Chapter 22: Adventures
"Yes," Eric asked.
"Yes," I smiled, covering my mouth with my right hand to stop from crying as Eric slipped a ring onto my left hand. I stared down at it for the longest time. It was so beautiful. He ran his fingers over it before they entwined together.
"To my sister," Jack stood up with his glass in hand as did majority of the people at his wedding reception, "and to her wonderful new beginning. We wish you both the best."
"JoyAnna and Eric," shouted Jonathan, lifting his glass.
Eric got up from, wrapped his two arms around my waist and pulled me into him for a deep kiss. I felt light and airy - as if a part of me had been set free. I didn't know how that was possible because at the same time a sense of foundation and grounding had come over me. How could I feel free and imprisoned at the same time? And that was when I realized just how deeply in love I was with Eric Coulter. He gave me another small kiss before pulling away. His hand ran down my cheek, causing me to open my eyes.
He smiled gently. "Now you have a proposal to tell everyone about," he teased as we both laughed.
My mother was the first to pull me into a hug and Jess had grabbed her brother. It had started off with just the two of them before everyone else flooded us with congratulations and well-wishes. Sometime after my family had stopped their assault on me and Eric, I was pulled off to the side by my cousin Blossom. We moved to sit down at her table - which would have consisted of Peter and his date but they had disappeared somewhere. In the meantime, it was just Blossom and I.
"That was some proposal," Blossom lifted her glass as I did the same. It clinked before we began to drink.
"It was better than the first two."
Blossom choked a little on her champagne before settling her glass down. "He's proposed to you twice before?"
"Yes," I scrunched up my nose, waiting for her reprimand.
"And I'm assuming you said 'no' the other two times?"
"Well, not exactly," I replied before turning to look over at Eric, talking to Jordan, Dillon and my grandpa. "I didn't answer the first time."
"That might as well have been a 'no'," she narrowed her eyes at me.
"I was scared and..."
"Don't give me any of that crap," Blossom waved her hand dismissively. "I've seen the two of you these past couple days and quite frankly, I have not seen a couple more in love with one another than Pops and Gamma Cammie."
"And that proposal was a nice touch to add them in as well," I smiled at Eric conversing with my grandpa.
"So, what about the second time?"
"Second time," I questioned.
Blossom let out a small laugh. "The second-time Eric proposed to you?"
"Oh God," I rolled my eyes. "I said 'yes' but I told him he had to ask me again because I am not sharing that story with anyone, especially my mother."
Blossom burst out in laughter. She leaned in towards me with an all too familiar grin on her face. "He proposed during sex, didn't he?"
"Shut up, someone will hear you," I blushed looking around.
"Was the answer 'yes' or was it 'more'," she said suggestively as I lightly slapped her arm. "Or was it something like," and Blossom moaned at the table, causing my cheeks to redden more than ever. "You have to tell me."
"No," I shook my head. "The whole reason why I told him he had to ask me again was because I didn't want to tell that story."
"Come on," Blossom jumped slightly in her chair, "I'm like your cousin, best friend and sister all rolled into one. I don't know who else you plan on telling about this orgasmic proposal."
"Could you..."
She started to laugh at my embarrassment. After she quieted down, Blossom waited with an expectant look. I sighed and then turned to drink the rest of my champagne.
"I'm not giving you details."
"You have to or I'll weasel them out from you," she teased as I shook my head.
"It all started when we first arrived in Amity," I began to explain. "We got into a huge argument the first night we were here..."
The following morning after our fight, I woke up to find myself lying down on the floor of my bedroom. My head was in Eric's lap and he had been sitting up against the wall of my bedroom. I stretched and immediately felt pain in my neck and lower back. I knew that Eric would be having the same aches as well. I yawned as my feet took me downstairs to see that my mother was already making her special tea. It could have been green tea or something else like that - I really don't know. But what I did know was that it always made me feel better, physically and emotionally.
Slowly, I sat in the chair at the table, not wanting to disturb her. She waddled around and I smiled at the sight. "He's been moving a lot lately," my mother said softly. The tone of her voice told me that she was smiling. "I think it's the feeling of having everyone under the same roof," she rubbed her stomach before setting a cup down in front of me. I was just about to grab it when she cleared her throat. "That is not for you," she pointed at me. "Take that cup for Eric," she instructed before going back to the stove. "And both of you are going to spend the day together - just the two of you."
"Mom..."
"He's a wonderful young man, JoyAnna," she scolded me while shaking her head in disapproval. "And his sister and her daughter," she sighed, "they're delightful. We'll keep them busy while you and Eric discuss matters."
"Mom, I..."
"I don't know why you didn't tell you that you were engaged," she handed me a small plate with muffins on top of them, "my banana bread is waiting for the two of you when you return. In the meantime, you two can have those."
I sighed and went to take those up the stairs but paused at the doorway. "I don't know what to say to him."
I looked back to see my mom with a kind smile on her face. "Everything and anything he wants to hear, JoyAnna. I think he deserves it." She made her way across the kitchen and kissed my forehead. "Take him to the lake, the farm, the warehouse," she suggested, "show him everything that you grew up with here. I think being in Amity might help the two of you open to one another." She patted my cheek. "Now go before your brothers wake up and steal those muffins from you."
Eric was already up when I reached my room. I closed the door as he moved to stand up - stretching his back and rotating his shoulders. I held out the cup of tea for him.
"Thanks," he smiled, taking it. "Mm," he sipped it and his smile widened.
"One of my mother's top secret herbal recipes," I smiled as he chuckled.
"Fresh from nature," he smirked before taking another sip.
"Oh, you know it," I said as I moved to sit on my bed. "I don't know what she puts in it but her tea always calmed me, brighten my mood or eased my headache," I finished as he sat down next to me. "She also supplied us with her white chocolate and raspberry muffins."
"You're kidding," he took one of them and bit into half of it, "mm, this is good," he said with his mouth still full. It made me laugh a little. He threw the other half in his mouth, chewed and swallowed it before taking another sip of tea. "I honestly don't know what your mom did to the tea or the muffins but my back doesn't hurt as much. And you're right," he lifted the cup to me, "it does have a calming effect."
"She'd make me and my brothers drink tea after we got into fights with one another. We'd be so rattled that my father and her would send us to bed without any dinner. She'd tell us to sleep it off and when we woke up the next morning, she had a fresh pot of tea with some sort of muffin waiting. That's how she got us to sit down at the table together and apologize to one another," I smiled and nodded before turning to Eric. "I woke up a few minutes ago and went downstairs and she basically told me the same thing," I moved so that I was facing him completely, "that you and I should talk."
Eric nodded and looked at the plate. "Why don't we finish those muffins," he smiled before snatching another one off the plate, "and then we can talk."
"Outside," I gestured.
"Outside," he questioned.
I smiled and nodded. "I can show you where I went to school and where I rode bike and all of that good stuff. My mother suggested that we get out of the house. She said that she and my brothers will be keeping Jess and Eve occupied."
"Good, good," Eric nodded. "I think Jess and Eve really like it here. They love your family."
"I think by the end of the trip, my mother might adopt Jess and Eve," I said as we both started to laugh.
Surprisingly Eric and I conversed while we got changed. I told him to dress comfortably for the outdoors. I was a bit excited to be taking him around Amity. I rarely did that sort of thing with Cain. He had always either seen it or did not care for it. While we were in the bathroom - Eric fixing his hair and I doing the same - we continued to talk about my mom and my grandma's cooking. We stayed away from the topic of Cain and being engaged which was nice. Josh was the first to knock on the bathroom door and demand that he be let in so he could 'pee'. The second the door opened, he brushed past the two of us and started to use the bathroom.
"Really, I'm still in here," I shook my head before walking out.
"It's not like you haven't seen it before," Josh shouted as Eric and I walked down the hallway.
"You've seen your brother's junk," Eric questioned with a lifted eyebrow. "Is it the same reason why Jess has seen mine," his eyebrows moved suggestively, causing me to turn around and lightly hit him.
"I don't know why your sister would have seen yours," Jensen came out of his room, "but yes, our sister has seen all of our junk."
"Granted, it was everyone but Jonathan and Jack's," I shook my head.
Eric moved closer. "If it wasn't because they were masturbating or with a girl then why..."
"Well I had helped changed the diapers for Josh and Jimmy. Helped potty-train Jensen," I whispered the last part.
"Whatever," Jensen shouted as he hurried down the stairs, "Jack told me that the toilet was going to eat me alive. You'd refused to be potty-train if he told you that too!"
"And Jordan," Eric asked as we reached the bottom of the stairs, "If I remember correctly he's a year older than you. You wouldn't have changed diaper or anything like that."
I smiled at Eric - shocked that he had remembered which brother was which and who was older than me and by how much. I remember Cain stating that it was tiring to remember all their names and instead he labelled them with insulting descriptions - the one who works for his dad, the one who is banging the Fields girl, the one who is a dork, the one that poops in his pants (which was Jimmy because he was being potty-trained at the time). But here Eric remembered.
"What," he questioned seeing the look on my face.
"Nothing," I shook my head. "You're just amazing, that's all," I smiled as he did too and leaned in to give me a gentle kiss. "If you must know about Jordan, there's this plant that grows by rivers and lakes. One day we went there without mom and dad knowing - to swim. And of course, Jordan got this rash from the plant. Anyways, because he was so frightened of mom and dad finding out, I had to put the itching cream on him," I gagged. "When he took off his pants, I told him to do that part himself."
"Did he?"
"Yes," Jordan chuckled as he came by the two of us at the front door. "Mom said you two are going out," he held up the keys for my Dad's truck.
"I got a rental," Eric began.
"This is a small town," Jordan shrugged, "they might take kindly to you if they see my dad's truck." Eric took the keys and Jordan turned to kiss my cheek. "Where are you going first?"
"Wherever the wind takes us, itchy butt," I teased and dashed out the door before he could grab me.
Eric was surprised to find that my father's truck was listening to a rock radio station. I had to remind him that my father grew up in the seventies and eighties. And that if my mother was in the truck, they'd have been listening to disco. We talked about my parents and how they met as I had Eric drive to where my mom used to live. It was closer to town and just as we appeared at the house my mom's older and only brother came out from the nearby farmhouse.
"Uncle Jep," I waved my hand out of the truck window. He smiled and walked over to the truck just as Eric turned it off. "I missed you last night," I gave him a warm hug.
"Heard you came in," he squeezed me back before setting me aright. "But I told your mom that the pigs gave birth."
"Pigs," Eric questioned as my Uncle turned to look at him.
"Uncle Jep this is my boyfriend, Eric. Eric, this is my Uncle Jep - my mother's brother."
"It's nice to meet you, young man," he shook Eric's hand before gesturing for Eric and me to follow him. "Fruits and vegetables aren't the only thing we grow here in Amity."
"Here we go," I muttered, rolling my eyes.
"My father owned this pig farm, started it from the ground up," my Uncle Jep said as we walked into the barn, "but we're different from those pig farms that slaughtered their pigs and feed them all those gross foods."
"This is where my mother gets her pork and meat from," I informed Eric.
"The bacon that you make in the morning," he asked as I nodded.
"I let the pigs roam throughout the land. I only keep the mothers locked up until they've given birth and then they are free to run wild as well. They eat whatever grass, fruits, and vegetation grows out here," my Uncle Jep motioned for us to come towards one of the pens. "Somehow, last night all four mothers decided to give birth at the same time. And they all have more than ten piglets. That one," he gestured towards one of the sows, "it's her first litter. She almost got savage."
"No," I whispered turning to the piglets. "Well, I'm glad that you were here then."
We went out into the field on the ATVs that one of his workers brought to look at the other pigs that were wallowing in a hole they created. My Uncle could name a few of the pigs which impressed Eric. Uncle Jep mentioned that he doesn't kill those pigs - no matter how old they got. They were like his family, too.
"Where are you from, Eric?"
"Erudite," he answered my Uncle.
"I know that it's different from city life and you might have heard that pig farms don't usually treat their animals like family but these animals feed us," he nodded towards the pigs - and chickens that were running around here also. "We don't believe in unnecessary violence or cruelty - to people, animals, nature," Uncle Jep listed. "I don't know if you're a religious man, Eric. But these are all of god's creations. He entrusted mankind to take care of it. Therefore, we do our part."
We spent two hours there and left just as my Uncle's workers were coming in. He hired a small crew - men and women he could trust that would care for the animals. He showed Eric and I how he massaged the sows before birth. And while I was bottle-feeding the runt of the litter, Eric and I shared a memory each of something from our childhood. Eric told me about how he helped nurse a kitten to young adulthood before his Aunt demanded that they get rid of it because of her allergies. I told him that there was a pig out there that my Uncle named 'Dog'. I helped feed that pig from birth and when it became an adult it would watch my Uncle's farm like it was a guard dog, make noises and chase intruders too.
"It came close to attacking Cain once," I smiled as Eric chuckled. "He demanded that we 'put that wild animal down'." I shook my head, "even the pigs knew Cain was bad news."
"Well," Eric turned to look at the piglet in my hand, "I'm glad no pigs tried to chase me then."
We both ended up laughing.
After that we went to my elementary school. I was surprised that I still fit on the swing there. They had two new playgrounds there since I had gone school and I was surprised that Eric and I fit on the slide. We talked about my first spelling bee, my second and third spelling bee also.
"So, you were kind of a nerd too then," Eric teased. I nudged his leg as we sat on top of the monkey bars, looking out on the playground. "I'm assuming you placed first in all three?"
"I made third place in the third spelling bee," I grimaced. "And that was in sixth grade, I believe. But, I outscored Jonathan and Jordan - which of course caused a competitive streak in the rest of my siblings."
"Did you do any science fair competitions?"
"No," I shook my head. "That was all Jonathan," I smiled. "We were all smart," I turned back to Eric, "just in different things. Did you do science fairs?"
"Yeah, I did," he nodded. "Got first place in two of them."
"Ooh, you have to tell me about that," I smiled.
Eric informed me about his first project and how he and his dad had worked on it for weeks, perfecting it. It was the first time his father didn't answer his pager when work called him to come in. He devoted his entire time to helping Eric win - not because he felt Eric was a failure.
"No," Eric smiled lightly. "I wanted to win. There were prizes - a brand new skateboard was one of them. My father did it because I wanted it. He told me then that I should never give up in doing something. And with hard work, anything is possible."
"He sounds amazing."
"He was," Eric nodded, taking my hand in his. "I wish you could have met him."
"Well, I did meet his son," I leaned my head-on Eric's shoulder. "And his son is quite the amazing man. And I'm glad that I met him."
Eric's head turned to kiss my forehead. "He's glad he's met you, too."
Lunch time came too quickly and Eric wanted to know where my favorite place to eat was. I told him Johanna's diner but we could save that for dinner. Instead we went to grab a couple chili dogs, corn dogs and chips from a gas station/diner on the nearest route - as I explained to Eric that there weren't much highways nearby. Almost everyone in the diner there knew who I was and expected to see my father, since it was his truck that we were driving around. A lot of the people there I grew up with and were excited to share horrible stories of my childhood with Eric.
Mr. Branch owned the diner and sat at the booth with us, insisting that the meal was for free. Gavin - his son who was the same age as Jonathan - was going to be taking over the diner and gas station soon, since Mr. Branch was getting up in years.
"Everything is passed down through the family," Gavin said as he handed us a slice of apple pie and ice cream. "I know there's some improvements to make but," he looked around with a content look, "a lot of things are going to stay the same."
"It should stay the same," Eric nodded, looking around also. "This is wonderful. And the chili dog is the best I've had in years."
"Used a family recipe," Mr. Branch winked at us.
"Speaking about family recipes, that apple pie is from Mrs. Carol's. That's not as good as Johanna's," he pointed at me, "and apparently JoyAnna is the only one who knows the recipe for that."
"My lips are sealed," I zipped my lips and tried to look innocent.
"Did you tell Eric the time your mouth had a hook in it," Gavin smirked.
"No, don't," I tried to stop him but Gavin decided to tell Eric the story of when we all went camping down at the lake to celebrate high school graduation - specifically Jonathan and Gavin's along with a few others. I blushed and hid my face in Eric's shoulder. "Don't listen to him."
"Apparently Blossom, their cousin, caught a huge salmon. JoyAnna and Jordan were trying to catch one too and walked out into the lake. I think JoyAnna hooked one but it was so big that it pulled her under. Come to find out, she ended up hooking Jordan's jacket. The two were playing swords with their fishing poles," Gavin chuckled.
"Jordan whipped his fishing pole at me and then the hook was in my lip," I gagged.
"Yeah," Gavin chuckled again, "hook and worm too."
Eric started to laugh and I buried my face even further into his side.
"The worm was wriggling around," Gavin described.
"Shut up, that's gross," I threw a chip at him as they both laughed at me.
"Well, I'm glad you brushed your teeth before you kissed me," Eric teased as I playfully hit him.
Gavin turned around and smiled at his father. I looked over to see what it was until I noticed that the radio was playing louder than I thought it should. Mr. Branch asked his wife to dance. Gavin got up and pulled an older woman for a dance. It made her smile. Eric moved out from the booth and held his hand out for me. He spun me around before pulling me in close. It was a pretty old song but it wasn't slow and it made Eric and I smiled at one another.
"I forgot how much I missed all of this," I said when we were back in my father's truck. "Going for a ride, just cruising," I smiled lightly.
"Did Cain ever do any of this," Eric asked.
I shook my head and leaned up to give Eric a soft kiss. "A lot of people in Amity didn't like him because of his father. To them, the Banners were big business looking to come in and change everything." I smiled at him again. "Thank you, Eric."
"No, thank you Ana," he replied, running his hand down my cheek. "I've never experienced anything like this either."
When we were driving on the road again, Kid Rock's 'All Summer Long' came on and Eric turned up the volume. We both began to sing the song.
"She'll forever hold a spot inside my soul," Eric sang looking over and reaching for my hand.
"We'd blister in the sun, we couldn't wait for night to come," I added.
"To hit that sand and play some rock and roll," we both sang together, laughing and smiling.
Eric pulled off to the side and I wondered what he was doing. He opened the truck door and said he wanted to dance with me again. He spun me around, I twirled and laughed. It was funny to see him try and attempt a shimmy of sorts. We both smiled, continued to sing the song and stole kisses in between lines and moves. Just before the song ended, Eric pushed me against the side of my father's truck and began to attack me with his lips.
My hands reached up into his hair, twisting my fingers in them causing him to groan. His hands moved down to my thighs, giving them a soft squeeze before picking me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist, his mouth attached to mine, our lips moving against each other in a frenzy. Eric's hand began to move up into my shirt, leaving goose bumps in their wake as the cool breeze hit my skin. Eric smiled at my moan, pausing in his assault to lower his head to my stomach.
"Eric," I gasped as he lightly bit on my skin, moving higher and higher until he was cradled in the middle of my breasts. "We're, oh," I moaned when he moved his mouth inside my bra. "Out in the," another moan left me. "We're out in the open," I finally got out, panting as he continued his sweet torture.
He pulled away and had just started to unzip his jeans when I shook my head.
"We are not doing this up against my dad's truck," I smiled as he did, too.
"In the back of your dad's truck, then," he smirked.
I pushed him back and he let me down slowly. "Can you drive?"
"With this," he rocked his hips against my core, "love, there's only place I want to drive into right now."
"Can you be just a bit modest?"
"When it comes to making the woman that I love happy," Eric smiled.
I bit my bottom lip and pushed him back, walking towards the nearby field. I knew where we were. I looked back at Eric and smiled innocently. "Lock my father's truck up," I instructed. And just as he went around to the other side, I took off running towards the field.
"Ana," Eric growled running after me.
A part of me had always wanted to do this and never did. I stripped off my shirt and hung it on a branch before taking off again. I had just done the same with my shorts when Eric appeared, with my shirt in hand. He started to take off his clothes while chasing me down. We had just entered a part of the field where there was enough trees and hillside for the two of us to not be seen.
When Eric caught me, I was pulled down to the ground, both of us laughing at one another. Our kissing resumed just as passionate as before - perhaps more so than before. My core was throbbing by the time, he pulled my shorts off. I could feel the cool grass and the warm sunlight dancing through the trees above. And when Eric pushed my underwear on the side and began to lick at me, I couldn't take it anymore. I screamed and moaned his name, begged him to keep going, begged him to never stop. My orgasm washed over me quickly. Eric unbuttoned and then moved his jeans down slightly, giving me one last look.
I turned us over and smiled.
"Tell me you did not have sex in the Duke's field," Blossom proclaimed, slamming her fist down on the table.
I glanced over and tried to shush her. "You said you wanted details."
"Jesus Christ, you two actually did have sex in the Duke's field," Blossom smiled. "So," she looked at me expectantly.
"It was exciting," I blushed.
"I'll bet it was," she grabbed another glass of champagne. "Okay, tell me more."
"As I was saying..."
"I've never done this outside before," Eric whispered as I pushed him to lay back. His hands slowly moved up to my chest as I peeled off my bra.
He pulled me down to kiss him before I eased back, taking a hold of him and allowing my body to sink down on top. We both moaned once we were joined and I smiled down at him again. "Neither have I," I whispered before I started to move.
Eric's hands gripped my waist, rubbing his thumb in circular motions against my skin to encourage me. "Fuck," he groaned, his eyes rolling back as I rocked my hips.
I released a strangled moan mixed in with his name as I moved forward - the slight movement hitting just that right spot.
"Dammit Ana," Eric growled, looking down at where our bodies had joined before pulling me to kiss him.
When I pulled back, Eric cursed again and I knew that both of us were close now. Eric released a string of curses as his hands tightened on my waist. I moved slowly once it was over - not wanting our pleasure to end. Every now and then, a bit of Eric continued to pump his finish into me until he was sure that every drop was taken by my body.
We made love a second time - with me up against a tree. Eric had me put on my tank so that my back wouldn't get scratched. And the way Eric moved inside of me, added to the way my body pushed back against his, I knew there would have been some minor scratches and cuts on my back.
This time it had been my turn to yell curses and shout about how much more I wanted him.
"I want a big family," his breath was hot against my neck as he slowly let my feet get settled on the ground, "like your parents."
"My mom originally wanted a dozen children," I smiled as Eric ran his hand down my side.
"A dozen seems like a sizeable number," he smirked.
I playfully hit his shoulder as he pulled me to him again for a deep kiss. "Maybe we can do two," I suggested as he smiled against my lips.
"Six," he countered.
"Two!"
"Six," he pushed me back against the tree and kissed down my neck. I didn't care if he gave me another earth-shattering orgasm, I wasn't about to concede on the number of children we were going to have.
We had just started getting dressed when I pulled Eric further into the field, going into trees and up towards the hill. Once we were at the top, I pointed to a nearby cluster of buildings and told him that that is where Amity's community college was. Almost all my brothers attended that school, most people in Amity attended that school. I wanted to be different. I wanted to make a name for myself.
"When things ended with me and Cain, people talked a bit in town," I explained. "Said that it was obvious a girl like me couldn't make it in the big city."
"Hey," Eric pulled me to look at him. "I think, no," he shook his head. "I know that you would have made it. I still believe you can."
My arms reached for him and we held one another for a moment. I released a heavy sigh and closed my eyes.
"He never enjoyed being out in Amity," I started. "He didn't like the farm, the diner, the people or my irritating brothers," I moved away as Eric ran his hand down my cheek. "You might wonder why I would leave Amity and my family for someone like him but I can't tell you what happened all those years ago. I was young and naive. I didn't think that I was ready to start dating. In fact," I let out a small laugh, "I had plans to go to some big-name college and then get a job working for the CIA or FBI."
"We probably would have met under worse circumstances then," he chuckled.
"My cousin Blossom works for the CIA. Did I ever tell you that?" He shook his head. "We were going to go and lock up all the bad guys," I laughed. "I never thought one of them would come to Amity to get me," my smile dropped and I released a choked sob.
"Ana," Eric rubbed my back soothingly.
"I didn't know about Cain. I didn't know about his parents, his dad or whatever it is that they do," I shook my head as the tears started to fall. "He never told me. He never made it seem that way. I guess I was naive because I didn't think to look at stuff like that. I was raised in a town with less than two thousand people. Our county has less than ten-thousand people. I mean, almost everyone knows everyone here in Amity. I never thought of anything like..."
"You were innocent," Eric placed his hand under my chin and moved my head to look up at him. "He prayed on your kindness, the town's goodwill, your family's honesty. I came here and everything is untouched," Eric looked around, "untouched by the madness and depravity guys like me and him see every day. Your grandfather told me that the biggest crimes here are arson and burglary."
"And those stupid enough to do it always get caught," I shook my head.
"I don't know exactly why he chose you, Ana. Why he decided to take you from this paradise and break you," he said. "But I will find out why and if possible, I'll hurt him and everyone else who thinks that they can come after you."
"I know," I pulled him down and we kissed softly. Eric peppered my face, my jaw, my neck with soft kisses and mumbled how much he loved me. "I love you too, Eric. So much," I whispered as he pulled back to face me.
Eric and I walked hand in hand away from the field. "Tell me more about your relationship with Cain."
I sighed, knowing that this wasn't your typical 'talk about the ex' that we were having. My mother was right, Eric deserved to know everything. "As I mentioned, I didn't think that I would end up dating in high school. If I did, then I thought it would have been forever like my Pops and Gamma or my parents. When Cain first asked me out, I told him 'no'. I didn't want to settle down like my mother had. I wanted to be free like my Aunts - travel the country, travel out of the country. I guess Cain promised me that he would help me do that."
"Is that how he got you to move out of Amity?"
I nodded. "He said that there was this whole other world out there and he'd take me to Dauntless and one day," I laughed and shook my head, "one day we'd take over the world."
"When did your brother Jonathan start working for his father?"
"You know what's so funny, is that I didn't meet Thomas Banner until after Cain and I finished high school. He was there at the ceremony but Cain and I had already been dating for two years. Thomas Banner didn't show much interest in me but he did with my older brothers," I looked at Eric. "He felt that Jonathan's talent was wasted in Amity. He offered Jonathan a job and Jonathan took to it greedily. He fed my brother nonsense about prestige and making a name for himself."
"Your brother doesn't strike me as someone who is proud and arrogant."
"I guess they made him that way," I shook my head. "Believe me, I was shocked to see that Jonathan from yesterday."
"What about Jack and Hannah? Has the Banners taken an interest in them?"
"Not really," I shook my head. "Although Cain did sleep with Serenity."
"Who's..."
"Serenity is Hannah's sister. I didn't find out that they had been sleeping together until after I dug out on our wedding day. I found out about a lot of his indiscretions after our wedding day," I paused and Eric stopped also. "This town is so small and yet no one told me, either that or no one really wanted to say anything."
"Did anyone know that he was sleeping around?"
My eyes closed and took a deep breath. "Serenity told her sister Hannah. I think that's why her and Jack always didn't see eye to eye for a while. After I called it off with Cain and found out about Serenity, Hannah expected me to forgive her sister. I was supposed to be one of her bridesmaids," I snorted before opening my eyes, "I can't bring myself to stand next to someone who was sleeping with my boyfriend. And if I catch you with any of those girls, especially Serenity Fields, I will hunt you down and gut you like a pig," I threatened making Eric smirk.
"What makes you think I'd leave you for someone else? We just had awesome sex out in a field," he pointed in that direction. "You know, you are becoming one hot ride."
"Oh God," I rolled my eyes and continued to pull him along.
"I wasn't trying to be a jerk about it."
"I know," I said as he wrapped his arm around my shoulder.
"What about your father or mother?" I looked up at him. "Did the Banners have any interaction with them?"
"Very minimum," I answered. "And everything was basically tense, especially between my mother and Mrs. Banner. Now that I can look back on it, she really looked down on my mother. She even insulted her and my family - subtly and openly - when I was in Dauntless." I paused again and turned to look up at Eric. "How do you know the Carmichael family?"
"Carmichael," he raised an eyebrow.
"I remember once Nita Carmichael was getting fresh with Cain. I didn't think about it because he always said that nothing was wrong with a little flirting or even looking. But one of the times that you and I saw each other was at the Chasm. You were having dinner with the Carmichael family. I think that's why I didn't call you back," I sighed, "seeing Nita there reminded me of Cain. And I couldn't help but think that you..."
Eric groaned in disgust. "Everything is wrong with looking and flirting. When you look, you start to desire. When you flirt, you start to act on those desires. Why put yourself in temptation when you have something worth keeping right in your arms," he pulled me against him. "No one in a relationship should be looking at someone else or flirting with someone else. I'll never do that and don't ever think that it's alright if I begin to do that. Stop me, if I do."
"Eric..."
"I mean it, Ana." I nodded and rest my head against his chest. "Nita Carmichael has tried to get fresh with me too. But she's really got it bad for Tobias Eaton," he rubbed my lower back. "The Carmichael family deal with international crime - the same as the Banners. The only difference is that David Carmichael is their inside man with Interpol - he's everyone's inside man."
"What," I pulled back, looking at him.
"He went undercover, years ago - his first assignment," Eric explained. "Somehow the Banners got to him. Now, he helps people like my Aunt, Marcus Eaton and even the Banners get away with their crimes. He hides evidence, hires lawyers - the whole nine yards. That meeting you saw at your old job was David discussing a few new agents in the FBI and CIA were giving him problems. He was soliciting help."
"My cousin Bloss," I whispered.
"Do you think she'll talk to me about it?"
"She might," I shrugged.
"I can't tell him specifics of my case," Blossom said suddenly, pulling me from the story. "I don't even have information on the Banners. But I've heard of David Carmichael - he's been honored as a hero more than once, Ana. I don't know how I could get to him."
"Eric asked if you and Cain ever had something..."
"That's bullshit," Blossom rolled her eyes, "and you know it. I..."
"That's what I told him," I assured her, "and trust me, I know you didn't like him."
"Like is a simple word, I loathed him, detested him," Blossom gagged. "Especially after what he did to Gregory, Benjamin and Don." I watched as Blossom's eyes got a bit sad to mention her old friend, Don. Don was my friend too. But you could tell that he and Blossom were closer. Last I heard, he was in Washington DC also but hadn't contacted Blossom.
As we continued towards the truck, Eric asked, "Did Cain ever try to get with her?"
"No," I shook my head. "In fact, Blossom hated him. She always said that something was off about him, he gave her the creeps. Cain dismissed it as..."
"Let me guess," he scoffed, "she was just jealous of your relationship with Cain?"
"Yeah, how did you..."
"Classic overcompensation and misdirection," Eric answered. "It's what people in our line of work do. He fed off your innocence, Ana." Eric looked around. "That's what I see after being here with you. You weren't raised to be suspicious. You come from a place where everyone knows everyone, they trust each other here. He exploited that."
"I just feel so used and beaten. What if ..."
"Don't Ana," he took my face in his hand gently and stroked my cheek. "You are a strong and brave person. I've seen it. I've also seen how compassionate and protective you are of those you love, of this place that you love. He got rid of that part of you by degrading you and I hate him for it. You know why? Because you were perfect just the way you are and I'm so glad that you are able to shine again." He leaned down to give me a gentle kiss. "I want that ambitious CIA agent who dreamed of locking up the bad guys," he said causing me to smile. "I want that competitive sister who tried to best her brothers at everything. I want that beautiful, stubborn young woman who I know is in there," he smiled as I started to cry - tears of joy people. "Forget everything he ever told you, Ana. He was wrong. He was so wrong when it came to you."
When we made it back to my father's truck, I was not surprised to see two other trucks parked alongside. One of them was walking in the field calling my father's name. I smiled and pulled Eric along.
"Mr. Iglesias," I called out, waving my hand.
I saw him sigh and shake his head with a smile. "JoyAnna Summers." I hurried over and embraced the high school principal. "I was worried something happened to your father. He usually doesn't go hunting here and never does he go alone." He pushed me back and smiled again. "You look good," he nodded, "I'm assuming you came back for your brother's wedding?"
"You assume correctly," I smiled. "I heard that you'll be saying the pray at the reception."
"Quite an honor to be included," he nodded. "Then again, I've seen Jack and Hannah grow up - just like everyone else in this town. He's a responsible young man and she's a dedicated young woman. I'm happy for them both." He lifted his head and looked past me. "And who is this?"
"Mr. Iglesias this is my boyfriend, Eric. Eric, this is Mr. Iglesias. He's the principal for the high school and a coach for the school's basketball team."
"And," Mr. Iglesias smiled at me.
"And his wife is one of the best English and Literature teachers this country has ever seen," I smiled.
"It's nice to meet you, young man," he shook Eric's hand.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Eric replied with a nod. "Ana was just telling me about those spelling bees that she was in."
"She was damn smart, just like her brothers. Good kids," Mr. Iglesias nodded.
"JoyAnna?"
"Madeline," I smiled and walked over to hug her.
"It's been a long time," she hugged me back. It was when our bodies were pushed together that I felt something and instantly moved away from her. I looked down at her stomach and then back up at Madeline to see her smiling. "We just came back from the doctor's office."
"Oh, I'm so happy for you and Benjamin," I hugged her again.
"He's been driving me crazy with making sure everything is safe in the house or I'm not lifting anything heavy," she sassed, "it's getting kind of exhausting."
"You're carrying precious cargo, my sweet," I heard Benjamin's voice from behind me. "I'll do anything to make sure you're content." I pulled away from her and turned to hug him. "JoyAnna," he lifted me off my feet, causing me to laugh. "Perhaps you and Madeline can do something this week, before you leave."
"Of course, sure," I turned and took her hand, "I'd love that."
"And who is that handsome man over there," Madeline whispered and blushed.
I smiled and pulled her along. "Madeline, this is my boyfriend Eric."
"Oh," Benjamin turned to me with a shocked expression. "That's kind of fast after..." he trailed off and I didn't miss the look that Madeline gave him. "I didn't mean to offend you, JoyAnna."
"It's okay," I waved my hand. "It was kind of," I turned to Eric and smiled, "spontaneous, I guess you could say. I wasn't really looking to start dating again. I wasn't even sure if I could return to the whole dating thing but Eric has been a real treasure. I feel like, he's been the rainbow I've been waiting for."
"You just had to go through all that rain," Madeline pulled me back into a hug, "and what a horrible rainstorm you went through. I'm so happy for you."
We talked a bit more with the pair of them and Mr. Iglesias before he said he had to get back into town for a meeting with the Sheriff. Benjamin and Madeline were heading to the Sanctuary - where they both volunteered to check in on one of the animals.
"Then we saw your father's truck and thought something bad happened," Madeline explained.
"It's okay," I smiled. "I was just taking Eric around and showing him the different things in Amity."
"Have you been pass the Sanctuary, yet," asked Benjamin.
"Nope," Eric shook his head. "I actually don't know where we were heading to next," he glanced at me.
"We can go there. I think you'll like it."
"Alright then, we'll follow you folks," Eric told Benjamin who nodded. Eric didn't ask about Benjamin's comment about our relationship being 'fast' immediately when we got into the truck. "Are those friends from school?"
"Not really," I shook my head. "Benjamin is friends with Jordan. Jordan and I are so close in age that half of his friends hung out with me because I was always following Jordan around. And Madeline," I began to laugh. "She was really shy and quiet. She volunteered during the Summer or during school breaks to help on my Uncle's farm or at the Sanctuary. That's how she and Benjamin sort of started dating. He always liked her but she hardly noticed him or any of my brother's goofy friends."
Eric chuckled.
"Well they are," I defended myself as Eric shook his head. "You'll meet them all on Saturday at Jack's wedding. Then you'll see for yourself how goofy they are."
"I'm sure they're not that bad," he chuckled again. "Although, I still can't get over Benjamin's comment."
I sighed and turned to him. "I wondered when you would bring that up."
"It wasn't fast," Eric looked out on the road, "our relationship that is. There were days that you wouldn't even return my calls. It took a couple months for you to come out from hiding. To me, nothing about it felt 'fast'. Maybe I was a bit aggressive in pursuing you," he tilted his head back and forth, "but I think if he knew how cautious you were, even after we had been dating for a while, then he wouldn't have said it."
"As I said, most of Jordan's friends hung out with me because I followed Jordan around," I shrugged. "I was kind of like their little sister too. I'm sure he was just worried that maybe I'm rushing into another committed relationship. But trust me," I scooted over and took his free hand. "No one is going to doubt our relationship after the week is done. I'll make sure of it because," I cleared my throat and paused for a beat. "Because this, me and you, this is it for me. You are it for me."
"Good," he raised our joined hands to his mouth and kissed the back of mine. "Now where are we going again?"
"We're going to the wildlife sanctuary."
"Wildlife," Eric questioned.
"Yeah, it's pretty ironic, isn't it? A quiet, close-knit community has a large piece of land filled with exotic animals."
"And who owns the sanctuary," he asked.
"It's not owned by anyone," I turned to Eric with a confused look. "A lot of these animals were sold, abused and near death. In fact, there are a few of them that are endangered but because of the situations they were found in are unable to be released into the wild. It's sad really."
"But who funds the sanctuary?"
"No one funds it, everything is voluntary."
"Okay," Eric cleared his throat. "I mean who started it, who's in charge of the foundation and all of that."
"Oh," I nodded in acknowledgement. "My grandmother is a veterinarian, well she used to be one."
"Gamma Cammie?"
I nodded again. "She would take care of the horses, pigs, cows, dogs, cats, rabbits, turkeys, that sort of thing. She read up on all the laws regarding animal welfare. It's pretty cool, actually."
"How did she come by the animals?"
"One day a truck was passing through - like one of those large trucks with the containers in the back - and it had a bunch of exotic, wild animals on them. Apparently, they were being sold on the black market or something like that. The truck broke down and the guy got arrested. The animals couldn't necessarily be returned to the wild so Gamma Cammie talked to my Pops about opening up a piece of their land here and next thing you know there's these Jaguars, foxes, monkeys and weird looking bears in Amity."
"When exactly was this?"
"I think my father was still young when it happened."
"1969," he questioned.
"What?"
"Was it in 1969," he asked again.
"I don't know."
"Have there been other animals since then?"
"Yes, she gets a lot. It's been her life's work to save them and return them to their natural habitat. But some are beyond that and..." I glanced back at Eric to see him zoning out. "Eric? Are you okay?"
He licked his lips and turned to glance at me. "It's nothing," he shook his head before looking back and following Benjamin and Madeline, "at least I don't think that it's anything yet."