Mom and Dad are waiting for me at the airport when I get back to Louisiana. I’m happy to see them both, and it’s nice to be back on Louisiana soil. The surprising thing to me is that I didn’t cry on the flight back. I thought for sure that I’d cry at least a little, but that didn’t happen. Maybe it’s because I’ll be seeing Eric in a few days.
Or maybe it’s because of Rasul.
“How was your trip, honey?” Mom asks as we get into the truck.
“It was great, for the most part. Eric’s house is amazing and California is beautiful. The paparazzi weren’t as bad as I thought they’d be, but that’ll probably be different when I’m showing more.”
“Eric was with you, wasn’t he? I don’t want those vultures getting too close,” Dad says.
“Yes, he was with me. He gave me some pointers in how to deal with them, and so far it seems to be working since no one got in my personal space.”
“Good.”
It’s sweet that Dad worries like he does. On the way back I tell them about the premiere and getting to meet a few people, mostly Alcide and Rasul. But then there was also Felipe de Castro. He was much more charming than I expected him to be. I expected more arrogance or superiority from him, but I didn’t get that at all.
I don’t find out until we’re back at my house that my parents got a few phone calls from various ‘news organizations’ looking for information about me. Jason got calls like those too, but they always declined to be interviewed. I’m thankful for that. My life may become more public, but that doesn’t mean theirs have to, too. I’m not worried they would say something embarrassing about me as much as I don’t need Pam calling and bitching me out for fucking with her plan.
My parents don’t stick around for too long. Dad takes my suitcase upstairs and Mom shows me where she’s put my mail. I thank them both and as soon as they’re gone I remember I was supposed to call Eric when my flight landed, so I dig out my phone to call him. I get his voicemail.
“Hey, Baby Daddy, it’s me. Sorry I didn’t call sooner. Mom and Dad wanted to hear everything about my trip. I’m home, safe and sound. Takeoff made me queasy, but otherwise I did okay on the flight. Hopefully your meeting went well. Oh, and one more thing… Thank you for everything. I had a wonderful time. I’m excited about moving,” my eyes start to well and my voice cracks, “I keep thinking Jake would be so proud of us, you know? We’re being adults, making plans and smart decisions. And as it turns out, you’re really not so bad. I can see now why Jake loved and defended you so much. Anyway, I’ll stop now before I make a complete ass of myself. I’ll talk to you soon.”
I hang up and let myself have a good cry, and then I go upstairs to unpack.
xXx
I don’t hear back from Eric that night, but I’m okay with it. I have plenty to do to keep me busy. I figure he went out for drinks to celebrate the new movie. This isn’t really his big break, but I’m sure this is a huge step in his career and I know it’s a huge deal for him personally. Even I know this job will really put him on the map if it does well, and lately it seems all de Castro movies are successful.
My only worry is that filming may coincide with my due date. I’m pretty sure Eric doesn’t want to miss the birth of his child. I don’t want him to miss it. He should be there. Even better, I’m pretty sure he wants to be there. That’s the way it should be.
The next morning I go into work to find that enrollment, especially in my hip-hop class, has jumped fifteen percent while I was gone. The bad news is that the class won’t be over before I leave for California. I spent some time looking at my calendar last night and I decided June first is my go date. That means I’m here for just over a month before I’m gone.
I have a long list of things to do in that period of time. But I think I’ve reached a decision about my house. I’m going to let Eric pay it off. When he first proposed that idea it rubbed me the wrong way for all the wrong reasons. At the time I got hypersensitive and took it like it was a payment in exchange for sex. I know that’s not at all what he was suggesting. The only thing I can blame that line of thinking on is the pregnancy hormones, but I know better now.
For Eric it’s easy to offer up more than a hundred grand like it’s nothing. It would take me years to make that kind of money. I make enough to get by on, but there isn’t much extra. Jake and I weren’t extravagant people. We bought a modest house, drove economical cars and put a lot of our savings into paying off college debts or renovating our house. The trip we had taken to California was only possible because Eric had insisted on buying our plane tickets.
He had been living in a different house at that point. He’d bought a newer, bigger house after he learned he was nominated for a second Oscar. I don’t mind living in his guest house, at least temporarily. I know it can’t be permanent. Then I think about Rasul, and I wonder if that’s going to get awkward. Eric said he encouraged Rasul to come talk to me, but I’m not sure how he’d feel about us dating.
Rasul knows our situation. Eric told him the story, and if it bothers Rasul at all it doesn’t show. He doesn’t know Eric and have been sleeping together, but the initial worry I had about confusion in our relationship is gone. My feelings for him have changed, but only in the way that I can honestly say that we’re friends now. I couldn’t say that fourteen weeks ago.
While I’m stretching on the floor in the main space, Tara comes in. She’s teaching a beginning ballet class for six-year-olds in a couple of hours. The muscles in my inner thighs are still a little sore from my last night in California. Eric decided to treat sex like he was a sex camel, stocking up on orgasms to sustain him during the long desert drought. I’m not complaining, necessarily, but dude forgets that he’s a big guy and my lady parts can only take so much. But like he said, sex bruises are good bruises.
“You’re here!” Tara practically tackles me.
“I missed you too,” I laugh and hug her back.
“Tell me everything, starting with that video you took.”
Tara helps me up off the floor and we go back to the office so I can show her my phone. She laughs along with me as we watch four grown, drunk men wrestle and insult each other. I tell her about the premiere and our outings with photographers following us. On my second to last day in town we went to dinner together and I got a taste of the nastier side of the paparazzi.
“There was this one guy that just wouldn’t let up. He kept yelling questions at us and he was right in my face. I swear he was just hoping Eric would take a swing at him,” I tell Tara.
“That sucks. You know, it’s pretty bogus that they can get all up in your personal space like that, but you’re the bad guy if you tell them to fuck off or go away,” Tara says.
“It really scares me what things will be like when we have the baby with us. I can handle creepy ass men being all up in my face with a camera, but I worry about them getting too close to my baby. That’s gotta be terrifying for a kid.”
“Yeah, no shit. Don’t be surprised if Eric hires you a bodyguard,” she jokes.
“Seriously,” I sigh. “Although, I uh… I might have a pretty awesome escort sometimes.”
“Oh yeah? Who?”
“Rasul Natua.”
“Shut up!”
“We exchanged numbers. I’ve talked to him like three times since the poker game.”
“Oh my god! Did you guys…” she starts to hip thrust.
“No!” I laugh and slap her arm. “No, it’s not like that. He knows all about my situation with Eric, except for the fact that Eric and I have slept together since I got pregnant–“
“Yeah, about that… what’d you decide?”
“I decided to let nature take its course.”
“And?”
“And I’m still sore from my last night in California,” I admit and Tara’s jaw drops.
“Sookie, you slut!” Tara teases.
“I know, I know. It’s just temporary. After we break up we’ll stop. He doesn’t want a girlfriend and I don’t want to be his girlfriend, but I wouldn’t mind being Rasul’s girlfriend.”
Tara shakes her head in disbelief but says, “Just don’t go after Alcide and we’re cool.”
“Don’t worry, I’m not into him like that. He’s a nice guy, though.”
“Nice interesting, or nice boring?”
“Nice interesting.”
“Good,” she sounds relieved.
I don’t say anything but I know that Tara will lose interest in him after the sex gets boring. She’s not interested in finding a good, stable guy to settle down with. We’re still relatively young so it’s okay that she’s not husband shopping just yet, but it would be nice to know that she’s at least being treated well. If only Bobby had Alcide’s body… he’d be perfect in her eyes.
“Does Eric know you and Rasul got chummy?”
“Yes, he does. He was the one that told Rasul to talk to me.”
“That sounds like a hot threesome just waiting to happen.”
“Uh, no, that’s not happening,” I laugh.
“But imagine if it did,” she sighs.
I roll my eyes. Obviously I’m in a very different place in my life than Tara is, not that being with two guys at once appeals to me much anyway. I’m not judging her, it’s just not for me.
EPOV
I get Sookie’s voicemail after my meetings, and while part of me wants to call her back, I know it made me too emotional. It’s still hard for me to show that side of myself to her sometimes. She’s not wrong though, Jake would be proud of us. Maybe after getting past the whole me getting Sookie knocked up thing, but yes, he’d be proud. We’re working together and not being selfish, all for our kid. And for each other if I’m honest.
The two days without her there suck a little more than I’d hoped. Sookie just brings this light, warm feeling of home with her, and I can feel it missing now. She’s a good person to have around, and just like she said she gets why Jake always defended me, I get why he was with her now. Her kindness isn’t annoying, it’s endearing and refreshing. I feel like we’re on a good road together towards becoming friends.
The night before I fly out, I pick up the phone and call her. I feel a little bad about not having returned her call, and I’m actually excited to tell her how my meetings went for the De Castro movie.
“You are alive,” Sookie says when she picks up. “I was starting to wonder if Pam finally went homicidal and killed you.”
“Almost,” I laugh. “I’m sorry I didn’t call back. Your voicemail made me a little emotional.”
“Ah… yeah, I’m going to blame your kid for that,” she says.
“You can’t blame the kid for everything.”
“Sure I can. That’s my unwritten bonus of being pregnant.”
“If you insist,” I chuckle. “Are you prepared for me to arrive?”
“Well I’m not naked yet, but I have time.”
I grin and say, “Glad to hear it.”
“So how are you doing?” she asks. “Did things go well at your meetings the other day?”
“They went great. Felipe and the producers all love me, and they’re awesome. They have a start date and an end date, so I’ll be done before your due date.”
“That’s great,” she says happily. “Eric, seriously, I’m so excited for you.”
“Thank you. It means a lot that you are, really.”
“Of course I am. I don’t know much about movies and how that industry works but even I know landing a role in a movie like this is a big deal.”
“It’s just such a dream to work with a director like him. I know he’ll get the best out of me,” I say. “It also helps that his movies are such massive successes. I know I have a lot of money already, but I never want to not be working. I have a kid to think about now, and I don’t want him to have to worry about where he’s getting his next meal from.”
“Well I’m happy you’re excited about this too. Do you know who else is being cast in the movie, or are they still working on that?”
“They didn’t say, but Rasul might actually get a role. He said he auditioned yesterday.”
“That’s awesome.”
“He also said you two have been talking on the phone…”
I’m not upset about it, at least not as much as I had been poker night. Maybe all the fucking we did after fixed whatever was going on in my head.
“We have,” she admits. “He’s fun to talk to. He didn’t mention anything about auditioning, though. Maybe he doesn’t want to jinx it.”
“Probably. We all have our superstitions,” I say. “What about things with the studio? Anyone pull their kids out because of my balls?”
Sookie chuckles and says, “No, there have been no disenrollments. Actually, my hip-hop class for girls ages twelve to seventeen has almost doubled, so I guess your balls are quite popular.”
I smirk and say, “I’m not surprised.”
“They’re going to be disappointed when I leave before the class is over. I set a moving date,” she informs me.
“Oh yeah? When?” I ask. I’m glad to hear it.
“I plan to be in California on June first,” she says. “That gives me time to pack, get the business all in Tara’s name and take care of whatever else needs to be taken care of out here. I’m going to ask Dr. Ludwig if she has any recommendations for a new doctor in California. I doubt she knows anyone out there, but it’s possible so it can’t hurt to ask.”
“I’m sure Pam can find you someone if Dr. Ludwig doesn’t know anyone,” I say. “I’ll get things set up for movers to help when you get out here. Have you thought about the house yet?”
“Yes, I have. I’ll be honest, there’s a part of me that still isn’t completely comfortable letting you pay off my mortgage. I don’t like the idea of not pulling my own weight and I know you said that it’s not a big deal for you, but for someone who wouldn’t be able to pay the house off in ten years it’s a huge deal. But I think it would be a great idea if me, me and the baby or all three of us have a place to go if we don’t want to be in Los Angeles for a while. And I do plan on coming back here at least a few times a year so it just makes sense to hold onto the house. But I am going to pay you back,” she says.
I smile at her decision. I know she’ll pay me back even if only for her own peace of mind, but it’s really not necessary.
“Okay, then we’ll take care of that while I’m there,” I say. “And every penny you pay back will go in Damian’s trust fund like we talked about.”
“That’s fine with me,” she says.
“Great. I’m really… I’m happy that you’re coming out here, Sookie. I like you more than I thought I would.”
“Careful, Northman, or you’ll start gushing,” she teases. “But the feeling is mutual.”
“Good. Like you said, it’s good we’re being adults about all this.”
“Well we sort of have to be. I mean I guess we could hate each other and pretend like this isn’t happening but reality would catch up with us eventually.”
“Yeah, it’s much better that we get along. But I have one concern.”
“What’s that?”
“When’s the breakup date, because I want to at least enjoy a month more of sex with you before I can’t anymore.”
Sookie laughs quietly and says, “I haven’t really thought about that yet. We could do it while you’re off filming. We could say that the separation was too difficult for me. Then you could hook up with the extras to console your broken heart. By then I probably won’t really want to have sex anyway.”
“I suppose I could do that,” I sigh like it’s a heavy burden to fuck extras.
“I know it’s asking a lot for you to do that,” she plays along without missing a beat. Then she gets cocky. “Especially since we both know you’re never going to find better than me.”
“Why do you think I want a full month of banging before we break up?” I ask.
“You’re not falling in love with me, are you?” she jokes.
“I’m not capable of love, Stackhouse.”
“Bullshit.”
“Have you ever seen me in a relationship?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.
“You loved Jake,” she says. “And you’ll love your kid. And I’m not convinced there isn’t something else going on at those guys’ nights after seeing the four of you wrestle around like that. Which reminds me, I took video.”
“You what? Please tell me you didn’t show that to anyone.”
“Just Tara,” she giggles. “So far…”
“Evil… just evil. You are having my kid, you know that right? You’re not supposed to embarrass your kid’s dad.”
“Hey, it’s not my fault you guys turn gay after drinking imported beer.”
Her doorbell rings on the other end of the line.
“Funny,” I laugh. “Do you need to go?”
“Yeah, I’m not sure who that is. I’m not expecting anyone. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Alright, I’ll be there in the morning.”
“Okay. Have a safe flight,” she says.
“I will. Bye,” I say, and hang up.
xXx
I pull up to Sookie’s house the next morning around eleven. Her appointment isn’t until two, so I’m hoping we can maybe go to the bank before and get her mortgage taken care of. The front door is unlocked, so I head inside and immediately smile when the smell of banana bread hits my nose. I haven’t had her banana bread since long before Jake died.
“Sookie?” I call out.
“Back here!” she answers and it sounds like she’s in the guest room.
I head back there with my bag and find her laying on the bed, naked.
I drop my bag.
“Did you miss me?” I ask.
“A little.”
“Me, or my cock?” I ask, and kick off my shoes.
“I thought they were a package deal?”
“They can be,” I say, and pull my shirt off too.
“Can be? There’s a way to get one without the other?”
“Okay you’re right, I didn’t think that one through.”
I drop my pants, and climb onto the bed with her.
“You’re gonna need this,” she says and lifts her hand. She hands me a condom.
“Why? I hate these things now.”
“I have a doctor’s appointment that may require an internal exam.”
“Ahh,” I nod. “You don’t need the doc seeing my love juice.”
“Or getting it on her.”
“I’m sure she’d appreciate the condom usage then,” I nod, and set it aside. My hand roams down her body until it’s between her legs, and I smile. “Start without me?”
“Woke up like this,” she says, and her hips move in rhythm with my fingers.
“Does this mean we’re at that portion of the pregnancy where you want my cock all the time?” I ask, and easily slide two fingers into her as my thumb makes contact with her clit.
“I think we’re getting there.”
“I think I like it,” I say, and dip my head down to kiss her neck.
“Too bad I’ll be in Louisiana for most of it.” Sookie moans and then lifts my head to attack my lips with hers.
Her hand wraps around my cock and starts stroking as we make out, and soon enough I’m more than ready for her. She’s close to coming though, so I start to curl my fingers until I find that perfect spot. Her hips rise off the bed and her hand lets go of me so she can grip the comforter. Within seconds she’s coming and crying out, and as soon as she calms down a little I pull my hand away and grab the condom to put it on.
“How do you want me?” I ask her. I don’t know all of her moods well enough yet to know when she wants it rough or if she wants it slower.
“I don’t care,” she pants. “Just fuck me.”
I smirk and flip her over before pulling her up on her hands and knees. One thing I do know is that when she says ‘fuck me’ she means business. I don’t waste any time teasing her since I know she’s more than ready, and quickly slam all the way into her. It’s definitely better without the condom, but she still feels fucking amazing.
Sookie groans loudly and starts to rock back and forth. I reach up to grab her shoulders and start to thrust hard and fast. She responds immediately, pushing herself back in perfect time with my movements.
My dirty fucking brain takes over and I say, “You like that fucking cock, don’t you?”
“Fuck yes!” she yells and pushes back a little harder.
I groan and my head rolls back as I fuck her even harder to keep up. Sometimes I think she’s going to out-pace me. My hands move to her hips to help pull her back onto me, and then I give her ass a good slap. She moans and her pussy clenches around my cock.
“You’re such a dirty girl, Sookie,” I pant, and give her ass another swat before pulling out of her.
She moans and her head falls to the bed, her arms giving out on her.
I grab two of the pillows and set them down in front of me before turning her over so her hips are resting on them. I quickly slide two fingers into her again and start curling them. I want her as close as I am before I start fucking her again.
“Fuck yes!” Sookie shouts again, her hips lifting up off the pillows. Her hands move to her tits and start pinching her nipples. “Oh god… fuck, make me come, Eric. Make me fucking come.”
I wait until I can feel her pussy starting to flutter and pull my hand away, much to her annoyance.
“Eric!” she glares at me.
My response is to shove my cock back into her, and her glare turns to that face she makes when she’s on the verge of coming. I hold her thighs open and pick up my fast and hard pace once again. The view of my cock sliding in and out of her has me on edge again quickly.
“Are you going to come for me?” I ask her, and pull her legs up so her ankles are resting on my shoulders, making her feel impossibly tight around my cock.
“Yes,” she moans and bites her bottom lip.
“Do it, Sookie,” I grunt. “Come with me.”
A few more deep thrusts later Sookie’s eyes roll back before they squeeze shut. She cries out my name and then her pussy clenches tight around my cock, trying to keep me deep inside her while she comes. Her fingers clutch at the comforter and her head rolls to the side as she tries to catch her breath.
It all does me in, and a couple hard thrusts later I spill my release into the stupid fucking condom.
“Fuck!” I shout, and drop her legs before collapsing on top of her. My hips are still moving a little and her pussy is still clenching around me every few seconds. I kiss her shoulder and up to her neck, then finally her lips.
“Thank you,” I whisper, and slowly pull out of her to get rid of the condom before I make a mess.
“You’re welcome,” she says in a shaky voice.
When I come back to the bed I pull the pillows out from under her hips, and then lay down next to her.
“I wish we had time to nap.”
“We don’t?”
“When’s your appointment again?”
“Two.”
“I wanted to try to go to the bank beforehand to deal with the mortgage, but now I think I’d rather sleep,” I smile. “You wore me out.”
“How about we set an alarm for an hour and then we can go to the bank? They’ll probably need to get paperwork together or something anyway. We can stop by there again after the appointment,” Sookie suggests.
“That works,” I say, and roll off the bed to get my phone out of my pants.
I set an alarm for an hour and put it on Sookie’s side of the bed, because if it’s on mine I’ll probably just turn it off and go back to sleep. Sookie snuggles up to me, and I wrap an arm around her. I’m learning to like snuggling because of her.
“Sleep well,” I yawn.
“Sweet dreams,” she says.
Brainmates Fiction 
Yummy. Can’t wait for more.
My brother is coming from California in 3 days. I can’t wait.
Oh God, I just think this whole Rasul situation is a nightmare waiting to happen. There are so many issues – he doesn’t know they have been having sex so that may make him mad with Eric knowing he likes Sookie, Eric could get jealous and it would harm his friendship with Rasul, Sookie could be sort of leading him on since she isn’t really dealing with her feelings for Jake and now Eric and then there is the possible bad press. Is she really ready to date someone with her current situation? It would be different if she had the baby already or if she told Rasul she only wanted to be friends right now. What will her kid think if they go and see that within a few months his/her mother was with three guys? It’s sort of icky. Tara is encouraging her because it all seems so cool and exciting but I think she needs a straight talk with one of her parents or Jason.
Poor Eric is in such denial. Could he really go back to banging the extras when he’s been sexing up Sookie for a few months? The cuddles at the end lead me to believe they are both developing feelings but I think they need some sort of catalyst to admit to anything. The fact that he wants to enjoy sleeping with Sookie as much as he can before they “break up” should give him a clue. Eric doesn’t know what these feelings are as his comment during the phone call attests. I think someone will have point it out to him. With Sookie though, I think she is gonna be firmly stick in denial land without some sort of push. She just isn’t going to let herself go there. I’m surprised someone hasn’t suggested that they maintain this “relationship” until after the baby is born since they both seem to enjoy it now. That would look better for both of them and would give them time to see if they could really make it work and with no pressure. Does Eric really want to go from woman to woman the rest of his life? Even George Clooney has long term monogamous relationships. What kind of example would that set for the kid. Plus, he might miss having someone to go to events with and to come homef. It seems like such lonely existence. Anyway, these were just things I’ve been thinking about. Sorry for the ramble. 🙂 Can’t wait to see how things go with Eric back in town.
Think I’m on the same page as you, I just keep thinking she’s really going to hate herself when she wakes and smells the coffee. And Tara’s not helping at all.
I agree there’s obvious potential for disaster if Sookie tries to get serious with Rasul. She’s overlooking a few things here, but I also think there’s something about him that feels safe. Yes, she’s physically attracted to him, but I think she wants something deeper than that. If she just wants sex, she’s already got Eric for that. As its been pointed out before, it’s the closeness she had with Jake that Sookie misses the most, and right now she’s not feeling that with Eric. They aren’t laying in bed together, snuggling and talking about little things. She woke up in his bed because they wore themselves out fucking. That’s not the same thing.
And I would agree that Tara isn’t being very helpful, but then she’s not in Sookie’s shoes. Her priorities aren’t the same. Honestly, I think Sookie would be best served by taking a step back from relationships in general so she can focus on the pregnancy and dealing with her grief, but ‘ol girl just wouldn’t let that happen.
And just to put it out there (even though you didn’t say anything about it) Sookie isn’t using Rasul to make Eric jealous. She isn’t using him in the hopes of getting Eric to fall for her. She’s not that petty and in her mind, he’s not even an option where a real boyfriend is concerned. Her head knows it. Whether her heart will go along with that remains to be seen.
I beleive and its JMO that she has replaced Jake in the physical sense with Eric and she’s using Rasul as her emotional replacement for Jake and while she has these crutches to rely on she not going to deal with the reality of her situation.
I think that’s a pretty fair and accurate assessment.
I agree that Sookie shouldn’t really even be thinking about being in a new relationship right now. You’re right about Tara which was why I was thinking someone like one of her parents would be good for her to talk to or maybe ask for advice at some point. I didn’t think she was using him to make Eric jealous. It’s clear she really likes him. Plus like she said she felt an attraction to him right away and she didn’t get that from Eric. Looking forward to seeing what happens.
I think you make some good points! I don’t think she’s letting herself think about the fact that she shouldn’t rush into a relationship (even a sexual one like she has with Eric). I think she’s trying to fill the void left by Jake’s death as quickly as possible so she doesn’t have to feel the pain of his absence. A defense mechanism perhaps? I don’t know if she’s fully aware of what she’s doing! I don’t think she’s a bad person or is trying to hurt anyone or string Rasul along I just think that grief can make a person do crazy things sometimes!
Wow. This is a huge mess. I hope they figure out what they want before the kid is old enough to be confused. I’m not liking Sookie right now. I feel bad for her situation but I find myself cringing every time she has sex with Eric. Tara isn’t helping her friend either.
I think the same thing, she’s definitely NOT dealing with her emotional reality, and what she’s doing has such potential to go deeply south.
Geeze ….she really isn’t getting any feelings out of that? I think I’d cry when he left…..LOL I do hope the Rasul thing just a friend ship…..i think the baby needs both parents together …see ya next chapter 😉
seriously ppl look up Turkish oil wrestling on Youtube and then imagine those boys…..drool. Sorry you keep bringing up the wrestling and my mind goes there. I think its hysterical how they are all happy that they are acting like grown ups. I remember (way back when) that first moment that I thought to myself…”damn that was a grown up decision”. I think Eric is going to be the one to break first when he realizes that he wants Sookie all to himself.
Let me start by saying I’m an angst baby and the Rasul stuff is tearing me up. I really want to smack both Eric and Sookie for neither of them seeing what’s right in front them! Argh! I may have to wait for a few chapters to post before I continue (like in the beginning), then again I don’t know if I’m that patient. :-). Thank you for an awesome story!
I’m a big angst baby too, and I promise you it’s not that awful. Or maybe I just feel that way since I wrote it. I know we react differently to angst when we read it than when we write it. Feel free to wait a few chapter though!
Oh God, Sookie is being really frustrating right now! Sometimes she’s really concerned and thinking about her baby, her/his future and all the harassment of the media over them and then she seems to completely forgets that she’s pregs at all, specially where Rasul is concerned. And Tara isn’t helping! All the while during their conversation I just wanted to magically enter the scene, grab her by the shoulders and maybe shake some sense on her! Like “Girl, do you really want to go there?!! Look at the mess that your life is right now!!” *sigh* Oh my poor feels… Really, the thing with Eric is risky enough, but putting Rasul in the mix = recipe for disaster! And Sookie really didn’t strike me as the unthinking or irresponsible kind. I hope someone calls her on this, maybe Jason! It would be really ironic and funny if Jason where to put some good sense on Sookie, specially when we’re used to see the opposite happening!
It was really great to see how their opinion about each other is changing fast! Sookie already trusts Eric, at least where their kid is concerned. But it’s something! She now can see that he’s a good guy and is capable of thinking and caring for someone other than himself. On the other hand Eric is seeing what it is to have some level of proximity with someone whom he also has sex with and learning to appreciate Sookie’s presence in his life. I think that by the time that they have to “break up” he won’t be so willing or excited to fuck the extras…
The sex camel thing made me LOL hard! 🙂
Thank you for the good chapter!
Great chapter! I love how well her and Eric got along in this chapter as well as their playful banter! I wonder if Rasul will be the catalyst to Eric and Sookie being together, in the sense that he is getting to know Sookie and is already friends with Eric? Perhaps he can offer insight into their relationship that they can’t see (or that they can see but won’t admit to themselves or each other)? He may come to realize that Sookie and Eric want to be together before they do? Maybe he’ll be the one to give them a nudge? A crazy thought perhaps but just something that was floating around in my head! He doesn’t seem like a petty person and I don’t see him judging either one for having sex or being mad if things don’t work out between him and Sookie. Or at least I hope not! While Eric says he’s ok with Sookie talking to and potentially dating Rasul, there’s a big difference between saying your ok with it and actually being ok with it once it happens! I am curious though…if Eric wasn’t skittish about relationships, do you think Sookie would be more willing to make a go of it with him or do you think she’d just want to be friends like they are now? I was just wondering if the only reason she isn’t trying to be Eric’s girlfriend is because he’s not looking for a serious relationship or if it’s because she just doesn’t think of him that way?
Since Sookie is entering the horny stage of her pregnancy, I wonder if Eric will be making frequent trips to Louisiana to take advantage LOL!! I can’t see him wanting to miss out on that!
I think they are starting to have feelings for each other. The fact that Eric missed her says something. I hope they find out the babies sex at the appointment. I don’t like the Rasul thing at all, but I guess we need conflict.
I wonder if Eric will say something to Rasul about he and Sookie having sex. If this is something Rasul knows nothing about, he may not want to step in and take this away from Eric, even if Eric tells him it’s OK….. He seems like too good a man to step in between them, until after the “break up” and maybe even after Sookie has the baby. It’ll be interesting to hear Rasul’s PoV on this once he has the complete picture.
pat
I don’t like the Rasul thing either. I’m hoping he serves to be primarily a catalyst for Sookie and Eric to realise how they feel about each other and to start thinking about being in a relationship with each other and their child as a family unit.
Actually I wouldn’t be surprised if Rasul takes a step back once he realises that Sookie and Eric are having sex, since that casts the situation in a whole different light. They’re not just having sex any longer, since they are snuggling afterwards and enjoying each other’s company as more than just fuck buddies. Maybe Rasul will give them some objective advice. If he is to remain friends with each of them, it would not be wise to get involved with Sookie until she and Eric have explored the possibility of a relationship.
You know what I think is kind of funny? People don’t like Rasul but they were all for Sookie & Stan hooking up when she first got to LA.
What’s that about? lol
I can’t tell you whether or not Sookie & Rasul will end up as a couple because that would ruin things (as much as I would love to set it all straight right now), but I will say that he does play a pivotal role in things getting settled. Whether Sookie settles with him or Eric remains to be seen. That’s about all I can say.
Hey, not everyone wanted Sookie to hook up with Stan! 😀
Okay not EVERYONE, but a lot of readers lol
Yeah, I’m with millarca21 here! 🙂 And I don’t think people don’t like Rasul (he seems to be a great guy!) but the fact that Sookie is getting involved with someone else at such a messy moment in her life…
Well, I think that was a very different situation. As you said yourself, that was when Sookie “first got to LA.”
The relationship between Eric and Sookie had not progressed to the point it is now. They were not sleeping with each other frequently, they didn’t trust each other, and more importantly, they weren’t even at the point that they really liked each other.
So, any sexual relationship Eric or Sookie had outside of each other, would have been “acceptable.”
But at this point in the story, with the constant sex and the feelings simmering beneath the surface, an actual relationship or any sexual activity with another person is much more difficult to accept.
If things went sour between Sookie and Stan, that would result in Eric needing a new personal assistant.
If things went badly with this Rasul situation, that could result in a ruined friendship. Eric may consider Stan a friend, but I don’t think it is to the same degree that he regards Rasul. The scales are not very balanced on that one.
I wasn’t one of those readers rooting for a hook-up with Stan. I didn’t quite understand why some readers wanted that to happen, because again, this is someone close to Eric, so for me, that’s off limits.
But I imagine the ones that were rooting for a hook-up were coming from the perspective that since Eric has been sleeping with other women since their “one-night stand,” they hoped that Sookie would have the opportunity to date or fool around outside of Eric.
But that was before they starting sleeping together and when their relationship was in a greater state of limbo than it is now.
The two situations do not even compare in my opinion.
I agree that hooking up with Rasul may not be the best idea. However, at this point, Sookie has no reason whatsoever to think Eric is interested in anything other than a sexual relationship with her. When she talked about life after their “break up” Eric didn’t propose they try to really be a couple. He didn’t argue with her about it or give her any reason to think he wants them to stay together. We know he misses her and that he’s having a hard time with her being gone, but she doesn’t know how hard it hit him.
As I said, if it was me, I wouldn’t be so concerned about being in a relationship. She’s got a lot on her plate at the moment without adding a new boyfriend to the mix. At this point they’re friends with potential, but Rasul hasn’t asked Sookie out yet or anything else. They’re just talking. I don’t see the harm in Sookie making a friend.
I actually like Rasul! I just want Sookie to up end up with Eric lol 🙂
I do agree that Rasul could be a very good friend for Sookie! He seems like a good person/not a douchebag! He seems pretty grounded, which is a good thing!
I’m having such a hard time with the whole Sookie/Rasul thing, and not just because I’m a perpetual Team Eric fan. I just don’t understand how, if it weren’t for the unexpected pregnancy throwing her and Eric together, she could even look at another man with romantic interest so soon after Jake’s death. I feel like she hasn’t really grieved for him and she still needs to do that and give herself the time to recover before she goes looking for another relationship (outside of the necessary one with her baby daddy.)
since i’m not the author of this story i really can’t throw a tantrum if things don’t head the direction i am keen for. that being said, i’m enjoying this story as a whole very much. Sookie is having fun travelling down that river in egypt, eric also and i look forward to seeing how it all gets resolved. logically i think its bad that sookie isn’t dealing with things but hey, lemons! with eric! with actual plot in between. i likey!!!!!!
Well not only is this story completely amazeballs, but everything going on in the comments is interesting too! A lot of what I wanted to say has already been covered above, so I’m not going to go into the whole Rasul thing. I loved Sookie & Eric’s phone conversation minus the after we break up emotionless void. I like Emily’s idea that maybe Rasul will see the truth of their relationship before they do. I don’t think Eric or Sookie will move forward til they start to think about & talk about things in more depth; their grief for Jake & what is happening & could happen between them. I love getting to read your responses to all our opinions Meg; this is becoming a really well analysed story!
omg. what a messy emotional termoil you two weave…. i think the message Sookie left Eric was his catayst for needing her in his life and i think her breakdown after she left the message was her’s… they may not realize it yet but they are becoming more of a need than a want anymore…. Maybe Rasul will be the camel to break their relationship, but we will have to be patient and see….. i agree with one of the reviewers above, they are snuggling and napping together so their realtionship has headed into a new direction, no long fuck buddys…. until tomorrows post, i will be patiently waiting my best Kristie
He Only “THINKS” He Is Going To Be Alright With Her And Rasul !!!
I don’t think either one of them has had time to truly grieve for their loss yet. Jake was Eric’s best friend. Jake was Sookie’s everything. So much has happened to Sookie in such a short period of time, I’m afraid it will all catch up with her. I’m afraid she is going to stumble and fall, and I can see Eric as being the one to catch her. Then their relationship can truly start. Or I could just be full of sh*t and don’t know what I’m talking about. But it’s fun to speculate. Til tomorrow, thanks.
I will reveal nothing about the accuracy of your comment. Nothing. Pokerface activated.
I love how much more they are getting along! I’m excited to read how the whole rasul/sookie thing will deveolp:)
WOW these two… what a combo of chemistry and denial! I do not think it’s unreasonable for Sookie to want to date Rasul eventually since he is (oh so) hot and Eric has stated very clearly he won’t have a problem with it. Now, it is obvious he will but it may be too late. This Eric is very emotionally immature with a virtually no relationship record and Sookie knows he has been sleeping around for years so I can see why she’s not trying to have a meaningful relationship with him even if she, more than him for sure, can feel the connection. I think she’s trying to ignore it and protecting herself by living day to day and pursuing Rasul (though I doubt Rasul will be very impressed when he finds out E&S have been fuck buddies all along – I wouldn’t want to get in the middle of that mess). It is Eric who’s not even really aware and who’s going to have a tough reckoning… Luckily he has the ALWAYS AWESOME Pam to kick his ass… Can’t wait for the next chapter!!!
I’m glad Tara’s dancing studio class didn’t take a hit but instead there was an increase. I’m glad Eric and Sookie are turning into great friends with benefits. I know Eric is denial but he’s never had a relationship with girl like Sookie or any if any that is. He doesn’t know how to have emotional feelings for a girl. I’m glad at least he’s learning from being with Sookie.
I wonder what is the baby’s gender? Will it be a little girl or a boy? Either way They both are just too cute.
I’m looking forward to see Rasul and Sookie to start dating. He’s so gorgeous! awesome job! Thank you! Girl’s! 🙂 have a great day!
I find it strange that in the beginning Sookie was so disappionted in herself, and afraid of what others-in particular her family and Jake’s-for sleeping with Eric when it was out of grief but now is okay with having Parents With Benefits with Eric while contemplating dating one of his friends. I keep wondering when someone will call her out on it-like Pam (which honestly I would find entertaining considering her level of snark) and if that would open her eyes to the fact that she really needs to let herself grieve. Sheesh…Eric needs to let himself grieve. Looking forward to reading how it all plays out. Great update.
I don’t see why everyone is fussing about Rasul and Sookie’s possible relationship. I see this a bit in a feministic way. Eric keeps on rubbing future girls that he still hasn’t met but is planning to have sex with to Sookie’s face. Why not to rub back some gorgeous man back at his? Why is it okay for Eric to move on as if nothing happened, but Sookie can’t enjoy being ACTUALLY worshiped by a world famous actor, who isn’t just stuck with her for now. Don’t get me wrong, I’m team Eric all the way, but I think he could use bucket of cold water of seeing them together even in a beginning of relationship stage. Be glad for Sookie! No matter how the story will go, I hope Sookie will get together with Rasul for a little bit, just to get back to Eric (well not for that reason, but still).
Oh and just a little question. If Sookie was quite young when she got together with Jack isn’t Eric her third, or maybe even second man? I’m just plain curious.
I do wonder…IF Sookie and Eric actually break up and IF she ends up having sex with Rasul, I wonder if that will create conflicting feelings for her? Another reader pointed out in a previous review that they see Eric filling the physical void left behind by Jake while Rasul seems to be filling the emotional one. So if she and Rasul end up having sex, he will then be filling the emotional & physical void for her. Having both needs met by someone who is not Jake…how will she handle that? Assuming she hasn’t yet faced the reality of her situation, that is!
Just a quick note to say that I still really love this story!
I am very much looking forward to both of them realising they kinda travelling in a boat … Somewhere on water… In Egypt! Lol. Lots of eye opening to come!
Great chapter!
yes i agree with gwynwyvar…..in fact, i’l go so far as to say that the three of them are all in a boat, sailing merrily away on a river in egypt….just waiting for the tidal wave (of reality) to hit them…!