章節 192: Chapter 192
"So you are real." Pearl said to Erik the next morning.
"I assure you I am real." He said.
"Good. It's easier to talk to people when they are real." Pearl said, with the double entendre. Erik smiled, placing a vase of fresh lilies on her beside table.
"More flowers?" She asked.
"Never enough." He replied, sitting down by her beside.
"So, you left off in New Orleans and you barely talked about Italy." Pearl said.
"I have a better idea, actually." He said.
"Ok." Pearl said.
"How about we start fresh from here. I would like to help you while you are here and take you to my house in the country after your discharge for your recovery. Consider me a friend that wants to help. John is willing to stay a week or so if it would make you feel more comfortable." Erik said.
"Oh no. I can't ask you to do that. I mean, I don't really know you and I'm sure someone like you is really busy and wouldn't want someone like me hanging around, being a burden." Pearl said.
"You're not asking me. I am asking you. Would you please accompany me to my country house so that I may have the honor of attending to your healing?"Erik asked.
"I don't know..." Pearl hesitated.
"You saved my life. It is the least I can do." He said.
Pearl was in England and wasn't sure about her home situation now that she had apparently left the cheating clown she was married to. She wasn't sure what her other options even were at this point.
"I insist." He said.
"Ok. Thank you very much." She said.
It had been four days since Pearl had opened her eyes after the accident, and the hospital was discharging her. Erik had stayed at the hospital the entire time. Ian, Fi, Iris, Blake and Dylan were flying back and stopped in to say goodbye and meet her all at the same time.
"You all seem so great. I hope my memory comes back soon so I can remember the times I have had with all of you." Pearl said, wiping the tears from her cheeks.
"Take your time. Heal. We will be here when you remember." Fi said. "And if you don't, we will have an excuse to make new memories together."
Iris told her she would handle everything stateside and for her not to worry about a thing. They all hugged her and left, except Dylan and Erik.
"Pearl, I'm Dylan. I know you don't remember me but I want you to know that I love you. I don't want you to ever doubt that. I have this, planet of regret on my shoulders regarding our time together. I haven't always been the easiest man to know. But you are so important to me. You are my best friend. I'll be right there whenever you need me. Erik is a good man. Let him take care of you. You deserve it more than anyone." He said and he kissed her cheek and walked out of the door. Erik nodded at him and told him he would call him with updates.
"Ok, so are we ready to go then?" Erik asked.
"Yep! I don't have anything really. Just that beautiful dress with blood all over it and that bag." Pearl said.
Jim walked in and stood by the door. "Who is that?" Pearl whispered to Erik.
"That's Jim. Your bodyguard." Erik said.
"I have a bodyguard?" Pearl asked.
"Yes. And you will need more. We are having security meet is downstairs." He said.
"Ok." Pearl said, looking at Jim.
They walked out of a side entrance to avoid the sea of press out front. They heard some shouting as they walked out and Jim helped her into the car and they sped off.
"Jim, you intimidate the crap out of me but I'm glad you're in my corner." Pearl said. Jim looked at Erik.
"It's a good corner to be in." Jim said, smiling. Erik nodded.
They arrived at Highgrove House and Pearl couldn't believe where she was. "This is your country house?" Pearl asked.
"Yes. Do you like it?" He asked.
"It's like Pemberley. Like what I envisioned Mr. Darcy's home looking like." Pearl said.
"That's Lyme Park, in Cheshire. I will take you there." Erik said.
Pearl looked at him. He smiled and she smiled back. He had the most adorably masculine face. One that could look murderous and terrifying but didn't because of the softness of his eyes. He really was handsome to look at, with his unruly hair and sharp jawline, she thought. And big. He was a strong and tall man, all muscle and masculinity, speaking to her about Jane Austen novels. She giggled to herself.
"Something amusing, Pearl." He asked.
"No. I'm sorry." She said, showing her best serious face.
They got out of the car and Erik helped walk Pearl in. He showed her to her room and Bernard helped with her things. "As you instructed, your highness." Bernard said. The room was filled with roses and lilies and there were fresh linens on the bed.
"Wow. This is my room?" She asked.
"Yes. Please make yourself comfortable. Join me for tea soon?" Erik asked.
"Yes. I would love that." Pearl said. He closed the door and Pearl looked around at the massive and elegantly decorated room. "Wow!" She said out loud. She looked at her things that were there. Dresses and clothes filled the closet as her purse with her driver's license and other things. She had definitely been there before the accident. This was unbelievable.
She managed to make it down the staircase and into the staff kitchen. "Can I help make the tea?" She asked, startling the kitchen staff.
"Ma'am. What are you doing in here?" One of them asked.
Erik caught a glimpse of her walking to the kitchen and followed, eavesdropping.
"Can I help make the tea? I'd like to learn how to make English tea properly." Pearl said.
"Yes... Of course." The staff said, a bit freaked out.
"Awesome. What is your name? I'm Pearl."
"Yes. We know your name, ma'am."
"Then why are you calling me ma'am? Call me Pearl. And you are?"
"Audrey, ma... I mean Pearl." She said.
"Nice to meet you, Audrey." Pearl said with a big smile. She introduced herself to the other people in the kitchen and walked out to the terrace to meet Erik.
"This tea is fantastic." Erik said. "Not like the usual tea." Pearl's face lit up.
"I made it!" She said, proud of herself.
"Well that must be why." He smiled.
A few moments of silence fell between them as they looked out over the beautiful gardens.
"I can't believe I fell asleep groveling on the floor for Paul to stop cheating on me and then woke up to this. It's, well, you have to know how unreal this seems to me. I keep waiting for someone to jump out of the bushes and tell me I'm being punk'd." Pearl said.
"Punk'd?" Erik asked.
"It's an old show on MTV where this actor plays practical jokes on his fellow celebrities. I'll find it and maybe we can watch it sometime. It's hilarious." Pearl said. Erik remembered them watching old movies together in Austria. The wonderful night they had spent just holding each other and being still together.
"I'd like that very much." He said, fighting back tears.
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