11

Lunch with Dad

I want to thank everyone for their reviews, favorites, and alerts. I also want to apologize for the delay in posting the chapter. I work in the mental health field and this time of year is always the hardest for them. And it's always the busiest for me. I want to wish each of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday. Whatever religion or holiday you celebrate, I hope that it's a wonderful one.

As always, the story idea is mine but these wonderful characters belong to Charlaine Harris.

The next morning, I told my grandpa how things were going to go with Eric. I told him some of what Eric and I discussed last night and that we'd devised a plan of our own. I let him know that we were going to bond but in time. I let him know that Eric wanted me to think it over before committing to something as permanent as a blood bond with a vampire. "He wants to make sure that I want to do this," I explained. "He said that once it's done, it's done. And I agree with him, grandpa. If this is going to be lifelong, I want to make sure that Eric and I will stay together."

Grandpa cocked an eyebrow. "As a working relationship, you mean," he said.

"Possibly. It could be more than that," I answered truthfully.

"Are you saying that you have feelings for Eric?"

I didn't answer him. I just shrugged my shoulders.

"Okay," he replied as he smiled at me. "If this is what you want to do, wait to bond with him, then I can wait it out. Just don't wait too long. The supe world moves faster than the human world. Time seems to stand still but it doesn't. It never has. Don't wait too long to make this decision, Sookie."

"We won't," I assured him.

Grandpa didn't seem happy about this revelation but he accepted it. He agreed that I could work for Eric, for now, as long as I didn't work with any royals or pack leaders. It was an agreement that he and I both signed off on. Gran listened in but didn't chime in. I could tell that she had a lot to say but she remained quiet. Stoic and quiet.

After I'd left him and Gran in the kitchen this morning, I'd assumed that everything was fine. We'd reached an understanding. Grandpa was cool with what was going to happen and Gran didn't voice her opinions. That was that. I was going to go ahead with my day as planned.

After I'd showered and gotten dressed, I went to the kitchen to let my grandparents know that I was going out to meet dad for lunch. Sam didn't need me to come in after all. He called to let me know that he didn't need me to come in to get the new girl started. He's going to let Eric's waitresses train her. "I'm sure that they can handle it, Sook," he said. "They're trained to perfection but I expected that since they work for the Northman. Nevertheless, I'm going to miss you and I appreciate you finding someone to take your place."

It was no big deal. That's what friends do. They help each other out. "I wanted to make sure that I wasn't going to leave you high and dry. I couldn't do that to you, Sam. You're my friend."

He chuckled. "And you're mine. Look, I have to get out in the bar. We're busy today. Don't be a stranger now that you're working for the vampires. I still want to see you every once in a while."

"And you will," I promised.

And so I headed down the stairs to tell my grandparents about my change of plans but unbeknownst to me, I'd walked in on the tail end of an argument. And it was a bad one. Don't get me wrong. I've heard my grandparents argue before but it was never like this. And don't say anything about me eavesdropping. There are rules to eavesdropping. As long as you know that the people are talking about you, it's okay to listen.

That's what I kept telling myself as I listened in.

"I will not send her to him," grandpa whisper yelled at Gran. "His intentions for her are not good ones and you know it. Her life will never be her own."

"But, Fintan," Gran said. "She will be out of harm's way. You said yourself that the world that she's going into is not a world of good intentions. At least he'll keep her close to him. If you love her, you will do this."

"No and if you love her, you would not suggest that I do this. I will not allow this," Fintan proclaimed. He sighed. And from experience, I knew that he'd closed his eyes in order to calm himself before speaking to her again. "Adele, we can't do this to her. We won't do this to her. She is our family. She is our responsibility. You know what awaits her there. You know that it will destroy her. She would not be the woman that we've raised her to be. We didn't do it to our son and we will not do it to her. She belongs here and here is where she's going to stay."

I could hear my grandma sniffle. "I know, Fintan," she said. "But she'll be alive. Wouldn't you rather she be alive?"

My grandpa chuckled. "I would," he said. "More than anything I want her to live a long and full life. But I also want her to live a happy life. A life that she chooses to live. Not one that was forced upon her. She won't have that there. And, my love, it's not our choice to make. If she ever decides that she wants to go to him, it will be of her own volition."

Wait a minute. Isn't he the same one that told me that I needed to bond with Eric or I couldn't work for him? Didn't he make a decision for me?

"And I know that I told her that she needed to bond with the Northman but the night after meeting him, she was immediately drawn to him," he said. "You should've seen her with him, Adele. She was intrigued and unafraid. She chose him without even realizing it. I may have nudged her in the right direction but in the end, the decision was hers to make. She could have told me no but I knew that she wouldn't do that. I knew that she'd understand the reasons behind her need to bond with him. I also knew that she would do what she had to do regardless of what I'd said. She has the right to make her own choices."

My grandpa was spying on me?! Unbelievable. I can't believe that my grandpa was standing in the woods outside of a vampire bar and spying on me. I'm in my twenties and my grandpa still treats me like a baby. And I love it.

My grandma started to laugh. "She's always made her own choices. Our Sookie has never given in to the norm."

And I never will but I will be smarter about my choices. Next time, I won't be so impulsive what my decisions. I will think things through before jumping in feet first. I want to keep my family safe. They're all that I have. Grandpa opened my eyes last night and I appreciate that more than anything.

Grandpa laughed with her. "And can't you see that the Northman was the right choice? She did right in choosing to work for Eric. If she'd worked for any other vampire, things would be different. They would have forced his or her blood into her especially after learning what she can do … what she is … who she is. He did not. He wants her to be his but on her terms. He's willing to bond with her but in time."

I peeked around the corner and looked at my grandparents. Grandpa had Gran's hand in his as he talked. "He will take care of her, Adele. Don't worry about Sookie. She has a level head on her shoulders. She knows what she's doing."

Gran stood up from her chair and stood behind grandpa. She placed her hands on his shoulders and began to massage them. "You're right, Fintan. I won't bring up the idea of sending her to him again. She knows what she's doing. I trust her."

That's when my grandpa turned around to face my gran. He smiled up at her as his hands began to slink up her dress.

Oh. My. Goodness.

I ran back into the living room and yelled out to my grandparents. "I'm going to meet dad for lunch! I'll see you guys later!"

"See you later, Sookie," Gran yelled out.

I heard nothing from grandpa.

As I grabbed my keys and my purse, I ran out of the front door … making sure that it slammed behind me. And only one thought came to me and I continued to run to my car.

I'll never eat in that kitchen again.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

My dad was already at Crawdad's waiting for me. When I walked through the doors, he stood up and opened his arms. Just as I always do, I walked into them and hugged him to me. When we have our lunch dates, the first sight of my dad, is always the best one until I look down at the table. This time was no different. I looked down at our table and noticed that he had a file with him. He always has a file with him when he meets with me. I sometimes wonder if he's only meeting with me so that can further his career. I fear that the answer yes.

As I released him and took the seat across from his, I said, "I see that you've brought a file with you." I tried to keep the acrimony out of my voice but I didn't do a very good job. "What new case are you working on this time?"

He cleared his throat as he sat down. "It's just case that I have to take to the DA's office," he said. "I just thought that you'd want to look it over but you don't have to do it right now. It's just some follow-up stuff. It's also not important. I just want to spend some time with my daughter," he conveniently added. "You know how much this time means to me."

"Yeah," I replied half-heartedly. "I don't feel like looking at files right now anyway. I just want to spend some time with my dad." I just want us to be how we once were. We haven't been that in a very long time. We're usually working on a case that he can't solve on his own. And we always meet on days when mom is going to be visiting her sister or either her family. If he has to hide that he's meeting me for lunch from my mom, we may never get back to where we used to be.

"How have you been?" he asked. "We haven't talked in a couple of days. I've been thinking about you and your new career. I hope everything is as you expect it to be."

"I'm good," I shared. "I've started working at that bar … the bar called Fangtasia. I'm going to be using my gifts to help out a new friend of my mine. I helped him out last night and it went very well. I got my first case. I think that I'm going to like working there."

Dad nodded. "I'm glad to hear that."

I shrugged my shoulder as I looked at my menu. I didn't believe him and I didn't need to see the look of disapproval in his eyes. I wasn't going to let him ruin this for me.

"I am, Sookie," he said. "I mean it. I want you to be happy. And if this new venture makes you happy then I'm happy for you."

"Thanks," was all that I could say. I still wasn't too sure if I believed him.

"What can I get 'cha, honey?" the waitress asked. She stared at me for a long time. I saw something flash in her eyes but heard nothing of importance in her mind. She was thinking of what she and her boyfriend were going to do after work.

"I'll have the chicken and dumplings with a side salad," I said as I smiled at her. "I'd like bleu cheese dressing with that, please."

"You got it. And you," she said to my dad as she scribbled down my order. She was still glancing at me as she waited for my dad to give her his order.

"Let me get the double burger deluxe with extra fries with a scoop of chili and sour cream." Daddy frowned as he looked at her but said nothing. I could see his body tense but got nothing but the menu choices from his mind.

"You got it too," she said. She took the menus from the table and walked her way to the kitchen.

"So," dad said as he watched her walk away. "How are things going with your grandparents?"

"Wonderfully," I answered. "Wonderfully and mind numbing." My mind instantly went to this morning. To the scene that I didn't actually see but couldn't stop replaying the possibilities over and over again in my mind. I shuddered at the thought. I cringed as I imagined what they were doing in that kitchen.

Dad laughed. "Newlyweds and they've been married for over fifty years."

"It's wonderful," I said. I then rested my elbows on the table as I leaned forward to ask my dad about the conversation that I'd overheard this morning. "Dad, I heard them talking about something this morning that bothered me. Has grandpa ever mentioned anything to you about a long distance relative that we have? A relative from his side of the family?"

When my dad fidgets with his tie, I know that he's nervous and that he's about to hide something from me. He placed his hand on top of the file and asked, "What do you mean, Sookie? He hasn't said anything to me about him." He looked, once again, in the direction of the waitress.

Frowning, I asked, "How do you know that it's a 'him', dad? I didn't mention anything about his or her sex. Are you hiding something from me too?"

Dad laughed. "No," he proclaimed. "I wouldn't hide anything from you. I couldn't even if I tried. You know that I've never been able to hide anything from you." He continued to mumble about not being to hide things from me as he sipped at his water. He looked at me over the rim of his glass. He was laughing as he put the glass back on the table. He was even laughing as he drummed his fingers on the table. My dad was nervous and I wanted to know why.

So, I did what I do best. I went into his mind.

Please don't ask me his name. Please don't ask me his name. I don't like talking about him. Do, da do. Do, da do.

"Who's name, dad?"

He waggled his point finger at me and shook his head no. "You're not going to get me to say it. I won't say his name."

Niall.

"Who's …?"

"Shhh!" he whispered. "Shhh. We don't say his name out loud. You never know who's listening. There are minds here that are not like our own." He began speaking to me mentally … the waitress. She's a faery. I don't know what kind but she is a faery. Her colors tell me so.

I nodded as I leaned back in my seat. I just assumed that the minds belonged to humans, Weres, and shifters but the look on my dad's face told me that there was more here. And that meant that there definitely were faeries among us. He can see the colors of the supes. I can't see colors. I can only hear minds. I can hear all minds except for the minds of the vampires and the fae. The fae minds are hidden completely from me. They can be in a room with me and I'd never know it. They blend in with the human minds. Whatever a human is thinking, the thought suddenly becomes theirs. Tricky. I know.

"Is she the only one?" I whispered.

Just the one. The waitress.

"Okay."

Text dad.

I whipped my phone out and did as I was told. Grandpa needed to know so that he could be on alert. "Done," I said.

"Do you have your dagger?"

I nodded as I put my purse on the table. "Always," I promised. "You?"

He patted his jacket pocket to let me know that he has his gun with him. More likely than not it was loaded with the iron bullets that were specially made by my grandpa's well known supe friend. That man can get any weapon that's needed.

"Take it out when she returns," he said.

"Her colors," I said. "What were her colors?"

"It doesn't matter. I don't think she's of the sky fae. I can't really tell. Her colors keep changing. I don't trust her. As far as I'm concerned, she will kill us if given the chance. I'm almost sure that she can tell what we are but I'm not definite. Regardless, get your dagger out. We don't know what she'll do when she comes back. Stay alert, Sookie."

I did as he ordered.

He removed his weapon from its holster just as she began walking towards the table. He began to tell me about his 'new' service revolver. An instant smile appeared on his face as he began talking about his gun. "I know how much you like guns and I couldn't wait to show you this one. Get a look at this here. We just got these in last week." He opened the chamber and showed me the bullets that were already in it before handing it to me. "Heavy, isn't it?"

I continued to look at my dad as I watched the waitress from the corner of my eye. "Wow, dad," I proclaimed. "This is so nice." I removed the clip and studied the bullets before putting it back in. "I want one of these so badly but look at this. My knife collection has grown by one. I picked this beauty up at the knife show in Shreveport last weekend. What do you think of this? Look at the designs on this baby."

I removed my dagger from its sheath and handed it to dad. "Sweet," he exclaimed as he played with it.

I knew what my dad was doing. He wanted me to have the gun just in case I couldn't handle a physical fight with the fae. We've been trained to protect ourselves but I am his daughter and dad is going to do what he has to to keep me protected. He was going to take his chances with the dagger. Dad wasn't going to risk my safety or my life.

Just as I'd handed it him, she stopped midway to our table. She just looked at us. Her eyes were wide with fear and surprise. She almost looked shocked at what we'd done. She looked at me and dad before looking down at our tray of food. She decided to wipe the look of surprise from her face and replace it with a smile. "I think I forgot your sour cream, sir. I'm just going to place the tray right here and I'll be right back."

"Don't worry about it," dad announced. The dagger was still in his hand. "I don't need the sour cream anyway. My wife has put me on a diet. She said that I'm getting a little wide in the middle." He patted his stomach for emphasis. He motioned for her to come to him. "Bring that food on over here. I'm starving." He began to hungrily rub his hands together.

She continued to just stand there. Not moving. Not bringing us our food.

Dad and I looked at each other for a brief moment. Smiling at her, I asked, "Are you okay?"

She remained rooted in place. Not saying a word or moving an inch.

Dad decided to get up and approach her; keeping the dagger in his hand. He took the tray from her hands as he kept the dagger pointed at her. "I've got it from here."

She quickly snatched her hands from the tray as she glanced at him but kept her eyes on me.

"Thanks for bringing the food halfway to the table," I said.

She nodded at me and turned away from us.

I guess she doesn't get sarcasm.

"Don't eat it," he said. "She knows what we are."

I did as my dad said but placed my spoon in the bowl for effect. "Is that why we don't mention his name? Because of who he is? What he could be to us?"

"Yes," dad warned. He looked in the direction of the bar to see if she was watching us and she was. He was smiling and waved. Luckily, Catfish Hennessey was getting up from his table just as dad looked at the waitress. He returned his attention to me and opened the file. "She is why we don't mention his name." He began pulling papers from file as I pretended to read them. "There aren't many of us left … Brigants (whispered). We have to be careful of what we say and where we say it."

I picked up the piece of paper and began reading it. "I see," I said. "Why would your superior suggest sending anyone to the feds knowing the dangers that they could possibly be in?"

Dad frowned. "Which one suggested that?"

"Gran," I whispered. "Grandpa was angry about it. He refused."

Dad pushed his plate to the side and opened the file. He removed a paper from it and pretended to be going over it with me. "She's afraid for those that she loves. She believes that it'll be safer because of the security that surrounds the building. If you are not a part of his team, there is no way that you can get in or out."

Castle and guards, he said to me.

This Niall must be the king of faeries and if that's true, why do the other faeries want to kill us? It doesn't make sense to me but it obviously makes since to grandpa. "Is that why grandpa wants me to bond with a vampire?"

Dad nodded. "If he says to do it, do it. He won't steer you wrong. I give you my word."

"I believe you," I assured him.

He closed the file as he dropped his weary head.

I suddenly felt guilty. "Don't worry about me, dad. I'm going to be okay. I'm going to be safe."

He gripped my hand in his but didn't speak. "It's going to be fine."

My heart was breaking for my dad. I guess me working for vampires wasn't making things any better for him. He was worried about me, tired and overworked. I guessed that I could help him out one last time. "I can take the file if you want me to," I offered. "I can read over it and maybe get a feel of what's going on."

Dad surprised me because he said no. "There's nothing for you to get a feel of, Sookie," he said. "I didn't come here to get you to help me. I really just wanted to have lunch with you. As I said, it's just a follow-up. This is a file that I have to take with me to court. It's about the Rene Leneir case. They DA is preparing it for trial."

That surprised me. I thought that it was a new case that he wanted me to work on. "Oh," I said. "Okay."

I then added the feeling of shame to my dad's plethora of emotions. "I can see why you didn't believe me. I've done this to you … to us. I'm sorry. I never should've used you in order to further my career. I was wrong. I hope that you can forgive me for what I've done."

"You needed my help and I gave it to you. You're my dad." I sighed. "Back then, it was no big deal."

He shook his head and said, "Yeah. It was and it is. I also should've stood up for you with your mother. I shouldn't have let her put you out. After everything that you've done for me, I should've done that one simple thing for you." He gripped my hand tighter. "I'm sorry, Sookie."

I wasn't going to say that it was okay that he didn't stand with me against mom and I wasn't going to say that I understand because it wasn't and I don't. So, I did the next best thing. "I forgive you," I said.

Dad took the papers from me and placed them back in the folder. He glanced to see if the waitress was still watching us and she was. So, he pulled his plate back in front him and I picked up my spoon to pretend that I was about to eat. Just was we were about to 'eat', his phone went off and mine began to ring. We were saved by the bells. We knew before answering that it was grandpa.

He pressed a single number on his phone and announced, "On my way."

I answered my call and said the same thing to my grandpa. "I'm on my way."

"Sam is outside waiting on you and Corbett," he said. "He's not alone. Leave now."

"I love you, too," I said. We began to gather our things as we prepared to leave.

Before doing so, dad dropped the money on the table for our meal.

"I'll leave the tip," I jokingly offered.

Daddy laughed. "We could leave her a $20-dollar tip for stellar service. She made me serve our food and everything. I think she deserves the $20." He draped his arm over my shoulder as we walked out of the restaurant together. He kissed my forehead as we left.

Once we reached my car I hugged him to me once more. "I love you, daddy," I said as I released him from my hug.

"I love you too, Sookie. And thanks," he said.

Frowning at him, I asked, "For what?"

He laughed. "For calling me daddy. You've been calling me dad since your mom and I made you leave. It's nice to hear you call me daddy again. Thanks."

I laughed at him as I unlocked my car door. "You're nuts." I shook my head as I got in.

In the car next to mine, Sam was sitting in his truck with Big John sitting next to him. I could see the barrel of the shotgun that Big John was holding in between his legs. I knew that it was ready to be unloaded on anyone that made a wrong move.

"I love you, Sookie."

I rolled my window down and waved bye to my daddy. "See ya later, daddy," I said I began to pull away.

"Hey," he yelled out.

I stopped my car and leaned out of the window. "What?"

"I don't want this to be over," he said. "We didn't even get to eat. Let's go to Sam's place."

I gave my dad the thumbs up. "I'll meet you there."

"I bet that I'll be there before you are," he said.

I couldn't believe him. "Daddy, you're a cop. You're not just a cop. You're a detective. Are you trying to get into trouble?"

He shrugged his shoulders and said, "I won't tell if you don't."

"You are nuts," I repeated. "I'm not racing you, dad."

"Come on, Sook," he began. "I'll …"

I never got to hear the rest of his sentence because I sped away laughing.

It was a good day.