Chương 458: Chapter 458
Erik straightened his tie in the large mirror in the main foyer.
"You look quite handsome." Christian said as he passed him heading to dinner.
"You're not going?" Erik fidgeted as he asked.
"No. This is my mother's thing. Also, stop fidgeting. Royalty 101. You know this." Christian laughed. Erik nodded and waited for several more minutes as he paced. The wait was worth it, he thought, as she appeared at the top of the stairs in a Versace black completely backless halter gown.
"Fuck." Erik mumbled as he watched her descend the stairs.
"How do I look?" She asked as she turned in a circle to show him the dress.
"Pearl. Pearl the dress is dangerously close to showing your ass crack. How am I supposed to be a gentleman all night when I'll be sporting an enormous erection every time I place my hand on your back?"
She laughed.
"I advise thinking distracting thoughts, then." She leaned into his ear. "And enormous is an understatement, darling."
He growled and pulled her into his arms.
"Really, is this what we have to deal with again? Fucking Christ I don't miss this at all." Jim said as he walked past.
"Aren't you flying home tomorrow?" Erik said with a sly smile.
"Thank the good lord above, yes." He shook his head as he headed to the dining room.
"Shall we?" Erik held out his arm.
"We shall." Pearl wrapped hers around and they walked to the car that Jakob had waiting.
********************
Nora was working on a color palette to paint the Highgrove house.
"I really like the solid dark blue for the nursery." Christian looked over her shoulders and pointed at the color.
"You are convinced this is a boy, aren't you?"
"Yes," Christian said with confidence.
"I'm so excited to be getting things together. I'm a little worried, though. By Christmas, if we can pull off a wedding by then, I'll be huge. It only adds to my complete terror at being on display for the world at my wedding." Nora didn't look at Christian when she said it. She knew it was wrong and not fair to him. He was king. And kings had public spectacles for weddings.
Christian wanted to burst out with the wedding plans for the following weekend but he stopped himself. The element of surprise was most important here. It was his gift to her. They wouldn't have a big, televised wedding. They would casually announce that they were married in private a month or two later. By then, they would be a Highgrove and life would go on as usual.
He was so exited to meet his son and finally have the life he always wanted.
*************************
The car arrived out in front of the red carpet.
"Pearl! It's Pearl!" They all shouted and ran over.
"Ready?" Pearl asked.
"It's been a long time since I've been at a premiere." Erik shifted in his seat.
"The world's loss," Pearl said as she kissed his cheek. She wiped the lipstick from his face. He opened the door and stepped out, adjusting his Ralph Lauren tuxedo jacket to flash bulbs all around.
"Erik! Erik! Have you and Pearl reconciled? There are rumors of a pardon?" Shouts continued as he walked to Pearl's door and opened it.
"We love you two back together!" Another reporter shouted. Erik smiled at her as he held his hand out for Pearl. She stepped out in her dress, looking incredible with her hair down in waves, her eyes smoky and lips blood red.
"Pearl, you look incredible!" More shouts. She wrapped her arm around Erik's and put her head on his shoulder as he escorted her inside. Pearl was announced as her majesty and Erik bowed with everyone else as they acknowledged her. She turned to Erik and curtsied. He cleared his throat as the gasps came from the crowd.
"Did she just acknowledge him as royalty, too?"
As they made their way in, several people fell quiet and parted for them to pass. Whispers and snickers and blatant stares followed them into the main room. Pearl didn't care. She was with Erik and this was what her heart truly wanted.
"Hello, my beautiful friend and queen." Fi said as she greeted them. "I see you're making quite the entrance, as usual." She reached her hand out to Erik, giving him a firm shake. "Glad you could make it as well, Erik. Way to bring the publicity to my movie!" Erik smiled and grabbed a glass of champagne. People began to mingle and a familiar voice from behind made Erik cringe.
"Holy shit. If it isn't 50 shades of fucked up escorting the queen of everything. I never thought I'd see this again."
"Rhys," Erik said under his breath.
"Yes indeed! I haven't seen you since they tried to burn you at the stake. Looks like life is much better for you now."
Erik rolled his eyes, "Ah yes. The only ex that should have died but sadly, hasn't. Not yet anyway. Are those hair plugs?" Erik couldn't help himself. "Yes, I have had a terrible few years but at least I can say I don't have pubic hair sewn into my skull."
Rhys gave a sarcastic laugh. "Having all your hair is the real only thing you will ever have over me, you fraud."
Erik turned and looked him in the eyes and then looked over at Pearl. "That's not the only thing." He said with a wink. He patted Rhys on the shoulder and walked over to Pearl, putting his hand on her back as she reached and locked fingers with him.
"I see you've run into old friends." Pearl said quietly.
"Yes. And they are just as lovely as I remember." He sipped his champagne.
"Oh, I bet. Are those hair implants?" She couldn't help but say it. He laughed. His laugh was so sexy, she thought. His face lit up so much and the creases around his eyes let you know it was genuine.
Several people came over to say hello. Many asked Erik how he was and what he had been doing with the years. They talked about his therapy and his public speaking. His law practice and time at NYU. Many seemed positive with him as well as the expected negative comments and sneers. Pearl was given condolences on Dylan's passing. Their life and marriage was quite private so many weren't sure if they were married or partners or just close friends and band mates. But everyone knew the chemistry and history between Pearl and Erik. And it showed that night, more radiant than ever. Their love for each other, their connection. It was undeniable. He never took his eyes off her for long, or his hand off her back. He radiated with pride.
"I can't believe they are pardoning you, you are a sexual predator and murderer." A woman said to them after the premier in the foyer as they were about to leave.
"Excuse me?" Pearl was taken aback.
"My name is Penelope Dailey and I run the international coalition for abuse survivors. Don't think anyone has forgotten what you did. You may have evaded the criminal liability but we will never allow you to evade public liability."
Erik let go of Pearl's back and stood in front of Penelope.
"You're right," he said, looking into her eyes.
She seemed a bit surprised by his response.
Several onlookers still filled the room and fell silent to listen to what was transpiring.
"I did terrible things. I carried many wounds and mental health issues for a great many years. I did many wrongs to women, including my wife, and many of those women that I hurt had issues of their own, that I took full advantage of even though I had their consent. They were in no place to give consent and I was in no place to interact with them at all. I hurt many and I hurt myself. I was a monster." Pearl put her hand gently on Erik's arm.
"But let me tell what he won't," Pearl said. Erik looked over at her and shook his head. He didn't want her to defend him and risk her own neck. "He spent 16 years in intense treatment after serving three years in solitary confinement in prison. He realized that he too, was a survivor of abuse and neglect and trauma. He learned though many wonderful therapists and doctors that those things weren't an excuse for his behavior and he took accountability for it yet also worked to understand it so he wouldn't repeat the same mistakes. He was later acquitted because of the mental health diagnoses he carried. He gave half of his life to advocacy and speaking out. He had no relations with a woman for many years after for fear he wasn't completely healed and might put someone in danger. He became sober. He earned his law degree and did pro bono work for many women's rights groups and mental health cases. Let me tell you, he is the first person to cancel himself and tell you he doesn't deserve this, he doesn't deserve a second chance. I was the one that brought it all to light. I was hurt badly, personally by him and I forgive him. What leader and royal would I be if I defined others by their mistakes when their good deeds out number the bad? Are we only our past? Who are we to judge when none of us is perfect? Perhaps we should stop pulling people out of the water to call ourselves martyrs and go upstream to figure out why they are falling in in the first place. How can we advocate and preach for rehabilitation when we rarely accept the results as truth and valid? Instead of threatening this man, ask him how he can help. I assure you, he will." Pearl took his hand and squeezed it tight. Everyone in the room had been listening to her speech. Several began to clap.
She pulled Erik's hand and they walked away, out into the lobby and back to the car.
"You are the only person to ever defend me and have my back like that, thank you," Erik said on the ride back.
"That speech was for me." He looked over at her.
"What do you mean?"
She put her head down. "I need to understand my accountability in all of this as well. I cheated on you. I cheated on you long before your breakdown and I threw you like a sacrificial lamb to make myself out to be the martyr. Yes. You fucked up. Yes you needed help. But that speech, that was my speech to hear as well."
He kissed her hand and smiled.
"I have never loved you more." He ran his hand down her bare back and round to her swollen belly.
"My child is inside of you. My heart is in your hands. Your heart is in mine. Our souls forever bound. Life has begun anew." He kissed her shoulder.
"Let's leave the rest in the past now and only take the good memories with us."
Pearl put her hand over his, nodded and smiled.
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