Chapter Thirty-One: Hostage
Well manicured fingers dialed the number written out on a sheet of paper beside the telephone. As the receiver was pressed against the voluminous waves of mahogany hair, the phone began to ring, and a distorter was brought up to pouty red lips.
"Hello?" came shortly after the second ring of the phone.
"Eric Northman," the distorter mangled the normally melodic tones of the woman's voice, "we have your wife-"
"Who is this? My wife is in class!" Eric Northman's voice snarled into the phone.
"New Orleans Culinary Academy?" the abductor let the husband know that she was well aware of Sookie Northman's movements. "She would have been safe if she had stayed in school instead of running across the street for Coke and pregnancy tests."
"Pregnancy tests?" Eric gasped in the phone.
"Yes, congratulations, Daddy," the abductor chuckled, "now you can pay to get your wife and your child back. I'd say eight million should do the trick. Have it ready for transport in six hours, and I will call you with further instructions. If you call the police, I'll kill your wife. If you try to contact anyone other than the bank, I kill your wife-"
"How the fuck do you expect me to put together eight million dollars in six hours without calling anyone?"Eric demanded coldly into the phone. "Do you think I have eight million dollars stashed in my apartment closet? Most of my money is in assets, not cash! I have to call my lawyer. The assets aren't even in my name yet," Eric was whispering harshly. "My siblings and I don't gain control for at least another three years."
"You have six hours. Get it done. Don't call the police or your wife will have worse than a busted elbow," the abductor hung up the phone.
{†}
"Stewart," One of the technicians waved his hand, and the detective turned around expectantly, "the phone company says the last incoming call was located in Willow Brook. Here's the full address." The technician handed over a scrap of paper.
"Thanks, Daniels," Detective Stewart picked up the secure line and called in the situation. After he was finished, Stewart looked down at Eric Northman who was seated quietly on the sofa where he had been frozen since the call. "As long as they don't change locations, we'll have her back within the hour." He gave Eric a comforting pat on the back.
"It never goes like this in Sookie's crime shows," Eric found himself mumbling in a state of shock.
Stewart smiled, "It doesn't normally go like this in real life either, but you said yourself that the people who took her were a bunch of junkies, right? They probably know as much about real phone tracing as your wife does."
Eric nodded numbly. The truth was, Eric was trying to figure out how Debbie found out he had millions to lean into for a ransom. It wouldn't be impossible for him to make a plea to his siblings and the three of them to speak with Bobby about the situation. The biggest snare would be that Bobby didn't like Sookie, and he continued to manage the family finances until the three of them finished school. There was no getting around that. Their mother had been quite clear on the matter in her will. Of course, there was always Fintan. Either way, Eric could get the money if need be.
But how did she know about the money? Eric ran his hand through his hair in frustration. His first thought had been his Aunt Mary Ann. She had made an attempt at the Northman's inheritance once, but she was also well aware that they didn't take control of the estate for at least another three years. If Mary Ann had any intention of making another attempt for the Northman inheritance, Eric couldn't fathom her trying to do so now.
The other thing that was bothering him was caller's comment about the busted elbow. Not many people knew the particulars about Sookie's injury during her last year of high school. As a matter of fact, the only ones who knew that it had been specifically Sookie's elbow were his family members and Sookie's.
That's not true. Someone else knew, Eric remembered as the blood drained from his face. Someone who also knows about the Beauchéne fortune, but not the particulars surrounding our inheritance.
"Detective Stewart?" Eric looked up suddenly worried.
"What is it, Mr. Northman?" the detective placed his hand over the receiver.
"I think there might be at least one other person that's part of this plan," Eric whispered as he felt his hands go cold.
{†}
Putting down the distorter, the young woman heard music turn on in the room that Sookie Northman was bound within. Concerned, she walked swiftly toward the door as it opened.
"What are you doing?" she hissed.
"Lorena-"
"Don't say my name!" she commanded.
"Why do you think I turned the music on so loud? I'm not calling you 'El.'"
"Bill," Lorena stomped her foot, "what are you doing leaving her alone like that?" Lorena gestured angrily at the door, whispering under her breath.
"You just scared the shit out of her firing that gun all over the place. You even grazed her when you killed Diane," Bill snarled under his breath. "You said no one was going to get killed doing this. The only reason I agreed when you concocted this plan was that you said no one would get hurt. We'd just scare the hell out of Stackhouse and become overnight millionaires."
Lorena scowled, "Debbie fucked up. She wouldn't shut up in front of Stackhouse, and the risks were too high that her voice could have been recognized. I had to cut the risk out."
Bill sighed as he ran his hand through his hair. Since meeting Lorena Edgington, his life had turned around so many times, it might as well have gone through a rinse cycle. He had made a beeline for Mississippi, trying to avoid the warrant for his arrest, and upon arriving in Jackson, he had almost instantly fallen into the arms of Lorena.
Lorena Edgington had come from money and had grown up expecting all the finest things in life, much like her father, Russell. Unfortunately, the money she should have inherited was squandered by her overindulgent father, who had promptly committed suicide after the debt collectors came calling.
For the past year and a half, Lorena had managed to use those around her to get by, but 'getting by,' was no longer enough for the former heiress. That was why, when she had met Bill Compton and listened to his pitiful story about being run out of his hometown by some girl and her wealthy fiancé, Lorena had seen the opportunity she had needed. It took a few months of coaxing more and more information out of Bill. When she discovered the rich fiancé attended school at her old alma mater, Lorena began hatching her plan.
An old college acquaintance by the name of Malcolm Beaumarchais was exactly the connection she needed. Cocky, stupid, and expendable. He also came with his own collection of loyal cronies. Lorena had spent time with Malcolm and his continually rotating associates and knew that he was willing to do almost anything for a quick buck to feed his increasingly expensive lifestyle.
Eventually, Malcolm managed to seduce an acquaintance of Eric Northman to his little band of swingers, teaching dim, little Debbie Pelt about the liberation of drugs and open relationships. After that, it was a few more months before Debbie gave in entirely to Malcolm's family and was finally brought in on the plan to make them all rich. At least, as far as they knew.
Killing Malcolm and his cohorts had always been part of Lorena's plan, despite what she had told Bill. She wanted all of the money for herself and her lover. They would be able to skip the country and live like royalty in South America. Just the two of them forever. As a parting gift, Lorena would offer Bill the opportunity to kill the Stackhouse girl. She would leave the girl's fate in his hands. Personally, she didn't really care whether the hostage lived or died. No matter what pieces they managed to puzzle together, by the time they discovered who the real kidnappers were, she and Bill would be long gone.
"Did you keep the ransom call under ninety seconds?" Bill sighed.
"I doubt the police even know she's gone yet. Besides, New Orleans P.D. isn't the quickest on the uptake, to begin with," Lorena laughed. "It'll probably be an hour before someone even goes to check out the abduction site."
"We should still change locations," Bill insisted. "We should make the second call from somewhere else."
"I kept the call under a minute and a half," Lorena insisted. "How are they going to find us? Even if they tracked the van to this town, it would take them days to search all the possible houses."
Bill scowled, "I don't want to stay here. If Northman even suspected Debbie had anything to do with this, they might think to look for Malcolm's rental."
Lorena rolled her eyes. "Fine. Grab the girl, put her in the trunk of my car. We'll leave the van with the bodies in the garage."
Nodding in relief, Bill turned back to the living room and turned off the music. He watched amusedly as Sookie's body immediately went rigid before scooping her small frame over his shoulder. Bill could feel her abdomen tense against her balancing point, and her legs bent awkwardly as if she were trying to make her body as small as possible.
Without another consideration, Bill carried Sookie to the rusty, red Buick and quickly dropped her in the trunk. When the lid was slammed shut, Sookie let out a small yelp against the tape covering her mouth before letting out a relieved sigh.
Her legs extended, feeling the curve of a tire well and confirming she was in a trunk. Assured that no-one was looking, Sookie continued her slow work of cutting her bindings.
Testing her legs, Sookie tried to tear them free since she could no longer reach them with her nail clippers. As the longer limbs wiggled and bent, Sookie began cutting the bindings at her wrists.
Before the car engine had even turned over, Sookie felt her arms snap free of the duct tape and had to stifle an elated shout. Yanking the hood from her face, Sookie ripped the tape from her mouth and took a deep, cleansing breath.
Finally able to breathe freely, Sookie found it in her to calm the shaking in her hands. Even as the car engine roared and they began to move toward the unknown, Sookie felt like she had, at last, gained a foothold in the situation.
As she bounced along in the trunk, Sookie began looking for further hope. First, she hunched forward and with difficulty brought her legs high enough to rip away the last of her bindings. She would be able to run now.
Next, Sookie peeled back the floor liner, but there was no tire iron. She did, however, find the lever for the jack. Now she had a weapon. The only thing she still needed was to get out of the trunk.
{†}
Detective Stewart arrived at the location of the ransom call to be given bad news. Not only had the kidnappers moved, but four bodies had been found in a van parked in the garage. Of the two dead women found, Stewart found slight comfort in the fact that neither was Sookie Northman.
"Make sure every inch of the house gets processed," Stewart sighed as he rubbed his furrowed brow. He was not looking forward to the following conversation with Mr. Northman.
"Sir," one of the patrol officers that had arrived before him came jogging over, "I spoke to the nearest neighbor. They didn't say they heard any gunshots, but considering how far away the house is, I'm not surprised. She did, however, say that aside from the white panel van, the people staying here also had an old, burgundy Buick. She wasn't too helpful on the model or year, but it's still more than we had before."
"Thanks, Gibbs," Stewart smiled, "Get a BOLO out on a burgundy Buick, and let's see what crops up."
"I already called it in." Stewart frowned at Gibbs' tone. "You won't believe it."
{†}
"What the hell is that noise?" Lorena snapped at the rhythmic thumping. The last thing she needed was the car to break down while they had a hostage in the trunk.
Bill frowned, "She must be thrashing. I hope she's not trying to kick out a tail light."
Lorena glanced around quickly to see if there were any cars before pulling over to the shoulder of the road when she found they were clear of any witnesses.
Grabbing the roll of duct tape, Lorena assured herself that Sookie Northman wouldn't be able to move a millimeter when she was through binding her!
Taking her gun out to assure she maintained control over the hostage, Lorena pointed it at the trunk before popping it open. What the woman didn't expect was the pain of a metal bar to smash into her hand, knocking the gun free, or the excruciating fire that burst into her eye as that pole jabbed suddenly at Lorena's left socket.
A shriek tore from Lorena's mouth as the bar thrust out again, smashed her across the jaw and sent the woman sprawling to the ground.
With her abductor momentarily subdued, Sookie popped out of the trunk and immediately scooped up the gun just as the second abductor came flying out of the passenger's seat.
"Bill?" Sookie whispered in surprise as she pointed the gun at the young man. Lorena lay whimpering on the ground, clutching her ruined eye. Sookie backed away, putting room between herself and her two captors. She wouldn't be foolish and let them near enough to disarm her.
"Hey, Sookie," Bill replied.
Taking a deep breath, Sookie kept the gun trained on Bill. "Pick up the tape and bind up your girlfriend."
"I don't think she's going anywhere," Bill pointed out as he gestured to the blood leaking from between Lorena's fingers.
"And I'm going to be damned sure it stays that way," Sookie replied harshly but was relieved when Bill began following her instructions.
"So," Bill began conversationally as he began taping Lorena up, "when did you start speaking so easily?"
"Not long after you broke my arm," Sookie replied.
"I guess I finally beat some sense into you, huh?" Bill smirked.
Sookie scowled but said nothing. She didn't believe he had anything to do with the recovery of her voice. Even if the concussion he gave her had brought her words back a bit sooner than therapy or medicine could, the fact was, Sookie knew she had already been on the precipice of recovery. She would never let him take that from her.
Bill was only trying to distract her, and Sookie wasn't about to let his cockiness inhibit her escape. The woman, Lorena, was whimpering on the ground as Bill finished binding her.
"Now what?" Bill asked impatiently, his cold glare bringing back many memories for the young woman. "I can't very well tape myself up, now can I?"
"Why don't you give it a try?" Sookie suggested as she finally glanced at the safety on the gun and saw that it wasn't even live. As she flicked the lever that revealed the warning, red dot, she noticed Bill's demeanor quickly change. "Or I can make sure you don't go anywhere with a bullet in your leg."
Bill immediately sat on the ground and began taping his legs together. When he finished with his legs, Sookie instructed her former bully to wrap the duct tape around his right wrist three times and roll onto his stomach. When Bill had done so, Sookie took a deep breath before lunging forward and digging her knee between his shoulder blades. With as much speed as she could manage, Sookie finished binding Bill's left hand to his right and let out a relieved sigh once he was no longer a threat.
Using the remaining duct tape, Sookie made sure neither of her captors would be able to move before re-engaging the safety on the gun and rolling both of them to the side of the road. Now, her new problem became what to do next? She feared if she left them here that a passing motorist would accidentally help them escape. She also worried that someone passing would assume she was the villain in the situation!
"Alright," Sookie let out a long breath before hunching over Bill, "time to get up and get in the trunk." She could see Bill raise his eyebrows at her. "Oh, I'm dead serious, and if you think I won't put a bullet in you out of spite, you're dead wrong."
With her help, Bill was on his feet and hopped toward the car. It was obvious both of them wouldn't fit in the trunk, and Sookie didn't want them together anyway. One of them might be able to free the other.
Before shutting the trunk, Sookie checked it for anything that could be used as a weapon, and finally found the tire iron, which she threw in the passenger seat. Assured Bill couldn't get his hands on anything dangerous, Sookie finally shut the lid.
Next came Lorena. Getting the woman into the back seat was a trial in itself. She was in a great deal of pain, and very uncooperative. Finally, Sookie gave up and scooped Lorena up beneath the armpits to haul into the back of the Buick.
A twinge made Sookie look down at her shoulder, and for the first time since it happened, the young woman remembered that she'd been shot. Thankfully, it didn't seem to be bleeding all that much, and Sookie figured it had been nothing but a graze. It stung like an open wound repeatedly splashed with lemon juice, but Sookie was merely grateful to have gotten off lightly.
With her captives now subdued and placed in the car, Sookie got behind the wheel and turned the vehicle around, returning back the way she had come. They had been in a house, and the young woman was pretty sure she had escaped the trunk shortly after being thrown in it.
As she drove, Sookie gasped in relief as a patrol car flew past her, and Sookie slammed on the brakes before throwing it into park and jumping from the car with her arms waving frantically.
The patrol car slowed to a stop and turned around, its lights flashing as the cop approached.
It was then that Sookie remembered the gun still tucked neatly in the back of her pants and panicked. Raising her arms into the air, Sookie waited for the cop to approach her.
"Sir!" Sookie shouted as she kept her arms raised, ignoring the painful ache it brought in her injured shoulder. He won't think I'm a threat with my arms up, right?
"M'am?" the cop tentatively got out of his car, and Sookie couldn't blame him for keeping a hand near his belt.
"My name is Sookie Northman. I was abducted late this morning. My kidnappers are taped in this car. I have a gun tucked in the back of my pants," Sookie rattled off. "Please, help me. I've been shot."
"Alright, keep your hands up then," the officer approached cautiously and quickly took the gun out of the back of her pants before pulling her arms down and cuffing her.
"What are you doing?" Sookie cried in surprise.
"I'm just making sure everyone stays safe," the officer explained.
Bound once again, Sookie felt some of her unease return. "Uh, where should I stand? One's in the backseat, I put the other guy in the trunk."
The officer looked at Sookie in surprise before glancing into the back window of the car. At the sight of the injured woman, the cop grabbed Sookie by the arm and lead her to his patrol vehicle and sat her in the back. As he did, the radio announced a BOLO for a burgundy Buick and an alert of an abducted woman fitting Sookie's description.
"My name's Jim Falkner," the officer told her. "I'm just going to make sure neither of those fools dies. Okay?"
"Okay," Sookie whispered. "Do I have to stay in cuffs? It's hurting my arm."
"Just until I can confirm you're Sookie," Jim smiled. "Sorry."
"It's okay," Sookie sighed. "I'm the one who had the gun."
"Did you use it?"
"No, but the woman did," Sookie told him. "I think she shot at least four people… Can you ask someone to get my husband? I really want to see my husband."
"If there's a BOLO out on you already, I'm sure they'll bring him straight to the hospital when I radio in that I got you," Jim assured as he picked up his radio. "Dispatch, this is Patrol Officer Falkner. I got that Buick and Sookie Northman is doing alright, but I need a couple of ambulances here on Michoud Boulevard." He proceeded to give the rest of the information, and Sookie felt herself relaxing. After that, he returned to the back of the car and undid Sookie's handcuffs. "Sorry about that."
"Woman with a gun and two people duct taped in the back of the car she's driving," Sookie smiled reassuringly at him. "I understand your hesitations."
"Are you cold at all?" Officer Falkner asked before he returned to the Buick.
"No, I'm fine. Thank you," Sookie replied. "I hit my head pretty hard. I don't want to accidentally fall asleep."
"Okay," Falkner mirrored her smile before turning toward the Buick. Sookie followed a short distance, enough to get out of the patrol car, but she kept the vehicle between herself and her abductors.
Sookie watched as the officer released Bill from the trunk, handcuffed him and proceeded to undo the victim's tape job. "What did you do?" Falkner teased, "use the whole roll on him?"
"Yeah," Sookie responded, making the officer laugh. She could hear sirens approaching, and she began to feel her heart pound with anticipation. I wish Eric would be with them!
However, her hopes were not met, and all that arrived was two more squad cars, a plain car, and two ambulances.
"Sookie Northman?" I man with brown hair hopped out of the unmarked car.
"Yeah?" Sookie turned herself to him entirely.
"I'm Detective Stewart-"
"Is my husband with you?" Sookie asked hopefully.
"No, M'am. I radioed one of the officers sitting with him to take him to the hospital to meet you," the detective reassured her. "Do you mind if I sit with you in the ambulance?"
"No," Sookie replied, trying to refrain from pouting. She had run out of adrenaline forever ago, and now she felt tired, hungry, and agitated.
"How are you feeling?" Stewart asked as he escorted Sookie to the nearest ambulance. One of the paramedics offered her a hand as she placed her foot on the back of the large truck.
"My head hurts. My arm hurts, and I want to go home and sleep for a week," Sookie replied easily as the emergency medical workers began checking her over. I really must have a concussion if I'm talking this easily in front of so many strangers."I probably have another concussion," she found herself mumbling.
"Another?" Stewart asked in surprise.
"I was in a car accident when I was a kid, and then that guy over there beat the crap out of me my senior year of high school," Sookie remarked.
"Is that Bill Compton?" Stewart asked.
Sookie blinked in surprise, "Yeah… Did Eric tell you that?"
Stewart nodded, "Yes, somehow he figured out Bill had something to do with your abduction. Something about your kidnapper mentioning a broken elbow?"
"Oh," Sookie frowned, "yeah. Bill's the only one other than our family that knew it was my elbow he broke and not just say my arm."
As they spoke, the ambulance began to move, and Sookie felt her heart give an impatient thump against her ribs.
"Do you think you can tell me what happened today? Help me fill in the gaps?" Stewart requested.
"Sure," Sookie nodded. "I went to the Walgreens across the street from my school for some aspirin and a Sprite. Oh! I never brought my classmate his Coke. One of the guys that took me drank it!" Sookie scowled before realizing that Nate would definitely forgive her. "I was heading back to the school when a black girl with a fro started calling for help because she locked her baby in the car. I ran over to see if I could help her, and then I got pulled into the van."
Stewart nodded, the information following the security footage they had recovered perfectly.
"They taped me up and put a hood over my head," Sookie continued. "I was taken somewhere, and I could hear a girl's voice I recognized. Her name was Debbie Pelt. After we got to the house or whatever we were in, that's when the woman who tried to drive off with me shot Debbie and her friends."
"Is that how you got this?" Stewart asked, gesturing to Sookie's arm and the bruise that was welting around the tapered flesh wound.
"Yeah," Sookie glanced at the injury and shrugged. "I guess I got off pretty light."
"How did you get free?" Stewart asked next, managing to keep the awe from his tone at how well Sookie was taking the situation.
"I carry nail clippers with me so I can keep my nails clean and short for school," Sookie replied, and regaled the detective with her escape.
"You did good," Stewart smiled at her.
"I got lucky," Sookie shook her head. "But, better lucky than good."
Stewart's smile widened, "So, are you pregnant?"
Sookie's eyes widened and then she laughed, "Probably not. I just got a little impatient. Eric and I just stopped preventing it last month."
"Risking a pregnancy while you're still in school?" Stewart laughed. "You really are ballsy."
"Culinary school," Sookie pointed out. "A pregnant woman's fantasy."
Stewart laughed again. "I could believe that, but not in the first trimester!"
"Do you have any kids?" Sookie asked conversationally.
"One and a half," Stewart smiled. "My daughter is almost three, and I have a son due in three weeks."
Sookie grinned, "Congratulations."
"Thanks."
"How long have you been married?" Sookie wondered.
Stewart's smile turned bemused, "We've been engaged for four years."
"Oh, I'm sorry I assumed-"
"It's okay," Stewart waved off her apologies. "We were planning our wedding when she got pregnant. Then she didn't want to be big on her wedding day, so we postponed. When she didn't drop the baby weight, she kept holding off and then we got pregnant again." The detective was laughing to himself. "She said after our son gets here, we're going to the Justice of the Peace and getting it over with."
Sookie giggled to herself before she looked up in surprise at the paramedic leaning toward the door.
"We're at the hospital already?" Sookie asked.
"Yup," the paramedic replied. "All ashore who's going ashore."
Sookie accepted his hand as they exited the back of the vehicle, and felt herself become dizzy as she was suddenly tugged from the side and squeezed nearly to death.
"E-Eric," Sookie choked, recognizing her husband's frantic embrace. "I'm okay. Let go. Can't breathe!"
Eric's hold on his wife loosened enough that he could look at her face and capture her lips in a relieved kiss. "You're alright? Are you hurt? I shouldn't have grabbed you like that-"
Sookie laughed, reached up and pinched Eric's chin to give him a gentler kiss. "I'm fine. You didn't hurt me. Now give me a kiss like you haven't seen me in days."
"It would be more than a kiss, and we both know it," Eric cupped her face carefully, but still brought his lips to hers with all the passion and relief he could muster after the emotional rollercoaster he'd been on all morning.
Their kiss was ended abruptly by Detective Stewart who cleared his throat amusedly. "I still need to speak some more with you and your wife. If you'd be so kind as to let her see a doctor so I can get out of your hair?"
"Right!" Eric remembered that they weren't entirely out of the woods yet and finally started looking for a doctor to see to his wife.
"Are you ever going to let me out of the house again?" Sookie wondered, concerned by the edgy concentration in Eric's eyes.
Eric paused in front of the check-in and frowned. "Of course I am."
"Really?" Sookie was skeptical.
"Just… Don't go anywhere by yourself, okay?" Eric pleaded.
Sookie squeezed his hand, "It's not that simple." Eric brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it as he took the chart and handed it to Sookie. She grew more concerned when he didn't reply. "Eric?"
"I could have lost you today," Eric whispered.
Sookie nodded, "You come from money, Eric. Heck, even I do now. I hate to say it, but this might be a thing we have to worry about."
"I have been worried about it," Eric confessed.
Sookie smirked, "Why am I not surprised?" At her husband's responding gaze, Sookie gave his hand a comforting kiss. "Today was a fluke. Bill's really the only person I can think of that knows we have money and hates me enough to try and do something with that information."
Eric's jaw tightened, "So, Compton was involved?"
Sookie nodded slowly, "Your suspicions were correct."
"The person who called in the ransom mentioned your broken elbow," Eric explained. "Other than our families, Bill was the only person who knew which part of your arm was broken." Finishing her file, Sookie went back to the desk to hand it in and wait. "You'd think they'd prioritize someone who could be in shock."
"I'm not in shock," Sookie sighed as they sat back down and she leaned her head against Eric's shoulder.
"I was talking about me," Eric teased.
"Oh, you're fine," Sookie kissed his arm.
They were quiet for a long moment before Eric whispered, "Are you really pregnant?"
Sookie smiled, "Do you think I would have taken the test without you?"
"I thought they made you take it or something," Eric mumbled.
"Eric, I can't even pee with you in the room. How would they make me?" Sookie laughed.
Chuckling at her remark, Eric nodded, "Maybe we should get a test done here?"
Sookie laughed and squeezed Eric's arm harder as she hugged it, "I'm sure I was just impatient."
"I have no doubt that you're impatient," Eric agreed, "but we're here, and you want to know, don't you?"
Sookie sighed, "Fine."
"Like pulling teeth," Eric joked.
They sat cozily in the waiting room until Sookie's name was finally called. Eric followed her to the examination room, and the doctor raised his eyebrows. "Your husband?" he asked.
"Yes," Sookie assured, "and I want him here."
"Alright, what is the problem?" the doctor asked.
"She was abducted this morning and had to beat her attackers away with a crowbar," Eric snapped in frustration.
Sookie swatted Eric in the chest, "I was abducted this morning. I have a bullet graze on my right arm-"
"What!?" Eric shouted in surprise as he peeled her sleeve up and moaned. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because you'd respond like this. Besides, it's already sealed. Relax," Sookie patted his hand away from her arm. "I also got hit on the head pretty hard."
"And she might be pregnant," Eric added. "Sookie, you need to stop getting hit on the head!"
"It's not like I can control where people hit me!" Sookie groaned. "Now shut up, or you're not staying in here." Eric's mouth immediately shut, and Sookie gave him a quick, reassuring kiss.
After the exchange, the ER doctor began his examination, concluding that Sookie had sustained yet another concussion. A tetanus booster and a pregnancy test were ordered after that. Sookie took the little cup she was offered, grateful to finally be able to relieve her bladder.
When she returned, she felt annoyed to discover that their pregnancy test was no different than the one she would have bought at the store.
After pointing this out to the doctor, he had smiled and explained that their tests took a few hours to process, and this was the best way to decide if it was worth the effort, money and time. At that explanation, Sookie couldn't help but agree.
In a way, Sookie appreciated the less technical method because she and Eric got to experience the anticipation of waiting on their first pregnancy test to signal positive or negative. When the timer went off, Sookie felt Eric take her hand as they tilted the plastic wand to read the small screen.
TBC
NEXT UP- THE EPILOGUE!