Chapter 19: Attack
"Watch me, Aunty Ana! Watch me," shouted Eve as she waved happily from the train that went around the Dauntless Mall.
I waved back at her as she smiled and settled back in her seat. In her other hand, she had a stuffed puppy doll that I won - surprisingly - from the arcade. We went in there because she had never played air hockey or any of the other games they had. It was the most fun I had in a while. We won a few tickets and she went to the counter and chose a few stickers and some candy. When we were leaving, she saw the puppy doll in the big display case for the infamous 'claw' game.
"I've never had much luck with this game, Eve," I said as I put in our last token, "just letting you know."
"I have faith in you," Eve smiled before singing the song that we had just heard in the movie Singthat I had taken her to watch. "I got faith in you baby. I got faith," she started to dance, "in you now." It was too cute to resist. So, I turned towards the game, taking the full thirty seconds to adjust the claw and look at it from all angles before pressing the button to drop it. "Yes! You did it, Aunty Ana!"
Her tiny legs wrapped around my legs and squeezed me. I smiled before picking her up, resting her against my hip as I grabbed the puppy from the bin. The puppy was the same color as her bunny and had the same ribbon as well. She had not let it go since we won it and was now sitting on the train in the Mall with five other kids, as they went through the false jungle that had been created.
I waited at the gate when the train ride had come to an end, as she unbuckled herself. There was a small noise behind me and I turned around to see a woman with a stroller that was designed for two children and struggling with the baby that was slung over her shoulder. I picked up her baby's bottle and she smiled in appreciation.
"I put my other two boys on the train so I could get a few minutes to sit down and then this one started crying," she shook her head.
"He's precious," I commented.
"Hopefully, he's my last," she rolled her eyes. "My husband," the woman gestured to a man who was waving at the train with one hand and had his phone in the other, "still wants a daughter. I think three boys are enough," she huffed but still kept the smile on her face.
"My father was the same," I smiled. "And like you they had three boys first. I'm their fourth child," I shrugged my shoulders. "I caution you though, they tried to give me a sister and I ended up with three younger brothers as well."
The woman started to laugh. "Maybe I'll give it another try," she smiled again before brushing back her hair. "And here come my two monsters now." Just then two little boys - probably a year apart from one another - came barreling forward. "I love them but they can be a handful. Sometimes I think we should have took a break in between."
"But imagine it, now they'll go to school with each other," her husband came by then, "they'll look out for one another like me and my brother," he kissed her forehead before the two of them shared a look that made me blush. "Look at the cool shots I got," he said as he held his phone for the two boys to look at the pictures he took.
I smiled before frowning and realized that this woman could have been me in a few years if I had gotten married.
"Your daughter is really cute."
I shook my head and looked at her to see that she was smiling.
"Thanks, but she's not..."
"Aunty Ana," Eve shouted then, running towards me with the puppy in her hand. "Did you see me on the train? Did you see me go through the tunnel, then under the trees and over the waterfall?"
"I did," I bent down to tie her shoe laces before standing up. I turned to the woman who had an apologetic look on her face. "This is Eve. She is actually..."
"This is my Aunty Ana," Eve proclaimed with an excited expression, "She and my Uncle Eric are married," she said, "and I can't wait until they give me cousins!"
It was an innocent statement made by a child who was only five years old but I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed at the implication that she had made or the fact that this woman had reminded me of all the dreams that I had wanted. I wanted to have a family like my own. I wanted a house full of children and laughter and conversations at the dinner table. I wanted a husband to come home from work and smile at me. I wanted all of that and in one swift move it was taken away. Some would say that I had given it up when I left Cain. But now it appears my dreams had changed. I was going to school. I wanted to finish it, prove that I could accomplish going to College. I was doing things on my own, working two jobs. And then there was Eric, I sighed. We had not talked - truly talked - about such things. He wants me to move with him but what else was there in store for our future?
"Are you mad with me, Aunty Ana," Eve asked from her booster seat in the back of Eric's car as we drove back home.
"Of course not," I smiled in the rear-view mirror.
She looked down sadly and toyed with her puppy.
"Truly Eve, I'm not upset with you."
"Did I make you spend too much money," she asked quietly. "My dad said that once to my mom. That's why he couldn't take me with him anymore."
I sighed and tried my best to smile encouragingly at her. "I expected that I'd spend more than the usual amount of money than I normally do. But it was not too much money, Eve. There's no such thing as 'too much' when it comes to taking care of you or making you smile, okay?" She nodded shyly. "I had fun today. I really did. Spending the day with you just made me miss my brothers."
She nodded before a deep frown showed on her face. Her eyebrows knit together in concentration. "Will I ever meet them?"
"I think so," I answered as that seemed to brighten her mood. "In fact, one of my brothers is the same age as you. And my mom has another baby on the way," I looked at her before turning back, "hopefully that will be their last," I mumbled.
"I don't think I'll have any brothers," she replied.
"What makes you say that?"
"Because my dad does not want to be with my mom the same way Uncle Eric wants to be with you."
"Sometimes that happens, Eve. We just..."
"Why? I want brothers and sisters like you or like my mommy has Uncle Eric."
"Maybe, one day you will. We'll just have to wait and see now, won't we?"
She nodded and looked out the window. A part of me was glad that I could explain that the best that I could.
The rest of the drive back was rather quiet. I realized then that my issues with Cain were minimum compared to that of Jess's. She had a daughter to take care of, feed, clothe and raise all on her own. If I thought standing on my own two feet just to take care of myself was hard, then Jess is in an even more difficult situation. According to Eric, the guy used the excuse that they weren't married - despite his sister demanding that they wed - so he could come and go as he pleased. And the fact that he was one of their Aunt's men gave him some sort of immunity to neglect his parental responsibilities.
"We still have a full day ahead of us before your mom and Uncle Eric come home," from meeting with their Aunt who coincidentally was also in town, I thought. "Do you want to stop and get a snack before dinner?"
Eve nodded again. I didn't like that she suddenly had gone quiet.
We went to get ice cream cones - to eat now - and an ice cream cake to share with everyone after dinner.
When we got back to Eric's apartment, Eve wanted to play in the tub for a bit before taking her nap. I started the bubbles and was surprised that she trusted me to get her undressed. Eve had just gotten into the tub when there was a knock at the door.
"That's weird," I commented. "Usually Mark calls ahead to let us know we have visitors," I added, thinking about the man in the apartment building's lobby.
"Maybe Uncle Eric forgot his key," Eve suggested.
"Maybe," I shrugged and took the puppy, setting it up higher. Eve pouted at the sight. "You know you can't take your puppy into the water. Maybe you can play with this," I took out some ocean animal squirting toys for her that put the smile back on her face. "Wait here while I check who that is."
"Okay," she took the whale, octopus and turtle toys from me before dumping them into the tub.
"And don't turn on the water anymore," I warned.
"Okay, Aunty Ana," she smiled before splashing with the toys.
I fixed my hair into a pony tail and went to open the door. "Hey, did you forget your..."
"Hi JoyAnna."
"Mr. Marcus," I gasped before attempting to slam the door shut. His leg kicked out in front of it and he pushed the door forward. "You're not supposed to have contact with me, let alone be in the same building."
"I think we both know that the restraining order was lifted," he smirked, taking a step inside.
"You have no business being here. You'll get arrested again."
"Again, I think we both know that will not happen," he lunged for me but I evaded his grasp.
I don't know what compelled me to but I immediately remembered that this time, I was not only protecting myself but I had Eve to worry about as well. My gun that Eric issued to me was in our room, in my purse. I had no other alternative but to run towards the kitchen and grab a knife. When I turned back to face him, he continued to have that smirk on his face.
"I don't think you'll do that."
"Leave now or I will."
"No, you won't," he shook his head.
I held out the knife and prayed that I could somehow injure him long enough to get away.
This time when he jumped forward, I screamed and kept the knife tight in my hand. We were both on the floor as I did my best not to let him get on top of me. I thrust my hand forward the entire time, hoping to hit some part of him. He tried to wrestle it away from me but I remembered everything that Eric told me and fought as hard as I could. It wasn't just for me, it was for Eve too.
His fist wrapped in my shirt and tore it. During that time, I was able to move my hand and stab him in his shoulder. He shouted and slapped me as I fell backwards. I had no time to think. I had to get to Eve. I got up, ignoring the pain. My heart pounding in my chest as I ran down the hallway to where she was. Eve - who had heard the commotion outside - was standing up in the tub with her bottom lip trembling.
"I'm so sorry, Eve," I gathered up her clothes and wrapped her in a towel before picking her up and running towards Eric's room.
"Come here, you bitch," Marcus snarled.
"Aunty Ana," Eve's hands wrapped tighter around my neck as I hurried up the stairs.
"Go to Uncle Eric's room, hide in his bathroom," I instructed her as I put her on the floor.
Her feet may have been on the floor but her hands were still clinging to me. "Don't leave me!"
"Eve, I need you to stay safe."
"No!"
"Where are you," Marcus shouted. And I knew that he had made it up the stairs. I got into Eric's bedroom door, locked the door and started to drag his shelf across the floor in front of it. I had just got the shelf in place when he began banging on the door. "You're going to fucking pay for stabbing me, you worthless whore!"
"Aunty Ana," Eve continued to scream. I found my gun and carried her towards the bathroom. The entire time, my body was shaking. My mind was thinking a million things at once.
I closed the door to Eric's bathroom and went to the closet that was in there. I pulled back the side door in there and told Eve to crawl inside. She did as I told her just as we heard the bedroom door shatter open. I climbed in after her and just closed the closet door when I heard other footsteps come in. Marcus had brought men with him to search for me.
"You stopped going to your apartment," Marcus shouted into the room. "You thought you could hide from me. Well, I found you. Did you really think your boyfriend could keep you away from me?"
My hands shakily put on Eve's clothes in the tight space we were in. Eric had told me that this was a last resort to hide in. They could search the entire house and not know about this trap room he had in his bathroom closet.
"I can't believe he left you all alone," Marcus continued I looked for the bag that Eric told me he kept in her.
I found the pre-paid cell that he had in there. Quickly as possible, I tried to switch the batteries around and hurried to dial his number.
"It's just you and that girl and her little bunny," he taunted.
Eric picked up right away, obviously recognizing the number. "Ana baby, what's going on," he asked.
"I don't know," I whispered. "Marcus is..."
Another loud crash sounded from outside, causing me to gasp.
"Keep quiet," Eric instructed me, "make sure Eve stays quiet as well." I put my finger to Eve's lip and felt that it was moist with tears. She nodded that she understood as I heard the men tearing apart Eric's room. "Press the button to indicate how many men are in there, if you know."
I pressed a button three times.
"Press it twice if you think there are more."
My finger pressed it twice.
"You're doing so great, baby. Just stay on the phone okay? I love you, Ana. Put the phone by Eve's ear." Eve was cradled in my lap as silent sobs wracked her body. "Eve, my little bunny," I heard Eric's voice. "Listen to me, you're safe in that room okay. They won't find you if you stay quiet. Your mom and I are coming right now. You and Aunty Ana are going to be okay."
A sudden crash was heard as they broke through the bathroom door. I covered Eve's mouth and muffled her scream.
"Sh," Eric hushed us and I set the phone down. Looking through the small crack of the door, I saw a shadowy figure open the closet door and rummage through the towels and other things that Eric kept inside. There was a pause as he began to move around the cleaning supplies and I did my best to remember Eric's words. "No one can see this trap door here. You'll be safe if you hide in here."
I closed my eyes and kissed Eve's forehead as I felt her tears soak my hand. My chest rose with each breath I took as I tried to focus on staying calm. If I didn't stay calm, then neither would Eve. She snuggled into me every time there was a crash outside. It wasn't until I heard a voice that I recognized that made me open my eyes and lean over towards the opening. Eve whimpered and shook her head. I shakily pulled out the gun and pointed it forwards.
"I said 'get out'," the voice growled as I shuffled back. I peered through and saw a shadow come towards the closet.
"We don't take orders from you, Four," one of the men retorted.
Another loud crash sounded before I heard someone groaning in pain. "I don't think you remember why they call me 'Four'," Tobias snarled.
"I do," the man's muffled response came out.
"Good," he replied before there was another sound of movement. "Now clear out of here or I'll make sure you don't forget it."
The man exited and a few seconds later so did Tobias. I took a deep breath and settled Eve back against me and waited. I picked up the phone and listened for Eric's next instruction. It wasn't until I pressed the buttons a few times that he came back on.
"Press twice if Tobias got there," Eric said and I did. "We're right around the corner, Ana. Just sit tight," he added.
It must have been a few minutes that passed by. Eve was still shaking. She had stopped crying and was just clinging to my shirt now. Her body was still wet because I didn't really dry her off. I just grabbed her and hurried to the hiding place. My clothes were damp but I didn't care. The main thing was that we stayed safe. It was then that I heard loud footsteps rushing up the stairs.
"Where the fuck is she," Eric's voice demanded.
"Uncle Eric," Eve said, barely audible.
"She's still hiding," Tobias answered.
Quickly the closet opened and Eric tore through all the towels and other stuff that was blocking the trapdoor before opening it. I don't know why but I still had the gun pointed towards the opening when Eric arrived.
"It's alright, baby," he told me, reaching for my arm and pulling the gun away slowly. He settled the gun on the floor before pulling me and Eve out. "Fucking hell, I thought I lost you," he wrapped his arms around me and Eve before showing both of us with kisses. "What is this," he touched my cheek, "are you hurt anywhere else? Is Eve..."
"Eve is okay, just scared," I answered and tried to get her to turn around but she wouldn't move.
"Come on, my bunny," Eric encouraged.
"Aunty Ana," Eve's hold tightened on me as I shook my head at Eric. She obviously didn't want to leave me.
We walked outside with me tucked under Eric's arm to see Tobias sitting there on the bed holding Jessica's hand mid-air, stopping her from slapping him. There were tears running down her face and she looked pissed, more so than she did last night.
"I swear to God if he harmed her..."
"Jess," I spoke up and she turned to look at us. "We're okay."
Jessica ripped her hand away from Tobias's hold before hurrying towards me. She wrapped her arms around me and Eve. Eve hesitantly went to her mother, every now and then looking back at me. "Oh, my darling girl," Jess did the same as Eric, smothering her daughter in kisses. "Fuck you, Eaton," she shouted at Tobias. "Your father is a fucking dead man, you hear? He's dead," she shouted again as Eric ushered her out of the room.
"How the fuck did he find out where I live," Eric turned on Tobias.
"Your guess is as good as mine," Tobias replied with a hardened expression.
"The bunny," I whispered as they both turned to look at me. "That was a warning, Eric. When he stopped Hec and I at the traffic light, he was warning us that he could find me."
"I don't understand," he looked confused.
"When Eve and I were hiding," I closed my eyes and tried to explain. "Marcus mentioned something about me not going back to my apartment. And how I thought I'd be safe with you, that you could hide me from him. If he didn't know where you were living, then..."
"He needed some new way to track you," Eric nodded before hurrying down the stairs. "Jess, where is Eve's bunny?"
"We kept it with us, remember," she answered as she walked over to him. "We were going to ask Aunt Jeanine about it but then she was spouting that nonsense about you coming back and..."
"What are you thinking, Eric," I asked.
"She had it removed and Marcus had another one put in its place," he answered. "Eve's real bunny - the one that I brought for her - is in the police evidence room. That's how they did the switch."
"But why would my father be working with your Aunt," Tobias came to stand beside us, "why now after all this time they finally call a truce and decide to help one another? And why harass your girlfriend? What makes her so special?"
Eric turned around and slammed Tobias into the wall. "Fuck you, Eaton," Eric snarled.
"Eric, stop," I tried to pull him off - without any help from Jess who looked smugly at Tobias. Tobias on the other hand didn't seem at all phased that Eric had his arm pressed against his neck. "Eric, please," I pleaded one last time as he released him.
"I'm being serious Coulter," Tobias told him, "and that was not meant to offend Ana in any way," he looked to me before turning back. "Your Aunt kidnapped my girl, tried to sell her on the market and you helped me get her back. That's why I'm here trying to help you. Now I'm going to suggest that we look at this from all possible angles - even the ones that you don't like. Tris is a Senator's daughter; Ana's father is a manager for a produce company. If you ask me there's not that much influence there. So, what makes her sp..."
"She's my girl, that's what makes her different," Eric affirmed. "Your father only wants her as some sort of personal vendetta. My Aunt probably wants me to come back and work for her and wants to use Ana against me. That's what this is," he said with a hand gesture stating that his word was final.
"There's something else to this," Tobias shook his head.
I took a step forward and placed myself between them. "I think Eric is right. Your father just wants to get at Eric."
"Of course, you're going to take his side."
"What you said is true Tobias," I noted before continuing, "but that's all that there is. There's nothing else special about me. My dad works for a produce company. My mother works part-time. My brothers don't hold any high-profile jobs in Amity. Nothing about Amity is high-profile," I let out a sarcastic laugh. "There are other girls out there, prettier than me that could bring in more money for your father. The only other alternative is that this has got to be personal."
Tobias sighed before taking another step closer. "There is nothing else you can think of?" I shook my head. "Maybe you know something at your job," he suggested.
"I work as teller at a Bank. I can see people's accounts but I don't deal with a lot of money. And the customers I get working at the Chasm aren't exactly high profile. Once the Carmichael family came," I looked towards Eric before looking back, "but nothing else out of the ordinary."
"Maybe you know someone at school," he pressed.
Again, I shook my head. "I only hang out with Hec who has a few other friends. And if my memory serves me correctly you are friends with his sister's husband. There are a couple other girls that I've gone to get coffee with or had a study session with at the library but we don't exactly swap secrets with one another."
"Maybe you found an in somewhere with my mother," Tobias offered up.
"Your mother," I asked.
"We all know your father murdered your mother," Eric interrupted as Tobias looked towards him.
"They never found her body and my father wants her body to confirm that she is in fact dead."
"How twisted is that," Eric scoffed.
"At least, my father hired someone to assassinate her. Your mother murdered your father herself," he implied which made Eric lunge for him.
My body was still firmly implanted between the two of them which caused me to scream. Eric pulled back and looked me over before narrowing his eyes at Tobias. "You got your father out of here, now you do the same," Eric nodded towards the stairs.
I hurried after Tobias and just as he was about to exit, he turned around to face me.
"My mother had three other husbands," Tobias blurted out. "My father found out and being the 'kind' man that he was, showed her forgiveness at the end of a gun." He took another step towards me. "This is not an easy life that you're walking into. Eric and I may have gotten out but obviously, there's still a lot of danger that surrounds us. Tris was taken from me twice. The second time, it almost killed her. And that almost killed me. You best make sure you know what you're getting into," he said.
"I can't back out now," I shook my head, "especially not now. Would you ask Tris to do the same?"
"Once, I did," he admitted.
"And I take it that she didn't listen because the two of you are still together. I won't abandon Eric either," my mind was still going in all sorts of directions. "You really think your mother is alive?"
Tobias scratched the side of his head before leaning down. "I know she is because she contacted me." My eyes widened as he stepped back and his hand reached for the door again. "I still think you found out something, something important to my father."
"There's nothing much important about me," I sighed.
Tobias looked around at the busted items in the apartment, "he wouldn't have gone through all this unless he thought you were."
And with that he left me standing there.
Jessica walked by then with Eve still in her arms. Eric informed her that they needed to pack and they were going to his safe house. I hurried back up to Eric's room to find him throwing things into a suitcase. He looked back at me and that one glance was enough for me to understand that he was furious. Most of it had to be because Tobias had just let some serious shit slip out.
"Remember the house I took you to," Eric asked as he walked to grab another bag.
"Batman's house," I replied as Eric paused and offered me a small smile. He threw the bag onto the bed before gesturing for me to come to him. I walked over slowly until I stood right in front of him. Our bodies were barely touching but I could feel the electricity shooting off. "Whatever it is Eric, I'm here for you. Whatever you need me to do, I'll do it."
Eric closed the distance, taking my face in one hand and wrapping his other around my waist. "Don't leave me," he whispered before placing a kiss on my lips, "just please don't leave."
He rested his forehead against mine and we simply stood there. I knew Eric was trying to keep calm so I allowed him this small moment of peace.
When everything that we needed to take with us was packed up, Eric started loading his car. I was to take it and drive his sister and Eve to the house. Eric had to finish some other things and would bring by his other car soon. He called the police this time but did so after we had left. Eve fell off to sleep and he didn't want to wake her or have her explain her ordeal all over again.
As I drove the car towards the house, Jessica looked surprised that I knew about it.
"I need to know," she said as I parked the car in the garage and entered the code to lock it and put the security back on. "Are you truly in this for the long run with my brother?"
"Is this the 'if you break his heart, I'll break you' talk that we're having," I asked as we got into the house.
"Perhaps it is," she touched my arm causing me to stop and look at her. "Ana my brother would not have taken just any girl here," she began. "In fact, he has not taken a girl here at all. This is the one place that no one knows about. My father gave this place up to be with our mother. It's been in our father's family for generations. This place means 'commitment' to my brother."
"I understand that," I replied softly.
She took another step forward. "Come what may, I do not want you to give up on him. He's," she paused and shook her head, "he's obviously invested so much into being with you. I hope you truly do understand that."
Jessica and Eve moved to a room down a separate hallway from Eric and I - at least I wanted to assume that Eric and I would be sharing a room together. I shook my head, trying to release those negative thoughts. I sat on the bed waiting for Eric to call or waiting for some sort of appearance from him. My mind began to wander again. Not wanting to think of that for a second time, I walked out of the room and down to where Jessica and Eve were.
Eve was resting in the bed and Jess was placing things into a drawer. She glanced up at me before turning back to her task. "I didn't mean to come off as rude earlier when we first came."
"It's okay," I walked in and went to sit on a nearby couch.
"No, it's not. You were the one who was attacked today. You were the one that got my daughter to safety. I shouldn't have questioned your commitment to my brother," Jess sighed and turned completely around to face me. "Our life isn't for the faint of heart. You'll have to deal with things that happened today, every day of your life, of your children's life," she gestured to Eve. "We got out but," she shook her head and laughed bitterly, "it never seems as though we can get completely out."
"Your brother warned me once," I nodded before smiling at a memory, "more than once I believe, that he didn't have a clean life. He even said that he has more demons in his past than the devil himself," I laughed lightly as Jess moved to sit by my side.
She smiled and shook her head. "That sounds exactly like my brother, always feeling guilty over what happened. He has a past, I'm sure you know a lot of it. But I don't want that to stop you or him from going on your journey together."
"You think that I'm going to run because of what happened," I stated more so than asked. She looked away and that was confirmation enough to know that she was thinking exactly that.
"I expected that you wouldn't want to be with someone who is a criminal," Jess shrugged. "But my brother is more than that, Ana."
"I know he is," I nodded and she looked up to stare at me. "I chose him. And I remember that day so vividly," I smiled. "Marcus had sent two of his men to kidnap me. Your brother had called in some of your Aunt's men to come and get rid of them. I had no idea what was happening. When the police arrived, they tried to persuade me away. The chief of police herself told me who Eric was and what he and his family are capable of. She told me that I had a choice. And I chose to go with your brother that night."
My head turned back to Jess to see her smiling gently.
"I felt more safe with your brother than I did with an entire department of police officers," I snorted as Jess laughed. "For some reason, Jess, if I run it won't be because of that. It should frighten me. It should have me jumping on a plane to Amity and not looking back. But I find that I rather put up with whatever past Eric had because he is such a great guy now. I don't see the clouds. I see the rainbow. I see how very different he is in contrast to other guys out there - even ones who have what people can label a 'clean life'," I shook my head.
Jess wrapped her arms around my shoulders and pulled me to her for a hug. "Just don't give up on him, please," she whispered. "I've never seen my brother so happy before."
"I'll be there for him," I replied as we both squeezed each other.
The clearing of a throat made both of our heads turn towards the doorway to see Eric leaning against the frame, his arms crossed in front of his chest. "I know Dad always told me to share but I'm sorry Jess," he shook his head pushing away, "you're going to have to get your own Ana. This one is mine," he smirked at me causing me to blush and his sister to huff.
"I wouldn't want your sloppy seconds anyway," Jess said.
"Hey," I playfully pushed her shoulder as we all started to laugh. "And just for your information I could have rocked your world. I certainly turn your brother's upside down."
"Oh, trust me I know," she rolled her eyes, "I've seen how you work."
We all started to laugh again as Eric picked me up only to take my place on the couch before settling me back down on his lap. "So, what's for dinner," he asked.
"After the day we had, I wouldn't mind if we had a beer or two," Jess answered, which totally surprised me. She didn't look like the beer-drinking type.
"I think I can whip something up," I added.
"I'll help you," Eric patted my back before turning to me with a serious expression. "Are you okay, Ana?" I nodded. Eric ran his fingers gently down my cheek where Marcus had hit me. It stung a little and I did wince. "Let's put some ice on it." He moved to press his lips softly to my cheek before trailing his fingers down my arm, "I'll give you a massage later, love."
"My daughter is in the room, just letting you know," Jess interjected which made me blush.
"I wasn't talking about that," Eric huffed at her.
"Sure, you won't," she rolled her eyes.
I smiled at their interaction, thinking again about my brothers back in Amity. It was then that Jess rested her head on Eric's shoulder. He pulled me closer and I snuggled to his other side. Eric kissed both of our foreheads.
"What do we do now, Eric," Jess asked.
"We look out for one another," he replied.
Eric and I worked together in the kitchen, silently but comfortably. Every now and then he would stop what he was doing and kiss my neck or shoulder, whispering something encouraging about how brave I had been, how strong he thought I was or how much he was grateful he had me in his life. He asked me before we started if I wanted to talk about what happened and I told him I wasn't ready to now. He understood and we continued our task.
Jess appeared with a bottle of whiskey and suggested that that would be better than drinking beer. When it was time for dinner, Eve had woken up to eat the spaghetti and meatballs that Eric and I made. She carried the puppy doll with her and asked if she could introduce him to her bunny. Eric and Jess shared a look before saying that they would get her bunny back soon. She asked that Eric and I read her a story before she went sleep. Half-way through the story Eve asked what happened to the bad man who came earlier. Eric answered that he was going to get him. When I kissed her goodnight, she whispered that she loved me.
I went into the room I shared with Eric that night and broke down in tears. "Let it all out, baby," Eric wrapped his arms around me, scooping me up and taking me to the bed. I cried there until I was too tired to cry any longer and fell off to sleep with Eric's lips on my forehead, telling me that everything was going to be okay.