Chapter 17: Exhaustion
My arms wrapped tighter around myself as I watched the two men sweep Eric's apartment. I had felt so shaken by what happened earlier today that I had to be carried out of the bathroom by Brandon and my 'make believe brother' Owen. There was a small part of me that hated that Brandon had called Owen but at least I knew that it would make the reason why they were taking me out of work a bit more plausible than me just getting emotional because my ex-fiancé showed up.
Mrs. Rodriguez had been wonderful in allowing me to leave and said to call her when I felt better. She also had my false brother ensure that I got proper rest because my false symptoms were dehydration and nausea. I guess it helped that my eyes were red and puffy. Kimber said that she noticed I was looking a bit queasy but she figured it was because of that all 'vibrator' talk. I didn't miss the look that Brandon gave me for that comment.
Looking away from that one spot I had been staring at for a while, I noticed that Brandon was typing away on his phone. I took a step forward as he sighed and put it away. But before I could question him about it my phone rang.
"That might be Eric," Brandon said as he walked away.
"You called him," I shouted after him but he continued to ignore me. Sighing, I walked over to the counter where my bag was to see that it was Eric that was calling. Setting the phone down, I turned to charge after Brandon. "You had no right to tell him about what happened in the Bank."
"I didn't," he whirled back around with the tone of his voice getting scary. "All I told him was that you weren't feeling well so Owen and I escorted you home and did a quick perimeter check on the interior. You can even look at my phone to see the text message I sent him and the text he sent me back. I didn't mention anything else but exactly that especially since you should be the one to tell him about your visitor," his words got softer. His eyes looked up behind me and I could tell that he was probably hearing my phone ring for the second time. "I suggest you answer that or he will just keep calling."
Brandon turned away again in search of Owen who was coming out of the second bedroom and giving it a thumbs-up that no one was there.
Reluctantly I allowed them to go into that bedroom. That was the room that I had changed a few things in to make it more girly. They didn't question anything and when I heard them mention a guy named Damon, they both exchanged looks that said they were a bit fearful of something. I wanted to ask what it was about and who was this Damon person but I stayed quiet. As long as they didn't move anything that I brought for Eric's niece then they could search the room and talk all they wanted.
"Your phone," Brandon growled as I sighed.
"Hello," I picked up the phone.
"Hey," Eric answered softly. I moved to sit down on the bar stool in his kitchen. "Are you okay?"
"Just a little exhausted," I closed my eyes. "Do they have to go through every single room?"
"It's just a precaution. I believe Brandon only did so because he didn't get the chance to do it earlier."
"Right," I nodded thinking about what had happened.
"Are you still shaken up about last night?"
I sighed and closed my eyes. "I shouldn't be. In fact, I had not thought about it all day. With my attempt to do some sexy dancing and of course this morning's video, I had time only to think of you and what you were doing."
I bit my bottom lip uncertain if he would have wanted to hear that. Shaking my head, I tried to get Cain's face out of my mind but it wasn't working and for some reason all my insecurities were coming forward once again. But just before I could pull a memory from the back of my head, Eric's voice came over the phone as firm and loving as I needed him to be.
"You were on my mind as well, Ana."
My lips moved to a soft smile and I felt a soft sigh of relief escape not just my mouth, but my heart as well.
"I should be there with you," he released a breath as well and a tap came down on my shoulder. I turned to see Brandon there looking at me with a confused expression. "Are you going into work tomorrow?"
"Brandon was able to get Mrs. Rodriguez to give me the day off and considering that Hec confirmed with Director Pedrad at my other job about my confrontation with Marcus, she gave me the entire week off until they're able to locate him again," I closed my eyes remembering the phone call that Hec had gotten this morning.
After we had gone to Grandma Ruth's diner - for his donuts and other goodies that she bestowed on not just him but me as well - Hec had gotten a phone call from Zeke that he had cleared it with the Director personally that I would not need to come into work but still get payed for the hours I was scheduled.
"It's technically our fault," Zeke admitted. "He shouldn't have been anywhere near you. It's not just where you work but it's you as well. Any contact that he has with you is considered a violation not only of the TRO but also of his release," he said over the speaker phone. "I also called in a favor with his son because it seems as though Marcus has gone missing."
"Missing," Hec repeated casting a look at me.
"His lawyer was able to get the police surveillance revoked," Zeke paused, "yesterday afternoon."
"Hence the reason why we had seen him last night and why you all don't know where he's gone after that," I closed my eyes and prayed that they'd find him.
"That's not fair for her, Zeke," Hec shouted. "She can't keep looking over her shoulder!"
"Exactly why I'm saying that this one is our fault and why I argued that she shouldn't have to work at the stupid bar where he could show up again!"
"Stop it, please," I whispered causing the two of them to take a breath and step back from the situation. "Thank you, Zeke, for helping me out. I know I'm just Lauren's boyfriend's cousin or one of Hec's best friends but you really have done so much and..."
"You make my reasons sound selfish."
"Well it's just that..."
"This may not be Amity, Ana," Zeke replied. "But we still help out one another. And besides you're not the only one who Marcus and his goons have targeted before. We've been wanting him for a long time. Some of this runs even more personal than a few girls being kidnapped." I glanced over at Hec to see his hand tighten on the steering wheel. "In the meantime, how do you get to work at the Bank?"
"I catch ride with Myra or Hec will..."
"Not anymore," Zeke interrupted once again. "You need to start changing your routine to work and school. Every day you should do something different. For example, instead of going down a certain street, go down the next. Don't go anywhere by yourself anymore. Whether it is to the grocery store to pick up milk or you're going to check the mail, call someone, anyone. I can get a police car to watch you while you take your night classes but everything else must be different, unexpected."
"You think he's been watching her," Hec questioned.
"He has," I agreed. "Before I started dating Eric, Eric said that he would catch Marcus watching me at the bus stop I used in town. It was like he had been waiting for me. There were a couple nights he happened to be there just as I left you," I looked at Hec, "or left work. He knows the places I frequent. So, Zeke is right. I need to change it up. It also looks as though I need to start driving Eric's car more often."
"Yes," Hec did a little fist bump in the air. "What," he asked innocently after I narrowed my eyes at him. "That is a nice car and I want to ride in it!"
"Locate him," asked Eric as I looked over to Brandon. It was obvious that he heard that as well.
"Owen," Brandon called for him. "Marcus Eaton has gone MIA. Either he's in hiding or something happened, contact..." His voice got softer as he walked away.
"You mean to tell me that after what he did that to you last night, the cops weren't able to do anything," Eric questioned.
"The officer who showed up last night is friends with Tobias. He contacted him to help in the search."
"Where is Brandon right now?"
I turned around to see him angrily talking to someone on the phone as Owen shot me a frightened expression as well. "He's trying to get someone to look for Marcus or tell him something about it."
"They didn't know about him missing either," Eric concluded. "That means that my Aunt had nothing to do with it, so someone must be hiding him."
"The police officer suggested that I change my routine to work and school since there was no way to tell where he is or who is with right now."
"I'm going to assume that from now on..."
"I'll be driving your car, yes," I answered which got a chuckle from Eric.
Eric and I spoke on the phone for a few more minutes until Brandon decided to inform us that they had not heard about Marcus going into hiding. And when he said 'they' he had meant the entire organization that worked for Eric's Aunt. And they weren't about to send a crew to look for him either because if word got around that they were keeping tabs on him then his people might turn around and do the same on Eric's Aunt.
"They're already watching Ana," Owen pointed out.
"That's different though because Eric and Ana are not..."
"We're not part of this," I finished Brandon's statement.
Exhaustion took over as Brandon and Owen left. Eric had to take care of something but promised that he would call me later that night before I went to bed. I ran a bath in his huge tub and soaked in there for probably an hour or two. There were jets in there, so I could turn it into a small hot tub whenever I felt the water was getting too cold. While in there, I let my shoulders relax but still felt tension throughout my body.
Briefly I wondered what it was about me that Marcus was after. I figured that if I had just shut him down, there were other waitresses that he could go after and hit on. I remembered Christina stating that his wife goes out of town on certain days and those were the days that he'd come to the bar and 'harass' us. I had not heard of anyone leaving with him but I wouldn't have put it past a couple of the girls that I worked with. I know that they had gone home with a couple guys after they were done their shift.
"You're cute," a guy who had come in to watch one of the games at the outside bar slurred over his drink.
"Thanks," I smiled sweetly at him.
His friends began to nudge him and though I wasn't one for flirting, especially since I didn't know how to do it and was appalled with what that waitress had done to me when I first went to dinner with Eric, I would answer any questions that he would ask. I wanted to implement Christina and Lauren's behavior a bit. He seemed like a decent guy. From what I gathered from our conversations, he was cheering for the New York Giants, graduated three years ago, from Dauntless U and had a dog named Scotty - which told me that he liked Star Trek. Sure enough we talked about that as well.
"So," he snaked his arm around my waist and I inwardly cringed. "What time do you get off," he stared at my chest and it was only then I realized he was looking at my name tag. At least I hope that he was looking at my name tag. "JoyAnna, that's a pretty name. A pretty name for a pretty girl," he looked up at me.
"Thanks again but my shift doesn't end until later and I really wouldn't..."
I tried to move his hand from my waist.
"I don't mind waiting," he tightened his hold.
"I'm not really," I began to shake my head.
"Leave her alone. She's a GM, Tyler," one of the other guys at the table stated.
"A GM," I questioned.
The guy now known as Tyler released me but kept smiling at me. "Let me guess, you're the type of girl that doesn't do hook-ups, am I right?" Before I could answer, he continued anyway. "Yeah, you look too pure for me to take home tonight."
"What is that supposed to mean," I asked getting a little bit offended.
"You're the type of girl that we'd take home to our moms, the type that would sit politely at the table with our grandmas, the type that would dress modestly for church, the type that would be waiting at home with dinner ready," one of the guys offered which made me scoff.
"The type that would get cheated on," I rolled my eyes.
"That's not what he meant," a third guy chimed in. "A lot of guys want that type of girl. I would, even Parker over here would," he punched his friend's shoulder. "But Tyler here doesn't want that type of girl."
"Yeah, see when I said that I would wait I meant that I'd wait a couple hours for you to get off from work," Tyler smiled, "but not a couple months. Girls like you make guys work for it and you're cute, don't get me wrong," he kissed my cheek and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "I'd date someone like you but tonight I just want a hook up."
I smiled and nodded. "If only all guys were that straightforward."
"Honey, sometimes we wish you girls would be straightforward as well. Like are you flirting with me because you want my number or are you flirting with me because you just want a hook up," his second friend posed as a few guys nodded.
"I never thought dating was this hard."
And I then realized what Eric had meant that night when he told me that he wasn't into someone who played games. It was obvious that 'playing games' was something that both guys and girls did. I should have known from Hec's situation but didn't realize it until I came face to face with it. I also didn't realize that both girls and guys either dated with the intent to form relationships, convenience or dated with the intent to get sex.
"You mustn't have dated much," Tyler assumed.
"Which means that you're probably a long-term GM too. Let me see, your last relationship was two years long," the third guy guessed.
"Five years actually," I answered as two of them smiled but Tyler shook his head, "But we were engaged for two." It was plainly obvious that Cain was one of those guys who played games and was in a relationship for just convenience. "I always assumed," I stopped and shook my head. "It doesn't matter anymore." Looking down at the table, I grabbed my tray and turned to leave.
"JoyAnna," Tyler called out and I turned around. "For what it's worth, if I wanted a GM you'd be what I was looking for. But I'm not ready for that sort of stage in my life."
I nodded again and smiled before walking back to the table. "There's a bar down the street from here called Flames."
"I heard of it," he nodded.
"See the red head over my right shoulder," I titled my head as his eyes moved and then he nodded. "She's looking for a friends-with-benefits kind of guy. You seem like a nice group of guys and you gave me something to think about concerning the current guy I'm talking to. If she happened to run into you here and then run into you there," I tilted my head.
"I got it," he smiled and kissed my cheek again. "Thanks doll." He got up and pretended to 'bump' into the other waitress and stroke up a conversation with her.
Dauntless was so different from Amity. I guess in a way I was sort of protected from environments like this. I always believed that sex belonged in to people in a relationship or reserved for someone who you were to marry. From what I heard Tyler and Nikki had hit it off - not in a romantic relationship type of way. They would call one another whenever they needed 'it'. Nikki wasn't looking for a relationship at the time but she said that whenever she felt in the mood, she was glad that she met Tyler. I thought that was weird until Christina had reminded me again that dating is hard. It was obvious that some guys would come into the bar to pick up girls but a lot of the time it wasn't for a relationship.
The other two guys that were there with Tyler would often tell me 'hi' and even on occasion Tyler would smile and nod his head at me. But once they knew that I was a GM - which I learned from Hec means 'girlfriend material' - a lot of them would back off and search for some other victim to flirt with. So, if guys like that understood that I wanted to be wooed and that I was as they labelled 'girlfriend material', I wondered what about me kept Marcus in his pursuit. I knew that he wasn't a relationship type of guy. He had a wife at home. And I wasn't the type of girl that cried 'mistress' - which Tyler and other guys had pointed out. And it couldn't have been solely my relationship with Eric because at the time, Eric and I weren't officially dating. So, what was it?
The water had turned cold again. Closing my eyes and taking a breath in, I sunk down below the surface and tried to stay under the cool temperature for a while. Once resurfacing, I was plagued with another dilemma on my mind. It was obvious that Cain knew where I worked now. Brandon and Owen had taken me out of there before Elena had returned from her lunch date with him. I wondered what Myra had told her.
"O," she said slowly, "M-G," Myra screamed at the end, "your ex is a tool! I can't believe that he had the nerve to try something. Most guys would just leave you alone after but he, argh," she growled. "What an ass, let me tell you if I had a good left hook, I would have knocked him on his..."
"Please remind her that she is an employee of the Bank of Dauntless and as such she needs to behave with a certain amount of..."
"Is that Brandon yapping in the back," Myra questioned. "You tell him that he is the last person to tell me about behaving properly. He broke down the bathroom door!"
"I had to get Ana out of there. Your welcome," he snarled as Owen shook his head on the car ride to Eric's apartment.
Getting out of the tub, I wrapped a towel around me and padded over to the kitchen. I stared down the empty hallways and imagined myself doing the same thing if I was married to Cain. I'd be at home waiting for him to finish work or going out with his friends. I'd have dinner ready and perhaps - just perhaps - there would be a baby here that I would have cared for thinking that my husband loved me and the child when he was somewhere else.
After taking the milk out of the refrigerator I glanced over to see my brother's wedding invitation. My brother would be getting married in three months. Mentally I counted and remembered that I would have been married for a year last month.
"I don't know why I thought you'd make a good wife."
"I really hate you Cain," I muttered as I closed my eyes. "I wasted all those years thinking that you loved me." I felt a tear fall down my cheek and tasted it on my lips. "I don't want to go through that again."
Curling up on the couch in nothing but just my blanket, I was surprised at my confidence of baring it all. After I had hung the towel back up, I glanced at the comforter on Eric's bed and decided to wrap myself in that - instead of getting dressed - and watch movies on the couch. I had the day off tomorrow and decided I was just going to do my best to relax. It felt a bit awkward after a while to know that I was completely naked under the comforter but I didn't let it get to me as I watched Finding Dory and ate ice cream.
Relaxing though ended up taking a very long time however. And by the time I woke up, the movie had been stuck on the menu screen. I looked down at my phone to see that I had missed Eric's phone call twice. Checking the time, I realized that it was 2:00 in the morning. How in the world I slept from 4:30 this afternoon until now, was beyond me. I must have been totally exhausted from everything that had happened today. I would have called Eric back but I knew that it just wasn't the time right now, not so early in the morning.
I sent him a text to apologize for missing his phone calls but I had been resting. I hoped he didn't think that it was anything serious and send Brandon and Owen here. The last thing I needed was for Eric to worry about me when he still had to wrap things up in Erudite.
Walking up to his bedroom, I suddenly felt extremely lonely without him here. Then a sense of complete calm surrounded me. If I had married Cain, he would have been out sleeping around on me. I'd still be alone for an entire week while he claimed he was at work. I probably would not have felt comfortable enough to walk around naked - even with a blanket covering me. I wouldn't have relaxed on the couch, watching movies that my friends recommended because I wouldn't have had friends like Hec, Myra, Edward or even Lauren. I wouldn't have had to study for classes or write out essays. I wouldn't have had to work. I'd truly be lonely.
But the feeling of loneliness that hit me now was different. I 'know' where Eric is. I 'know' what he is doing. I 'know' that if I needed him that all I had to do was call. He allowed me to have friends, he allowed me to have my own space, he wanted me to get a college education, he adored the fact that I worked hard and was self-sufficient. This feeling of loneliness was because I had fallen in love with Eric.
A gasp escaped my mouth and I smiled at how strongly my feelings hit me just then. I knew the second that Eric came back I was going to tell him and let him know.
Excitedly, I threw my body onto his bed and smiled up at the ceiling, squealing in delight at my realization. It didn't take long for me to fall back off to sleep. I was kind of surprised that I did, considering that I had slept earlier. But I guess my body must have been completely out of it. As I went sleep, this time I had a dream about Eric.
Warm lips pressed against my shoulder and slowly moved down my body. Eric groaned my name as I felt the blanket pulled further down my body, exposing my bare form to him. I squirmed trying to urge his mouth to a certain part of my body but instead Eric moved up and locked his lips with mine. I wrapped my hands around his head to pull his body closer onto mine and felt his chest press against mine. He had no shirt on but when I moved my leg, I felt the softness of his pajama pants. I groaned my annoyance causing Eric to pull away.
"If I knew you were waiting like this for me, I would have come back sooner," he smiled against my lips before kissing me deeply again.
His tongue worked its way in and played with mine as his one hand held my face and the other massaged under my breasts. "Eric," I cried out when he moved his lips away from mine and once again began trailing them down my neck.
Eric licked along my pulse, making my body squirm beneath him. When his one hand finally brushed over my breasts, I arched my back and demanded for more. He finally moved his mouth over the mound of my breasts. He kissed, licked and sucked as though he had been starving for it. And I briefly thought to myself that I would hate to have my fantasy end here. This was way better than anything that I could have imagined and found my fingers itching to touch myself just as Eric had tried to get me to do over the phone all week.
"I'm here now," he grabbed my hand in his and held it above my head before proceeding over to the other side of my chest.
He teased and played with it for what seemed like hours and to my extreme delight and his as well an orgasm hit me. Eric smirked against my skin and tugged at my nipple between his teeth, making me scream his name. When my body came down, it started to climb again and I moved my legs to push away at Eric's pants. He took the hint but didn't move from his spot over me.
"I'm not done with you yet."
Eric's mouth moved down my stomach. I couldn't stop my body from shaking with need. He kissed down along the smooth surface of my belly and reached my aching center. As his tongue swiped and sucked away at my core, I couldn't form any coherent sentences and began mumbling sounds and words to the movement. I jerked when a powerful orgasm washed through me. Eric grabbed a hold of my hips, holding them into place and continued to work as I pushed my body more onto him. My legs twitched and another explosive scream left my mouth when Eric clamped on, drawing out every moment of pleasure that could be had.
Slowly his hands released their hold and Eric's face appeared over mine. I smiled and boldly flipped him over onto his back to return some of the pleasure. I ran my tongue down his masculine throat, loving the salty taste of him. I continued down his chest, lightly scratching my nails into his skin, causing him to groan. The texture of his skin was just a work of art. I followed the small trail of hair below his belly button. His hips jerked as I continued.
"Ana, you don't need to."
"Oh, but I want to," I smiled feeling a sense of bravery that I knew only came from being in this fantasy could afford me.
I finally reached his manhood and held it my hand, rubbing it with firm but gentle fingers. The first few licks and strokes were teasing and had him groaning my name. And when I finally took him into my mouth, his hips jerked.
"Fuck Ana," Eric's hands reached into my hair, gently moving me. I had never enjoyed this, not one bit. I always felt disgusted about it. But something about this being a total fantasy and with all the emotions I felt today, I urged myself to keep going.
In time, I found that I enjoyed the taste, reveled in the groans coming from Eric and the feeling that I had for him was making it seek out faster and deeper motions to bring him pleasure. My eyes opened as I felt him lovingly pushing my hair back. Our eyes locked on one another and I felt the intense care that he had for me.
"You're so perfect, Ana," his thumb stroked my cheek, "Fuck," his head fell back and his body tensed.
My mouth continued to take him after he had finished, letting no drop go to waste. Eric pushed slowly into my mouth as he finally relaxed and I looked up to see him smiling back at me. I smiled shyly and climbed into his lap. I prayed that when I experienced this in real life that it would have been just as magical as it had been right now. Eric held me tightly to him and smiled softly as his fingers continued to trace my cheek and jaw. He had this look of completely compassion for me on his face.
"I've missed you," I whispered.
"I've missed you more," he challenged as his smile widened. Eric pulled me closer for a sweet kiss.
In time, a sweet kiss turned into something passionate and demanding. Eric moved us on the bed so that he lay back and I straddled him. Of all the different occasions that we had made love, it had never been in this position. But I wasn't going to deny this sudden surge of self-confidence. I would let this fantasy take me wherever it was going to go. He guided me towards his arousal as I slowly slid down. I felt the pressure building again almost the second I was filled and began to rock my hips. Eric's hands held my waist, rubbing circles on the sides as I moved.
"That's it, Ana," he moaned as I saw his eyes roll back. "Damn it baby," he groaned as I moved faster. His eyes opened and watched were our bodies were joined as I felt his hips surge upwards. He looked extremely satisfied looking at where our bodies were joined and I couldn't help but continue my passionate assault.
Eric moved his hands to massage my chest, rolling them between his fingers, pinching gently. He sat up, pulling our bodies closer as if they could mold together and become one. And for that moment that was exactly how I felt - we were one. He leaned his head down and began to suckle at me as one arm wrapped back around me to keep us pressed together. I sped up as my body began to tighten.
Everything about this had felt so erotic. I had never felt lust or passion this intense before. There was a bomb waiting to explode inside of me and the anticipation for what this dream was igniting deep inside had me moaning and begging for Eric to help me satisfy it. My hands clung to his shoulders as my fingers curled into his skin. Eric groaned with each thrust of his hips as I continued to move on top of him.
The feeling that overtook my entire body at the end had knocked me over as I slumped into Eric's chest. Eric grunted from deep in his throat, drawing out the pleasure for both of us as long as he could. Then slowly all movement stopped except the steady beating of our hearts and the soft breaths leaving our chests. His hands ran up and down my back, making me feel comforted, safe and needed.
The aftermath of this lovemaking had been gentle. He pulled my face up to his and placed a tender, loving kiss on my lips as we slowly faded into the bed. The simple gesture made me feel loved and just as I was tucked into his side, his lips pressed to my forehead he whispered that he loved me.
I never wanted this dream to end.
End it did though.
A small beeping noise interrupting the warmth that I was experiencing. My eyes slowly drifted open to hear a familiar alarm and I shook my head. I had just started to roll over when I felt the warmth that encased me squeeze me tighter.
I gasped and jumped from the bed. Spinning around with the sheet still clutched in my hand, my eyes landed on Eric's naked form.
His body turned on its side and he greeted me with a charming smile.
"What are you doing here?"
"The last I checked, this is my home," he continued to smile.
"Yes, I know. But how did... where... When did you get back?"
"Um," his smile dropped for a moment before it reappeared in the form of a smirk. "Earlier this morning, don't you remember?"
I swallowed and looked down at my body, then back at Eric. My eyes looked around the room and spotted his bags from his trip were in the corner by the closet. His pajama pants were on the floor at the foot of the bed where he kicked them off. I turned back to the bed, looked at him, his bags, back to Eric and then his bags. He was here with me. We really... Oh my dear Lord!
"You mean that wasn't a fantasy," I asked feeling suddenly ashamed.
Eric had already moved to stand in front of me. "Ana baby, if that was your fantasy then let's go back to sleep so I can see more of it."
"Oh God," I took a step back and shook my head.
"What's wrong?"
"I just feel so ashamed. I didn't," I shook my head again. "I didn't think my dreams would be that explicit."
"They say that dreams are usually what a person desires," he smirked.
"You should already know that I desire you," I shyly looked down but Eric put his hand gently under my chin and lifted it up.
"It was nice to see it," Eric wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into him, "it was nice to feel it," he moved his nose to nuzzle against my throat. "It was nice to live it," he whispered just as his lips touched mine.
The beeping noise started to sound again and I remembered that it was Eric's phone. "Your phone," I muttered.
"It can wait," he moved to kiss my shoulder and began slowly moving us back to the bed. "Like I said, let's go back to the bed and dream." He kissed me deeply before pulling me into his lap. "God it's good to be home."
"It's good having you home," I pulled back to look at him and smiled.
It wasn't easy having Eric work in Erudite for the week. I prayed that the other weeks he had to leave, wouldn't be like this one. I still had to tell him about what happened at the Bank. And there was still the situation that we had to deal with about Marcus. I knew sooner or later we'd discuss my supposed 'fantasy' that was reality. There were things I did that I normally would not have done and I felt that that was a step towards a good thing. But for now, I was just glad that Eric was home. It seemed that all the worries had disappeared. I had been reunited with this man that I love and that was a feeling that no one could take away.