Valentine's Diner

Chapter 40 - July 24th, 2002

'Anna Hanlin,' Mr. Botticelli says with his italian accent. 'Mr. Botticelli,' Anna says with a smile. 'Are you ready for the grand opening? A lot of big names are coming tonight.' 'I'm a little nervous, but it's a great opportunity. Thank you again,' Anna says politely. 'A great artist deserves a great public and buyers!' the little italian man says and opens the doors.

Anna welcomes the guests. After an hour she mingles with the people. She listens to what they have to say. They think her art is amazing, especially the protret of the young girl. Her daughter. She painted Sookie as a coping mechanism. Anna looks at the painting. How nice it would be if she was here, that she could hug her, tell her that she's proud of her no matter what and that she loves her.

'Mom?' a voice behind Anna asks. Anna turns around in disbelieve. 'Sookie?!' she asks surprised. 'Mom,' Sookie smiles. Anna starts crying and hugs her daughter. 'I'm sorry,' Sookie cries. 'It's okay, honey,' Anna says and hugs her daughter tightly. 'I didn't know what to say,' Sookie mutters. 'I'm just glad you are alive and okay,' Anna says and releases the hug.

She notices the young man awkwardly standing behind her daughter. 'That's Erik,' Sookie says. 'Hi,' Anna says and extends her hand. 'Nice to meet you,' Erik says and shakes her hand. Anna looks at Sookie with a smile. 'I want to talk, can you wait for an hour?' Anna asks. 'Yes, we'll be in the café across the street. Okay?' 'Okay,' Anna says and hugs her daughter again.

Erik and Sookie leave the convention after looking at the art for a while and go to the little café. 'She seems lovely.' 'She is,' Sookie smiles. 'She missed you too,' Erik says. Sookie smiles. 'My brother kept his promise, tough', Sookie says and takes a seat. Erik frowns. 'In the letter to my brother I wrote that he couldn't tell our mother, and he didn't tell.' 'Sounds amazing to have a brother like that,' Erik says. 'You have a brother,' Sookie says. Erik scoffs. 'Lars is, wel he's complicated and ten years older than me,' Erik says. 'He was a jerk to me.' 'That's the duty of an older brother,' Sookie says and waves the waiter.

An hour later Anna joins the young people. She orders a drink and then looks at her daughter. 'Sookie,' Anna says seriously. 'What the hell happened?' Sookie looks form her mother to Erik. 'I can leave if you want?' Erik asks. 'No, I don't want to tell this again another time,' Sookie says. Anna looks worried. 'A few things happened over the last few years and it became to much for me,' Sookie starts.

Sookie tells about Clara first. 'That's bullshit, Olivia and Levi aren't against it. They told me that they thought that you and Clara would make a great couple if you ever confessed your feelings,' Anna says. Then she tells about Oliver. 'He what?! That son of a bitch! I knew he was bad, just not that bad. And they let him go?! The freaking police let him go?!' Sookie nods. 'What the hell is wrong with our country?'

Sookie looks at Erik, who's taking it all in. He looks a bit shocked. 'Are you okay?' Sookie asks. 'Am I? Are you?' he asks his girlfriend. 'I am now,' Sookie says. 'Honey, I understand why you ran. I really do understand. But why didn't you say anything?' Anna asks and takes her daughters hand. 'Because I couldn't, I couldn't say it all out loud. A part of me thought it was all my fault. And I felt the dark cloud in my head growing bigger and bigger.

I couldn't breathe anymore. It was like I was drowning in my own feelings and everything and everyone else was to much to handle. I wanted a neutral space to get myself in order, to stop the war inside me.' 'Where did you go?' Anna asks. 'Dad,' Sookie says a little ashamed. 'And that son of a bitch didn't bother call me to tell my daughter is okay?!' Anna says in disbelief. 'Mom, he changed,' Sookie says in a serious voice.

'Changed? No, there's no way that Robert Athanasiou changed,' Anna shakes her head. 'He split with Vanessa. He's together with Alexei now,' Sookie says. 'Alexei? As in the little hotel Alexei?' Anna asks with raised eyebrow. 'Yes,' Sookie says. Anna scoffs. 'Now it makes sense,' Anna says. 'What?' 'Whenever we were here on vacation, your father would go to the hotel because "Alexei needed some help with things". But he was just in love with a man,' Anna says. All the hate she has starts to dissapear.

'What about Vanessa?' Anna asks. 'Father realised very late that she didn't look like a man,' Sookie chuckles. 'Didn't they have a son together?' Anna asks. 'Yes, Adrian. He's a lovely kid. Father raised him well,' Sookie says. Anna just hums. 'He's become a good father to me too,' Sookie says. 'Sure,' Anna mutters.

It's silent for a while. Anna looks at Erik. 'So, how did you meet?' Erik explains the whole story of them. Anna starts smiling, Sookie starts smiling and Erik was already smiling the moment he started talking.