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Erik was not a happy camper.
“This is not an archery range.” he grumbled, following behind Christine while she grabbed a shopping cart.
“I never said it was, silly man.”
“You said we were going to target practice.”
“You need to put your listening ears on.” Christine said in the sing-song voice she usually reserved for her kindergartners. “I said we were going to Target.”
“My dear, I believe I heard you perfectly well before. But either way, what is our purpose here in this den of lies?”
“Den of lies- really Erik?”
“There’s a bullseye on the door. That implies archery.” He threw his arms out with confusion tinted with minor indignation. “Where are the archers, Christine?”
Christine rolled her eyes in response. “It’s a sales gimmick, that’s all. Come on, we have shopping to do.”
“Shopping?” he queried, though he followed obediently.
“Our trip is in a few days. We need some things.”
“Our… trip?” Erik echoed.
Christine stopped short, the feels of the cart giving out a little squeak. “You forgot.”
Erik simply stared at her, waiting for her to elaborate.
“Summer vacation, Erik! Remember? I booked us a week at a resort in Florida. Disney World, the beach, sightseeing… none of that rings a bell?”
“I remember. However, I distinctly recall telling you ‘no.’”
“I see… I guess you don’t love me then.” She started down the aisle again, leaving Erik there, stock still in shock. Once she got to the end, she turned back to see her boyfriend still staring after her.
Christine nodded her head in the direction of the next aisle. “Erik… come on.”
“Christine… you should never, ever say such a thing!” he thundered.
“Erik, I was kidding. Don’t yell, you’re making a scene.”
“Will a scene prove my love to you? What must I do, Christine? How can I show you how hopelessly devoted to you I am? That my poor withered heart beats for you and you alone?”
She left the cart and walked back to him, taking his hands. “That was a mean thing for me to say. I didn’t mean it, Erik. Please, please lower your voice.”
His volume dropped considerably. “Erik cannot stand for Christine to think he does not love her.”
“I know you love me. I know you do.”
He hugged her tightly and she held him, rubbing his back. “I’m sorry. I won’t tease you like that again.”
“I will go with you on your summer vacation if it will please you.”
“It will, very much. Thank you Erik.” She guided him back to the cart. “We need some snacks for the drive, sunscreen and other beach gear, and clothes. I need a bathing suit and you need some summer clothes. People will think you’re nuts if you go to the beach dressed for a funeral.”
Erik did not argue with her, following closely behind. Even though he’d seemed to let the incident go, Christine kept feeling his spindly fingers brush the end of her curls. She knew that if they weren’t in public he would want to be curled into her arms and would likely shed a few tears. She felt a twinge of guilt; Erik was always sensitive when it came to their love.
She repeatedly glanced at Erik as she perused the snack aisle, hoping he might show interest in something. Getting him to eat was always tricky. Unfortunately, his face remained impassive.
“Pick something out.” She nudged him. “Something you wanna eat while we’re on the road.”
“I am indifferent, my dear. You pick.”
“I’ll get some snacks for myself, but I want you to have something you like too.”
“It is unlikely I will eat during the drive.”
“Erik, we’ll be driving all day.”
“Irrelevant.”
Christine sighed. “Fine. I will pick some but I’m going to make you try them!” She tossed some Oreos, snack cakes, and Cheez-Its into the cart.
Snacks selected, she headed to the temporary Summer Fun! section located in the garden department.
Christine grabbed the strongest sunscreen she could find. She wasn’t sure if her ghostly boyfriend’s skin would react well to the sun, but figured a higher SPF would be a safe bet. She also picked out some beach towels, an umbrella, a large cooler, and some buckets and shovels. Then it was off to the clothing department.
She knew she would be met with resistance here. The moment she reached for a Hawaiian shirt, Erik grasped her wrist. “No. Absolutely not.”
“But-”
“No. Erik would not be caught dead in something so… garish.”
“Hawaiian shirts are fun! They’re summer-y!”
“Erik said no.”
“Will you pleeeeaaaase try it on?” She begged.
“Christine…” She heard the hint of desperation in his voice. She knew she’d almost won.
“Please sweetheart?” She batted her lashes at him and saw his shoulders slump ever so slightly in defeat. Pet names won him over every time.
“Which one?” He sighed.
Christine selected a shirt with varying hues of pink and blue. His mouth formed a thin, straight line, but he said nothing, taking it from her.
“You need these too.” she said, passing him a pair of khaki shorts.
He glowered but said nothing and disappeared into the dressing room. She waited for him on a little bench, after a time, calling out “Do they fit?”
There was a long pause and then a suspicious “No.”
“Let me see. Come show me, my love.”
Christine would probably go to hell for laughing at him, but when her skinny boyfriend emerged in pink and blue with his pale, knobby knees showing, she could not prevent the unholy noise that burst from her throat. She tried to disguise it as a cough but it was quite jarring to see him in something that couldn’t be described as ‘pallbearer-chic’.
Erik’s face instantly soured. “I am taking it off.”
“No wait! I’m sorry…” She quickly composed herself. “Let me see the back.”
Reluctantly, he turned around, pausing for only a moment before facing her again.
“We’re getting it.”
“Don’t be absurd, Christine. You laughed. Others will laugh too. I will not wear this.”
“Erik, darling, you have to have appropriate clothes for the beach. You’ll die of heat stroke if you don’t.”
He let out a short bark of a laugh. “If only I were so lucky. No my dear, the heat will not bother me. You needn’t worry about my health.”
Christine ignored him. “Go change and bring those out to me. I’m going to try on swimsuits.”
Grumbling, Erik receded into his stall and Christine left with the cart towards the women’s clothing. She selected a few suits and brought them to the women’s dressing room, leaving the cart with an attendant while she tried them on.
She had just gotten the first suit on, a cherry-red one piece that accentuated her every curve, when she heard her boyfriend calling for her.
“Christine? Are you in the dressing rooms? Christine, where are you?”
She detected a mild panic in his voice and sighed, stepping out of the dressing room. “Erik? I’m right here.”
He looked over and froze, his eyes widening slightly. They had been taking their relationship slowly and what the suit revealed to him was the most of her skin he’d ever seen. Suddenly, he was no longer opposed to summer vacation.
Christine blushed a little under his intense stare, giving him a little twirl. “What do you think?”
“It is...ah… it is adequate.”
Christine giggled, aware that the comment was high praise coming from him. “I’ll get this one then.”
~*~*~*~
The store trip at last behind them, Christine knew that the trouble was just beginning. Erik was a recluse, getting him to enjoy vacation was going to be hard.
The drive was long, made longer by Erik’s refusal to use a map or ask for directions.
“I have the directions memorized, Christine. I will get us there.”
More than once, Christine was certain he was lost, but they arrived in the end. Christine had demolished her snacks and some of Erik’s. He had insisted she go ahead and, just as he’d told her at Target, did not eat for the entire drive.
They had a spacious condo for the week, with separate bedrooms and a balcony that offered a distant view of the beach. Christine put her clothes in drawers or hung them neatly in her closet, settling in and making herself at home. Erik preferred to live out of his suitcase.
When she was finished, she pulled him onto the balcony. “Isn’t it a lovely view?”
“It is.” he said quietly, though his eyes never left her face.
“Thank you for coming with me.” She turned her face up to his, smiling.
“Of course.” he mumbled, pressing a shy kiss to her mouth. “Anything for Christine.”
~*~*~*~
Christine had bought tickets to Disney World for the first two days of their vacation. Erik was not pleased, donning a full black mask and staying in her shadow, glaring at anyone that gave him a second glance.
Christine turned around, grabbing his hand. “You need to walk next to me. Following me like this in a suit makes you look like my bodyguard or something. Aren’t you burning up?”
“Erik is fine.” His voice was low and dangerous. Christine knew that meant he was on edge.
“Come on.” She gave his hand a squeeze. “We’ll start with the Haunted Mansion. I think you’ll like it.”
Christine led him to the ride and at first, he protested, but when he saw the Doom Buggies and realized how snuggly he and Christine would have to be, he quieted. His skinny frame kept them from being too tightly packed, but they still had to sit very close together.
She was right; he did enjoy it. Christine indulged him and rode it with him twice more. When he moved towards the queue for a fourth ride, she stopped him.
“They have other rides, Erik. You’ll like Pirates of the Carribean too.”
She knew him well and he enjoyed it immensely. He was also fond of Space Mountain and Christine suspected that at least a part of his enjoyment came from how dark the rides were. No one could see him and he could feel like any other park guest.
She did manage to talk him into a few other rides, but he was not as fond of those. By the end of the day, she was exhausted, and Erik repeatedly threatened to carry her as they trekked slowly to their car.
The second day saw them rotating between Erik’s favorite rides and Christine was happy with that. She was glad to have found something he enjoyed and didn’t mind getting to sit close to her boyfriend. Erik was still painfully shy and usually avoided contact so this was a rare treat.
Two days in the park was more than enough. On the third day, they mostly stayed in their room, playing cards and enjoying each other’s company. In the afternoon, Christine tried to convince Erik to come with her to the pool.
“Pleeeeease. It’ll be fun! You know how to swim, right?”
“Erik does not swim.”
“Does not or cannot?”
“Does not.” He crossed his arms.
“Fine, you can just sit by the pool and watch me swim.”
“No. I would prefer to remain here.”
Christine sighed and went into her room to change. When she emerged in her swimsuit, Erik rose and followed her without a word.
He watched her swim and occasionally tossed a diving ring for her. It might seem childish, but Christine refused to give up her playful nature simply because she was an adult.
While she was diving for the ring, someone else snatched it up. Christine surfaced and found a young man panting slightly, grinning as he held up the ring. “Is this what you want?”
“Yes.” She reached for it but he held it over her head, stepping back.
“I’m Raoul.” He extended his hand.
“I’m Christine. Give it back please.”
“Let me think about it…” He splashed her playfully.
“Hey!” She splashed him back.
“Oh, it’s on now.” He laughed, splashing her again.
They splashed back and forth while Christine tried to move close enough to grab the ring. Raoul scooped her up and dumped her backwards into the water.
Suddenly, a pool noodle passed over his head and wrapped itself around his neck, pulled tight from behind. Erik stood at the edge of the pool, holding the noodle in a grip so tight his knuckles turned white.
He lowered his head, his masked face beside Raoul’s ear.
“How dare you touch her,” he growled. “If you ever lay a finger on her again, it will be the last thing you ever do.”
Christine came up sputtering, pushing her hair from her face. “Erik, stop! Let him go!”
“Erik let go of the pool noodle and Raoul stumbled forward, wheezing, “Relax man, I was just messing with her! She seemed fine with it!”
“I was. Raoul, I’m so sorry.” Christine climbed out of the water. “Erik, let’s go.”
Erik silently draped her towel over her shoulders and left with her.
Christine didn’t say another room until their door was shut.
“Erik, what the hell was that?”
“He threw you into the water.”
“So? People do that in the pool sometimes, it’s not a big deal.”
“You weren’t expecting it. What if you had swallowed water? What if you had hit your head underwater? It was a dangerous act.”
“Erik, we were playing. I felt the way he grabbed me, I knew what he was going to do.”
“I see.”
“You owe him an apology.”
Erik laughed. “I will not apologize to some strange man for manhandling my girlfriend. He had no right to touch you.” He grabbed her wrist in a vice-like grip, pulling her against him. “If he ever dares to touch you again, I’ll kill him.”
“Erik, stop it!” She tried to push away but he was much stronger. “Stop it, you’re hurting me.”
He released her and flew back as though burned by her words. “Erik is sorry… Erik is sorry… Please… do not go. Do not leave Erik.”
“I just… I need some air.” She moved towards the door before realizing she was still in her wet swimsuit. Christine went to her room instead, changing quickly. Erik was in the same spot when she emerged, simply watching her. “I’m going for a walk. I’ll be fine.”
She left, taking the elevator down to the lobby. She had just paused through the outside doors when she heard someone calling her name. Christine turned to find Raoul hurrying over to her, holding out the diving ring.
“I’m glad I caught you. You left this and I wasn’t sure how to return it to you.”
Christine accepted it. “Thank you. I’m sorry about my boyfriend. He can be a little… intense.”
“No worries, I get it. But he doesn’t… he doesn’t handle you like that, does he?”
“No! No, Erik is good to me. He’d never hurt me.” She could still feel where he had clamped onto her wrist, her skin throbbing in a rhythm that whispered liar… liar…
“Good. But can I give you my number just in case you need anything?”
“I… That’s really not necessary.”
Raoul handed her a card. “Just… hold onto it, ok? Just in case.”
Christine nodded, slipping it into her pocket. “Thanks…”
Raoul nodded. “See you around. I’ll want a rematch next time we’re both at the pool.”
She gave him a weak smile. “You got it.”
He finally left her in peace and Christine walked to the beach. The gentle rise and fall of the waves soothed her and she felt herself becoming lighter. Erik was a difficult man under normal circumstances, and she knew this vacation was hard for him. It was their first trip as a couple and he was way out of his comfort zone. She needed to be patient with him.
He was good to her. She knew he loved her beyond reason. He was usually so gentle with her. Christine knew by the way he immediately released her that he hadn’t meant to cause her harm. And really, there was no damage done. She no longer felt a ghostly grip around her wrist. She was fine.
Christine sat in the sand, her feet in the water, until she felt clear enough to return home. She felt bad for being gone as long as she was, knowing the guilt would be tearing him up.
Erik threw himself at her feet the moment she unlocked the door, begging for her forgiveness. “Erik will never, ever hurt Christine again. Erik is sorry. Erik loves Christine. He will die for her. Christine…” he sobbed, beside himself.
Christine knelt, putting his mask aside and kissing his forehead. “I forgive you.”
He buried his face in her shoulder. “Christine is too good. Better than Erik deserves.”
“Hush... “ She gently rubbed his back.
She held him until his sobs subsided into soft hiccups. “You know… I’m proud of you. You came with me even though you didn’t want to. You went to Disney twice even though you had to be around people all day. You have done everything I’ve asked of you and I tugged you along thinking that I was doing you a favor. I was forcing you to do things because you’d enjoy them, and that meant I was doing something nice for you. But that wasn’t very nice and you have been so patient. You have stepped out of your comfort zone repeatedly. You do anything and everything I ask and I don’t tell you enough how much I appreciate you. I love you.”
“I love you too…” he mumbled into her shoulder.
“How would you like to spend the rest of our vacation?”
“Christine, wait…” he sat back, taking a shuddering breath. “I must apologize for my actions. I was… jealous. I reacted poorly. I hurt you. That is not excused simply because you made me do things I did not wish to do. I am sorry, Christine.”
He took her hand, pressing a soft kiss to her wrist. “You have my word; that will never happen again. I could not live with myself.”
Christine gently touched his cheek. “Thank you, Erik…”
He rose, helping her to feet.
“No more tears.” She gently wiped his cheeks. “We are going to go get some ice cream, cuddle on the balcony, and enjoy the rest of our vacation.”
Christine grabbed the car keys and slipped them into her pocket, withdrawing Raoul’s card. Without hesitating, she dropped it into the trash can. She knew she wouldn’t need it.
Erik replaced his mask and reached for her hand. The tremulous smile he offered her spoke volumes.
They were going to be ok.