"When did your mother get into town?" I ask as I try on a fifth dress after being unsatisfied with the last four. I take a look at myself in the mirror. The satin black dress had white flower patterns and a corset bodice and it fell below my knees. I put on my soft white cardigan and button it up. I sigh in frustration once again, I looked like a kindergarten teacher.

"Today. I didn't know she was coming," Eric says as he adjusts his tie, then comes up behind me. He puts his hands on my waist and pulls me closer to him as we look at me in the mirror. "You're beautiful, you know that?"

I smile shyly at him and pat his hands. I loved it when he showered me with compliments, but that usually happened only behind closed doors. I ponder that thought for a moment and wonder if he was ashamed of me or something, why he never showed me affection in public. I wasn't rich like his friends, nor wore the expensive tailored clothes that they wore. Eric did offer his credit card to me many times to buy clothes whenever we went to his social or sporting events, but I always refused. I didn't want to be treated like the poor relation (which I was, in this case). As I look at my outfit, which I had bought from American Eagle on sale, I question myself whether or not I should've taken his card and bought something for tonight, at least.

I had put my hair in a high ponytail and curled the strands. I apply some makeup.

We head to dinner where Eric and I had gone to many times for dates.

"So, Sookie, what are your plans now that you are done college?" Andre LeClerc, Eric's dad asks me. He gives me a smarmy look that sends shivers down my spine.

"Uhh, I hadn't really thought about it. I thought about getting my masters as well, but maybe from a different college. My advisor suggested Berkeley," I respond.

"You would go to California?" Sophie-Anne says with a look of disgust on her face. "My dear, I would advise you to stay on the East Coast."

"I don't mind the East Coast, but I've never been to California," I smile uncomfortably in response as I begin cutting into the entre.

"Sookie, where did you meet Eric?" Pam, Eric's younger sister asks me with a hint of excitement in her eyes. She was pretty, and looked like a younger version of her mother, but with blonder hair that was lighter than Eric's. She had pale skin and pretty almond-shaped green eyes.

"Oh, uhhh I met him in a bar," I answer. Sophie-Anne gives me a stern look.

"I mean, I was working at the bar. I bartended during my sophomore year to help pay my bills," I answer as I look down.

"I saw her and I wanted her," Eric adds, which causes me to choke on my water a little due to his frankness in front of his family.

"I did not know that," I say as I look at Eric.

"So, you wanted Sookie to be your girlfriend? I thought you said you never wanted a girlfriend?" Pam asks her older brother.

"I guess I changed my mind when I met Sookie," he says as he glances towards me.

"You're a lot nicer and prettier than Felicia, Eric's old girlfriend," Pam says.

"Uhhh, thanks Pamela," I smile to her.

I was doing a happy dance in my head. It was the first time in two years that Eric admitted out loud that we were in a relationship. I mean I knew that we were and I always referred to him as my boyfriend during conversations with other people, but it was nice to hear from him that he was finally returning the sentiment. My heart starts fluttering with hope. Maybe Eric loved me like I loved him.

We continue on with dinner and I begin to get a bit more comfortable being with Eric's family, although his mother remained a bit frosty towards me. I really enjoyed my conversation with Pam, who was so curious about me. I could see us becoming very good friends.

"This has been a great evening," Sophie-Anne says after the waiter takes away our empty dessert plates. "I can honestly say that I was disappointed in you, Eric, when you told me that you had been living with a girl for almost two years."

I take a huge gulp, here we go…

"I looked into your background, Miss Stackhouse, and I was shocked to read about the circumstances regarding the death of your parents," she says. "Now I understand that you were young and you had nothing to do with what happened, but it still is a shocking revelation."

I start feeling a sadness creeping up on me. I knew what she was going to say next.

"My father built my family company from the ground up. He faced many adversities, many challenges, but he always believed in the integrity of a solid family. My dear, you do not come from a solid family," she says in a stern tone.

My heart was galloping like a horse.

"Mrs. LeClerc, please listen…" I say but she interrupts me.

"I was not finished," she says, her tone becoming angrier.

"Your relations with Eric cannot continue for many reasons. Mainly because I don't think you would be a good fit in this family and Eric is still far too young to be exclusively involved with a young woman from a rural town in the middle of nowhere," she bluntly states.

The whole table is silent, my lower lip starts trembling in despair. I knew that she wouldn't think I was good enough for her son, the truth was, I felt the same way.

"Mother, I have to disagree with you," Eric says firmly. He gets up from the table and walks around to get to me. He holds his hand out to me and I stand up beside him.

"Eric, what are you doing?" Sophie-Anne asks tentatively.

"Eric?" Andre adds.

"I don't see what you see mother," Eric says as he looks into my eyes. "What I see is a young woman who has endured so much hardship and pain that no one at this table cannot possibly fathom. What she has gone through has made her stronger and braver than any other person I have known. You're wrong, mother. She is a good fit to join our family, because I've decided, I want Sookie to be my wife."

Sophie-Anne is silent and grimacing, while Andre and Pam gasp in surprise.

"Eric, I think that you need time….." Sophie-Anne says.

"I've had plenty of time," Eric says as he continues to hold my hands. "Will you be my wife?"

My breath was coming in and out quicker than ever before, I feel like I was going to pass out.

Don't do it Sookie! I warn myself.

He loved me! He must love me if he was asking me to marry him.

"Yes," I say breathlessly, my heart filling with happiness.

He smiles at me and pulls out a tiny box from his pocket.

I look on in surprise, I had no idea he was planning this.

He opens it up and there was an enormous pear-shaped white diamond ring in it. He takes it out of the box and slips it on my finger. I could feel myself trembling in joy as he places a chaste kiss on my lips and holds me close.

"Eric, we need to talk privately," Sophie-Anne says a little louder and severely.

"I made my choice," he says as he continues to look at me. "Sookie will be my wife."

I couldn't believe what was happening. I was 23 years old, just graduated from one of the top universities in the world, and now I was engaged to the most handsome man on the planet. Life couldn't get any better.

I glance over at Sophie-Anne, whose narrowed eyes were on the two of us filled with distain.

The overwhelming happiness I was feeling diminishes slightly.

A few weeks later, we left Princeton and went to Naples, Florida, where Eric's family resided full-time. They owned the largest beachfront estate in Naples. We got settled into one of the wings of the large mansion. Eric's mother and father were on the far side of the mansion, which I was thankful for. She was still unhappy with Eric's decision but was gradually accepting it.

I spent the next few months planning our wedding with the help of a wedding planner, while Eric was busy working with his mother. He was busy a lot. He spent a lot of time in the Miami office, sometimes spending nights there and returning during the weekend. But even during the weekends, when he was home, he tended to be preoccupied with other things. Mostly social events with his mother or spending time with his close-knit friends, without me. I was lonely, I admit. I had even brought up that fact one day after he came home from a three-day business trip in New York and was now heading out with his friends.

"You just got home and this is the first time I've seen you all week," I plead to him. I sounded desperate, needy and clingy. I knew Eric didn't like it, but I didn't care. I needed him. We were supposed to be getting married soon and had barely spent any time together since.

"Sookie, I told you this before," Eric says as he takes off his white dress shirt and puts on his t-shirt. "This is how I live and what I do and I'm not changing it for anyone."

"Not even for your soon-to-be-wife?" I say desperately. I hated being that type of woman.

"I thought you understood that," he says seriously. "I… I can't feel tied down, I need to be free to do what I want and I want to spend time with my friends before I head back to work."

I hold back tears and sniffle.

"If you are unhappy, then we can call this whole thing off and…. You can go home or wherever else you wish to go to," he says neutrally.

"I want to be where you are," I say quietly. "And I want you to want me just as much as I do. I love you."

'I love you,' a phrase that I had begun to utter to him ever since he proposed to me. He had yet to say it back.

"I do care about you," he admitted. "I care about you more than other person. But right now, I need space, I need time to be myself. We will be married shortly and after that, things will change."

He gives me a hug and a kiss before departing for his trip.

Looking back, I should've left that day…

The wedding went off without a hitch as planned a few months later. We got married at one of the posh country clubs the family were members of. It was exclusive and only the elites were allowed to set foot in. I doubt I would have been able to get invitations for my family and hometown friends, if I had any. I had thought briefly about asking Jason to attend, but I didn't. I hadn't spoken to him in years. I did, however, manage to get Amelia and Lafayette invited.

"I'm so happy for you!" Amelia exclaims at the reception. "You're stunning."

"Thanks," I say. I was happy with how everything turned out. Sophie-Anne had arranged for a custom-made wedding gown to be made for by one of the top designers in the world. I had to go to Paris a few times for dress-fittings. I looked like a fairy-tale princess.

"You're living the life the rest of us can only dream of," Lafayette beams.

I give him an empty smile. If only you knew….

We honeymooned on the Greek Island of Mykonos. For two weeks, I was the center of Eric's world and I couldn't be happier. We made love pretty much every day and spent our days together, sunbathing and swimming on the beach. We laughed and talked joyously about things we had in common, talked about our future, and even talked about our future children. Our children. I had always wanted to be a mother and I knew that I would be a damn good one, but knowing the man who was going to be the father of my children, made me want to bring that dream to life even more.

Every night as we gazed up to the stars, I would tell Eric that I loved him, and he would look at me with affection in his eyes.

If only we stayed on that dream honeymoon for the rest of our marriage, but of course, we had to return home.

Eric was right, things did change.

For starters, Eric dived right back into work and was always busy, away at meetings and at the offices. He did spend more weekends with me, but he also made time for his friends as well.

I had found myself changing more as well. I wanted to work, but couldn't. It wasn't Eric who said that, it was his mother.

"You are a wife now, there are many duties for you that require all your attention," Sophie-Anne said to me. "You accepted Eric's offer of marriage and now this is what is expected of you. You are responsible for keeping your marriage vows and maintaining your husband's home."

The old Sookie would've laughed and walked away, but the new me was submissive.

A lot of the duties were learning how to be a wife in this high societal world that I was now apart of. Gone were the clothes I wore previously, and were now replaced with expensive tailored dresses and pantsuits as well as the occasional pleated shorts and blouses. I never wore jeans or tank tops. The summer dresses I wore before were replaced with more modest, but sophisticated styles. My long blonde hair was even cut to a medium length and I was regularly groomed at a spa several times a week. I was expected to maintain a high-degree of sophistication at all times.

Sophie-Anne was turning me into her and I was nothing to stop that from happening.

One day, when Eric was home, I asked him if we go could for a boat ride.

"Sure, he said, just let me shower up," he goes into our bathroom and closes the door.

I sigh. We had been married for over a year now, but lately, it felt like we had hit a snag in our relationship, like he was slipping away from me. Was he getting bored of me? I was behaving and doing whatever his family had wanted of me. I was behaving like the perfect trophy wife.

I look out onto the beach and could hear a phone buzzing in the pocket of his jacket.

It continues buzzing before finally stopping.

For some reason, it bothered me, so I decide to go check it. I click on the phone screen to see a couple text messages coming through.

Hey handsome, last night was amazing…. Can't wait to be with you tomorrow in Boston, xoxoxo

I stare blankly at the message and caller ID, her name was Dawn Green. I had no idea who she was.

A tear falls on the screen. I wipe it away in haste and put his phone back in his jacket pocket. Suddenly, the room begins spinning. I clench my chest as I began to heave in anguish.

A minute later, Eric comes out freshly showered, with a bath towel wrapped around his waist.

"What's wrong?" he asks as he walks to our large walk-in closet.

I stay silent as I stare at him with pain in my eyes.

I find the strength to follow him to the walk-in closet. He drops the towel on the floor and was now standing naked, his magnificent body on display, as he looked for something to wear.

"Are you having an affair?" I finally ask in a grave tone.

He stops for a moment before grabbing some pleated shorts. He puts them on without any underwear.

"Eric?" I ask again, my lower lip trembling.

He runs his fingers through his gorgeous hair as he looks at me. "Yes."

The tears begin flowing out of my eyes as I clutch my chest again, anxiety threatening to engulf me.

"Why?" I cry out. "You said you wouldn't!"

"I told you that I wouldn't have sex with anyone else while I was having sex with you. If I recall we haven't had sex in the past month," he says in an alarmingly calm tone.

"That's no fucking excuse!" I cry out in anger. It had been true that we hadn't made love that long. I missed the intimacy between us, but I knew that he was busy working. Whenever I did try to initiate sex, he would brush me off and say that he was too busy or too tired. I was hurt, but I reminded myself that he worked hard for us, for his family and that I needed to support him, to be the supportive wife.

"We will talk about this when you've calmed down, right now, you're erratic," he says as he starts walking to the door.

But I grab onto his arm to stop him, which he allows. He was ten times stronger than me.

"No, you can't just fucking walk away like this is nothing!" I scream out, my eyes blurry with tears.

"If you are not happy…."he says but I interject.

"And don't say if you're not happy, then leave! You don't get to be dismissive of me no more! Not ever again! I'm sick of that shit! Why? Why are you having an affair? Am I not good enough for you anymore? Am I not… am I not your wife?" I blurt out with my tone a little clearer and less strained.

"You are my wife," he says. "But there are some things you cannot give me that I need."

I scoff, "What the fuck does that mean? You mean like fetishes, like what?"

"Before I met you, I partook in a variety of sexual activities, things that would surprise you, that would make you feel uncomfortable and perhaps disgusted with, but for me it made me feel alive. When I first met you, you captivated me. I knew that you were different and that there was a radiance around you. I wanted you in that moment to be mine. So, I approached you and we went to your apartment because I wanted more from you. I knew that you were a virgin, so I did my best to give you the utter pleasure that you deserved for your first time, but I never planned on contacting you ever again afterwards. But, for some unknown reason, you stayed in the forefront of my mind. I couldn't think of any other woman besides you, so that's why I sought you out that night at the club. I wanted you to be mine," Eric says.

I continue to try and hold back the tears, but some slip out. "Were you with any other women at Princeton?"

"No," he says.

"Why now?" I ask him.

He looks at me for a moment. I could tell he was trying to come up with the right words. "It's who I am, I have no other way to explain it. There is a darkness around me, I know that you have been well aware of that since the moment we met. It consumes me sometimes and I have to…. pacify that urge."

"Do you love this woman? This Dawn Green?" I ask in a pitiful tone.

"Love? I don't know what that is," he spits out harshly. "These women are nothing but fucks to me."

I spin around and walk towards the window. I couldn't believe this was happening. I couldn't believe that my life was falling apart so quickly.

"I only had sex with you these past years until a month ago," he says, like that should make everything better, like it was acceptable.

"I need time to think," I say quietly, tears still streaming down my face.

"Yes, you do," Eric responds. "I'll give you space."

As soon as he walks out of the room and closes the door, I break down to my knees. I cry on the floor in a fetal position in agony. The man that I loved, the man that I had given everything I had to, was cheating on me and he was acting like it was nothing at all, like it was normal.

I have no idea how long I stayed on the floor crying. I finally sit up and look out the window. It was dark and it was dark inside our room. I go to the bathroom and wash my face and stare at myself in the mirror. I looked like shit, my eyes were puffy and red.

I walk back to our luxurious marital bedroom weary and slowly.

I sit back on the bed and breathe out loud. I wanted to scream, I wanted to break everything in this room, in this fucking mansion. But I couldn't, none of this stuff was mine, not even the damn Gucci outfit that I was currently wearing.

I had to get away, I had to get away from here, from this town, from this fucking state. I look through my phone for flight information. I knew where I was going to, I was going home.

I used my platinum card to pay for my one-way flight back to Shreveport. I make arrangements for a car rental.

I was lucky to find a flight that was leaving at 10:30 tonight. I go into the closet, find my carry-on bag and start throwing clothes in it.

I put my shades on to cover my puffy eyes and walk out, heading to the car garage. I grab the keys to the Maserati, it was my car, a car that Eric gifted me on our six-month wedding anniversary. The thought crosses my mind of driving it into Eric's beloved corvette, but I stop myself, I did need to get to the airport.

I make it to the airport just in time for my flight. I flip through my phone. Normally, Eric never messaged or called me, and it still was true. I had no idea where he went, but I didn't give a shit. I was angry now. I was furious. My plan was to divorce his ass and be free again. But right now, I just wanted to be home, to be closer to my Gran, even though she had died years ago.

More tears fall from my eyes at the shitshow that was my life.

"Fuck my life…" I whisper as I close my eyes while the plane takes me home.

I wake up the at midday on my Gran's covered up old couch. I hadn't eaten in over 24 hours, my head was spinning, and my mouth was dry. I look around the room, everything was covered and still untouched, like the way I had packed it when I was 18 years old. I was now 25 years old, married to a cheating but rich snake, and I had never been so miserable in my life.

I rub my eyes and walk to the kitchen. The power had been shut off years ago, I was going to have to get that back on again. But right now I needed a coffee and perhaps some food.

I tie my hair up and go to my bedroom. I look through the closet and find one of my old flannel shirts and put it on. I walk back into the living room and sit down. Despite what was happening, I suddenly felt peace. Maybe because this was only thing I owned that hadn't been tarnished by Eric. I made up my mind right then and there that he could have anything he wanted from me, but this home, this sanctuary was mine.

I check my phone and low and behold, there was one missed phone call from Eric as well as a message.

I think you need to come home," is all he writes in his text.

I begin fuming in anger.

"AHHHHHHHH!" I scream. I take a few moments to regain my composure. That felt good! I scream in anger again.

After I feel better, I get dressed and head out and drive downtown to Merlotte's Bar and Grill. It had been ages since I was last here. The last time was for my high school graduation dinner. I sat in the corner booth with Gran, my high school best friend Tara and my first boyfriend, J.B. DuRone.

I walk into the bar and take a look around.

"Jesus Christ! Sookie? Is that you?" a familiar voice calls out to me. I turn around, it was Hoyt Fortenberry.

"Hi!" I grin.

"Come here, look at you! My god, it's been ages since you've been back," he says as he gives me a hug.

I pat him on the back and back away.

"Oh my god, well if it isn't Sookie Stackhouse!" another voice screeches at me. I look again to see Arlene, who was wearing a Merlotte's t-shirt and black trousers. She had been working at this place when I left and was apparently still here.

"Hi," I say again. I give her a little wave. Arlene and I hadn't really been friends. I babysat for her a few times, but stopped cause she never paid.

"You sure look fancy," she comments as she looks at my outfit from top to bottom.

I was wearing my sleeveless navy-colored Ralph Lauren jumpsuit.

"Thanks," I reply.

"Sookie? Is it really you?" someone else calls out to me from behind the bar.

It was Sam Merlotte.

I had had a crush on him when I was in high school. I think he may have had one on me as well, but he never did anything about it. He was several years older than I was and I was just a teen.

"Hey Sam," I say with a genuine smile.

He comes from behind the counter and walks up to me.

"It's great to see you, you look good," he says, unsure whether or not to try and give me a hug.

I make the first move and give him a hug.

"So, I heard you were married?" Arlene asks me as she looks at my left hand.

I was still wearing my wedding rings. I don't know why, maybe cause I was still a married woman.

"Yes," I answer.

"Well, where's your husband?" she acts. She was really gyrating on my nerves at this moment.

"Uhh, in Florida," I answer.

"Hey, so where's Jason?" I ask Hoyt before Arlene can ask any more questions.

"He's at work," he responds. "I can go get him if you want."

"No, I don't want to disturb him," I say. "Can you give him my number?" I get a pen and paper off Sam and give my number to Hoyt.

We chit chat for a few minutes before he leaves to go meet Jason on one of the highways.

"How long are you back for?" Sam asks me. Arlene was back to serving her tables.

"Uhhh, I'm not sure," I say. "Can I get a table? I need to eat and also a black coffee?" I ask Sam.

"Sure Sook," he answers.

I eat my meal and let Sam know that I would see him again sometime, then head back to Gran's house. I had called the power company earlier and they were presently at the house, hooking the power back up.

I pay with my credit card and head back into the house. I had called a plumber as well to get the water pump working again. I now had water running in the taps. I uncover all the furniture and tidy up a bit. Several hours later I was tired. I draw a bath, find some soap and sit in the tub.

I sit there silently staring at the water faucet. I close my eyes and tremble. The tears come pouring out again. What was I going to do? Was I really going to be a divorcee? Could I forgive Eric? Did I want to forgive him?

Despite everything, I still loved him. I could not stop loving him.

The water gets cold, so I get out of the tub and put on my old bathrobe. I comb my hair and put on some old jeans and a Bon Temps high school t-shirt.

Suddenly, I hear knocking on the door.

I go to open it, it was my brother, Jason.

"Hey," I say with a smile.

He gives a long hard stare before grabbing me into a hug. He lifts me up.

"Hi," is all he says. I could hear him faintly whispering 'I missed you,' into my hair.

For the next hour we have a long talk. He tells me what he's been doing since I left. I tell him about my life. He tells me, in his way, how he regrets leaving me and Gran. We both end up crying and hugging again. Awhile later he leaves.

"I'll come back tomorrow Sook," he says with a huge smile.

"Great! I'll be waitin'" I respond.

I realize that I had been talking with my Louisianan accent all day.

I close the door and heat up something. I had stopped by the grocery store earlier for some food.

A half hour later after I finish eating, there is another knock at the door.

I turn the porch light on and open the door, right away my good mood sours.

It was Eric.

I take a deep breath, "What are you doing here?"

"I think that's my line," he says as he leans against the doorway. He was wearing his black leather jacket, black jeans, and a white t-shirt.

"Really, what are you doing here? You said you were going to give me space," I retort, not in the mood for any of his bullshit lines.

"When I said I would give you space, I meant in our home," he says.

"That's your home," I tell him. "This, this here, is all mine, not yours, but mine."

"Aren't you going to invite your husband in?" he continues in a playful tone.

I scoff. "Fine, whatever, come inside but only for a little while."

He walks in and around the living room and kitchen. "Which way is our bedroom?"

"Fuck you Eric," I spit out in anger.

"I deserved that," is all he says as he leans against the back of the couch.

"What do you want?" I snip.

"I want my wife home," he answers.

"I'm not your wife, at least not anymore, maybe I never was," I say in an angry tone.

He walks up to me and stands mere inches from me. I stare into his muscular chest and take in his wonderful scent. I had always loved the way he smelled.

"Are you sure about that?" he says in a husky tone.

I take a big gulp of my saliva. "I can't go back, not after what you did."

"What if I said I was sorry," he says.

"Still not enough," I reply.

"What if I make it up to you?" he says.

"There's nothing you can do," I whisper back, my anger fading away fast. Damnit Eric, why did you have to be so irresistible?

"Come home," he whispers into my ear. He flicks his tongue at it. It causes a tremor that moves down to my privates.

He rubs his cheek against my hair and moves his large warm hands up and down my arms. I could feel my resolve melting away.

"Eric, please don't," I whimper out.

"I want my wife home, I want you," he says in a coarse tone.

I shake my head, trying to remember everything that I had decided earlier. I was going to leave him, I was going to get a divorce, I was going to become a free woman…. Oh my god, I can feel his erection, I love his woodsy, manly scent, I love the way his hands feel against my skin…..

Who the hell was I kidding… I didn't have the strength to walk away from Eric Northman.

"I have terms and conditions, if I come home with you," is what I say to him.

He moves away from me a little and smiles down at me.

Oh god, what was I doing? I was an idiot…..