Turnings (Southern Vampire Mysteries)

Every Time a Bell Rings

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It seemed hard to believe that only a few years ago, Sookie Stackhouse was standing where she stood right now, thrilled that a vampire finally walked into Merlotte's. Sookie remembered thinking that Bill Compton sitting at her table signaled the beginning of her whole new life.

If she was being perfectly honest, in most ways Bill Compton walking in that day had signaled a beginning of things. After Eric Northman had left her, a little over a month ago, Sookie remembered thinking that his departure signaled a new beginning, too. Instead of being the start of her 'exciting' life, though, she was sure Eric's leaving was the start of her 'normal' life. She had crossed her arms and declared that she was Sookie Stackhouse and that Bon Temps was where she belonged.

Now, she wasn't so sure.

Everything that happened over the past month unfolded the way she imagined it would. Sookie opened her arms to Sam Merlotte and they had slept together. The first couple times were nice, even exciting. Sam didn't demand her full attention in bed, the way Eric Northman had. He didn't expect her to perform oral sex or flip around in multiple positions. He was pretty much happy any way he got it, and he was grateful afterward in a way that made Sookie feel just a little bit uncomfortable. It wasn't that Sookie didn't like suggesting things, but, after their third time together, Sookie realized she knew a lot more about sex than Sam and it made her feel kind of cheap.

The last time Sam came out to her house for dinner, Sookie could tell he expected to spend the night. He walked into her front parlor after they ate and sat close to her on the couch. He dropped his arm across her shoulders and toed off his shoes on the floor. As he leaned toward her, that look in his eye, she told him she was really tired and sent him home. Sookie realized she wasn't interested in having sex with Sam again. Truth be told, the more time she spent with him, the more she wondered what she'd ever seen in Sam aside from the fact that he was her friend and reliable. 'Husband material,' her sister-in-law told her.

Everyone liked Sam. People seemed to like her more because they thought she was with him. Every day stretched out in front of Sookie like every other day. Sookie got up and went to the restaurant in the morning. Sam walked in through the back from his trailer and got cash registers filled and the bar stocked. Waitresses arrived and side work was done. When Sam finished with the bar, Sookie started counting to three, knowing before she got to four he would look up and call her "Cher" and smile his happy smile.

At first, when he slipped his arm around her in the hallway and pulled her close to kiss her, she felt special. She even felt a little thrill when he did it in his office or someplace folks couldn't see, but last week, he pulled her forward across the bar and tried to kiss her on the lips in front of everyone.

For some reason, it upset her. She turned her head and pushed Sam away. She could see his confusion and she mumbled that she just wasn't ready to be so public. "Okay, Cher," he'd frowned and walked away. Sookie couldn't explain why she felt relieved.

When she turned her head the next time, Sam asked her what the problem was. Sookie wished she could explain it.

In so many ways, she and Sam fit the picture of how Sookie thought a couple should be. Sam was the perfect height. He never did anything that caused problems with people. When he said he'd be somewhere, he was. When he said he'd do something, he did. No one was looking for him, and he wasn't interested in being anything other than what he was. It wasn't that Sam wasn't ambitious, he was hard-working. He just didn't seem to need to stand out in any way.