The Eddie Munson Tape Dates

Mercyful Fate, 'Don't Break the Oath'

You looked over at the Word of the day calendar above the huge red numbers for the date were 'Holiday' in her fantastic bubble lettering and below them 'Lepidopterarium'.

You laugh to yourself at the coincidence. Your Mom and Dad had decided to take a vacation last minute, as usual. However, you wouldn't be joining them this time, which meant you were home alone for the week.

Except for the fact you wouldn't be home alone, Eddie had kindly offered to stay the whole week, so you weren't, as he put it, "All on your lil' lonesome".

A smile creeps across your face thinking about how sweet he could sometimes be as you stir one of the many pots on the stove in front of you.

You didn't think you'd have any problems being on your own. Eddie had folded his arms across his chest and smirked at you, "Oh really? Well, speaking as a professional, I don't think you've got the stuff to make it...oooh...two days on your own."

"You?..a professional at being by yourself? We see one another every day," you'd laughed but quickly added, "Which I love, by the way."

He'd smiled gently and said, "Good catch, but that's not what I mean. Sitting in the house on your own, watching TV or whatever... whether you have a visitor for a while or not, is hugely different from falling asleep completely alone and knowing that it's just you until you open your eyes next. It's vulnerability. Especially if it's not the norm."

You'd smiled and shook your head at his advice, "I'll be fine. This is my home."

He had just nodded and said kindly, "Ok then, Sugar," and had given you a kiss on the forehead.

Several hours later, you had been wide awake in bed, staring at the ceiling, listening to the noises of the house. A few times reaching for an old baseball bat, hurrying downstairs, checking all the locks for the millionth time, and running back upstairs at top speed.

You had looked over at your alarm clock. It was one in the morning. You couldn't call now. After a huge sigh, you'd decided to get dressed and give up on sleep altogether.

For comfort, you'd grabbed a t-shirt from Eddie's stash of clothes he kept in your closet. You swear you could smell smoke on it, but that couldn't be possible. All this was clean laundry.

Then out of the corner of your eye, you saw a whisp of smoke move closely past your window, coming from the porch's roof. You grabbed your bat and tried to get a better glimpse of what was there.

Your heart had been pounding, and your grip on the bat was white-knuckle tight as you moved around to see more of the roof just outside your window.

Camouflage...a camouflage sleeping bag...the sleeve of a leather jacket and a hint of denim. You let the bat fall by your side, roll your eyes and open your window, "Hello, dear", you say knowingly.

"Oh, fancy seeing you here!" He'd said in faux surprise, "Coping alright, on your own, are you?" He said, eyeing the baseball bat hilt he could just make out in your hand.

Laughing, you'd said, "Ok, I admit it, you were right, ok?" And extended a hand to him to help him inside and rolled your eyes at his face that said nothing but screamed, "I told you so".

He'd been here since then, and whilst it was definitely not unusual for Eddie to be around often or to stay over. It was unusual to be just the two of you. The house felt huge.
It felt strange, but not in an uncomfortable way. Maybe it felt odd because it should have felt weird, but it just felt natural. Like it was supposed to be like this.

For the most part of this week, you'd just dined on freezer meals and take-out, but as it was Saturday and Eddie had been out on his deliveries and practice, you decided to attempt one of your Dad's specialities, a roast dinner. With handmade Yorkshire puddings and an apple crumble for dessert.