Chapter 41: Eric

Now that we are in the clear and close to Eric’s, I tell Arabella where we are going. It has been several hours and in between the time we had a close call and now, she fell asleep for a while. However, right at this moment, she is staring at me and asking, “When will we get there?” In that tone a small child gets when she wants to annoy her parents.

Shrugging, I refuse to bite and just look ahead for about ten minutes, before I answer as I turn off the main road to his house, “We will be there in about five minutes.” With a stern tone to my voice and then I turn my head briefly to smile at her.

I certainly don’t want her to think I am mad at her, but I don’t want to fight either and right at this moment, I think we have been alone in this car far too long together. Turning to stare at me while I drive, I feel her eyes on me and the glance over at her quickly. “What’s up?” I ask because I am curious why she is staring at me so intensely.

“I have to go to the bathroom.” She says again in that same voice.

Amazingly, we arrive just after she answers the question. I am afraid that I would have had to spank her if we had been in the car for very much longer, because of the way she has been acting. Just thinking about her childish behavior, makes me grin a little now that we are here.

When we pull into the driveway, I see that he isn’t home. Fortunately, I know where he always keeps the spare key though. So, after helping Arabella out of the car, we walk hand in hand up to the front door where we stop. I stretch and reach up around the top of the door frame and there it is. I find the spare key that he has placed there for such times.

I remember when I was younger, I could barely reach it. However, now all I must do is stand up straight and feel for it with my fingers. Smiling down at Arabella, I say, “Here it is. You will be able to relieve yourself within a matter of minutes.”

She turns to me and says quietly, “I really am sorry that I acted the way I did in the car, but I was starting to feel claustrophobic. We had been in the car for far too long. I don’t take well to long car trips. Sorry.” She looks up at me again with worry in her eyes and then smiles a sheepish grin.

Knowing that this conversation is better said inside, I hurry and unlock the door so she can run to the bathroom. As soon as I open the door, I say to her, “The door to the bathroom is at the end of the hall on the left. You can’t miss it.” As she heads off in that general direction while I check out the rest of the house.

Not much has changed since I have been here last time, it seems. The only thing that I notice is different, is the fact that Ruby isn’t barking. Where is she? I would have thought that she would be here at least.

Running my fingers over the back of my neck, I work the knot out of my shoulder and then turn around to see Arabella staring at me. “I almost didn’t make it to the bathroom.” She states when a smile spreads across her face.

Knowing that how much of a mess that would have been. I am sure glad she didn’t pee herself, because then she would have complained endlessly. Still trying to figure out where Eric went and how long he has been gone, I open the door to his study.

Walking over to his desk, I hear Arabella follow me and then stop as she admires the pictures that adorn the walls. “Who is this?” She asks, as she fondly stares at them closely.

“Hold on a minute, I am trying to figure out when Eric might be back. Then I will tell you everything you want to know, baby.” I try to keep it cool, because I know if I panic her, she will get more upset then she has already been.

Rummaging through his papers, I see his desk calendar and then I see it. There is a notation scribbled on it, “Dad’s house for his birthday.”

Sure enough, it is his dad’s birthday. Son of a gun, I can’t believe I completely forgot about that. Of course, he would be there.

Eric is my only human friend in the world and his dad is the one who brought us together. I just can’t believe his dad is still alive. He has to be in his 70’s and he lived a hard life.

Remembering to the good ole days, I get sidetracked, but then Arabella strolls over to the side of me. I feel her soft fingers walk up my arm and then she reaches up around my neck to pull me down for a kiss. Leaning down at her insistence, I devour her lips before biting the bottom one and then breaking the kiss.

I give her a smirk and then take her hand before leading her to the pictures on the wall. “Now, I do believe I told you I would answer all your questions, so shoot.” Waiting for her to ask, my eyes roam over the pictures and then I return to her face.

“Well, who is this handsome man in this picture next to you?” She smiles brightly and then giggles.

“That is my man, Eric. He is the single human friend that I have. We have been through thick and thin together. My dad was friends with his dad and then his father, introduced me to him. Ever since then, we have been great friends.” I must have a smile on my face when I say it, because then she looks at me funny before asking another question.

“So, then this is his father?” Her voice trails off the minute she sees a picture of us and then she just stares for a minute while ignoring my answer.

“Yes. It is.” I nod and then watch her eyes narrow.

“Who is this?” She points out a woman between the two of us. I don’t really want to answer it because it will lead to a whole slew of questions, but I know I can’t get around it when she starts tapping her nails on the picture.

Lower my eyes, I answer in a quieter voice, “That was Samantha, Eric’s younger sister. We had a thing for a few years, but then she died. After that, I hadn’t been interested in anyone till I met you.” My voice fades into silence and then it becomes uncomfortably quiet till I hear the front door open.

Instantly, I become alerted to the presence of another person in the house and then I smell him. That familiar scent from so many years ago. Has it been that long since I have been here?

Remembering now that the last time I was here, was the day of her funeral. I swallow hard and wait for Eric to walk in the room.