Thick As Blood {A Menendez Brothers Fic}

54. Say Yes To Heaven

(September 20th, 1989 - Princeton, NJ)
Lovingly gazing upon the glimmering ring upon my finger in such an awestruck manner, told me that my dream had finally started to come true. Since I could possibly remember, I've always wanted someone to love who truly loved me back in return with such a deeply embedded passion within their heart and soul. Knowing I never had any good influences when it came to the prospect of love, I had never really understood what it meant until I met Erik. I saw something within his baby blues that for the longest time, I couldn't explain. But eventually, we knew what was growing between us was far more than friendship. And we didn't want to fight it, regardless of what our parents thought.

"You slept with your ring on?" Erik's rather husky voice from having just awoken, greeted me once my gaze landed upon his in a more than loving manner. Softly bringing myself to kiss him on his ever so soft lips, I knew in that moment that we could actually have the future we'd been dreaming of for so long, that it was within arms length. So much has been taken from us in such a short period of time, but our relationship never faltered like our parents had hoped. Of course, we haven't gone without challenges that would arise between us that we had to sort out before we both imploded. But, we knew we were it for each other. Soul mates was a term I have never been taught because my parents certainly were anything but. I just knew in a matter of time that Erik was mine, and I had finally been granted an unconditional love that I wasn't willing to lose.

"You should have known I would. How could I ever take it off?" I softly said atop his bare chest with his baby blues gazing into mine with such ease. He felt truly safe within my company, as did I in his. Another factor we knew was unbreakable, was the fact that we found each other in such a horrible time in our lives. And we didn't let it slip away, but only kept exploring each other until we realized we found peace within the storm.

"I can't tell you how many times i thought about asking you. I just knew it was all I wanted." Having come to Princeton to just take a breather and be alone after our special occasion, it was exactly what we needed. Looking for something we could buy living wise while here as well, Aunt Liz didn't object in the least. Princeton was certainly somewhere we would be spending loads of time with Lyle going here and soon to open his new restaurant, it was obviously a smart choice to find a place to permanently own.

"And it's all I've ever dreamed of. I know we don't talk about it often, but after we lost the baby—I was so fearful of losing you in the process. I couldn't face that fact, and just became so shut in. And—I'm so sorry, Erik." He gently sat up against the headboard of the bed while taking care to bring me with him, his warm embrace something I crave more than anything. Beginning to trace soft circles atop the exposed skin from my raised shirt, he knew this had been bothering me in such a way that nothing ever had.

"You know I don't fault you for anything, beautiful. I love you. And I will say this over and over again if it means reassuring you. I'm not going anywhere if you aren't with me. Don't you understand that?" Gently nodding with tears slowly forming in my eyes from complete relief on the matter, I did finally believe it without doubting so much. I'm just so used to everyone leaving for the right price, my father having literally paid so called friends and family to stay away from me, from Ava, from mom. It's sickening. But, I just knew I had to remember that it would never happen when it comes to Erik.

"I do now. I just—I've never had anything to lose until Ava was born. Then I met you and Lyle and just knew I had so much to lose. And my father, he was willing to take it all away to break me. He wanted me helpless and at his will. That's why I'm so glad it's over......." I practically whispered the last part between only the two of us, thinking of Ava who was currently at Terri's so she wouldn't miss any school while Erik and I were away. Missing her terribly, I knew I couldn't be here much longer without going absolutely insane with worry and anxiety. Kids had been giving her a hard time about our fathers death, claiming she must have the touch of death for both parents to have died. I wanted so badly to go to that school and demand something be done, but was advised by everyone that it would only make matters worse. Eventually, Michelle stuck up for Ava and some other girls did as well, feeling so much better knowing she had good friends to support her through his as well as us.