Erin frowned as she read through the case notes that David had sent to her email. She could tell from the way that he had written that he was thoroughly creeped out by whatever was happening in Medford, and the more she read from the preliminary reports, she was also unsettled. But there was also something about the case that spoke to her heart about reaching out and making amends with the people in her life that she had hurt over the years, and she didn't know why, exactly, she was having that reaction.
Still, it would be nice to start on making those reconnections with people in her life, and she started with the easiest of the handful people she needed to reach out to. Pulling out a fresh sheet of paper from her printer, she began to write a letter to Alan, telling him a little about the younger girls and how they were growing, before filling him in on the things he was missing from their children's lives when they weren't over at his house. Once she started writing, Erin found that there was so much that she wanted to say to him, that she hadn't felt able to say to him in recent months. Things had been a little tense between them, but she knew that she would have to be the one to reach out. He never would take that first step, since she had been the one to hurt him, so she needed to seek forgiveness.
Once that letter was finished and addressed, she sighed and set it aside before writing to the next person on her heart. It seemed that once the floodgates were open, it was quite easy to assess her shortcomings and address letters to those who needed to have word from her. That was, it was easy up until she reached the person that her mind had deliberately been moving further and further down the list of people that needed a letter from her. Alex was her last name that she needed to reach out to, and now that it was just her left, Erin found that her words had quickly left her.
"If you continue to stare at the paper, you'll set it on fire," she muttered as she tapped her pen against the desk, trying to come up with new words to say that might get Alex to see reason, to see that she truly wanted to make things right between them. Finally, the words just seemed to break through the block in her mind, and she began to elegantly write down the words that needed to be said. This was going to be the last time that she wrote to Alex, since she didn't want to be seen as pestering the woman, so she knew that she had to make every word count. That letter took the rest of her morning, and she found herself exhausted from the emotion that she poured onto the page. Letting out a deep sigh, she pushed away from her desk and went out into the outer office, giving Helen a soft smile.
"What do you need, Erin?" the woman asked kindly once she noticed Erin standing there.
"I need you to order lunch for us, as I completely lost track of time. When it comes, I have a stack of letters for you to post, and then I can get on with my day. I just feel like there aren't enough hours to get done everything that I want."
"I can completely relate to that feeling, and today is definitely one of those days. Is there anything else that you need?"
Erin took a deep breath, shaking her head a little. "I'm just going to give David a quick call, so knock and peek in if I'm still on the phone when lunch arrives."
"Of course. What do you want to eat?"
She shrugged. "I'm in the mood for anything, really." Helen nodded as she smiled at her, and Erin turned on her heel, closing herself into her office before collapsing onto her sofa and pulling out her phone. The itch that had been tickling the back of her brain had also been growing as she had written her letters until it had almost drowned out her writing voice, and she knew that she had to talk about this crazy idea of hers with her fiancé.
Even though it was only a little past nine in Medford, she knew that David would answer her call, and sure enough, on the second ring he picked up, and it was almost too easy to allow a tender expression color her voice as she curled up in the corner of the sofa and let out a soft sigh. "Erin? Why are you calling me so early?"
"I couldn't just want to hear your voice, darling?"
"Usually, I would say yes, but with this case going the way it is, I have this feeling that you might have an ulterior motive here."
A soft chuckle slipped from her lips before she could call it back, and then she rubbed her hand against her thigh, finding herself suddenly nervous to ask what was on her mind. "I try not to have ulterior motives, David. Not any longer."
"That took you a little too long to answer, Erin."
"Fine. I want to get married as soon as you get home." She said the words in a rush, knowing that she had to get them out before she grew too nervous to say them.
"Finally," he replied in an exasperated breath, and she frowned as she fixed her gaze on their picture behind her desk. "I can see that look all the way across the country, stellina. Are you offended that I reacted this way? Would you have rather I been a little more romantic?"
"Yes!"
He laughed a little, which she hoped was a good thing for that case, and she began to relax a little in the sofa once more. "I have been waiting for you to reach this point since I asked you to marry me. I assumed that we would be celebrating our fourth anniversary already. But if now is when you want to finally, legally, become one entity, then I won't say no. Though I wish that you would give me a little time to throw a party for the team."
"No team. Just us and the children. And Aaron and Jessica, since they're family. We'll have a large party later on for all our extended family, and the team, and our friends. But this needs to be just about us. Okay?"
"I can live with that. We should have this case wrapped up in the next two days, we're close to making a breakthrough, and then, the following day, we'll head to the justice of the peace and I'll make an honest woman out of you. I love you."
"I love you, too, David. And thank you for agreeing to this, even though it does seem rather sudden from me."
"I would expect nothing less, Erin. You are always full of surprises." She laughed as she nodded, wanting to talk to him longer that morning. "Damn, that's actually my cue to go. Looks like things might really be kicking into high gear. Make certain that you call Jessica to let her know of our plans, because I know that you're still going to want a maid of honor and a reason to get glammed up."
"Is that license to get a new outfit?" she teased, listening to him laugh once more. "I'll take that as a yes. See you in a few days!" Before he could respond, Erin ended the call and slipped her phone back into her pocket, feeling like she was about to burst from her skin with happiness at what was about to happen to their little family.
