I'm standing at the alter waiting for Felicia. She was going to be a good wife. She was from a good family. She had an acceptable degree, not in something goofy like under water basket weaving. She was an actress though, like my Mom. She fit well into my 5 year plan. I needed to be married by 30 to make it happen and Felicia checked all the boxes at the right time.
I looked at my watch, we were running about 15 minuets behind. I hated running late, but it could be anything. A wedding with 800 guests was no easy feat to pull off and Felicia had asked me to loosen up a little and I was trying. I looked over at my best man Alcide, he just gave me one of those wild eyed smiles. Was he getting concerned? Should I be concerned? No, it was probably just an issue with her dress or something.
Guests are starting to get squirmy though. I looked down at my watch again and we're coming up on 25 minuets behind. Now I'm starting to get irritated. Keeping the schedule is important.
The doors finally open and I let out a breath, only to pull that shit right back in when Felicias sister Lauren comes booking it down the aisle towards me. When she stopped she motions to me to bend down so I do.
"She's not coming. She's gone." Lauren whispered in my ear.
Tunnel vision
Ears ringing
Violent stomach drop
"What?" I said back in disbelief.
"She's gone. She couldn't do it. She said you should enjoy the party anyway." Lauren said now wringing her hands nervously.
"By party do you mean our fucking wedding she just jilted me at?" I hissed at her. What am I supposed to even do? I'm standing in front of 800 of our friends, family, coworkers, business contacts and other social contacts.
"Eric, She's sorry. She just couldn't take the pressure of your whole 5 year plus plans. She wants space to live off of a schedule." Lauren said sympathetically.
"Oh my God…. I have to get out of here." I couldn't stand there anymore. I just walked past her, down the aisle and out the door, ignoring my Mom and sister who were chasing after me. There was nothing wrong with the plan! She had agreed with the fucking plan!
Two Weeks Later
"I can't do it man. I can't just go out. The humiliation is wild." I said to Alcide as we sat in his apartment.
"Just rise above it, let's go out and find you a rebound." Alcide pleaded.
"I can't even go home because people keep coming over to say how sorry they feel for me." I said leaning back and sighing.
"You're Eric Northman, you can't exactly just fall off the radar. As much as you may want to your only choice is to just…. Overcome." Alcide said as he took the bottle of scotch away from me.
"I just need some time to regroup. I have another month off for the honeymoon Felicia went on without me. I just need to find somewhere I can't be found." I pleaded, I just needed to figure out a way to get some space to process.
"Well, you can't. You're the top society gossip right now. You are even in the tabloids. You need to just buck up. C'mon get up. We're going out." Alcide said as he stood and shoved me up. I decided to follow him out, head hanging. I had no choice. There really was nowhere for me to hide.
Alcide drove us to some art exhibition. He knows how much I hate shit like this. The Arts are bullshit. We walked in and It wasn't too crowded. The room was full of a bunch of sculptures that literally looked like garbage glued together. I got a drink and walked around a little bit when I felt a tap on my side. I turned and saw my sister.
"Hey Pam." I said looking at her, she looked pissed.
"Is your phone broken?" She spat digging in my pocket and looking at my phone. "Oh no, looks fine to me. Why the fuck aren't you answering my calls? I've been worried sick about you."
"I've been busy." I said trying to give off busy vibes.
"The fuck you are you little rat turd! You are off from work, you didn't get married and I know for a fact you haven't been back to your apartment. So explain why you couldn't send me a text as proof of life!" She screamed.
"Pamela, you're making a scene." I whisper yelled trying to calm her and taking in the eyes now turning towards us.
"Good, maybe that will teach you to not let me know you are safe." Pam said punching my arm, hard.
"Ow! Shit Pam. I'm sorry I'm going through something right now." Out of the corner of my eye I spot the last person I want to see. It's Pam's best friend. My Super Stalker Sookie Stackhouse. She has been into me since we were in high school. She basically never left our house. She is weird, awkward and above all else, she's really really fucking annoying.
"Thats no excuse." Pam spat. Sookie was walking over and I rolled my eyes and sighed, waiting for whatever dumb shit she was going to say.
"Pam, I have to go." She said not really looking at me.
"What? Why? You just got here." Pam whined.
"I have my own art to be working on. Looking at this is messing with my inspiration." Sookie said, still not acknowledging me.
"I thought looking at art inspired art." Pam said with her hand on her hip.
"Pam, maybe I don't get it, but this looks like a recycling bin that was hot glued together." Sookie said making me snort and sort of nod in agreement. Finally she looked up and registered me.
"Oh, hi Eric. Sorry about your life. Felicia was a real bitch to put you in that position. Theres no way she didn't have an idea before you were standing at the alter." Sookie said sympathetically.
"Yeah." I said in a clipped tone. Not that I didn't agree with her assessment I just really don't like this chick.
"Sookie, you never come out anymore." Pam pleaded with her ignoring me.
"I'm sorry Pam, I'm just lacking inspiration and my manager is really putting pressure on me to finish pieces." Sookie said making me snort as I took a drink.
"Have something to say, Eric?" Sookie asked sweetly. Her fucking chipper attitude was one of her most annoying qualities.
"Being an Artist isn't a real job." I said looking her straight in the eye. Not caring to be polite to her. It earned me another punch from Pam though.
"Eric what's wrong with you?" Pam hissed.
"It's fine Pam, he's allowed to have his own thoughts." Sookie said giving me a reassuring smile, but I just kept looking at her like the idiot she is. Alcide dragged me here, and immediately abandoned me. I looked around for him.
"It's not fine, it's rude. He's always an ass hole to you." Pam said to her getting my attention again.
"Because he doesn't like me. It's fine, its been like 15 years. I'm never going to be his favorite flavor. His contempt for me has never been a secret." Sookie said talking about me like I'm not standing right next to her.
"I don't dislike you." I lied, but I also didn't like her pegging my feelings so easily.
"Stop lying, it's not cute." Sookie said, her tone still kind and polite.
"Eric is the problem, not you, Sookie." Pam said softly.
"No he's not. It's fine Pam." Sookie said trying to sooth my sister.
"You had a little crush on him in high school and he walks around acting like you have been hopelessly in love with him since we were 14. He is the problem." Pam said shooting me a death glare.
"Well, you know I'm only attracted to men who hate me. If the shoe fits." She took a deep breath and continued. "I have to go, I'll talk to you later Pam." She said before turning and looking up at me "I hope something big hits the news cycle for you soon. Feel better, Eric." She just turned and walked out. She seemed almost sad? Her whole energy was off.
"She's acting weird." I said to Pam after Sookie walked out of the gallery.
"She hasn't been right for the last year. I dont know what's going on with her." Pam said sadly. Then an incredible idea hit me.
"Pam, do you think Sookie would let me stay with her? I want to drop off for the next few weeks and Sookies place is the last place anyone would ever look for me." I said looking at her hopefully. Pam just made a horrified face and said.
"I hope the fuck she wouldn't." Pam spat, but I just ran out the doors to see if I could catch Sookie. The house of the woman I can't stand was the perfect place to hide.
"Sookie!" I called to her from across the street where she was getting into her car. I looked before running across the street, a little bit dodging cars.
"Are you okay?" Sookie asked looking concerned for me.
"No, not at all." I said honestly.
"Okay, I dont have drugs. I'm not that kind of artist." She said seriously. I just shook my head and held up my hands.
"No, I dont need drugs. I want somewhere to lay low and be off the radar until I have to go back to work. I'm struggling taking in my reality right now. I'd like to live outside of it for a little bit." I said, my tone was not the most sane, but neither was my request.
"Okay…..?" She said questioning me, So I elaborated.
"So can I stay with you? Honestly, your place is the last place anyone would ever assume to look for me and you are never in the tabloids. Even though you're a Stackhouse you live completely under the radar." I asked. Sookie was from another socialite family. She however was almost completely ignored, unlike her brother and cousin who were constantly front page news.
"Ummmmmmm, yeah. I'd text you my address but I dont have your number." She said looking at me a little strangely.
"Are you serious?" I asked, I didn't honestly think she'd go for it.
"Yeah, I mean sure. You're Pam's brother and I love Pam." She said, still sounding kind, but her energy was slipping and more sadness was bubbling up.
"Here, whats your number?" I asked taking out my phone. I took her number and texted her so she could send me her address. She texted it to me and I felt relief. I shot a quick text to Pam and Alcide, wherever he fucked off to to let them know I was alive, but going off the radar for the next month and I called a car to take me to my apartment so I could grab some stuff.
I hadn't been back here since two days before the… wedding, almost wedding? Whatever, I wasn't looking forward to going in. It was quiet and dark when I walked in. I flipped on the lights and I could immediately tell Felicia had moved herself out. I guess she really wasn't going to even try to talk to me. I was most pissed about how she handled it. I dont even really care about the break up, which I suppose is a big red flag we shouldn't have been getting married, but it doesn't make me less pissed off at her. She ruined my life in the most public and humiliating way possible. I took a deep breath, and walked back to the bedroom and tossed stuff into a bag. I kept it casual, it's not like I was going anywhere. I put some books in the bag too. I decided to leave my laptop. This was about getting off the grid. I might even give Sookie my phone to hide. Get a full hard reset So I can start thinking up a new plan.
I walked out and turned the lights off. I'm pretty sure I want to sell this condo. It's just tainted with knife twisting traitor stink. Driving to Sookies was surprising. She seemed to live in an industrial district. Almost everyone I knew lived in one of the nicer areas of LA. Maybe thats why Sookie is able to stay so far off the radar. I pulled up to a large ware house. I still wasn't sure I was in the right spot, but I walked up to the call box on the door and pushed the buzzer.
"Whats the password?" Sookie said in a goblin voice, making me hang my head and sigh.
"Let me in?" I said already annoyed by her.
"No." Still using her stupid goblin voice on me. I took a minuet to think when I remembered how stupid she was for Harry Potter when we were in high school.
"I solemnly swear, that I'm up to no good?" I chanced, if that wasn't what her stupid password was, and I had no doubt she had one, at least she'd like that and maybe be willing to let me in with minimal annoying. She liked what I said because I heard the lock clank and she slid the large door open so I could get in.
I was absolutely stunned when I walked in. She just lived in a giant open ware house . Her bed was just randomly on the side, there was paintings going on all over. There was a lift parked in front of a particularly large painting. The only thing that seemed to be partitioned off in any way was a white Square towards the back that had to be the bathroom. Her kitchen was…. Interesting. It seemed to be cobbled together from a bunch of random pieces from other kitchens. No two cabinets were the same. The counters were all mismatched and none of the appliances matched. It was pure chaos. The whole wear house had to be 30,000 square feet. It was absolutely massive. Clearly, it was a work, living, storage situation.
"You okay?" She asked when I finally pulled my jaw off the floor.
"Yeah, I just wasn't expecting this to be where you lived." I said, I wasn't sure what I expected. Probably, a house or condo like everyone else we knew.
"Okay, just so we're full discloser, please dont tell people where I live. I'm outside of the city for a reason and I like that no one knows exactly where I am all the time. I agreed to let you hide out here because I get it, the pressure of all the eyes is overwhelming. Anyone out in this area is blue collar, no one will recognize you and if they do, they won't give a shit." Sookie said somewhat surprising me.
"No problem, I only told Pam where I was going and Alcide that I was alive but unavailable." I said as we walked further in.
"How is your Mom taking things?" Sookie asked with a yikes face.
"She's worried its going to hurt her Oscar campaign. She wants to do a media blitz to spin it." I said annoyed, the last thing I wanted was more attention from this shit show.
"Im surprised you didn't end up in one of your Dads hotels." She said absently as she pointed out everything, but it was all pretty obvious as she has no walls.
"Then he would know where I am." I said curtly, my father and I weren't on great terms and hadn't been since I declined to take over the hotels in favor of starting my own financial firm.
"Fair enough." She said with a shrug. "So, I only have my bed and no couch, because its only me here. I'll buy a bed for you tomorrow. My battery is low, basically depleted…. I've had a bad…" She stopped to thing before continuing. "8 months or so, so just get in the bed with me and go to sleep please." She said pleading, but looking exhausted and her sadness that was peaking out earlier was now on full display.
"You're acting weird." I said, but pulled my pajamas out of my bag.
"I am, as I am in this moment. You haven't seen me in like 5 years, you dont really know me, Eric. Your opinion of me is based on a crush I had on you when I was 14. Trust me, I'm over it. We all have stuff going on. We're 30 now, so lets just get over it." She said pulling her shirt off, making me turn around quickly.
"You're only 29, you aren't 30 yet." I said with way more confidence than I should have. That really shouldn't have been what I took away from what she was saying
"I'm sorry, I'm 29 and YOU"RE 30, so lets get over it." Sookie said with false politeness. She had put a large T-shirt on and was slipping into bed. I walked over to her bathroom and got ready for bed When I came back out, Sookie was laying on her back quietly. I slipped in the bed and laid down.
"Lumos!" She yelled suddenly. I jerked and looked at her, but all the lights started turning off.
"So I was right with the Harry Potter pass word." I chuckled, she is such a nerd.
"Close enough that I was willing to accept it." She said before she rolled over to go to sleep. I laid in bed and just thought in the dark. I had no plan. I wasn't going to be married by 30, no first kid by 33, no buying a house for a family. My whole life plan is gone and there was no time to fix it. Felicia had fit into the plan, but she didn't want to be part of my plan. I still didn't even know what I did that was so awful she had to leave me literally at the alter. Why she couldn't even talk to me, she hadn't even tried to call or text me to explain herself. It really pissed me off how easily she was able to write me out of HER plan.
"You're thinking too loud." Sookie grumbled next to me. I looked at my phone, I had been laying here stewing for about 3 hours.
"Sorry." I whispered, not really sorry, but she was doing me a favor.
"Want to talk about it?" She asked, rolling to face me.
"I dont think so." I said, I sort of did want to talk about it. I couldn't really openly talk to people about this stuff, and my friends I do have weren't the kind of friends you get vulnerable with.
"Suit yourself, but I'm never telling anyone you were here, so anything you say isn't leaving this room." She said quietly, Still facing me. I could barely make out her face in the dark, but I decided to go all the way in So I rolled the rest of the way over to face her and said.
"Felicia hasn't spoken to me. No face to face, no calls, no letters, no texts. She sent her sister to tell me at the alter she was leaving me because she didn't want to be a part of my 5 year plan. It was too rigid for her or something. It's eating me up that I dont really know what I did wrong." I said being completely honest. The spring that felt like it had been winding up in me felt like it was starting to loosen up.
"Do you miss her, like being with her?" Sookie asked.
"No, not really. I actually felt relieved when I saw her stuff was already gone from our condo."
"Mmmmm, what was your 5 year plan?" Sookie asked scooting closer.
"Married by 30, first baby by 32 after spending a year adjusting to marriage, buy a house and be moved in before the baby is born, 3 years of career building and adjustment and second baby by 35." I said, Felicia had helped make this plan. I wanted to settle down, I thought she did too.
"Thats a nice plan, I was expecting something weird. Did she get a say in the plan?" She asked sounding as confused as I feel.
"Yes, We started dating when I was 28 and she was 25. I made it clear I wasn't looking to fuck around anymore. We discussed the plan and made it together. We had even picked neighborhoods where we wanted to raise our kids." I said now almost yelling, getting more and more pissed.
"She owes you an explanation, you deserve closure." Sookie said getting worked up too.
"Thank you! Everyone keeps telling me to move on but….."
"How are you supposed to move on if you don't know why?" Sookie said finishing my thought. Finally, someone gets it.
"Finally, someone gets it!" I yelled and flopped back. I actually did feel better now. It had almost felt like people were taking her side by wanting to so easily let her off the hook.
"Mmmmhmmmmm." She said, I could see her nodding in the dark.
"Why have you had a bad 8 months?" I asked putting my eyes on her. I could see her better now that my eyes had adjusted.
"You won't really understand." She said with a sigh.
"Try me." I said, she was willing to listen to me, I owed her the same.
"I was dating a guy, I thought I was in love." She sighed. "He made me feel really good about myself and I trusted him enough to bring him here. I showed him a lot of my stuff thats not for sale, its just pieces of me." She said her voice starting to crack. "Well, he apparently had a really bad drug problem and he stole three of my personal pieces, sold them and then ghosted me. I can't get the paintings back." Tears started to fall from her eyes and she made small sobs. I immediately regretted poking her.
"Shhhhhh, shhhhhhh, I'm sorry." I said pulling her over to me while she cried.
"I know you don't think it means anything and being an artist isn't a job…." She choked out, but I cut her off.
"I know it means something, I'm just an ass hole. I'm sorry." I said still trying to soothe her.
"Two of the paintings are about something really really private, he knew it too. I don't know if he told the back story of it when he sold it. I don't even know who has it. I can't even go to the police, because if I do then it'll get in the tabloids and even more people will see them. I feel trapped and betrayed. I'm having a hard time creating and my manager is really getting on my back about production. I just feel like I can't create until I have those missing pieces back." She said starting to calm down a little.
"What about a private investigator?" I asked, how hard could it be to track some paintings down. It was unlikely they were even out of LA.
"I don't want to involve my manager." Sookie said taking a deep breath and pulling back out of my embrace a bit.
"Shouldn't your manager be as pissed as you? They lost out on their cut." I said, it felt like it made sense.
"He and I are already having…. Beef that there are pieces I refuse to sell. He sees me more like a commodity than a person. He's good at his job, and has made my whole career, but he can't understand that my art and myself isn't separate." Sookie said rolling onto her back and pulling her hands through her hair.
"Thats terrible. I know it's not 'Hollywood', but shit like that is why I didn't follow after my mother." I said honestly.
"But you were the cutest kid in the Sunny D commercial!" Sookie said with a chuckle.
"And I started refusing as soon as I was old enough to say 'No'. I didn't like being the product." I said with a shrug. I wasn't exactly self made, I obviously had the help of my trust fund and last name, but I had made something of my own.
"Lucky." She said with what sounded like genuine envy.
"Less luck, more determination." I corrected rolling over onto my back also.
"After my Mom died I didn't know what to do. I let a lot of people take my life over. I dont even know if I could break away now if I wanted to." Sookie said eyes close with her head turned slightly. The moon light dancing over her face.
"Your Mom died when you were like 17. I always wondered why you went from basically living at our house to hardly being around." I said, I didn't really put it together that it had anything to do with her Mom's death.
"Pffffffft, no you didn't." She scoffed with a chuckle.
"I did so!" I said with a smile in my voice.
"You probably jumped for joy that you almost never saw me. In fact, this is the longest conversation we've ever had. I made moony eyes at you once when I was 14 and you decided you absolutely hated me." She giggled, I didn't find it as funny though. In fact, it was 100% true. She was my sisters awkward little friend, she wasn't hot yet and was honestly a little fat. I felt like I was out of her league. After her being so nice to me and sticking her neck out to do something for me I feel like an ass hole.
"I think I'm uncomfortable being faced with these truths." I said not knowing what else to say to her.
"When did you stop having a crush on me?" I asked, can't get any worse. Might as well give her some closure.
"I was 16, you were 17. I was hanging out with Pam and Amelia in the pool. I walked over to say hi to you and you laughed with Alcide and started making beeping noises like I was a Mac truck backing up. I heard you guys talking about how fat and gross I was and you didn't understand how I could be Michelle Hale's daughter, because she was hot and I fell out of the ugly tree. I didn't want to be around you. That's when I stopped coming around as much to avoid you. My Mom died 6 months later, so all of that was sort of forgotten and washed away. I'm over it." She said in a just the facts tone.
"I feel like shit." I said, just a statement of my current emotions. I remember that day really clearly. I was a fucking bastard to her.
"You shouldn't. You were 17. Not to mention I built you up in my mind as a completely different person than you were because I didn't know you very well. I just liked how you looked. I also understand how you wouldn't want you little sisters friends drooling over you. We were kids, it's not that big a deal." Sookie said brushing it off.
"You built me up into a nice guy and I turned out to be a piece of shit." I clarified. Maybe thats why Felicia ditched me. Her vision of me wasn't meeting reality.
"You're a nice guy, Eric. You were 17, all 17 year olds are little shits. You're hiding out in my house, so clearly im over it." She said rolling over to look at me. I turn my head to look at her too.
"Thank you for doing this for me. How do you do it?" I waved my hands a little before I clarified. "Stay out of the press like you do? Jason and Hadley are staples on the blogs, but you…. Nothing other than dates for your galleries." I asked.
"I stay out of LA proper. I usually stick to the handful of people I trust. I dont call the paparazzi on myself. How do you think they got so many pictures of you and Felicia, Eric?" Sookie asked honestly.
"Following me? My Mom is an A list actress, my Dad is a hotelier." I said like it was obvious.
"And Felicia is an up and coming actress who dropped YOUR name to my Dad when she went to his agency for representation." Sookie said sympathetically. My eyes went wide as the realization set in.
"She humiliated me to get the press…" my fists balled up and I went rigid.
"Thats my guess, but I could be wrong." Sooke said reaching out and unballing my right fist so she could hold my hand.
"Is she signed to your Dad's agency?" I asked, pissed as hell.
"I have no idea, I was just in the office for my own reasons when she came in. She recognized me as Pam's friend. This was two years ago." Sookie clarified.
"We had just started dating two years ago." I growled. I had gotten played in the worst way.
"The guy who stole my paintings was Trey Dawson." Sookie said after a few moments. My jaw went wide and I just stared at her.
"You were dating that fucking hanger on?" I gasped.
"Yup, thats why I can't tell Pam why I'm all fucked up. She warned me. He was just so fucking sweet to me. I really thought we were in love." She said with another sad sigh.
"Where did you even meet him?" I asked. Sookie wasn't an LA girl, she wouldn't be at the parties he hung out at. I didn't even understand how that would happen.
"He came to my gallery. I was there delivering new pieces. In retrospect, I think he was stalking me with information he got from my brother." She said now just sounding completely broken.
"If I ever see him around I'll punch him in the dick for you." I offered, it was sincere. That guy was a fame whore of the worst kind.
"Dont bother, you'll end up in the news again, but they will frame the story like you gave him a hand job." Sookie giggled .
"You're probably right." I chuckled back. "I can probably sleep now. Thanks for talking my brain down." I said looking into her eyes.
"Thank YOU for turning your thinking volume to a reasonable level." She said with a smile as she rolled over. I smiled back and laid back on my back and closed my eyes. I felt a bit lighter
Over the next week I found out a lot of things about Sookie. Like she has no schedule to speak of. If she's tired, she sleeps, hungry, she eats, wants to work, she works, she can't paint while wearing pants, Shes also not shy about nudity, or completely ignoring me to do her own thing. She's unpredictable, but also sort of incredible. I definitely figured out why she's under the radar despite being born into unasked for fame like I was. She never leaves the house. Groceries delivered, amazon daily, and stuff like that. She doesn't have many friends to speak of that I've noticed. She texts some guy who's in her phone as 'Master of Puppets' daily. I assume thats her manager.
I was laying on her bed watching her hanging in her harness above a painting, just dangling there kicking her legs a bit to make herself sway.
"Do you need help?" I called when she started to spin.
"No, this is intentional." She said as she started spinning a bit faster.
I decided to just let her be. She already got on me the other day about needing to just 'let her buck'. Whatever that means, So I just go back to looking through one of her art books. Sookie is a wealth of knowledge about art and art history. Shes actually fascinating to listen to. It's actually crazy to think she only has a GED. She is probably more knolgeable than some college professors. It sort of made him rethink how he saw education. Felicia was a class A moron, yet had an engineering degree. One she doesn't even use, because she's and actress, not even a good one at that. Yet here Sookie is, being an absolute master of her focus as a high school dropout.
Her phone started ringing. It was playing the imperial march from Star Wars. Its the first time I'd heard her phone ring in the last week. I reached across the bed and answered it without thinking.
"Hello?" I said.
"Hello? Sookie?" The male voice said.
"No this is her friend, she's hanging from the ceiling." I said sitting up and leaning forward.
"What do you mean friend?" He spat.
Before I could answer Sookie came flying at me and tackled me off the bed sending her phone flying.
"What the hell Sookie?" I yelled at her dazed from her sudden and unexpected tackle.
"Why would you answer my phone!?" She yelled in a panic, still on top of me shaking my shoulders.
"Because it was ringing and you were spinning from the ceiling?" I said putting my hands on her hips, trying to keep her at bay from strangling me for the crime of answering her phone.
"He's going to come here. You need to put clothes on." She said standing up, throwing some pants and a shirt at me. I had gotten used to laying around in my underwear. "Shit! I need clothes!" She yelled running around almost frantically moving things around.
"Who is coming here?" I asked, standing and putting the pants she threw at me on.
"My manager….. my father." She finally relented the second part after a long pause.
"Your Dad is your manager? He's who's commodifying you and calling the shots in your life?" I said a little shocked.
"Yes, our relationship is complicated." She said as she shoved a bunch of stuff under the bed.
"So you are Hollywood after all." I said with a smirk.
"Yeah, he really gives Momager energy." She said as she ran across the ware house and grabbed some more stuff and threw it into the corner like it was going to make I invisible. Clean and tidy are not words that would ever be used to describe Sookie.
"I didn't even know he managed artists. I thought it was just actors." I said. He handled some of the top A list talent in the industry.
"I'm the only one." She said. The door lock thunked and it started sliding open. Sookie grabed and kicked a few more things across from her out of the way before she tried and failed to lean casually against a shelf.
"Hi, Corbitt." Sookie said, now having activated crazy eyes I hadn't seen on her yet.
"Susannah….. Eric Northman, Hello." Her father said turning to me. "So you answered her phone."
"I did, she was….." I answered, but he cut me off.
"Yes, hanging from the ceiling. I heard." He turned back to Sookie and asked. "Are you playing around or being productive?"
"Productive, actually. Is Felicia Knight with your agency?" Sookie asked making my head snap to her. The fuck is she doing.
"Yes, Stan is representing her." Her father answered.
"I'll give you the lot of 5 if you get her drop her and black ball her." Sookie said, I dont know what the fuck the lot of 5 was, but I wasn't letting her give up paintings she doesn't want to for me.
"Sookie, you don't need to….." I started.
"Shut up, Eric. I'm doing business." I threw my hands up, okay fuck you too, with that attitude.
"I want the lot of 5 and the pensive girl." Her father countered. She chewed her bottom lip, but nodded and walked to the back of the wear house.
"So you're fucking Sookie now." Corbitt said as he turned to me.
"No, we're just friends." I said glaring at him.
"Sure you are." He said and winked at me, making me recoil a bit. "I've been after those paintings of hers for 3 years. She's giving them up to teach YOUR ex fiancée a lesson. This is a favor worth two million dollars. There's no shame, the sex must be really good." He said with a sick chuckle.
"Sookie isn't slutty like that. I dont like what you're saying." I snapped.
"I'm saying exactly what I mean. She's gone dick blind, but its fine. Its to my advantage." He casually said.
"Sookie!" I yell as I go jogging across the wear house. I finally get to her and she's moving some canvases and putting one into a black zipper bag. "Sookie, dont give those to him. He thinks you've gone dick blind, his words and I'm fucking you to get back at my ex." I said slightly out of breath.
"So, we know you didn't fuck me to get me to do this. It's my choice. I have to give him something anyway. I can't keep putting him off. He's been after these for a while, and I dont mind parting with them for the right price and this is fair value to me. I have a lot of money, sometimes just the monetary value isn't enough to part with a piece." She said setting the bag aside and moving some more canvases over.
"He said these paintings are worth two million." I said still pleading.
"Probably, I dont really pay attention to the money. I dont really look." She said casually, pulling out another painting and slipping it into another canvass bag.
"You don't look at your money?" I asked shocked. "That makes my fucking teeth itch." I said shaking my head. Who the hell doesn't monitor their wealth?
"It's all on my computer, you can look later if you're curious." She said as she pulled one last canvass out.
"Are you sure about this?" I asked looking at her as she counted the bags she filled.
"Yeah, maybe you have better investment ideas. Who knows." She said nonchalantly as she picked up the bags. I reached out and took a few from her, they were heavy.
"No, I mean the paintings, but yeah I'm sure Im better at investing and managing money than anyone you use. I'm the best." I say, unable to not smirk at her.
"Yeah, I'm sure. Like I said, they were worth more than money, so it's the right price. These aren't super special to me, My father just wanted them so badly I saved them for the right price. Like I said, I have to give him something. He won't leave here empty handed. This way its on my terms." She said as we walked back to where Corbitt was standing.
"Here." Sookie said thrusting the bags she was holding at him.
"Wonderful, consider what you asked for to be done." He said to Sookie, then turning to me. "Eric, tell your father I said hello. Enjoy my daughter." He said with a look that disgusted me. I'm sure my face was reading the thought I was having. He walked out and I slid and locked the door behind him before turning to Sookie who was already taking her pants back off and said.
"Your Dad is terrible, and fucking gross." The gross face was basically stuck on me at this point.
"Yeah, I know. He's really good at his job though. I won't have to see him for a few more weeks as long as he gets a daily text." She sounded relieved and relaxed.
"He's the Master of Puppets?" I asked, I knew the answer though.
I took the opportunity to oogle Sookie. I didn't even bother trying to look like I wasn't doing it anymore. She was a late bloomer, but puberty had been good to her. It was almost a shame we had missed our 20's together. Our lives weren't compatible though. I normally had a really regimented lifestyle and Sookies entire life was ran one impulse to the next. She doesn't even know how much money she has other than 'a lot'. Hell, she probably hasn't even set up for retirement.
"Yeah. Like I said, our relationship is complicated. If he wasn't my father he'd be everything I want in an agent. The fact that he is my father, and a rather shitty one is what complicates things. I'm his favorite, let that soak in. He treats Jason like dog shit." Sookie told me as she slipped her Bra off through the arm of her shirt. I didn't really understand how she did that, but it was cool every time.
"What does Jason do for a living?" I asked. We had some mutual friends, but he and I dont really know each other well.
"Jason, is famous." Sookie said as she flopped back on the bed. I took the rest of my clothes off and got back down to my underwear and slid in next to her.
"Famous for what?" I asked, I couldn't remember what he did to save my life. I grabbed her and cuddled her to me. We had taken to snuggling, we both liked it so whats the harm?
"Being Michelle Hale and Corbitt Stackhouses son." Sookie giggled out.
"Famous for being famous." I smiled against the side of her head as I held her close to me.
"Basically, born to famous parents and just took up the mantle." She said as she put her arms around me and tossed her leg over mine.
"Do you ever wonder about what we'd be like If we hadn't have been born to famous people and weren't tabloid fodder since birth?" I ask, I know I have been thinking about it a lot the last few weeks.
"Yes, I would be a waitress in a bar in a back woods town in the south. I'd live with my aging grandmother and struggle to make ends meet. My brother would work on a road crew, but he'd still be a hootchie." Sookie giggled.
"You've put a lot of thought into alternate universe Sookie." I chuckled out. I closed. My eyes and started running my fingers through her hair.
"Oh yeah, you and Pam run a theme bar 45 minuets away from where I live in that alternate universe." She said and kisses my chest.
"Whats the theme?"
"Vampires, you guys dress up and brood and hiss at the customers all fangs out to keep up the vibes." She said giggling.
She is such a nerd, I love it.
"How does alternate universe me know alternate universe you?" I asked, just wanting to see where shes taking it. My fingers ghosting up and down her side just under she shirt.
"I come into your Bar to ask questions because my whore brother slept with two women the night they were murdered making him a prime suspect and the only thing they have in common other than my brothers dick is an entrance stamp to your bar." She says excitedly. I pulled her body completely on top of mine so shes using me as her mattress and I rub myself on her neck and shoulders as I ask.
"Do I help you solve the mystery? Was he actually the killer?"
"You do, we figure out that the real killer is some weird hillbilly who is targeting women who frequent your bar because he thinks they are unholy sluts. The real killer is on Jasons road new and he set Jason up to look like the killer." She looks up and lightly kisses my lips. Again, we're just friends. We simply both enjoy intimacy with someone we can trust to not betray us.
"Wow, alternate universe us is really cool." I say as I give her a quick peck back before she lays back down.
"We really are…. Oh my God." She says as she shoots up and looks at me excitedly. Sitting up and straddling me, putting both her hands on my chest.
"What?" I ask with a smile.
"I'm inspired, I'm ready to paint." Her whole face lit up and it made me want to kiss her again, but she was getting off me and running to the other side of the wear house. She has spent 8 months in a funk, I didn't want to harsh her vibes right now, so I just stayed in bed and went back to alternating between watching her from a far and looking through her art books. Eventually, I just go to sleep. She is really in the zone So I dont want to disturb her.
Two days later Sookie had given me access to all of her financials and accounts. Let me tell you, her shit is a mess and her accountant Clancy Gillian is robbing her blind. I can't tell how she's going to react. She either won't give a shit, because its money, and she doesn't seem to really care about money, or shes going to flip the fuck out and be betrayed all over again. Like I said, Sookie is unpredictable.
I walk across the wear house with her laptop and I come up behind her where she is working. The painting is beautiful. Its of a man who's back is turned, who has one hand under the hem of the woman's dress thats pushed up and the other up holding her throat, but his thumb is extended and just brushing her bottom lip. The look on her face is that of pure ecstasy.
"You like?" She asks not turning to look at me, but sensing me behind her.
"I do, Neo classic romanticism. Its…. Erotic almost."
"Good, then its reading right." I could hear the smile in her voice.
"Is that you?" I asked taking a closer look at the woman in the portrait. I noticed the man who's back is turned is very tall and blonde…. Is that what I look like from the back.
"Yeah, any time I paint a woman its a self portrait." She said absently.
"Is that me?" I ask spending more time studying the painting. I just can't get over the expression Sookie painted. Its just saying so many things. She is really amazingly talented.
"His back is turned, it's whoever the person looking at it wants it to be." She said putting her brush down and turning to me.
"When you look at it, is it me?" I asked now turning to look down into her eyes.
"To me thats alternate universe us." She said looking at me with a smile.
"Alternate universe us has my hand up your skirt giving you an orgasm?" I asked looking at her amused.
"Absolutely, we started off a little bit hot and cold, but by the time we start really spending time together, the attraction is irresistible." She says in a tone like I should already know this.
"Do we stay together after your brothers name is cleared, or was it just lust?" I asked, setting the computer down on the table behind me and wrapping my arms around her waist.
"Yes, we have a lot of ups and downs. You lose your memory at one point and later I'm a victim of a hotel bombing, but we're bonded together. We overcome it all." She says to me as her arms wrap around my waist too and she starts kissing up my chest.
"Thats really dramatic." I say as my head drops back when she bites my nipple a little.
"Well, the real us isn't very exciting. Last night we played Yahtzee and you are getting off on seeing if my money is managed well." She said it at almost a whisper. I couldn't stop myself. I leaned down and I kissed her, and the kiss was NOT friendly. It was filthy. I wanted Sookie, we may not be the most compatible, in fact we are complete opposites, but I want her more than I've ever wanted a woman and I almost got married, for Gods sake. This wasn't just getting horny, this was pure need.
"I find you very exciting, and your money is not being managed well. Your accountant is stealing from you." I said as I let my hands wander and kissed down her neck.
"I guess I need to find someone I can trust to handle my money." She said taking me to kiss her again. I pick her up to bring her up to my level. She wrapped her legs around my waist and I start walking us back to the bed.
"I can think of someone." I said only breaking the kiss for a moment.
"If I let him handle other things he would never turn out to be a traitor, right?" Sookie asked as she pulled her head back and looked at me seriously. I knew exactly what she was saying. We were born to famous parents, our siblings had fame of their own. Pam being an actress and Jason being…. Well himself. We can't really trust just anyone, we had both recently been burned by people who didn't want us, they wanted something from us.
"Even if we don't work out, I will never betray you." I said honestly. I wouldn't. She lived off radar, and frankly I was starting to like it too. My days in the LA society scene were over, I could already tell that much. I couldn't go back to having a half fake life where I put a mask on and off so I could have a social life
"Good, because I will never sleep with the enemy again." She said seriously. I understood her meaning, after what she went through with Trey Dawson She couldn't really afford to trust me, but she was willing to.
"I will only fuck you as a loyal ally. I swear Fealty to you." I said looking her right in the eye so she knew I meant it.
"Thats so fucking hot, permission granted, get inside me." She said with a smile. I tossed her on the bed and took full advantage of having permission to be inside her… all night, and most of the next day.
At the end of the week I needed her to come to my office so I could sign her on as a client. I have another week off, but I didn't want to wait. I'd be lying if I said I was only in a rush because she was being robbed. The truth was I wanted something to tie her to me, at least a little as soon as possible. We hadn't talked about what was going on between us. I wasn't just scratching an itch with her. I didn't want to go back to work and then not see her for another 5 years. I was honestly a little scared the she would eject me from her life the second she noticed that because of the nature of my job and the clients I had I am forced to play the LA game at least a little. Not that I would even ask for her to come out and be seen with me, or go to any of the events or parties I use for networking, but I'm aware the entire concept repulses her. The idea of her serving me with walking papers made my stomach hurt. I was even weighing if I would be willing to walk away from the Northman Financial Group to be able to keep her with me.
I was the stalker now.
Super Stalker Eric.
Oh how the tables had turned.
Obsessed was a gentle way to explain how my brain operated when it thought about her.
"We need to go to my office so you can sign stuff." I said while she was laying naked on top of me.
"Fine, but we're taking my Suburban and not your cherry red corvette. That shit is paparazzi bait." She said kissing my collar bone.
"I'm selling that dumb car." I said with my eyes closed as she lightly kissed me and ran her hands on my body.
"Thats exactly how they find you all the time. That and Felicia calling them." Sookie giggled. I reached up and tickled her.
"Well, I dont have to worry about that anymore, now do I?" I asked leaning my head forward to look at her.
"Not from me, I don't know what else or who else you'll be up in when you go back to your reality in a week." She said, her tone was…. I couldn't put my finger on. It definitely wasn't a pleasant tone of hers.
"I'm not planning on being up in any one else but you. I also don't plan on returning to my old reality. I have to play the game a little for work, because networking is important, but I'm activating ghost mode. I'm not even going back to my condo in Brentwood. I can't go back now that I've had a taste for the finer things." I said as I nuzzled her.
"Are you sure this isn't just a rebound after your fiancé left you at the alter?" She asked sitting up and straddling my hips looking down at me. I loved that Sookie could have serious conversations completely naked on top of me.
"Fair question." I nodded, careful not to reach up and grab her boobs. It was taking a lot to fight my instincts on that one. "After thinking, even before we started fucking. I was only upset because she embarrassed me. I didn't miss her, I didn't miss our relationship, and at this point Im wondering if I ever loved her or if I loved that she looked like the right match for the life I thought I wanted." I wanted to answer honestly.
"Do you still want that life? That 5 year plan?" Sookie asked as she ran her hands on my chest.
"I still want to get married, have kids and buy a home thats isnt he middle of the city. None of that has changed. I just don't see that plan in the same font anymore."
"What font did it used to be in?" She asked with a smile.
"Monotype Corsiva."
"What font is it in now?"
"That one that looks like a ransom note." She threw her head back laughing when I said that and it made me smile.
"Because I'm your stalker?" She giggled.
"No, because I'm YOUR stalker now." I said as I pulled her down to kiss me
"Mutual stalking." She snickered.
"I think thats just dating." I said continuing to kiss her.
"How often do we have to go out in public to actually be dating?" Sookie asked seriously.
"Never, I dont need outside validation to know I like what we are doing, or that we are together." I said honestly. I didn't, I would never make her feel like she had to change to be with me.
"Mmmmm, maybe once in a while so the bitches know you're mine." Sookie said smugly as she laid back down on my chest.
"We should wait a while so the tabloids dont make you seem like you're the reason Felicia left me at the alter." I said seriously, but still stroking her back. Her skin was so so soft.
"Probably." She snickered. "So, we have sex again then go sign papers at your office?" She asked.
"Yeah, definitely sex with my girlfriend, then work." I said grinding up on her.
"I'm going to call you my Muse." She said before kissing me.
"Then I'm introducing you as my Lover." I said with a chuckle.
"Perfect." She said reaching down and grabbing my dick.
The day I have to go back to work comes too quickly. I had gone and gotten the rest of my clothes last week. Sookie insisted I stay with her while I sell my condo and figure out where I want to live. Obviously, I want to live right here with her and I have no intention of moving my shit out of here unless she kicks me out, and I dont plan on giving her a reason to do that. It was 7am and I was standing in the kitchen. Sookie had been up painting since 2am. The stuff she's working on right now is incredible. I bought the painting of alternate universe us from her. She wanted to just give it to me, but I insisted she sell it to me through Corbitt to throw him a bone and keep him feeling like she's producing for him. What was the shock was that it cost me 45k. I had the money, and I've seen all of Sookies accounts so I knew she was successful, but paying that much for a painting still altered my mind a bit. It was worth it though. There was no price too high to make that painting mine. That painting was a visual representation of me falling in love with her and I couldn't have our love hanging in someone else's house.
Suddenly, I got it. Her missing paintings are that same feeling instead of our love its other pieces of her hanging in other peoples homes. It made me feel a little sick. I knew what I needed to to. I was getting a private investigator and I was going to track those paintings down and buy them back for her. No matter the cost I was going to do it. I finally understood why she was so messed up for 8 months over it.
"You're thinking loudly again." She said walking up behind me and slipping her arms around me.
"Sorry." I said setting my cup of coffee down and turning to kiss her.
"Dont be sorry. I made your lunch while you were sleeping. Its in the fridge in the Terminator lunch box." She said. I smiled huge and turned to open the fridge and I pulled out my lunch and my new freaking sweet lunch box. I'm not even going to be embarrassed as a grown man carrying a Terminator 2 lunch box into the office. My girl is sweet as hell and packed me a lunch for work and put it in a lunch box from my favorite movie.
"Freaking sweet!" I yelled looking at it.
"I'm glad you like it. When will you be home?" She asked still hugging me.
"Around 7. Do you want me to bring home dinner?"I asked, leaning down to rub my face on her like I'm trying to mark her with my scent.
"Yes, please." She chirps happily.
"Okay, see you in 12ish hours." I said as I grabbed my suit jacket and put it on.
"12 hours is a long time." She said making a face.
"Yeah, but the office is an hour away, and I haven't been to work other than to set you up as my client in 6 weeks. I'll have it down to 10 hours soon." I said to try to sooth her. If she told me to quit my job right now, I'd do it for her. She has all the power over me at this point. I dont even care.
"Okay, maybe I'll drive down later in the week. You can act like I care what you're saying when you talk money and math at me." She said schooling her face, but still looking a little sad.
"I would love that. We could make out in my office while I tell you you're rich." I suggested while I grabbed all my stuff and my lunch.
"Do you do that for all your clients?" She asked as we walked to the door.
"Why do you think my services are so sought after?" I deadpanned making her laugh.
"I love you. I'll see you later." She said with one last kiss before she left me at my car and walked away.
She loves me.
She said she loves me.
Shes giving me the wife package and she loves me.
"I love you too!" I yelled before she walked back inside. She turned and scrunched up her face in a happy way and smiled before she did a happy dance and went inside.
I am so glad Felicia left me at the alter. I'm not even mad anymore. I'm just grateful. If anything I'm kicking myself for being such a bastard in high school. I could have had Sookie 15 years ago.
I walked back into the office and just wanted to take my pants off and go home. I sighed and went to my desk. I worked for a few hours. Everything ran really well while I was gone. I might start looking into working at home a couple of days a week and just coming in for client meetings and things. Less commute, and Sookie has really sold me on the whole not wearing pants to work stuff.
'Eric' my assistant calls through the intercom.
'Whats up, Ginger?' I ask as I type an Email to the tech department to have them make me a computer I can use to work from home.
'Felicia is here to see you. Do you want me to let her into your office?" Ginger asks hesitantly. Ummmm, no I don't want to be in my office alone with her. She's had 6 weeks to talk to me and now she's choosing to do it in my place of work. She is all the freaking drama. Seriously, thank God she left me.
'No, take her to conference room #3. I'm in the middle of something, ask her to wait.' Conference room #3 has huge glass walls so its completely visible by others on the third floor. It's no where near my office, so she can't pull some dumb shit. I am going to call Sookie before I go down there. I dont want someone taking pictures of us and Sookie thinking im doing shit behind her back.
"Hello?" She says, she picked up on the first ring.
"Lover." I purred.
"How is my Muse? You lasted 4 hours without me." She was so freaking cute.
"I've been better. Felicia is here. I have her waiting downstairs in a conference room that offered no privacy. I don't even know what to say too her. I'm not even mad or embarrassed anymore. I'm just glad we didn't get married." I said honestly.
"Then just tell her that. Tell her the truth." Sookie said.
"Okay, now."… I say as I lean forward in my chair. "What are you wearing?" I asked and she freaking giggled. So damn cute.
"A pair of cotton shorts." She said innocently.
"And?" I asked
"And nothing else." She said seductively.
"I'm going to start working from home 2 or 3 days a week." I growled at her.
"Good, because I miss you. I had to use a step stool to get a pallet like a peasant earlier." She whined.
"I'm so sorry Lover. I should have been there to get it down for you."
"Whats the point of you having all those long limbs so far away from me?" She said still being absolutely precious.
"Theres no point, I should have been serving my Queen. I apologize." I said pretty sincerely. I belong to her now, she's my boss. I'm not even afraid to admit it.
"As long as you understand. I'll let you go back to that ticking time bomb in your conference room. I'll see you tonight. I love you." She said making me grin. She said it again! Yes!
"I love you too, bye."
I hung up my phone and took my sweet ass time getting myself out of my office and downstairs. I shook hands and chit chatted the whole way. I might not be upset about the way everything went down anymore, but she can still eat my ass. I walked up to the conference room, She stood as soon as she saw me. She looked okay. How she always did. I'm just not into tall, thin, brunettes anymore. I now take my ladies exclusively Sookie shaped. I walked in and dodged her hug and went to the opposite end of the table. She frowned, but went back to the chair she had been in before. I took a chair 3 down from her.
"What can I do for you?" I finally asked when I was tired of her just staring at me with her sad eyes.
"I made a mistake." She said quietly.
"I don't think you did. I've thought a lot about it. I haven't missed you. I didn't mourn the loss of the relationship. All I was was embarrassed and pissed at the way you did it. I don't even think I was in love with you. I was in love with the idea of doing what I thought was best for the Time in my life. I didn't even realize my 'type' wasn't actually my type until about a month ago. You were awful about how you went about it, but you did make the right choice." I said trying to be with honest and as kind as possible. She did start scooting towards me while I was talking and I pulled the chair out next to me to create a physical barrier between us. She was starting to get crazy eyes on her.
"What?" She hissed.
"I said what I said." I said dismissively. What does she mean, what?
"Oh, so you're just fucking over me?" She snapped.
"Yeah, even if I hadn't met someone else, theres no coming back from leaving me at the alter. You ended it in a really final way." I said standing up and backing up when she stood up.
"YOU MET SOMEONE ELSE!?" She shrieked.
"Yeah." I didn't know what else to say.
"We were broken up 6 fucking weeks!" She was still yelling. Everyone outside of the conference room was now staring. These things aren't exactly sound proof.
"Yeah, and a month ago I started seeing someone new. I really like her. Shes teaching me a lot about loosening up, but she also still lets me be me." I said, no fucking way I was telling her I'm with Sookie. Sookie may not roll in LA circles , but Felicia will still know exactly who she is.
"So this is just over, you dont even want to talk, or ask why?" Felicia seethed at me.
"6 weeks ago I did, but at this point I dont really care. I have moved on and I really like where my new relationship is going. Nothing good would come from me trying to figure out how your brain was working. Even if you did have some degree of a good reason, the second I found out you got a new agent at Bon Temps by name dropping me, how could I really believe anything you say?" Sookie said be honest, so I'm being honest.
"That…. Thats how this town works Eric. Not that it matters, but Bon Temps talent dropped me a few weeks ago. I'm having trouble finding a new agent." She sputtered and moved closer.
"Is that why you're here, you want me to call my Mom or Sister and have them use their connections to help you get a new agent?" I asked, probably a bit too harshly, good luck to her. Corbitt Stackhouse was a terrible father, but he was great at his job and oddly enough a man of his word. If he promised Sookie He'd drop Felicia from his agency and make sure she was black balled, it was already done and there would be no unringing that bell. She was going to have to put that engineering degree to use, because her acting days were over.
"Not entirely, I also miss you." She said like that didn't make her absolute trash.
"The fact that you are here to even partly use me to advance your career should really explain why I'm done here. We're done, I don't want to be friends. Don't come back to my office. Don't come back to my condo, it's being sold anyway so please don't break in there or something I won't own it much longer. Dont look for where I moved, don't try to track down my new girlfriend. This is over, done and dusted. Thanks for cutting me loose before we got married and had kids. I'll always be grateful for that, but we're over." I walked around the table as quickly as I could and left the room. I leaned to the nearest employee I actually recognized who id interacted with before and said.
"Call security, have her removed and banned from the premises." I walked out as fast as possible, without actually running and took the stairs back up to my office so she couldn't catch me waiting by the elevator.
What a bitch, talk about not just dodging a bullet. I dodged a whole tactical nuke.
Unfortunately, someone in my office had discreetly filmed almost the entire encounter and by the next morning the headlines were in.
Eric Northman used for fame by Felicia Knight
Felisha Knight, nightmare fiancé
Eric Northman, the luckiest man alive.
The last one was personally my favorite. Thank God I hadn't named Sookie, but the hunt was certainly on for my new mystery woman. Not that anyone would find us because we were living the Sookie lifestyle. I also got rid of the Corvette, it was paparazzi bait. I was now driving a chevy Tahoe and since I parked in an underground private garage when I was in the office no one knew what I was driving now.
The one night I did go out with my sister was an actual mad house. I had never seen the paparazzi so bad.
"They're camping outside my house, Eric." Pam said out of breath. We had barely escaped the restaurant to the car. I had to literally hold Pam to my body and push us through the crowd.
"I'm sorry. I dont know why they care. I'm not actually famous, I'm famous adjacent." I said. I was Sorry. Pam didn't deserve this much….. everything.
"They care because of the wedding saga, and you are famous. You're a socialite, love it of hate it, you are." Pam said seriously.
"I dont have to be if I dont want to. I can just stay out of the spotlight." I said with a shrug. I can, I am and I will remain as out of the spotlight as I can. For the rest of my life.
"Just trot your girlfriend out and they will cool off." Pam said exasperatedly.
"I can't." I said shaking my head.
"Why not?" She spat.
"Has your driver signed an NDA?" I asked, sookie trusted Pam. She wouldn't care about her knowing.
"Of course, Gustavo is forever. He's very loyal." Pam assured me.
"It's Sookie." I said.
"NO WAY!" Pam yelled as she flailed around. "I dont know what to do with my hands right now."
"I'm in love with her and we're living in her wear house." I said with a smile.
"I have been telling you for 15 years that she's a cool chick. So you hid out at her house and fell in lurve." Pam teased.
"Basically, She's everything I never knew I needed or wanted. I have never been so relaxed in my life. I woke up late for work last week and It was like it was no big deal. She made me coffee and called Ginger to have her push my first meeting 30 minuets and made me a breakfast burrito while I was panicking in the shower. She just…. She goes with the flow. Nothing gets at her. If she gets hit with a curve ball, she just bunts and takes a run at first." I said, in awe of Sookies ability to just live life as it comes.
"I dont understand sports ball, Eric. I do know what you're saying. She's good for you. She doesn't encourage and inflame your type A bullshit. Too bad you were so busy calling her fat and ugly in high school…." Pam was talking, but I cut her off.
"I apologized for that shit. I love her for her, but I will say her late bloomer puberty was extremely kind to her."
"Believe me , I know. I've seen Sookie naked a million times. She hates clothing." Pam laughed.
"She really does, its a huge plus." I chuckled "want to come over? Its only 9, we should all hang out." I offered.
"Yeah, I can do that. Can I stay the night? We can watch Mom get her Oscar nomination tomorrow morning together." Pam suggested.
"Yeah, just let me call Sookie. My couch and tv are there now, so you'll actually have a place to sleep." I said pulling out my phone.
"Sookie loves tables…."
"But hates chairs…" I finished with a smile as I dialed Sookie.
"Im making cookies." Sookie said as her greeting when she answered the phone.
"Sweet! What kind?"
"Chocky chip." She said in her goblin voice I now adore.
"Delicious, can I bring pam over and have her spend the night? Oscar noms are tomorrow morning, we want to watch mom get her nom together."
"You dont have to ask to bring Pam. Pam is always allowed, and Amelia Broadway…. Maybe Alcide, he's case by case. He's loyal, but I dont like his face."
"Noted, we'll be there in 40. Want us to bring anything home?" I asked, earning a bewildered look from Pam.
"Milk, and eggs. I'll make a quiche for breakfast." She asked.
"Will do, I love you."
"I love you too, see you soon." Sookie said and we hung up.
"I have never seen you be that Nice to anyone ever, let alone a girlfriend. You're just stopping at the market on the way home like #1 fucking husband." Pam said still amazed.
"I don't even think about it with Sookie. I just love her. It happened so fast, but this is no rebound, she's the one." I said honestly. The fucking second I think she'll say yes to me I'm asking her to marry me.
"She's been the one since you were 15, but you don't like to listen to me." Pam teased.
"I must have been dropped on my head as a baby, because all it took was one conversation our first night together when I was hiding out for me to figure out she was a cut above the rest." That was the gods honest truth.
"There is a reason she has been my best friend for so long. I'm happy for you, maybe I'll see her more now."
"Unless you come over, I don't know. I'm not going back to the LA lifestyle. I like flying under the radar with Sookie. I'm hoping after a few years of laying low they will lose interest in me and I'll be less recognizable."
"Mmmmm, probably. You guys could move to colorado or something. No one cares about celebrities there. Oh, or Oklahoma, maybe Louisiana?" Pam suggested.
"We both have work commitments here in LA, I dont think we could do that." I chuckled.
"Never know, at least your kids will be mostly ignored. Neither of you are actors, models or musicians." Pam offered.
"Yeah, we just have to worry about gold diggers and hangers on." I said, the thought of having children in LA exhausted me. I had considered if it was feasible to just not be in California at all, let alone just out of LA. Sookie and I are both really entrenched here. Not that I would bring any of this up to Sookie. She isn't a planner or thinker. All I would be doing is upsetting her. I just think on my own time.
We stop at the store and get the Milk and eggs Sookie wanted. When Pam and I walk in Sookie is on the other side of the wear house moving some canvases around. She comes running over as soon as she see's us.
"Pam!" She yells and gives her a huge hug.
"So, I hear you're boning my brother." Pam teases.
"Guilty as charged, cuff me." Sookie says sweetly as she put her wrists out together.
"I'll leave that for Eric." Pam said with a wink. "You look so much better than the last time I saw you."
"I was able to get out of my funk and get my creativity back." Sookie said chancing a glance at me.
"My brothers dick was that good?" Pam asked shocked.
"No, we didn't have sex until after I got my mojo back. He was instrumental in it though. His personality is nice." Sookie said gazing at me adoringly .
"No one has ever called my personality 'nice' before." I laughed.
"Not everyone gets to see you with the mask off." Sookie said wrapping her arm around my waist.
"You two are disgusting!" Pam yelled and started dramatically gagging.
"Get used to it, I'm keeping him. His furniture is here, it's too much work to get rid of him now." Sookie said. It made Pam look around and she said.
"This place looks like an actual domicile now and not a shrine to tables." She was nodding in approval
"People can sit now. I actually like it. I thought I'd hate all the 'home' shit, but I actually love it. I'm thinking of buying a lamp." Sookie said pointing to where I set up a little entertainment area.
"Wow, look at you. You must really love him if you're willing to change for him." Pam said a little stunned.
"Worth it." Sookie said with a shrug.
I hadn't realized that Sookie had been making changes for me. I know I was changing all sorts of stuff to make her happier and just simply because her influence was good on me and it made me a more relaxed settled person. It made me just love her a little bit more.
The next morning we woke up, Sooke made food and since I was working from home we decided to day drink. We were all 3 shots and at least one hard seltzer in when they got to the best actress category.
"To Mom!" I yelled, im definitely drunk.
"Mum mommy muhmuh mother mama mummers…." Pam was giggling out next to Sookie. She was even drunker than me.
"Our nominations for the best actress category are…. Isobel Sanches for The road to Rhodes, Sophie Ann Leclerq for all the Queens men, Nan Flannigan for The Authority, and…..Pamela Northman for Area 5."
"What the fuuuuuuuuuuck….." Pam said her eyes wide.
"Thats not Mom, they didn't say Mom's name they said your name." I said stating the fucking obvious.
"Pam! You got nominated for an Oscar! Congratulations!" Sookie yelled jumping up and down.
"Thank you." Pam said quietly still shocked.
"This is big for you, don't let Mom shit all over you about it. Sookie is right, congratulations. Area 5 was a great movie, you were amazing in it, you deserve it." I said after my brain recalibrated. Mom was going to be big fucking pissed. She had already been showing signs of being jealous of Pam's career and the way it has shaped up. After her spending the last few months campaigning HARD to get the Oscar nom and Pam got it without even really trying it's going to make her lose her shit.
"I haven't seen Area 5 yet. I didn't have a TV until a couple of months ago when Eric moved in. Eric, can you rent it I want to watch it." Sookie said completely ignoring the 'our Mom was sure she was getting an Oscar non this year' cloud.
"Umm yeah, right on it." I took the remote and switched to the Amazon app and purchased the movie. It is actually a really fucking good movie. Pam is so good in it all I see is her character as the daughter of the Sheriff who has gone missing. Objectively speaking, Area 5 and Pams performance was significantly better than our Moms performance in Vampires of the South. I didn't even finish Vampires of the South. It was a movie dealing with prejudice and integration, but it was cliche and had been done a million times from the white point of view. I hadn't finished the movie, it was pretty boring and an obvious stab at an Oscar film, but it just didnt turn out well. Drama is fine, but Vampires of the South came off pretentious.
"Are you going to answer your phone?" Sookie asked. Pam phone was going off non stop.
"Umm, no." She said as she leaned forward and just turned it off before tossing it back on the coffee table.
"I'm so proud of you, Pam. You're really talented. Don't let your Mom and her thirst for accolades ruin this for you." Sookie said pulling her into a hug. Pam was quiet and I started Area 5 for us to watch. When the movie ended Pam turned to me and said.
"At least the holidays are over, I dont have to really see her in person until November."
"Play your cards right and you can be shooting on location on thanksgiving." Sookie offered.
"See, this is why you're my best friend." Pam said with a weak smile.
"The movie was really good. Not even a hint of Pam in there. You'd deserve it if you win." Sookie assured her. Sookies phone started ringing and since she only has like 11 people who have that number I had a good idea who it was.
"Hi Corbitt, yes I heard."…."mmmhhmm, I'm still sleeping with Eric."…"yes, we know dont expose ourselves. We know not to steal Pams thunder."….."mmmhmmmm I have 1 ready if you want it."….. "I'm sure she is."….. "well, Aude Ravenscroft can chew on my tight lil ass hole."
Well Sookie saying my Mom could chew her 'tight little ass hole' got my attention, for a lot of reasons. #1 sex. #2 why was her Dad calling her and mentioning my Mom? They talked a little more, mostly about her gallery and then she hung up.
"Your Mom is telling people she loves your new girlfriend, shes a lovely industry girl and a bunch of other fake ass shit to get attention. She doesn't know its me. My Dad called to make sure we are extra careful so Pam doesn't lose her momentum. Shes the current favorite to win." Sookie said.
"How is you Dad connected to Pam?" I asked, Her agent and manager weren't from Bon Temps agency.
"Her Manager/agent whatever he is is my Dads old protege. He's really proud of him getting Pam such a good part and how well her image is run. Basically he's taking credit for her achievements because he believes he made Rasul what he is." Sookie said with a shrug
"Sure." Pam snorted.
"Corbitt is Corbitt, at least he's on your side." Sookie said with a sigh.
"Great at his Job, terrible father." Sookie and Pam said at the same time.
"You should call Rasul, at least." Sookie encouraged.
"Yeah, its that time. I'm letting you know right now, I'm not campaigning. If I win I win. I didn't take that movie hoping to win awards. Frankly, this is a nightmare. Especially when Mom was so sure it was 'her turn'." Pam said rolling her eyes.
"You can stay here as long as you want, but Eric and I have a lot of sex and I really can't keep my hands off him. I'm struggling not to reach over and jerk him off right now." Sookie said.
"Dont be shy, do it." I offered waving my hand over my junk like it was a gameshow prize.
Still drunk apparently.
"Eww, Eric. No more alcohol for you." Pam said Scooting the bottle of vodka away from me. "Thank you Sookie, but I need to go home. I'll be back in a few days to hang out with you. Let me know when Eric will be at work." Pam said getting up and gathering her things and calling a car.
"What you dont want to see your own brother?" I asked incredulously. I mean, probably not and I am all over her friend so she is sort of making sense.
"No, I'll need Sookie unmolested to help me get my head straight."
"Fair enough." I shrugged, its true. I grabbed Sookies boobs a ton during the movie. In my defense, they are RIGHT THERE.
"I'll walk you out Pam." Sookie said getting up. With her.
I decided to walk over to the bed and get naked and wait for sookie to come back.
This is 100% why I'm not invited the next time Pam comes over. She definitely had a point.
There are only 6 weeks between when nominations are announced and the Oscars. Unfortunately on the time crunch to ruin it for Pam my mother has gone turbo mode trying to figure out who I am dating so she can expose it and take Pam and her success out of the news cycle. Until this I always felt like My mother, albeit a little self absorbed had always been a decent parent. Now that I'm watching her try to invade my privacy to hurt my sister and steal from her well earned success I'm starting to change my opinion. Frankly, shes making Corbitt look like father of the year and the last time I saw him he seemed confused I only wanted to sleep with Sookie when he offered to hook me up with some starlet. When I said I wouldn't want that because I loved Sookie it was like he couldn't process the information that she was loved by someone. He's a terrible father, he isn't openly trying to sabotage her life though. I don't even think he's intentionally emotionally abusive. If I remember correctly he and Michelle were divorced long before she died and Sookie was mostly raised by her up to that point. I assume he never really took to fatherhood and is only capable of seeing Sookie as another product. It could be worse. He did an interview not too long ago and he completely forgot he had a son. The reporter had to remind him of Jasons name.
"Eric, my love." My mother crooned as she walked into my office, unwanted and unannounced. I quickly moved my phone off my desk and put it in my locked drawer. Sookie and I kissing was my lock screen.
"Mom, I am at work." I said in the same fake loving tone she gave me.
"I was driving by and I wanted to see my baby boy. You haven't been forthcoming setting up a time to see each other when we speak." She said giving me a dramatic pout.
"I've been really busy." I say ignoring the toddler like face shes giving me.
"With your new girlfriend. I want to meet her." She said now making a baby voice. That my work on my father, but on me it just makes my stomach churn. Seeing a 58 year old woman doing a baby voice and pouting is unsettling to say the least.
"We're still new. We aren't really at meeting the parents yet." Lies, total lies.
I see her Dad twice a month minimum and often drop paintings off to him for her now. I'm also living with her and biding my time to ask her to marry me. more than once I've fantasized about us having an oopsie baby. Thats not my mothers business. Especially when I already know she's no fan of Sookies. She hasn't been ever. Corbitt and my mother have bad blood. Michelle was also her rival and beat her out for almost all of the best parts when she was alive. I guess thinking on it I shouldn't be shocked at her poisonous jealousy towards Pam. When the news broke Michelle had died from her injuries she sustained in the car accident She happy danced and called her agent to get her as the recast for the movie Michelle had been filming at the time. I had actually forgotten about that until I was sitting here just now. Probably blocked it out because of how disgusting it was.
I may not have been in love with Sookie at the time, but Michelle Hale dying was a huge deal. Not just because I knew her kids. Just on a social level, she was an icon, she still is. people still talk about her like they do Paul Walker and Kobe Bryant. To Jump for joy that a once in a lifetime talent was dead was psycho behavior. Frankly, it made me start to worry about bringing Sookie near her ever.
"You aren't that new, you have to have been together for several months by now. I met Felicia after only a month." My mother argued, now dropping the baby voice and adopting her fake smile.
"And we all saw how things worked out with her. I'm playing it different this time." I reasoned, that wasn't complete lies. I am doing things differently, but thats because this time Im actually in love and I know what being stupid in love feels like now.
"I just don't understand why you're hiding her. Is she a maid or something?" My mom asked making me turn my head and give her a look.
"I'm not hiding her, and if I was dating a maid I still wouldn't hide her. I'm with her ,not her resume. I made that mistake with Felicia."
"I miss Felicia." My Mom said bringing the pout back.
"She used me to advance her career, then humiliated me to get the press attention." I reminded her narrowing my eyes.
"She was playing the game, Eric. You wouldn't understand how hard this industry is to thrive in." My mother reasoned moving her hand like she was dismissing the conversation.
"So you've taken the side of my treasonous Ex, good to know." I spat at her, turning back to my computer and refusing to look at her. I'm trying to not get as worked up about stuff these days, but shes making my freaking blood boil right now. Seriously, she carried me in her freaking body for 9 months and she chooses my back stabbing ex's side even when she knows all the facts.
"Thats not what I'm saying, Eric. I'm just saying it's more complicated than you are allowing it to be." She tried again to reason, but now I'm just fucking pissed.
"You aren't meeting my girlfriend, so if theres not anything else you want, you can go." I said sharply turning to her.
"Eric…" She whined.
"Are we done or not?" I asked again, more forcefully.
"I suppose we are. I have to go see a casting agent anyway." She stood and so did I. I walked her to my door and dodged her attempt to hug me before shoving her out and slamming the door and locking it.
'Are you okay' Ginger asked through the intercom.
'Im fine, please take my mother off my list of people who can walk in.' I tried to sound as nice as possible. Ginger hadn't done anything wrong.
'I already did when I saw how she left. You're done with your meetings for the day. Maybe you should finish the tip sheet reviews from home.' Ginger offered. I loved her, She was a sweet older woman and honestly a pretty damn good mother to me.
'I think I will, transfer my calls to my work cell.' I said as I got up and grabbed my stuff.
'No problem, you take care of yourself. I worry about you." Ginger said sweetly making me smile.
'Dont worry about me Ging, you're too good to me.' I chuckled out.
'I'll stop worrying when I believe all these changes you have made are going to stick.' She said making me smile again.
'Don't worry, I have the love of a good woman now. I'll never go back.' I walked out of my office and locked it behind me. I turned to Gingers desk and she said.
"I'll see you tomorrow. Your first meeting will be at 10."
"I'll see you at 9:30 then." I said as I leaned over and messed some stuff up on her desk.
"Oh you stop it! You're as bad as my kids." She playfully chided as she tried to right everything.
"Me? I've never been bad a day in my life." I said right before I reached over and knocked her pens over and ran away.
"Eric!" She yelled laughing at me as I escaped.
"My mom accosted me in my office to try to get to meet you." I said laying on the couch with Sookies head in my lap while she was sketching something on a pad she had laid on my legs.
"She's really dead set on wiping Pam's surprise nomination out of the news, huh?" Sookie said absently while she made large strokes with her pencil.
"Seems like it, I was reminded of her cruel streak when I was sitting across from her. Lots of long repressed shit I pushed down so I could tolerate her." I said. Remembering how she acted when Sookies Mom died was really eating at me. Especially now knowing how her Mothers death really altered the trajectory of her entire life and put her father in the drivers seat of so many of her choices.
"Hmmmm, something specific?" Sookie asked, pulling her pencil back and turning her head up to look at me.
"Yeah." I said, still mulling if I want to tell her how my Mom reacted when Michelle died.
"Care to share with the class?" Sookie asked with her eyes still on me.
"I'm still not sure. It's one of those things where sharing may only serve to cause pain and not actually help anything." I said, her Mother was already a sore subject.
"It's about Aude being the dollar store version on my Mom, huh?" Sookie said still gazing at me. That made me chuckle.
"It actually is." I said as I drew in a deep breath.
"Let er rip, no secrets with us." Sookie said reaching up and touching my face, making my eyes close as I leaned in.
"When your Mom was in the accident, she hoped her face would be all fucked up. Then when it came out she had died of her injuries later that week she happy danced and celebrated. She also immediately called her agent to get her as the recast in the movie your Mom was filming at the time. Remembering that has been eating at me all fucking day. I didn't like it at the time, just because of the sheer inhumanity of it, and I fucking hate it now knowing how much losing Michelle took from you." I could see the tears starting in her eyes and she rolled over to press herself into my stomach.
"Thank you for telling me." She said muffled into me. I could feel her tears on my skin and I wrapped my arms around her.
"I love you." I didn't know what else to say.
"I love you too." She said as she pulled back and wiped her eyes. "My mom was the best. She loved me like no other, she took good care of Jason and I. She never shit talked our Dad. She was a brilliant actress and everyone had nice things to say about her. She didn't play the game, that's why I dont. She went to work and came home. She was still very successful without all the nonsense." Sookie said giving a small smile.
"I love my Mom, she's my mom….. but she was never and will never be Michelle Hale. Your mom was an icon and she raised the best woman in the world in my opinion." I said, all truths. Pam was actually with Sookie when they gave her Mom a Posthumous walk of fame star. 12 years later it still pretty consistently has people leave notes and flowers on it like a memorial. My Mom was never going to be on that level.
"Pam could be in the same league as my Mom. She is stupidly talented, she's also really humble. Your Mom's ego does her no favors." Sookie said.
"You really think? I'm bias because Pam's my sister."
"I really do, she picks parts the way my Mom did. It's actually something they discussed when we were kids before she died. My Mom always told her to pick the parts that speak to you and the characters with the most meat and not to worry about the money or awards. She also told her to never lose touch with the people who were with you before you could do something for them." Sookie said smiling.
"I wish I had spent more time with your Mom." I said stroking her hair.
"My Mom hated you then. Probably best you only infrequently saw her." Sookie said giggling.
"I know you're laughing, but I hate that." I said honestly.
"Well, you called me fat and ugly. You broke my heart and made me cry. She was just feeling what any mother would feel." Sookie said rolling and kissing my stomach.
"Do you think she'd like me now?" I asked, dead or alive, I want her mothers approval.
"Real talk, she probably wouldn't have liked us getting together. I do think after she saw you stick around and treat me well and respect how I live my life I think she would have come around to loving you too. She was really really pissed at the time. You really hit a nerve bringing up how you couldn't believe I was her daughter because I wasn't as attractive. Me being less than cute as a kid was something tabloids loved to say about me every time they managed to get a picture of me." Sookie said, she didn't sound upset or hurt, but I was fucking pissed at myself.
"You look just like her now, and I am still so so sorry. I was a fool." I said clutching her to me.
"You need to forgive yourself, Eric. you're a completely different person now in the best way. I want you to let it go." She said sternly.
"Its hard." I said, and it is. its hard to reconcile having broken her heart so badly and been so cruel now that I love her so much.
"Want to see pictures of my Mom as a kid?" Sookie asked sitting up.
"I do." I said getting up to follow her. She walked to the back side of the building and opened her safe. She pulled out two photo albums before she put them both on the table behind her and opened them.
"Here is her at 5 and me at 5." Sookie said pointing between the two.
"Wow, you always looked like her." I said astonished.
"My Mom was also late to the puberty party." Sookie giggled.
"If some little shit calls our daughter ugly I'm going to fucking murder him." I growled, hating myself a little more.
"I'll only give you son's then." Sookie giggled.
"We should have a baby." I said absently as I flipped through all of the pictures, now more focused on the ones of Sookie.
"Okay." She said, just so casual.
"Really?" I asked looking up at her.
"Yeah, I just got my shot last week so thats already done, but I can stop and we can see what happens." Sookie said with a shrug.
"You're so relaxed about this. I expected to freak you out a little. I was prepared to backpedal." I said looking at her with a smile.
"I was already a breath away from sabotaging my own birth control and stealing your DNA anyway. You just made it a lot less weird." She said meeting my smile.
"I can go buy some condoms for you to poke holes in if you want the thrill?" I laughed.
"Naw, thats too much work and we already weren't using condoms. When I tell you I'm pregnant I can act nervous and you can accuse me of trapping you." She offered making me laugh.
"You're sleeping with me for my money." I laughed pulling her into me.
"Do you have more money than me?" She asked looking up at me.
"No, I dont." I said with a laugh. "I'm rich, but you have fuck you money between your Mom's estate, her royalties and everything you make yourself. I'm worth about half of what you are."
"Oh, so you're the gold digger!" Sookie said with a smile.
"Ima get you trapped for 18 years." I smile leaning and kissing her neck.
"I should have heeded Kanyes warnings." She said breathy.
"Lets go practice making me a son." I said scooping her up making her laugh. This is not according to the plan, honestly, fuck that plan. Life is short, I dont want to waste it waiting and planning. I tried to do it in the right order and that shit blew up in my face. Having a baby with Sookie feels like the best idea ive ever had.
"Come to an after party with me. It's the perfect time to go public." Pam said to us a few days before the Oscars
"What if you win? Won't that take away from you?" Sookie asked.
"No, all the Oscar news will still roll. If anything, it will make you two less of a story. Please PLEASE come to the Vanity Fair after party with me. You two can walk the red carpet. That will really set Mom's tits on fire. Not letting her do the reveal, and doing it on her turf." Pam cackled.
"I'm okay with it if Eric is." Sookie said surprising me.
"Alright, have your agent get us in." I agreed. It's probably best for us to go public before she gets pregnant.
"Fabulous!" Pam beamed "win or lose I want you two with me. It's been you and Amelia as the only people truly supportive that dont have a stake of some kind in me winning." Pam sighed a little.
"It's not about the quantity of friends, Pam. It's the quality." Sookie said as she rubbed Pam's back.
"I'm your brother, I'll always be on your side." I said giving her a smile.
"Blood isn't a guarantee of anything. Mom did an interview where she suggested I slept with the director to get the part in Area 5." Pam said slumping.
"I can't imagine you sleeping with Felipe De Castro." Sookie said looking grossed out.
"I can't imagine you sleeping with a man, period." I said bewildered. Pam had been out as a lesbian since she was like 12. She may not discuss her sexuality publicly, but our mother absolutely knows.
"I'm thinking of skipping the holidays this year." Pam said sounding exhausted.
"Lets all go to Antigua! We can invite Amelia and Alcide." Sookie suggested.
"I like that plan, maybe not Alcide he always stares at Sookies tit's." I said, he did. He is one of the few that knows about us and every time he's around he looks like he is scoping out an opportunity to touch. Sookie is MINE.
"With Amelia there she will be offering him her tit's so he won't have time to oogle mine." Sookie said. Also true, Amelia and Alcide have been having sex off and on for the better part of a decade. She's always his first choice for sex.
"True." Just then my phone started ringing. I got up so Sookie and Pam could keep talking.
"This is Eric." I answered, it was my work phone so no need to be that polite.
"Eric, it's Bobby." My private investigator said.
"Ohhhh tell me you have them." I pleaded.
"I was able to recover two of the paintings. It cost you a pretty penny though." He said.
"What happened to the third?" I asked, I really wanted all 3, but 2 was better than none.
"It had been sold two more times. It was a cash sale and they wouldn't give the name of the buyer. The trail is cold."
"Two is still good, where are you? Can I come get them now?" I asked walking over to the dresser and pulling clothes out.
"I'm at my office, you can come get them now. I'll only be here for another two hours though." Bobby said.
"I'm leaving now." I said and hung up, I grabbed my shoes and put on my hat before I walked over to The table Sookie and Pam were sitting at and I said.
"I have to go run an errand." I leaned and gave Sookie a kiss, moving to give Pam a hug.
"How long are you going to be? Should we order you dinner?" Sookie asked.
"Actually, we can go dress shopping for you right now." Pam offered to Sookie.
"That sounds like a plan too." Sookie said nodding.
"I'll eat on my own. You take your time." I said as I reached over and grabbed my keys.
"Okay, love you."
"I love you too." I said, Pam started making her gagging noises like she always does. I shook my head and went to get Sookies paintings back.
I got home before Sookie. I grabbed two of her easels and put the paintings on them. I also grabbed the ring I had to propose to her with. This was the perfect opportunity. I went around and turned on a bunch of electric candles, because sookie doesn't like fire around her stuff, and I sat and waited for her to get back.
"Eric, I found a dress. I'm going to get ready at Pams… why is it so dark in here?" Sookie said as she finally looked up as she walked in.
"Close your eyes." I said as I walked up to her.
"Okay." She said giggling. I got behind her and led her to where I had the paintings. They were facing away from the door so she wouldn't see them as soon as she walked in. I got her situated in front of them.
"Open." I whispered in her ear. I watched her eyes open and her hand shot to her mouth and she crumpled to the ground crying.
"Eric! How did you do it? These were the two most important. Thats my Mom, these two are of my mom not me." She sobbed. I crouched to the ground and held her to me while she cried.
"I would find a way to do anything for you. I finally understood after I bought our painting from you. I couldn't stand the idea of our love hanging in someone else's house. It clicked for me so I did whatever it took to get these back. I wish I could have gotten all 3 still." I said still holding her while she cried.
"I love you so much!" She sobbed.
"But wait, theres more." I said in my game show voice.
"You're shitting me, Eric this is more than I could ever ask for." Sookie said looking at me with full blown cry face.
"Nope….." I pulled out the ring I got her and held it up. "I want you to marry me."
"Oh my God!" Sookie screamed and a new wave of tears and shaking happened, but she held out her trembling hand.
"The whole ring is silicone, so you can get as much paint on it as you want. I also got you this." I said grabbing the baggie from behind me and holding it up. "And 100 back ups for when you lose it."
"Oh my God…. Am I dreaming? This is too good to be reeeeeeeeeeeeeeal." She sobbed and held me.
"It's real, but you still haven't said yes." I said laughing.
"Oh shit, yes. Absolutely yes. I assure you, my Mom would like you now."
"Will the ring match your dress for the party?" I asked as we got up off the ground together.
"The fuck do I care if it matches? Yes though, it will match." She said beaming. "It looks like a real engagement ring, but its all silicone." She was amazed looking at her ring.
"Amazons finest." I said with a wink. The ring itself was $20. I was thinking about getting even more back ups so she had a lifetime supply. This is the kind of ring she'd want though. Ive listened to her complain plenty that her rings get messed up from forgetting to take them off when she paints, then she loses them all over the place. I have found her jewelry in the most obscure places around here.
"I love it so much!" She reached up and pulled me into a searing kiss. "I am going to give you the strongest lil viking baby you have ever seen!" She yelled jumping on me and knocking us over.
"They might end up short like you." I said as I pulled her shirt off.
"No, I have an artistic vision. Roll with it." She said, I laughed. She would figure out a way to sculpt our baby to her vision. Genetics be damned.
The night of the Oscars we were in Pam's apartment getting ready and watching because she lived closer to the party than us. The best actress category came up and we both froze. They announced all the nominees and showed the clips of all the their performances.
"And the winner for best actress is…. Pamela Northman for Area 5!"
Sookie and I both jumped up screaming and hugging each other.
"Oh my God she did it! Fuck yeah! GOOOOOOO PAM!" Sookie screamed.
"Shes an Oscar winner! She's a fucking Oscar winner!" I yelled, I'm so pumped for her. This is going to completely change her career.
"Shhhh shhhh she's going to start her speech." Sookie said as she grabbed my hands.
"Wow…. Just wow. Obviously I want to thank the cast and crew. Victor Madden for writing such a great character for me to play. Felipe De Castro for always pushing me to be better. I really want to thank some people from my personal life for always supporting me and pulling through for me when it means the most. My brother Eric, I'm sure the 13 months you had to live without me on this earth were the worst of your life before I was born. My very best friend Sookie Stackhouse, you have always been there for me and took me exactly as I am. Also, my good friend Amelia Broadway who has held my hand as we walked through this business together. I couldn't have gotten to this point without you guys. Thank you so much!" Pam said through tears as she held her Oscar. She was wearing a massive pink strapless dress that made her look like Glinda the good witch, so so pam.
"Shes my very best friend too." Sookie said with love in her eyes.
"I literally can't remember my life before her." I said chuckling.
"Well, at least now we dont have to explain how we met." Sookie giggled.
Pam wanted to walk the red Carpet at the Vanity Fair after party with us, so I coordinated with her manager Rasul so we would walk at the same time. I was in a tailored Tom Ford Suit. Sookie was wearing a long red velvet dress that her Mom had worn when she won her Oscar in 1998. She looked amazing in it. She did look just like her mother. She was stunning.
"Ready?" Pam asked as she got to us.
"Absolutely. I'm so proud of you Pam." Sookie said.
"Thank you, its still all really surreal." Pam said.
"Well, lets get drunk. Oh, by the way I asked Sookie to marry me." I said quickly as we started getting herded to the press line.
"No way!" Pam said grabbing Sookies hand. She immediately started laughing when she saw the ring. "Silicone, perfect its perfect for her. Now you'll be my sister for real." Pam was giggling with Sookie.
"I know, I can't wait to be married." Sookie said looking up at me.
"I have another great idea. Lets party here tonight, then go straight to Vegas and you can get married. Amelia and Alcide are here, how hard can it really be to get Jason on a plane to Vegas?" Pam said.
"I'm down if you are." I said hopefully. Another giant wedding had zero Appeal to me.
"Hell yes!" Sookie said with a fist pump.
"Rasul!" Pam yelled, she was speaking to him probably so he can set it all up for when we leave. He was nodding. He looked up at us and waved with a smile. Sookie and I waved back.
"Its all being taken care of. Lets get through this, then go party." Pam said clapping her hands.
She went first. Sookie and I went next. I kept my hand on her waist as we moved down the line. We got about half way and I bent down to kiss her. She lifted her left hand to touch my face and the press line blew up. Pam laughed and came to take some pictures with us. We got all the way down the line, but didnt take any interviews.
"Well, the cats out of the bag now. Sookie wearing the dress her Mom won and Oscars while you kissed her is going to send Mom through the roof!" Pam cackled. Sookie just shrugged and gave a shit eating grin.
"Why Pam, I had no idea this dress might provoke Aude in any way." Sookie said innocently.
We got to the tarmac waiting to get on the private plane. Sookie was just wearing my dress shirt. She had abandoned her dress completely. I was just in my under shirt and suit pants, Amelia and Pam had their dresses unzipped, Jason was pulling shirts out of his bag to loan them. We were just waiting on Alcide.
"I'm here!" Alcide called, looking really fucking drunk.
"Alright, lets go!" Pam yelled and sort of spun in a circle.
"The plane is over there pam." I said and pointed behind her.
"Okay, lets go there then." She said annoyed.
Drunk
She's drunk too.
We got on the plane and got seated. The pilots and flight attendants introduced themselves and we got settled. Jason was sitting next to Sookie and I.
"You gonna be good to her?" Jason asked me.
"Absolutely, I am so glad I didn't marry Felicia. I wasnt in love with her. I didn't even know love until I fell for Sookie." I said honestly.
"Well, I trust Sookie. She doesn't to shit she doesn't want to." Jason said.
"He got my paintings of Mom back." Sookie leaned over me and said.
"No shit!" Jason said looking at me with a smile. "Well, by all means you have my blessing." Jason said with a chuckle.
"I want you to have the one of her by the lake, Jay." Sookie said.
"Sook, I can't take one of those. You painted them the week between the accident and her dying. I know what they mean to you." Jason said.
"Yeah, but there are two. One for each of us. I think thats why I painted her at all." Sookie said.
"Well, thank you. I know exactly where im going to hang it." Jason said with a smile.
We were all pretty much zombies by the time we staggered into the hotel. It didn't stop us from creating a bit of a scene. We all got recognized and people were swarming Pam, Amelia and Alcide asking for autographs. Jason had his own following. Even Sookie and I had apparently stirred up enough to get a solid mobbing. We finally got out of the lobby thanks to hotel security and made it to our rooms. We all fell dead in our beds. I was asleep holding Sookie when some evil monster tried to pull her away from me.
"Noooooooooo." I groaned holding onto her tightly.
"Give us Sookie, we need to get her ready to marry you." Amelia whined pulling on her again.
"No, my Sookie." I grumbled still tired.
"Yes, I'm your Sookie, but I have to go find a dress and buy you a ring." Sookie said trying to wiggle away. I reluctantly let her go and rolled over with a dramatic sigh.
"Im tired." I said still fighting my eye lids.
"Gold or platinum band?" Sookie asked while she wrapped a piece of paper around my ring finger.
"Gold." I said with my eyes still closed. My band with Felicia would have been platinum, so thats a hard pass from me now.
"Casual or fancy?" Sookie asked.
"You pick, I'll show up." I grumbled.
"Okay, casual it is. Rasul will be here in an hour. He has the wedding all set up. I told him we'll walk down the aisle together so you dont have to get PTSD waiting at the alter for me." Sookie whispered to me that make me laugh and open one of my eyes.
"Thank you." I said smiling. She leaned to kiss me.
"You're still getting married by 30." Sookie said, kissing me again.
"With 3 whole days to spare." I smiled.
"Still under the wire." She snickered.
"Best birthday gift ever." I smiled.
"I'll have to give you a baby next year to top it." Sookie said kissing me again.
"Yuck, lets go Sookie." Amelia said next to us.
"Oh yeah Amelia, I cum in her all the time trying to get her all knocked up. Any time you've seen her in the last 6 months she's probably been DRIPPING my cum. Never forget it." I said staring at her. Sookie just laughed.
"Ugh, disgusting. Sookie are you sure? We still have time to run." Amelia said scrunching her face.
"Yeah, I'm sure. I'm pretty obsessed with him." Sookie said with a little shimmy.
"It's a mutual stalking situation." I said winking at her.
"Gross, okay lets go." Amelia said yanking her out of the door of our room.
By 7pm we were at the chapel. It was a freaking mad house. Clearly it had gotten out Sookie and I were getting married, because the amount of people and press there before we even arrived was crazy. Luckily, they couldn't actually follow us in. I was wearing Jeans and a black T-shirt with my chucks. Sookie was in a long denim skirt and a while long sleeved crop top that had ruffles around the wrists. We were at the doors of the chapel waiting for our music cue to start to walk down the aisle.
"I thought you weren't supposed to marry your rebound?" Sookie asked me with a giggle.
"Well, you like to keep my body guessing." I said with a chuckle.
"Are you ready Mr. Northman?" Sookie asked looking absolutely angelic.
"Only for you Mrs. Northman." I said just as the music started and the doors opened. I walked down the aisle with my new plan. The best plan.
