of a hassle than Security had been. Afterward, I sat down in one of the airport chairs, gazing out of the huge plate glass windows at the runways. I was kind of nervous, right before the flight attendant said we could board.
I had said good-bye to everyone in Bon Temps and drove my little car to Shreveport alone. I really didn't want to make a big deal about leaving. Even though Bill had said it was okay, and I did not have to be secretive at all. I still felt that the less fanfare about my leaving, the better. I do believe Bill appreciated that really. I wanted to drive the distance to Shreveport alone. I did not even turn on the radio. It was peaceful, except for the traffic. I needed the silence for a while. The solitary drive really cleared my head. Just getting away from Bon Temps for a little while made me feel totally free. Like I was not really myself, but somebody different. Strangers in the airport looked at me, and they knew nothing about me. It felt peculiar but some how very satisfying.
And just knowing, that at the end of my journey, I would run straight into Bill's arms. Me and Bill would be surrounded by strangers together. No one knowing our history.
We would explore New York City together...it was the most adventurous feeling I had ever had!
"Sook?"
I looked up and there was Tara standing in front of me in the Shreveport airport. I was completely shocked. Tara had been angry at me after I forgave Bill.
"Tara!" I stood up, tossed my carry-on bag to the chair beside me and hugged her.
"What are you doing here?" I said, in disbelief. I was so glad that she was there.
"I just wanted to say..." Tara took a deep breath; "I hope you have a really great time in New York, Sook. I know...it's some place you've always wanted to go...and Bill's makin' it happen for you." We held each others hands.
"Oh, Tara! I've missed you!" I said; "we have always been so close! Please don't be mad at me."
Tara nodded. "I know. It's fuckin' stupid. How can we let a vampire- a man, come between us? Sookie, I just want what's best for you." She looked into my eyes. " I don't want you hurtin' behind this shit."
I hugged her again. "Tara...I love you...I know you don't understand. Me and Bill ... it's just right, Tara. That's all I can say. There's no one else for me. For either of us. Could never be. If you ever love someone like that...you'll know what I'm talkin' about."
Tara looked at me as if I was speaking a foreign language. Her eyes searched my face.
"Well," she sighed; " I know one thing... You and Bill Compton cannot leave each other alone. That's for damned sure!"
I smiled at her. "That's for damned sure!" I repeated her words. We chuckled a little together.
"Thank you for seein' me off, Tara. Hey, I'll bring back some cool- ass souvenirs from New York. What do you want? How 'bout... some Statue of Liberty earrings?"
Tara hissed. "No! Fuck. Don't bring back that bullshit!"
"O.k. I'll bring back …something better. Something you would never expect."
I touched her cheek. Tara is my best friend, for practically my entire life. She always has my back. And I have hers. I love her dearly.
The flight attendant called for our boarding passes. Tara and I hugged each other again.
"Don't forget, take some pictures on your cell phone," Tara commanded. "Try not to blur them."
"Ok. I will." I smiled. "See ya in a week!"
I picked up my carry-on, slung it over my right shoulder. I walked up to the line of people standing at the boarding counter. I glanced over my shoulder. Tara was still standing there. She raised her hand in a tiny little wave, but she did not move from where she was standing. Tara was looking at me so intently. For a long moment, I thought about reading her thoughts. Then I said to myself, no. I'm on my way to Bill. I don't want to know what Tara is thinking. I raised my hand with my boarding pass and waved back at her. When I finally got to the head of the line, the flight attendant stamped my first~class ticket and I moved forward to the glass door, the portal that led to the waiting Airbus. Just then I had an overwhelming compulsion to turn around again. Tara was still standing there, following me with her eyes.
Tara clearly had a worried look across her face.
[End of Chapter 6 …. To Be Continued…]